There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 203

Chapter 203: Chapter 197. Relationship

"Can...can we take a rest, Captain? I think I really am going to die..." Dheera wheezed on the floor, crouching down like she was about to throw a tantrum.

But it wasn’t just Dheera. Almost everyone was panting and groaning, some were on all four, just waiting for a signal so they could lay flat on the cold floor.

It was already entering winter, but they were drenched in sweat and hot.

Zein looked around, and some of the youngest guides made miserable expressions on purpose to incite pity on their overly energized Captain. It wasn’t like they were acting--they truly felt miserable!

"Alright, let’s rest for an hour and reviewed your progress," Zein finally said.

The words were greeted by relieved groans. They embraced the floor as if it was their long-lost lovers. Zein chuckled and asked the one who was still well enough to get water and distribute it to the others.

"Is there a reason we suddenly go for this hard-mode training again?" Dean asked after finished handling the water, propping himself against the wall to enjoy his well-earned rest.

"Because you’re getting lazy just because I’ve been busy these days," Zein answered with crossed arms, narrowing his eyes at the guides that were averting his gaze.

Because they did slack off. Zein had been preoccupied with the reclamation project, spending more time in Mortix’s lab and the twelfth floor rather than with his division. He used to always oversee their daily stamina training, but he rarely did so since last month.

But there was also a reason behind this behavior.

"That’s not fair, Captain! You’re grilling us too when you were in your bad-mood era!" Dheera, the brazen girl, pursed her lips in protest.

"H-Hey--"

"Oh!" the girl quickly clasped her mouth, and the guides glanced toward their Captain with nervousness.

A few weeks ago, Zein had been walking around looking like he might slip and murder someone. Some people, who were there the day Zein came to the seventh floor for the first time, remembered the sharp and deadly aura Zein had during that time. And during that time, Zein oversee their training with a ferocity of a military drill sergeant, with not a speck of smile could be seen on his face.

Looking at these guides nervous expressions, Zein felt rather guilty now. He did have a plan to put more pressure on their mentality to prepare them for the reclamation project, but what he did wasn’t that--he was just projecting his negativity onto those around him.

And these chicks seemed to get scared of him again because of that. "Haha, sorry about that," he laughed softly, leaning on the arena’s railing and letting out a sigh.

The guides raised their brows and glanced at each other in surprise. This was the first time Zein oversee their training again this month, and the first time they heard his laugh again after so long. It was enough to leave them stunned.

"Well...I thought you made us work hard because you were in a bad mood before, but I see now that you just like to work hard in any mode, because it’s clear that you are in a good mood these days," Nadine chuckled from one of the benches while wiping the sweat of her forehead.

"The only difference is that you’re no longer glaring and frowning if we made a mistake, hehe," Dheera chimed in with a giggle.

"Hmm..."

"But you’re truly radiant these days, Captain. You looked even brighter than the Chief who’s getting married in a few months," Brisk said cheekily.

"You fool!" someone who was laying on the ground snapped. "Preparing for marriage is stressful, you know. There’s no time to be happy."

Huh--Zein didn’t know that. But he knew Abel looked tired lately, especially on Monday, as if his weekend was filled with even more activities than his workday.

"Meanwhile, our Captain is in his honeymoon period," Nadine said with a smirk, winking when Zein cast a glance at her.

"Honeymoon, huh?" Zein scoffed, but Nadine immediately continued with curled eyes and a hand over her lips.

"Ho ho, I know you were going somewhere with Sir Vaski using the chopper last Sunday," she said as if it was something scandalous, prompting a united reaction from the other guides.

"What--really?! Just the two of you?"

Zein rolled his eyes at the way these people suddenly crawled closer to him despite saying they couldn’t move anymore just a minute ago. "What’s so special about that? I go out with him all the time."

"Not in a helicopter!"

"Is that so special?"

"It’s like everyone’s dream date!"

"I didn’t know that," Zein muttered before downing his water. Well...it did feel like a date, a very nice one, where they glimpse a bit into the past and the future.

And it ended with them defiling the inside of the helicopter before getting back, but no one need to know that.

"But seriously, Captain, why are we suddenly in spartan mode?" Dean asked again.

"It’s your end-of-the-year performance evaluation," Zein told them casually.

Dheera tilted her head. "We have that? Do we get a bonus if we perform well?"

"I don’t know about bonus, but..." Zein stared at the eyes of the guides that were focusing on him and announced; "The one who has the best progress will come with me to the annual gathering."