There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 407 - 399. Unexpected Guest

Chapter 407: Chapter 399. Unexpected Guest

"Your drink, Captain."

When Zein got back to his office after his afternoon physical training, Alice had already put a glass on his table. It was a glass of water, but instead of a clear one, the color was that of a liquid metal--a concoction of silver and grey.

It was all according to its name; Silver Needle.

One of the largest dungeon plant commodities, aside from the healing grass for regeneration serum, was the needle plant. The entire plant, from the roots to the flowers, were akin to needles--hence the name. Each of those parts had its own utility and different ways of production.

The bronze-colored needle was commonly made into pills or tablets for stamina recovery, while the golden leaves, which were more effective when they were burned, were made into a mana-enhancement cigarette. Those two were expensive, because cultivating needle plants outside of the dungeon was impossible, and it needed a specific dungeon environment to be able to grow.

The most expensive product of the plants, however, was the flower; the silver needle. Simply, because it was a rare commodity. Not every needle plant grew flowers, and even while one did, there wasn’t that much in a single plant. Those flowers also needed to be treated carefully, because they dissolved in water.

Just like the one on Zein’s table.

And he had a lot of it, thanks to a certain worrywart boyfriend. There was a box in their apartment, and another box in the office. From what Zein read, the Silver Needle had the best detoxification effect, and while Zein said he did not feel pain anymore, Bassena was worried the dead organ inside his body would release toxic substances passed the mana barrier.

Bassena was very adamant that Zein had to take it every day, and Zein complied without any fuss this time. After all, the boxes were already there when Bassena told him about it, and the effect was beneficial no matter what condition he was in. Besides, the gesture came from a valid concern, and Bassena had every right to use his wealth however he saw fit--including buying two boxes of very expensive herbal remedies.

And as usual, Alice made the drink in such a timely manner. Zein drank it immediately, the slightly metallic taste had become familiar in his tongue. He wondered if it was the real taste of the silver needle, or just an illusion his brain concocted because the drink looked like a glass of molten silver. Actually, he wouldn’t be surprised if the price of a single portion matched the price of a cup of silver.

While savoring the metallic taste on his tongue--which was still better than the taste of the red-zone’s water--he glanced at the articles filling the headlines of many news outlets today.

[The conclusion of Operation Kronos: the Titan felled by the younger generation]

[The First Ever Execution of an Old House]

[Torodeo Horin facing death sentence; others get away with massive financial compensation]

[The map of the financial playground to receive massive change as several players face loss and bankruptcy in the aftermath of the big trial]

After several weeks, the trial of Operation Kronos was finally concluded. As Radia had predicted, Torodeo Horin received a death sentence rather than life imprisonment. He was the only one who received it, as House Horin no longer had any financial means to pay for the penalty. The conglomerates, as expected, argued that they had no idea their ’investment’ would be used for such an atrocious project, and got away with paying a massive fine.

Of course, there would be people from the victim’s family who weren’t satisfied with the final verdict. For Zein, however, the main culprit was Torodeo Horin, so he was fine with the decision.

’Although they still covering up the military involvement and erased any evidence’

Zein clicked his tongue, but it wasn’t his battle. He knew Radia and Joon would sort that out one day.

"Go on," he nodded at Alice, who had been standing beside his desk with a tablet full of reports.

"The advance troop guides had passed the lowest threshold in the simulation chamber. On average, they managed to stay for at least thirty minutes," Alice started. "Sir Abe and Sir Banner had given an interim evaluation for each personnel’s dodging and shield course. I had sent the reports to your link account and printed them here."

She patted the folder on top of Zein’s desk. There was another document below the folder, and Zein pointed at it with his chin. "What’s that?"

"The equipment list that you requested," Alice pulled the document and gave it to Zein’s outstretched hand.

In the face of their big march to the East, the almighty guildmaster had bestowed each department with generous additional funds to be used as the preparation for the reclamation effort. Aside from the obvious standard combat guide gears, Zein had decided to use the money for the guides’ weapon of choice and small storage rings filled with provisions for each guide selected for the march.

"Mortix must have been busy," Zein muttered.

"I heard they turn a whole building to especially cater to the reclamation project," Alice said. "Just for a drop point," she added. "Like a warehouse."

Well, if it was logistics, no one would ever doubt Mortix.

"I’ll sort this out by tomorrow," Zein raised the document, before putting it and the other folder inside the storage ring. "Ah, if anyone from the temple calls, connect them to my link."

"Understood," Alice nodded readily. "Are you going out, Captain?"

"A little meeting," he said. "I’m going upstairs afterward, so you can go back early today."

After getting swarmed by his chicks in the lobby for a few minutes and giving them all a pat on the head each, he met up with Arlo in the lobby, who would be his driver today.

Since there was no longer a big looming threat from Torodeo, Bassena no longer shadowed him everywhere. That being said, he didn’t go far from the compound; just to a restaurant with a private room just outside the commercial district. The rest of the Iron Shield’s executives had been waiting there, for some reason feeling rather excited.

Perhaps because they would have a meeting about the clan’s operation with their patriarch--who they still called young master as a habit. Sure, Zein had given them instructions before, but never in a formal meeting, and there would always be Bassena or someone else present.

This time, they could remember it as the first time the Ishtera household held an internal meeting.

For Zein, however, there was nothing special about it. It was just something that needed to be done, now that they had a lot on their plate, and that he would be away for quite some time.

"Our treasurer met your financier yesterday, Young Master," Senan’s youngest sister, Ada, put a stack of documents in front of Zein. "This is all the assets that we currently have, including the ones we gained from the Horins."

Zein swallowed his sigh, feeling like his life revolved around documents these days. It made him feel rather impatient to start the reclamation project--or rather, operation--and be rid of papers with numbers on them.

But it was needed. He had to reinstate and recalibrate the revenue from the Iron Shield to the clan’s operation fund, as well as the dividend they would get from Celestia. He needed to separate money to be put into the academy he wanted to build, and the orphanage in the red-zone. Zones. And then there was the eternal dungeon.

Again, another document was put in front of him, this time from Senan. "I have made a list of members who will join the brigade and accompany you to the Deathzone. The matter of the eternal dungeon would be overseen by Cillian, and Ada would take care of the internal affairs."

"Mm," Zein skimmed over the report once, before addressing the one in the back of the document. "Have you found a place in Rexon?"

With them becoming the major shareholder of Celestia and taking over Horin’s residence, it was imperative for the Iron Shield to have a branch office in the Capital. Unfortunately, Cohen had yet to find a suitable place there.

"I’ll ask some acquaintance," Zein said, recalling a long string of messages he had been receiving almost every day ever since the trial from a certain young guide friend. Perhaps the Azure twins knew some good property. He tapped on a list of people then. "What is this?"

Zein pointed at a list of personnel that was written by hand, not printed. "Ah, I want to ask you to appoint a group to be your guard, Young Master."

"I have a really big snake hanging around me," I said, and I could hear Arto stifling a laugh in the corner, before clearing his throat and grinning sheepishly.

"I know, Young Master," Senan smiled calmly. "But we are your vassals. We can’t just leave your protection in the hands of someone else."

"Hmm..." Zein tapped on the surface of the table in contemplation. It wasn’t like he didn’t understand their sincere devotion. "But I don’t think there’s a need for extra protection anymore..."

"How would you know, Young Master? What if those people from Horin come to get revenge?"

"That’s right, Young Master. Cornered people might do crazy things!"

Well...it wasn’t without basis.

"And what about people from Celestia?" Senan frowned. "I heard some people who used to be Varion Belthera’s people left the guild. They might try to do something..."

"That’s--"

Before Zein could say anything, his commlink suddenly rang. He looked at it, thinking it was Bassena. But the name displayed there was the guildmaster.

"Radia?" Zein raised his brow and picked up the call. "Do you need me?"

[Can you come back to the guild?]

"Now?"

[You can take your time] Radia sounded nonchalant, despite the request. [It’s just that we have a rather special guest here]

Zein tilted his head. He didn’t remember making any appointments for today. "Who? The temple?"

[See for yourself]

And then, the camera shifted and panned to someone standing in front of Radia, in the middle of the guildmaster’s office. A face that Zein had seen before, only once, but he never thought of seeing again ever since.

Senia Azra.

The princess of Celestia.

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