There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 392

Chapter 392: Chapter 384. A Wake-Up Call

Dheera had no idea why she began to cry.

Was it because she was scared? Or was it because she felt ashamed? Perhaps both.

She was ashamed of talking big about going to the Deathzone, even whining to be chosen. She was ashamed that even with all of her training, she couldn’t do anything. She was ashamed, especially, because she made her Captain sigh.

But there was also another feeling that triggered her tear duck. It was sadness. Because then she realized that Zein had been battling with that kind of place for years before coming here. She remembered the scary, spiky aura that Zein had the first time they met; how vigilant those blue eyes were, how sharp his speaking tone was, and how nonchalant he was to the matter of death.

It was his daily life; walking with the pressure weighing his body, breathing the heavily toxic air, seeing creatures most grotesque.

She realized fully then, that the unfazed nature of her Captain wasn’t crafted. It was forced onto him by the circumstances. Because he must. Because it was the only way to survive. To tune out everything, to be numb, so the mental corrosion wouldn’t affect his mind.

And it was just so heartbreaking for her young mind, who had only known the comfort of the higher zones.

Her tears lasted for a while, and Zein kept patting her back to calm her down. Dheera’s cry also triggered the others who were rather sensitive, and there was suddenly a feast of cries in the lounge outside the simulation chamber--although none was louder than the girl clinging to Zein.

"... ’m sorry," Dheera whispered between sobs.

"Why are you sorry?"

Dheera tried to quell her sobbing, chest trembling as she took a deep breath. She looked up at the calm blue eyes that were gazing at the dispirited guides. "You m-must be disappointed, Captain..."

"Hmm..." Zein looked in the direction of the simulation hall. "It’s rather disappointing," he said. The guides’ shoulders dropped at their Captain’s remark, but Zein added. "It’s not as severe as the real one--probably about eighty percent accurate."

The guides widened their eyes, too shocked and flabbergasted to even make a squeak. Their body stiffened at the fact that they were this shaken when it wasn’t even as harsh as the real condition. They had whined while shamelessly talking big, without even realizing the severity of the place they would walk into.

Just like Dheera, they lowered their gaze, feeling ashamed and dejected by their own complacency. Even Nadine, the stalwart one, couldn’t bring herself to look at Zein’s eyes. She had been complaining about Zein’s decision to leave her here, and those times pricked her conscience right now.

Looking at their dejected face, Zein let out a small, wry smile, before sighing again. "I’m not disappointed in you for failing," he said. "In fact, if you can instantly get over it, there’s something wrong with you."

Zein himself had to get used to it at first. It helped that he had lived in the red-zone all his life, so he only needed a few adjustments in the borderland. But there were a lot of guides who still refused to enter the Deathzone, even if they were fine in the Borderland. It was that different, that treacherous. That was why Zein used to take over the sentry and excursion duty because it was between him and the psychopathic guide who was there as a punishment.

The guides looked up again, blinking innocently. Zein’s smile stretched a little bit wider. "This is why we have this simulation training; so you can get used to it gradually."

He patted Dheera’s head, who was still holding the edge of his jacket like a lost child. The blue eyes swept the room again, staring at the guides’ eyes one by one.

"It’s a process, so don’t beat yourself for it just because you can’t hold on on the first try," he continued, before curling his lips and adding. "But well, I guess you’ll be less smug now."

Zein chuckled, and the guides slowly let out an embarrassed smile. But finally, they recovered from their disappointment in themselves. This experience became a huge wake-up call for them, although it left a bitter after-taste in their mouth.

Well, no medicine tastes good anyway.

"Now, for a more serious note," Zein tapped on Dheera’s shoulder so the girl would let him go. He looked at their eyes keenly, firmly. "I want you to visit the counseling department today--I already told them that you’ll come later," he glanced at Alice, who nodded in confirmation, before continuing in a softer voice. "Talk to them, and think again about your participation."

This time, it was the other guides who were sighing, even Nadine. Now they understood even more why Zein always gave them rigorous training, and could finally realize their shortcoming.

"From now on, you’ll attend counseling twice a month, so we can make sure that you’re alright," Zein continued sternly. "Understood?"

"Yes, Captain," they solemnly nodded.

Trinity had always had a free counseling facility, and guides had always been encouraged to use it because they were prone to stress from the accumulated absorbed miasma.

This time though, it wasn’t just absorbing miasma. It was like drowning in a pool of miasma. Just looking at their condition now, no one would dare to walk out without talking it out with someone first.

"Good," Zein nodded, once again patting Dheera’s head. "I won’t give any more training today, so use the rest of the time well."

"Thank you, Captain," Nadine bowed his head slightly, and Zein bid them goodbye.

He let out another sigh after stepping out of the lounge, and decided to go downstairs for a sweet coffee. He had predicted this result, but still...seeing them crying like that was pretty hard.