"Do you have a plan yet?" Rick suddenly asked in a deep voice.
He didn't look at Shawn, but stared silently at the campfire.
The flickering flames burst forth with a scorching light in his eyes, and he seemed to already be contemplating the specific details of attacking the Prison.
"I've found a target; it hasn't been occupied by other survivors yet, and Walkers roam every corner inside."
"But fortunately, both the fences and the interior are still intact, just waiting for us to take over."
"As for the plan… I think once we get there, we'll all know what to do, right?"
Shawn's gaze swept over them, seeing a smile appear on everyone's faces, and they almost subconsciously nodded their heads.
Encounter trouble, solve trouble;
This has always been the style of the Quarry Camp; nothing can stop them.
Only after seeing this scene did Shawn nod in satisfaction.
Even with his seven days to die system, it was impossible for him to be all-encompassing, like a nanny, taking care of every member of the team.
That is to say, Shawn's appearance did not change the fundamental nature of the apocalypse.
Those not suited for this world would eventually be eliminated by it.
Such tragedies had been experienced too many times in the world of Walkers.
Every leader who could establish a survivor Camp had untold sorrow and vicissitudes behind them; they were always losing.
Were they not strong enough?
Of course not.
On the contrary, it was precisely because of their strength, and the Camp's strength, that they overlooked some inconspicuous but extremely important things.
Shawn wanted to avoid such mistakes.
Therefore, it was absolutely necessary for everyone in the Camp to take on responsibility, and for everyone to begin to grow and evolve.
Compared to becoming stronger through loss, Shawn hoped that the Camp members, represented by the mighty Rick, could forge an indestructible behemoth through 'guardianship'.
So.
Pushing them forward step by step, making them fight for themselves and for their companions, this was what Shawn had to do.
Even ten years from now, Shawn still hoped to be roasting by a campfire at night, with these same people by his side.
And by then, they would be unstoppable!
As for now, the campfire gradually died down, and drowsiness slowly crept in, so the informal campfire meeting disbanded.
People walked in twos and threes towards their tents.
Smiles were on their faces, and they teased and joked with each other, making the atmosphere lively.
In their words, the word Prison would inadvertently come up, and whenever those two words were mentioned, an unavoidable smile would appear on their faces.
The future is promising.
Just as Shawn had said.
Civilization began to collapse, and everything started to move in the opposite direction.
The Prison, which people had feared before the apocalypse, now became the spiritual pillar and belief that kept the Camp members going.
"Rick, Lori, you two can sleep in my tent tonight. I'll make do in the car."
Shawn yawned, cradling the back of his neck with one hand. He hadn't slept very well in the barn after getting drunk last night, and his muscles were still faintly sore.
"Thanks." Rick, with Lori and little Carl, brushed past Shawn.
But after only two steps, Rick turned back and called out to Shawn.
He stood rooted to the spot, turned sideways, looking at Shawn, with an unspoken sincerity in his eyes.
"Soldier, has anyone ever told you that you're actually a good person?"
"Just like in animal world communities, there's always that quiet guy who silently contributes to the entire group."
After inexplicably dropping these two sentences, Rick, without looking back, led his wife and child into the tent, leaving Shawn alone, stunned in place.
"After not seeing each other for a few days, as soon as we meet, all he knows is to say these sappy things. His brain's fried."
Shawn mumbled, carrying the Stone Hammer, as he walked towards the fire truck.
But no one saw the corners of his mouth curve into a strange, upward arc.
...
Bang bang--
After an unknown amount of time.
Shawn was suddenly woken by a knocking sound. He looked up through the car window at the sky, which was still pitch black. Shawn estimated he had only slept for about 40 minutes.
He helplessly opened the back door of the fire truck and looked at the person who had come.
"Jim, what's up?"
That's right, the person who came was Jim, who should have been bitten by a Walker and died at the Quarry Camp.
Jim
Tall and thin, with pale skin, he now stood with his back to the darkness, looking at Shawn with anticipation.
"Sorry to disturb your rest… I just wanted to ask, is there really such a place as you described?"
He acted very humbly, instantly dispelling more than half of Shawn's anger at being woken up.
As if worried Shawn would misunderstand, he quickly added another sentence after speaking.
"I'm not saying you're lying, I just… if you can confirm it to me, I can get a good night's sleep tonight…"
After speaking, Jim stared at Shawn without blinking, his anticipation almost overflowing.
Shawn yawned, speaking weakly.
"Uh, yes, there is such a place. It truly exists somewhere in the south, not particularly far from here."
Shawn's tone was a bit perfunctory; he was too sleepy at the moment.
But after these words fell into Jim's ears, a flush quickly appeared on his pale skin, and he became as energetic as if he had taken a stimulant.
"Thanks, Shawn, I wish you a good dream tonight!"
Jim was even more spirited, full of enthusiasm. Shawn seemed to see him carrying Hershel's axe, going to chop wood to expend his boundless energy.
"Forget it, let him be."
Shawn was too lazy to bother with him; he was so sleepy he could barely keep his eyes open.
Closing his eyes, Shawn lay back down.
After an unknown amount of time.
Bang bang--
Shawn opened his eyes, and the sky was still darker than T-Dog.
"Damn it, it's… again…"
Shawn sprang up with a flip, ready to snap at whoever it was, but the next second he saw a pair of star-like eyes, and he mumbled, swallowing his words back down.
Beth
"It's… it's another kind and lovely little girl… Beth, is something wrong?"
Shawn clearly showed preferential treatment; the difference in his tone when speaking to Jim versus Beth made one suspect if the Shawn in front of them had been possessed again.
The difference before and after was so great!
Beth gently stepped onto the back pedal of the fire truck, a row of pearly white teeth showing as her lips curved into a smile, her beautiful blonde hair resting on the shoulders of her nightgown.
Tonight, she seemed even more pleasing to the eye than the stars.
"Father asked me to bring you a blanket. The temperature drops very quickly at the farm at night."
Beth's voice was like a little oriole singing. She held a folded blanket with both hands, gracefully offering it to Shawn.
"Oh, I'm in good shape and not afraid of the cold, and how could I possibly accept this?"
Shawn took the blanket.