There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 475

Chapter 475: Chapter 468. Traces of The Past

"We need to build a watchtower here and here," Bassena pointed his fingers at some section of the map; the one facing the marsh, and the one on the other side of the ruin.

"Do you think we’ll need another beacon in the marsh, Commander?"

"It doesn’t hurt to do it," Bassena nodded. "We’re gonna have to make it accessible, though. A hard day of magicians works, I think."

Iore groaned but said nothing, just sighed and nodded. Well...people said the best construction workers were the mages after all. Especially those with earth magic--very useful for digging up things and placing building foundations.

"We’ll sweep the route once again once the guides finish cleansing everyone--probably in two days," Bassena continued. "We’ll let the supply come from the emergency point, and once we’re done with the watchtower, as well as the public facilities, we’ll continue with establishing the road from here to the Borderland."

Bassena looked at the scouts next. "During construction, please continue to look if there’s another--easier--way we can use. If there is none, we’ll proceed with the original route."

"Yes, Commander."

Kei nodded between her typing, and then, after a few seconds, lifted her head. "Should we connect the communication?"

"Do it."

There was another rising excitement that was mixed with anticipation and anxiety. While they had connected all the beacons successfully before, this one was a different one. The beacon that was deployed in their first base was a much stronger version than the other ones they had installed before. It should be, if worked properly, managed to not only send simple text documents, but also videos--and, ultimately, allow for a video call or conference with the other side.

Well, there was a reason why Bassena snatched Han Shin to the top of the dome--the highest possible place to install the beacon.

This didn’t just mean they would be able to send more accurate reports. The biggest factor that put people in anticipation was a chance to make a call back home. If this worked properly, they could request face time with their loved ones to soothe their exhausted, heavy heart. Of course, it could only be done through Trinity’s local channel, but the management team back in Athrea would happily make arrangements for the troops’ family members to come to Athrea, or bring the equipment to their loved ones’ abode.

With bated breath, they waited for the communication central device to activate. It was painfully slow, since it needed to travel through four other beacons before reaching the borderland headquarters. But when the screen made a static sound, and a picture slowly formed there, of a face that slightly moving albeit blurry, they let out their held breaths and collapsed in relieved exhaustion.

It was done. Their job for that was done.

They patted each other’s shoulders while Kei conveyed the long report of that day’s incident to the people standing by in the outpost. That night, they would dream of calling their loved ones. They might only be able to do it once a month, or even once every couple of months--because let’s be honest, it was still a tall order--but they could do it nonetheless.

"Alright, get rest for tonight," Bassena said. "The place is safe for now, so you don’t need to bother about security."

A series of ’yeah’s and ’yeay’s filled the stadium, as if there was a match for a sports tournament. Some wondered if there was a game here on the day the world turned into chaos, but the thought was immediately shoved away by the smell of delicious food from the kitchen.

It was nothing more than a whole bunch of pre-cooked meals and instant food, but for those who just survived a battle and in hungry, even a piece of decent bread would taste delicious.

Bassena watched the espers attack the kitchen like a pack of hyenas and chuckled in satisfaction. But he also yelled and warned them to give some to the guides first.

"Where’s Zein?" he asked the guides who were scurrying over with their trays.

"Oh, Captain said he’ll go looking around the place," Dheera replied while looking in the direction of the emergency exit. "Something about looking for a nostalgic space? I don’t know where it is exactly, though..."

"I see," Bassena nodded without any apparent change in his face. "Thank you. Enjoy your meal and get ample rest tonight."

"Yessir!"

Bassena watched the little crowd for a few more minutes, before slipping away when everyone was focused on the food and their own task. As he walked through a path that felt mildly familiar, his nonchalant expression broke as the corner of his lips twitched. Gradually, his steps became quicker, and he almost ran at one point.

He slowed down, however, when he saw a building. It looked like a mix of dormitory and classes--or some kind of research center. Who knows? The sign and everything had been corroded, but as with everything else around the shard, the place was still sturdy. It seemed like fourteen months without the shard protection did not make the building crumble.

As of the past, there was no door at the entrance. His steps, echoing loudly in the crisp air, sounded even louder than he remembered. Or was it the sound of his beating heart that grew louder?

Bassena stopped walking at one point, turning his head to a certain room--no, hall--where they originally found the shard. According to Zein, some survivors in the city moved the shard here because more people were coming, and the area of protection the shard could provide was no longer adequate.

This time, they wouldn’t do it like that. If it wasn’t big enough, they would provide supporting devices. They would find more shards and in the end, they would unite those shards into a whole fragment.