There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 149

Chapter 149: Chapter 144. The Pillar of Society

The pillar of society was the middle class; there was a saying like that in the old age before the apocalypse. This saying, of course, changed in the new age.

The pillar of society was the yellow-zone.

The green-zone’s cities like Althrea, while guaranteeing safety, could only be enjoyed by the privileged, or those who worked for the privileged. It wasn’t large in the first place, and there would only be one city per green-zone, while the rest of the field was used for building resorts and premium farmland.

The yellow-zone, however, had multiple cities, towns, and industrial complexes. While it didn’t have the level of security that the green-zone enjoyed, it was a place where most of the Federation’s industries were located, so the government would never neglect its security.

Compared to the green-zone, it wasn’t as secure or as clean, but it encompassed the largest area, and most of the middle-class citizens lived there. It was a place where the production of daily life’s goods and services was located, and fifty percent of guilds were operated. Rather than the green-zone, the Federation would receive a bigger setback should the yellow-zones fall.

Located east of the green-zone of area 13 for about two hours of journey, was the nearest yellow-zone city, Neyta. While Zein had traveled through the yellow-zone to reach Althrea, he had never set foot inside a yellow-zone city itself.

It didn’t have a tall, big, fortress-like gate like the green-zone’s cities. Instead, the region slowly turned from farmlands to factories, and after crossing a bridge, housing and commercial district made the border. The road still led to a checkpoint, but there was no strict scrutinization like the green-zone’s gate. Since yellow-zone also acted like a hub, a lot of people from the green or orange-zone also frequented the area. The checkpoint was only used to register who came and go, and checked for any wanted people on the loose.

Of course, they had to warn the guards not to make a fuss when they scanned the passengers of their seemingly plain white car, but otherwise, there was nothing notable about their entry.

But just from the gate, Zein could feel the difference in energy. The place was bustling, since it was midday, and people were coming out to enjoy the weekend. He could see people of all ages and professions, with all kinds of expressions and emotions; those who were happy, those who looked worried...

The building was neat in one place and seemed haphazard in others. The air feels alright even with the pollution, and the city was a mix of greenery and concrete jungle. Big billboards, neon signs, the sounds of car horns, and people screaming at their commlink. Hurried steps, boisterous laughter, running children.

There was a sense of comfort and normalcy in the way people went about their business. There were so many sounds and sceneries flooded Zein’s senses, that felt very different from the green-zone’s calm and orderly atmosphere, or the red-zone’s depressing vibe.

"It feels...more alive," Zein muttered while staring outside the windows with mesmerized eyes.

Green-zone, whether it was Althrea or Rexon, was a place that felt like a dream, but sometimes, it also felt cold and pretentious. Neyta, on the other hand, with its chaos and buzz, felt like the beating of a heart; warm and full of life.

"It’s a nice place, since it’s close to the green-zone," Bassena said with a smile. He remembered going here with Radia and Han brothers during his academic days, before Joon went to the military and they became estranged. "Lots of cultural activity,"

"And food," the old man chimed in from the front. As a former red-zone dweller, he knew what it felt like to be in the yellow-zone for the first time, so he looked at Zein’s reflection in the rear-view mirror with a subtle smile. "Speaking of which, are you sure you’re not rather going to a restaurant?"

"No," Zein shook his head while taking the bottle of water Bassena gave him. "I’d rather see what their office is like. Also," he glanced at Bassena, who tilted his head in response. "It might attract too much attention, going to a restaurant with this guy."

Bassena scoffed at the guide’s words. "You said that as if the news isn’t filled with your articles too,"

"But people’s attention right now is on the outbreak and you," Zein shrugged. At least, that was the vibe of the whole morning news he read while Bassena cooked him some toast and eggs for breakfast. "Also...meals prepared by locals can also be called specialties."

The old man’s daughter, Aida Lin, worked for an NGO that managed and dealt with charity efforts. From long-life projects like handing out scholarships, to short-term ones like disaster relief. That wasn’t why Zein chose to work with them, but it was good if they turned out to be professional.

After a few discussions through texts and calls, Zein decided to come down to see the team for himself in the NGO’s office. Coincidentally, the daughter’s husband worked as a chef, and he offered to provide lunch--all because the old man said Zein might be uncomfortable eating out in the open, which was true.

"Well, if you say so," the old man shrugged then, and gave Jock detailed instructions about the road they could take to avoid traffic. Thanks to that, it didn’t take long for them to reach the office.

It was located in a commercial district; a three-story building that almost looked like a government bureau. But it was neat and modest, and Zein preferred it to something opulent. Charity management office shouldn’t look like they pocketed the client’s money.

The building also had a spacious parking lot, so they didn’t have to park on the street and attract unwanted attention. The old man called his daughter immediately after climbing out of the car, and their heightened hearing could hear someone shout ’they’re here!’ and a hurried, rather excited step behind the door.

As they stepped into the office’s patio, the door clicked open, and a woman of Zein’s age greeted them. "Father, you’re right on time," she smiled cheerfully, making it hard for Zein to believe she was the grumpy old man’s daughter. She turned toward the men behind the old man then, still with the wide, cheerful smile. "Hello, welcome to--"

And then she paused, frozen with parted lips, and they all stopped in front of the door. Zein waited for a while, confused about the event, before looking at the old man. "You didn’t tell her about him?"

"I forgot," Old Man Dan scratched his head, glancing briefly at the combination behind him. As the Trinity dorm’s manager, he’d been desensitized to the view of Zein and Bassena together that he forgot normal people would be shocked seeing them suddenly like this. "Uhh...hey, Ai--"