There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 617 - 611. An End and A Beginning

Chapter 617: Chapter 611. An End and A Beginning

The world talked about the emergence of the Great Tree and the erasure of the Deathzone. For days, it became a headline not only in the Eastern Federation but also in other regions.

Even after that, news about the reclamation project kept churning out as if the reporters never lacked any materials to cover. Perhaps because there had been such a draught of news during the operation itself, the articles kept flooding the media as if the dam had been broken.

The recording of the live broadcast kept replaying all over the link. It had become a topic of talk, whether a serious panel discussion in academies and associations or an ice breaker during a hangout in a downtown cafe.

As promised, Radia held another press conference in a symposium hall and relayed the highlights of the operation in front of government officials and the Sentinel Association. It was his way of saying that no one could manipulate the result and claim their role in this operation, which was funded by Trinity and Mortix.

The content of the Reclamation Act was once again spread to the public, who might have forgotten about it after three years. As if by design, the official press release was out on the same date as the announcement of Trinity as the project winner three years ago.

Radia, as the man on the top of the operation, almost couldn’t see the sun; hopping from one meeting to another without rest from dawn to dusk. The PR teams in Trinity and Mortix were losing their sleep managing the flow of public opinion, and the legal teams were battling with mountains of paperwork to take care of the hundreds of contracts that were nearing their end.

While the outside world was chaotic, the newly reborn nameless district formerly known as the Deathzone, was comparatively peaceful. They treated the new region like a vacation site, sunbathing on the side of the lake or having a barbeque party while waiting for their discharge.

When the order of retreat was given, they folded their beach chair and packed their compact tent; washing their face clean and putting on their clean clothes--not the battle-tested equipment and weapons rusted by miasma and beasts’ blood.

"I’m going home! Adios!" Han Shin was among the first ones to bail out of there. He didn’t even bother waiting for scheduled discharge, but slipped through the portal that Nyx made for Radia and Han Joon while shouting a phrase from an Old Age.

No one could blame him though--most of them were eager to leave the place too. While it was no longer the stifling place filled with murky air and thick miasma, it was still a battlefield. Those who had families and significant others missed their homes, and the rest longed for a proper civilization.

Starting from the healer, the personnel left the liberated Deathzone in batches. Mortix and Trinity had prepared buses to bring them to the nearest city, where they could take a chartered flight to Althrea or take other vehicles to where they wanted to go.

Even Zhan, who seemed like he wanted to map the entire new district with his motorcycle, bid them goodbye to visit his big family after years. Gus disappeared secretly with Senia without informing anyone, and Naoya returned with his sister after managing the outpost in the Borderland Unit.

As the operation members left one by one, personnel bearing House Mortix badges and Iron Shield uniforms came into the districts. While the reclamation itself had been successfully conducted, they still had to defend the place--this time from other humans. Before the negotiation regarding the management of the new district was concluded in Rexon, they could not let their guard down and let other people claim the newly opened land.

Thus, even though the tents gradually disappeared from the land, the watchtowers were still standing tall. Patrol teams were still dispatched alongside surveyors, and the Borderland Unit still worked to keep any authorized personnel from entering the place they tentatively called ’Eastern Shore’.

Interestingly enough, most of the guides opted to leave during the last batch, perhaps because they knew they wouldn’t be able to see their ’Captain’ as much in the future. The office that was half-occupied with gym equipment would be no more, and knowing Zein, they wouldn’t even be able to see his pretty face on screen.

So they stayed a bit longer, following Zein around. Sometimes they would sit around a campfire and listen to the guide’s last lecture on what they should do after this to improve themselves even more. When it was time for them to return, the younger kids could no longer hold back the tears they had painstakingly hidden in the farewell party the night before.

"What about you, Captain?" Dheera asked after wiping her tears. "When will you leave? You’re not going to stay here forever, are you?"

Actually, staying there forever was kind of the plan for the future. Not immediately though, so Zein shook his head.

"Someone has to keep an eye on things here until a clear system is established," Zein said, glancing at the former Field Commander who had his own goodbyes with his team members on the side. "And well," he smiled, prompting the nosey guides to raise their brows. "Someone owed me a date."

* * *

We’ll have a date on that cliff--was what Bassena said before charging toward the Fallen Star that day. A simple promise that made them keep trudging forward.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have any chance to fulfill that promise yet. They were busy looking for the last shard and uniting the fragments. Afterward, they were busy with discharge procedures and managing the security personnel from House Mortix and Ishtera. Not to mention, the remaining members who were still waiting for their discharge turn kept holding some kind of events; from barbeque parties and outdoor karaoke, to silly treasure hunts and impromptu sports tournaments.

Not even the reporters could keep up with these people’s silliness, who were using anything to destress themselves before joining society again.

And so, Zein and Bassena only had the chance to have that date after everyone had left the premises. And since it was a date, they departed with a car instead of teleporting several times.

After all, savoring the journey was part of a nice date.

It took considerably longer since the road wasn’t established yet. They had to use the path the scouts had drawn before, and the rough road that the agents made for the surveyors’ assessment. But it was nice to be able to see the newly grown nature slowly.

They didn’t have to pass the way while thinking about anything. It was pure enjoyment; breathing in the fresh air and making a game out of spotting new kinds of plants and a sign of animals. Signs of new life.

"That’s quite fast," Zein muttered as he watched a flock of birds flying across the sky.

"Bugs and flying animals are quick to move around," Bassena said. "Ah, and Shin’s friend down there."

Zein chuckled and leaned back on his seat, closing his eyes to feel the wind on his face as the car moved with decent speed. The fragment could get rid of the miasma, but they couldn’t magically create sentient animals. Still, lives found their way beneath the sun, and Zein was sure this place would feel even more alive shortly.

The inevitable development might hinder nature from prospering further, but it couldn’t be helped. It was the promise of development that allowed them to liberate the place from miasma after all. So, rather than lamenting about it, Zein decided to just enjoy this raw condition as much as possible while he still could.

"Oh?"

Zein opened his eyes at Bassena’s remark, and saw the glittering lake in the distance. It had experienced being scorched and exploded, but it looked fine after three weeks. The damaged bridge had been restored, and they could visit the island if they wanted. The island itself was empty, with a handful of trees forming a forest again.

What prompted Bassena’s soft exclaim, however, was something--someone--who casually moved around the lake.

"Haha...it looks happy," Zein chuckled and stood up on his seat as the car swerved closer to the lake.

The happy kid paused splashing the lake with its tail at the sound of the engine, but upon seeing Zein, it swam quickly to the shore, placing its head on the side of the lake.

"Are you having fun here?" Zein jumped out of the car and patted the Sea Serpent, whose tail wriggled in the water like a puppy. It let out a soft whimper that sounded like a whine. "You must have been lonely, huh? Wait a bit until those kids stabilize their energy, and your old friend will come to visit you."

The Sea Serpent swayed its head at Zein’s words, looking even happier. Despite the huge body, the Sea Serpent was still in its juvenile stage, and its mind had regressed to that of a child after being purified. Perhaps that was why, in Zein’s eyes, the Sea Serpent looked just like a kid.

"It must have moved through the underwater tunnel from the sea, huh?" Bassena scooped the clear water and tasted it. "It’s a saltwater lake."

"That’s good, isn’t it? Being alone in the sea must have been boring," Zein patted the good child who contributed greatly to the sea battle. "Shouldn’t we reward this one too?"

He said it half-jokingly, but Bassena nodded. "Don’t worry; Radia already put this one into protective custody," he said, and then added while spreading his arms. "Besides, our dear Guildmaster purchased the whole lake and island, so it can play here as much as it wants without worry."

"Oh?" Zein raised his brow, and then recalled what Han Shin said about how nice this place would be for a holiday. "Is he going to make a resort or something?"

"No," Bassena chuckled, pointing at the island with his chin. "He did not purchase it in Mortix’s name, but Trinity."

Zein tilted his head inquisitively as Bassena continued with a deep smile.

"That island--we will turn it into Trinity’s first branch’s headquarters."

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