There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 554

Chapter 554: Chapter 548. Setting the Board

"It’s okay, it’s not like we’ll be parting for long," Zein spoke softly, caressing the twins shaking on his chest.

They pushed onto him, nuzzled him, diving into his coat as if they wanted to hide behind him rather than lodging themselves in the ship. They truly seemed like children in this way; even the elemental spirits came and patted the twins in consolation. Perhaps because the twins were there when the dungeon was ’freed’ the first time, there was a bond between them.

And that was why, Zein decided to put the twins on the ship instead of the previously sleeping shard--who would be placed on the plains’s watchtower.

"Listen," Zein held the twins, looking at them with a mix of gentle gaze and spoke in a firm tone as if they were truly children. "Don’t you want to help me?"

He couldn’t believe he used the same trick he had done to his younger brothers every time he was going on a long dungeon excursion, but there he was.

And just like his brothers, the twin shards moved up and down slightly as if nodding.

"Then, please stay with my friends and help them," he stroked the twins with his thumbs. "The more you do, the faster we can finish this and meet up. How about it?"

The twins buzzed, swaying left and right as if thinking about it deeply. The elemental spirits swayed with them and buzzed around, probably giving their opinion and coaxing the shards.

Well, Zein was glad that at least the twins would have other friends to talk with on the journey.

Hesitatingly, with a heavy movement, the shards nodded in the end. But it wasn’t until they had their fill latching themselves to Zein that they were willing to move to the ship. They also cheekily did not deactivate their barrier, so even Bassena couldn’t come close.

For the onlooker, it was a fascinating and adorable sight--a bonus point for having a gentle and soft-spoken Zein, which was a rarity still. They were even treated to the guide’s beautiful smile and melodious laughter, which was usually only reserved for Bassena inside their private tent.

"I saw a glimpse of a future," Gus stroked his chin while watching the spectacle.

"Oh, I think I know!" Zhan, who had been in a good mood since the swordsman came back--albeit temporarily--uses his brain for once. "It’s like seeing how he would be talking to his own children, right?"

"Wow, you’re right for once..."

"What do you mean for once? I’m always right!"

"Yeah...so right you become a jinx carrier," Naoya scoffed.

"Don’t say things I can’t refute!"

Ah...so peaceful--Bassena thought, closing his eyes and staving away any negative feelings. It would most likely be the last time [Anzus] gathered before the final battle. He didn’t even bother correcting them about the very low possibility of Zein’s fathering a child--with the low possibility involving Zein changing his sexual preference or a miracle reviving Zein’s womb.

At any rate, it was a good day before plunging themselves into more hardship. Before that though, they had to wait for the old man Tian Yu to descend his mountain and try to conquer the one in the Deathzone.

As for the Eastern Sun, they were still trying to get that artifact she requested. Hopefully, they managed to get it before the final battle.

But the Iron Mountain was preferable at this stage anyway, because they needed protection more than anything. Moreover, the old man could train the Iron Shield and Trinity’s defense line while at it.

Like a bunch of adults watching their niece and nephew’s stage, the espers and guilds were cheering at the twins and applauded when the two lodged themselves on a pedestal that the ship crew added by the Guildmaster’s order.

"Good job, guys!"

"What good kids!"

Zein shook his head at their antics, but he laughed in the end. In that cheery atmosphere, they made a small farewell party for the ship crew’s expedition, who departed with the original lineup plus Carra as support. This time, their objective was to look for a shore and suitable places for debarking; an alternative if they couldn’t go past the fog.

After the party though, it was time to hustle.

"Can I go explore all the way to the mountain?" Zhan asked from the newly built watchtower in the plains.