There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 583 - 577. Overdue

Chapter 583: Chapter 577. Overdue

Several espers excelled in stealth walked carefully in the dark labyrinth of the canyon while squinting their eyes at the map in their commlinks. They advanced slowly but surely, making sure they wouldn’t get found out by anyone or anything.

"Damn..." the one in the front, the scout, whispered in half-laughter. "We’d really get lost without this map."

"Mister Jock is really something," one of them laughed nervously before shuddering from the memory of the man’s half-burnt body. But the terrifying flashback was cut immediately as he spotted a point marked on the map. "There--we should put the marker on that boulder."

They stopped and carefully placed another marker they had been setting up along the way. "Phew..." they used the time to rest for a bit and looked around--although the only thing they could see was black rocks. "But how would everyone cross this place in the future? It’ll take considerable time for more than a hundred people moving at the same time."

"But the same goes for our enemies, right? Except for the flying ones."

The markers they had been setting up were activated by mana, so they wouldn’t help the beasts who didn’t have it. If they quickly shot the flying one, the beasts would lose their guides and hopefully, they would get lost, giving the espers ample time to get ready and attack them from above.

"It’s not our job to think about crossing and stuff like that," the rearguard shook their head. "The Guildmaster and Commander will think of something."

"Oh, you’re right," they immediately agreed, but the nodding scout suddenly raised his hand.

"Shush."

"What?"

"I heard something."

Immediately, they took a battle stance in a trained manner, opening their senses wide as they scanned their surrounding.

"No, not from the canyon," the scout pressed his ear on the walls of rock. He pointed forward and up. "I think we’re close to the end."

"You’re right, but..." their gunner frowned. "If you can hear them..."

Silently, they continued their journey through the canyon--which wasn’t long anymore--and crept through the tall grass of the meadow between the canyon and the lake. With the map provided to them, they expertly shuffled to a higher ground that should have a better view of the lake, which was their original destination.

But when they arrived at their designated point and parted the stiff black grass to gain vision, they froze.

"Oh, shit," a strained exclamation came out unconsciously.

"This is..."

As they were digesting the view of the lake, the rearguard suddenly felt their internal alarm blaring in warning. He snapped his head to the side and he cursed inwardly.

They weren’t the only ones who could do reconnaissance.

"Run!"

The rearguard pulled the scout’s and the gunner’s back as flashes of red eyes started to chase after them.

* * *

"Wow..." a soft exclaim came out of Eleanor’s mouth as her eyes landed on the place the others called Sanctuary for the first time.

To be honest, it was a scenery they could find in any green-zone’s countryside or the border of the safe zone. But here, after spending a couple of weeks in the Deathzone, it was truly a sanctuary in every sense.

"It’s beautiful, isn’t it?" Jock walked closer in his crutch. While he looked fine already on the outside, the bones, flesh, and muscles grown from magic still needed adjustment to be used properly.

"It is," Eleanor smiled and helped the scout sit down on a boulder overlooking the lake and the big tree on the other side.

Just like anyone who visited the sanctuary for the first time, they were drowning in a silent bliss of appreciation, letting themselves forget about whatever burden or hardship for a moment as they bathed in warm light and breathed in fresh air.

Perhaps that was why, old memories kept coming to Jock’s mind, and his eyes chased the reflection of the woman beside him on the water in front of them.

Right. There was something that had been nagging his mind since the treatment. He took a soft breath and asked carefully while making sure he kept the tone light. "Do you really keep me as your medical proxy?"

"Huh?" Eleanor blinked at the sudden question that broke her immersion with the nature. It took her a few seconds to realize that her mana core treatment would need consent before nodding. "Oh...that’s right."

"...why?"

It was a voice filled with bewilderment and curiosity, but there was also something else beneath that got Eleanor smiling subtly. "Hmm...I just never changed it," she replied lightheartedly. "Besides, no one knows me better than you. I believe you’d make the best decision for me if I need it."

"Still?"

Again with the confused tone. Eleanor smiled at the slight fluttering feeling she hadn’t felt in so long. "You too," she said with a playful smile.

"Me?"

She turned her head to watch the bewildered expression clearly. "Why did you set me as your will’s beneficiary?"

"That’s..." Jock looked surprised at first, wondering how Eleanor would know about it. But then, he remembered that she was close with the people in the household administrative office. "Well, I feel thankful in many ways."

He sounded embarrassed, and Eleanor almost giggled because the last time Jock looked like this was during their first date. "Oh, I’m glad," she said joyfully.

"Hmm?"

"I thought it was because you feel guilty," she shrugged. "I’m glad it’s not that. I don’t want you to blame yourself."

"Haha..."

The scout let out a wry laugh. He did feel guilty; the one who made it lonely between them was him. He was the one who kept going away to work, chasing down ambitions because he wanted to stand apart from House Mallarc one day, unlike Eleanor who laid her loyalty with the family. She had every reason to feel resentful of him, but she gracefully forgave him by saying they just have a different way of life.

That was how they could separate peacefully and remain as respectful friends.

But that was why he felt thankful. There was no messy break-up that burdened their career or social life, and he was able to achieve what he wanted.

Above all else, he was thankful that he could experience the tender affection he didn’t know he was capable of having before meeting her. And he was thankful that he could keep that memory beautiful even after they were no longer together.

Staring at her reflection in the sparkling water, he was reminded of that tender feeling that might never leave after all. "I’m going to retire after this."

Eleanor opened her eyes and tilted her head. "Because you were brushing with death once?"

"Pfft--I’ve been brushing with death many times in my youth."

"Oh, you’re right," she laughed lightly.

"I think it’s enough now," Jock exhaled heavily. "Young Master Radia will give us a lot of compensation after this, so I’m going to take it easy. I have enough in my retirement savings to live comfortably without doing anything."

She raised her brow before laughing a bit louder. "It’s weird hearing that from someone who refused to stay still just ten years ago."

"Ugh--everyone’s like that when they’re young and ambitious..."

"So you admit you are old now?"

"I am," Jock smirked; there was no point in denying it. Most espers in their forties knew that had passed their peak. "I started to think that I might run out of time to enjoy what I had gained."

"You’re right," Eleanor nodded, thinking about how many active espers actually survive their middle age. "Wouldn’t it be silly to pile so much money just to die before you enjoy it?"

"Yep."

Eleanor laughed at how fast Jock was admitting it while hitting his knee like someone with bad joints. "I still can’t imagine you as a retired old man though," she shook her head. "I always thought you’d be running around in the field until you’re old and bald."

"I won’t go bald," he argued defensively.

"Yes, you are. You’re already--"

"Hey!"

She laughed again; they knew a strong denial was no different from admitting the truth. Jock grew increasingly flustered and threw his hands in the end. "Ugh--what I’m saying is I won’t be going out anymore."

"...huh?"

"I can stay put in one place once I retire."

Jock let out a harsh breath and they went silent for a few seconds as Eleanor digested the man’s statement.

"...oh," she let out a soft sound with her slightly trembling lips as her fluttering heart made her cheeks bloom slightly.

At that moment, their blurred reflections in the lake seemed to show the pictures of their younger selves.

* * *

In front of a stationary crystal, Zein and Bassena had a short farewell.

"I’m going in this time," Zein said as his hands hovered in the air.

It was a conversation that he could no longer postpone anymore, so Zein took the chance while taking Jock and Eleanor to the sanctuary. But it had been a while since he entered a shard’s consciousness, so he had no idea when he would come out of it.

Bassena held the guide’s waist from behind and replied affirmingly. "Alright, I’ll catch you."

A smile formed on Zein’s lips as he leaned back and tilted his head for a kiss. "I’ll be back," he whispered, before touching the core and sending his consciousness inside.

The amber eyes blurred and after a momentary blackout, his surroundings turned into a white canvas. A foggy forest gradually appeared as if someone painted the space with diluted ink. In the middle of it, a man with long white hair turned around and Zein caught a pair of familiar blue eyes he had sometimes seen in the mirror.

"Hello, Luzein."

It was the time to talk with Setnath.