There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 538 - 531. Pavlonian Reaction

Chapter 538: Chapter 531. Pavlonian Reaction

Bassena’s first reaction was to drop the bottle in his hand. Was it so he could fight tooth and nail with Han Joon?

Well, not really.

His second reaction was to grab Zein from behind and hug his boyfriend defensively. The others thought a fight would break out--and Gus had taken out a bag of department store popcorn from somewhere--but what Bassena did later made them dumbfounded.

"W-why are you doing this, hyung..." the Saint class sounded desperate. "You’re already married..."

"Hey, who are you calling hyung?" Han Shin protested. "He’s my hyung!"

What the hell?! Senia looked at the man who always acted cool and imposing before, but suddenly looked like a meek lamb. Everyone knew how protective and possessive Bassena was about Zein, but what was this?

In front of an esper that was clearly weaker than him? Was it because that man was the Guildmaster’s husband?

She looked at Gus and his popcorn with parted lips.

"That man used to be our Commander’s mentor," the swordsman explained quietly while offering his popcorn. "He used to be Commander’s only weakness before Zein came."

"Huh..."

Senia blinked dumbfoundedly, before taking the popcorn and watching the spectacle again in a newfound interest.

Han Joon, meanwhile, was smiling calmly as he approached the couple--and flicked Bassena’s forehead.

"Ouch?"

Bassena grasped his forehead. Surely, a flick like that wouldn’t hurt Bassena. The pain came from memories of being beaten up when he was still wildling in the academy.

"How dare you think I’m going to seduce anyone but my darling," the ex-soldier sounded just like in his academy days, and the little unruly boy inside Bassena was flinching.

Still, he mumbled in protest. "But you’re just naturally..."

"What is that?"

"N-nothing?" Bassena hid behind Zein, but still embraced the guide protectively.

Senia leaned closer to Gus and whispered. "This is interesting."

"Right?"

"Alright--enough playing," Zein raised his hand and patted Bassena’s hand in reassurance. "Stop teasing him, Joon."

Han Joon chuckled and patted Bassena’s head--something that only Zein dared to do. But the man had been doing it way before Zein did, and while the effect was different, it was still there, in the way Bassena grumbled like a kid.

"I need to bring him somewhere," Han Joon explained.

"Where?"

"Let’s show Joon around the base," Radia stood up and clapped his hands. He snapped his fingers next, and his summoned secretaries that came with him started to take out chest upon chest of food.

And not just any food, but the highest-quality food, complete with cakes and wines--all the good stuff.

"Have fun with lunch," the Guildmaster said as the personnel cheered at the sudden extravagance. The summoned secretaries even served them personally, as if they were in a dining party.

Ah, perhaps this was a wedding reception--they grinned as they stuffed themselves with the nice, fresh food.

Although the couple themselves disappeared from the party.

"So? Where are you taking Zein?" Bassena asked curiously, still holding the guide’s hand as if Zein would get whisked away if he let the man go.

"Yeah, yeah, where? Why do you take him and not me?" funnily enough, Han Shin was clinging to his brother’s arm so Radia couldn’t even enjoy walking with his new husband.

Oh, well--he had spent three inseparable days with Joon anyway.

"It’s something to do with the Star Call Initiative," Radia explained. "We have good firepower, but honestly, not enough defense. I want to let Rina stay here, but...I still need her in Althrea."

"So you’re trying to recruit a defender Ranker?" Bassena’s brows twitched--the only defender in the Rankers list was an asshole who kept saying Bassena would never be able to breach his barrier or whatever, but also never answering to Bassena’s challenge, saying he had no interest in child play. "I swear if you take that person--"

"No," Radia waved his hand dismissively. "People who can’t work together are useless for me."

"Who then?"

"A Saint class that refused to be put on the Rankers list," Han Joon glanced at Bassena and smirked as the younger man gasped. "The Iron Mountain."

After all, a mountain should face another mountain.

"Who is that?" Han Shin, who had never really cared about the Rankers, asked. "And why do you need Zein? Do you want to bait that person by his guiding?"

"Urk--"

Once again, Bassena gripped Zein tightly. He would do it if he should, but he didn’t really want to duke it out with a veteran Saint class. Han Joon chuckled at the transparent reaction and looked at Zein.

"Because he had a good relationship with Zein’s father."

* * *

"I knew him accidentally when I was roaming the northern mountain near the Tower of Scatach," Han Joon told the guide on the Humvee crossing the desert, on the way to the ship.

"In the Northern Alliance?"

"The border," Han Joon replied. "I don’t know if you know, but your father was quite well known among the defenders back in the day--of course, it happened before we were born."

"I know," Zein nodded, recalling the conversation during the memorial service for his father. "But I never knew that a Saint Class also knew him."

"People said he could be the next Saint Class defender, so of course the only one holding the title would be interested," Han Joon shrugged. "He was looking for a disciple, after all."

"Huh..."

Zein couldn’t lie that he was pretty surprised about this. Even Senan was surprised, and just shook his head when Zein looked at him. "I was the youngest in the group, so Master Roan didn’t tell me everything. But..." the middle-aged esper stroked his chin as he recalled the old days. "There were days when he would go away for a few days without telling anyone. Perhaps the Elder knows, but I’m not really sure."

Zein smiled subtly--as always, his father was both mysterious and amusing. It wasn’t a bad feeling, however, finding more about his father bit by bit from other people. "So, you think my father was meeting the Iron Mountain at that time?"

"The Iron Mountain told me that he met this up-and-coming defender for around three years, but the man ended up choosing not to become his disciple in the end," Han Joon continued.

"Why?"

"That’s something you need to ask the old man yourself," Han Joon smiled. "Afterward, the Iron Mountain decided that he would never find anyone better than that defender to be taught, so he decided to retreat from the frontline and live in seclusion. That was...thirty-seven years ago, and he never left his mountain ever since."

Zein did some mental math and nodded. Thirty-seven years ago meant the Iron Mountain retreated before the attack against Ishtera, and...

"He had no idea what happened to the Ishtera in his seclusion."

"Well, no one really did," Senan chuckled bitterly.

"So did I," Han Joon tapped on his knee. "I didn’t know anything about your side of the story until right before I got into prison."

Radia, who had been riding at the front silently added. "We were meant to get here yesterday, but Joon needed to do some digging first."

"Well, I didn’t know that you were looking for Rankers before," Han Joon looked at Zein. "I don’t think someone like him will get enticed with money or item, so--"

"You’re resorting to nostalgia?" Zein smirked.

Han Joon shrugged and leaned against the railing, starting to enjoy the scenery of the empty desert now that he finished his explanation.

"Honestly, if there’s someone we could depend on with no worldly greed, it would be the Iron Mountain," Radia said. "Of course, we’re not trying to make him work right away, just..." he rubbed his lips in contemplation. "Just try to make him agree to help during the last battle."

"Mm..."

Zein leaned back and closed his eyes. Honestly, regardless of the objection, he felt rather excited to meet this old man. There weren’t a lot of people who knew his father well, and most who did were the vassals of Ishtera, so everything came from rose-tinted glasses.

This old man was probably not, right? A Saint Class that was looking for a potential discipline would look at Alteroan in a more neutral way. It would be interesting to hear what his father like from someone who wasn’t constantly worshiping him.

"Would it...take a long time?" the Saint class driver asked with pursed lips.

"Naturally, it depends on the old man," Han Joon smirked while ruffling the grumbling Bassena’s hair. "But we’ll be borrowing Nyx so at least we don’t have to be plagued with a long journey."

"Although you still need to approach the mountain first before Nyx can place his marker," Radia shrugged. "Why? Can’t you be away from your boyfriend for a bit?"

"No," Bassena muttered childishly, earning him another ruffle from Han Joon.

Radia laughed lightly, but he couldn’t blame Bassena when he felt the same way. Still, it was necessary, so he’d hold back for now. Afterward...

Yeah, he wouldn’t let Han Joon out of his side at all afterward.

"I’ll compensate you tonight," Zein threw a carrot nonchalantly. "For now, let’s enjoy the ship."

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