Hearing Old Dale's cautious inquiry, Shawn's expression remained unchanged, a hint of amusement in his heart.
"I was just waiting for you to ask that."
As for the next place to go, Shawn had actually thought of it long ago.
The Prison!
The Prison!
Life in the Prison was almost the best time.
But unfortunately, a survivor Camp leader named 'the Governor' destroyed it all.
War always destroys everything…
"But with me here, none of that will happen."
"With the seven days to die system, I can clear out the Prison in a short amount of time and turn the entire Prison into an impenetrable fortress!"
"I want to take Rick, Shane, Daryl, Merle… and together, establish the most powerful survivor Camp active in this land!"
Shawn's smile remained, but the words that slipped out were much more relaxed and simpler than what he was thinking.
"I already have a rough idea, but whether or not to implement it, I think it will require everyone's concerted support."
An idea?
Upon hearing that Shawn had another idea, everyone present pricked up their ears to listen, even Hershel's family.
Suddenly, the surroundings became quiet, with only the crisp crackling sound of firewood and sparks colliding in the bonfire.
Under everyone's gaze, Shawn slowly began to speak.
"In the current United States, civilized order has begun to collapse. Everything we once strived for has turned into nothing, and everything seems to have been turned upside down."
"People are no longer friendly, becoming tyrannical. Trust has collapsed overnight, and everyone fears for themselves. Walkers eat people! People also eat people!"
"Everything logical has been inverted, becoming increasingly illogical."
"So why don't we try a different approach?"
"Find a place that, before the apocalypse, could trap dangerous people inside, and after the apocalypse, could keep dangerous Walkers outside."
Shawn subtly guided everyone's thoughts, raising his hand to point at the surrounding plains.
"Tell me, would you feel secure on a plain like this with no cover, or in a place with a solid bronze wall for cover, where you never have to worry about Walkers getting in?"
"But how could there be such a place now?"
Lori couldn't help but blurt out, touching her abdomen, her heart longing for the place Shawn described.
"Is it to build around the Farm as a center?"
"But relying only on our small group, I'm afraid we don't have the ability to build such a Camp."
Old Dale's eyes, which had just brightened, immediately dimmed, and he said somewhat dejectedly.
As soon as he said this, the others also became disheartened, sullenly dealing with the food in their bowls.
Shawn's suggestion was good, but for them, it was not feasible. To build an impenetrable fortress out of thin air was not an easy task even before the apocalypse, so it was even more out of the question in the current environment.
But after listening to Shawn's description, Rick and Shane, who were nearby, suddenly felt as if they had realized something, a strange sense of familiarity.
However, that thin layer of window paper, no matter how hard they tried, couldn't be broken through, and the two became somewhat confused.
"What if such a place already exists, waiting for us to occupy and transform it?"
Shawn didn't let them rest, pressing on step by step, once again drawing everyone's attention.
He wanted to ignite a deep yearning for the Prison in their hearts! To give birth to hope for the future!
"There are tall fences strong enough to resist Walkers, concrete buildings that can shelter at least a thousand people, land that can be cultivated for farming… and perhaps even enough food and weapons for our long-term survival."
Shawn was like a devil tempting mortals, constantly throwing out conditions that appealed to humans, hitting them right where they wanted it.
The eyes of everyone from both the Quarry Camp and the Farm grew brighter and brighter, their hearts filled with an uncontrollable yearning and anticipation.
Hershel glanced at the Farm that had been his companion for most of his life. It was filled with many fond memories, but if possible, he would not hesitate to take his daughters and employees to the place Shawn described.
What else could he crave in this apocalypse?
Nothing more than the well-being of himself and his family, and that was all.
Andrea tightly held her sister Amy's hand. The two sisters exchanged glances, both seeing the longing and anticipation in each other's eyes.
Shane unconsciously looked at Lori and little Carl, pursing his lips without speaking, but his two fists were tightly clenched, his knuckles white.
"Come on, man, can you stop making us guess riddles?"
T-Dog spoke with a unique rhythmic cadence, sounding like he was rapping.
And at this moment, his face was anxious. Shawn's words were like a small kitten holding its tiny paw, scratching at his heart's core after the initial itch, and then scratching again, repeating the action.
Rick quietly watched Shawn, his fingers intertwined and resting on his knees, obscuring his jaw.
He didn't even notice that his body was subtly leaning forward, in a posture of attentive listening.
Shawn put away his smile, his gaze sweeping over everyone's faces, and finally uttered the word.
"The Prison."
The… Prison??
Everyone's eyebrows raised upon hearing this, but then they unfurled, their eyes growing brighter and brighter.
Concrete buildings for shelter, fences to isolate Walkers, and at the same time, the Prison also stored a large amount of food that could replenish energy and satiate hunger… Isn't this exactly what Shawn described?!
But before they could begin to imagine, Shawn's voice followed closely.
"The whole world has fallen, and so has the Prison."
"As long as we can eliminate the prisoners and guards who have become Walkers in the Prison, the Prison can transform from a Walker paradise into our Camp for recuperation."
"Children will have a safe environment to grow up in, the elderly will no longer have to live in constant fear, women can have their own hobbies and lives, and men won't always have to fight Walkers for a bit of food or medicine!"
At this point, Shawn's speaking pace suddenly slowed, as if he had suddenly let out a sigh of relief.
"As long as we stick together, we will definitely be able to survive better in this apocalypse! Every single one of us…"
Shawn slowly trailed off, yet it left everyone with a lingering sense of wanting more.
It was as if at this very moment they were already inside the Prison, but when they came to their senses, they found themselves only in the Farm, the surroundings still empty and dark.
Shane looked at Rick, and Rick subtly nodded, indicating it was feasible.
This was indeed their dream sanctuary. For both the present and the future, the Prison was absolutely the most suitable Camp choice for them.
Compared to the current Farm, which was open on all sides, the Prison was practically an impenetrable fortress, firmly keeping Walkers and malice outside.
With only their fleshly hands and teeth, the Walkers would struggle to breach the Prison even if they gnawed at it for ten years.
These survivors, who had been wandering for a week, suddenly felt their hearts no longer empty, and their fatigue and weariness vanished abruptly.
Something called 'new life' and 'hope' was gradually reviving in their hearts.