"Next, the Prison's location needs to be easily accessible by traffic, but not too convenient."
"Because if it's too convenient, there will be too many vehicles coming and going nearby."
Shawn's finger glided over the remaining two-thirds of the map, along the main roads, along the suburban paths…
Shawn vaguely remembered that although there was an open area near the Prison, three sides not far away were complex jungles.
Only a straight road from the main gate led outside.
"So the Prison should be located at a branch off a main road in the far suburbs."
"Besides the Prison having certain emergency measures internally, there must be well-equipped Hospitals, fire stations, and other basic infrastructure nearby."
"This way, if a large-scale emergency occurs, it can be handled promptly."
"So the Prison won't be too close to these basic facilities, but it definitely won't be far either."
"A small town with a town Hospital is a good reference point."
Saying this, Shawn crossed out another one-third of the area, leaving only one-third.
Combining the topographical feature of being surrounded by forests on three sides, Shawn finally tapped his finger on the lower-left corner of the map.
It was a forested area that would take approximately 65 kilometers to traverse.
Shawn looked up at everyone.
"The Prison is not a tourist attraction, it won't be directly marked on a travel brochure, so I can only roughly determine that the Prison is within this area."
"Just like I told you before, the Prison is on slightly higher ground, so once you enter the small road, it won't be too hard to find."
"As for the exact distance…"
Shawn was a bit unsure.
Given the current situation, the highway and main roads naturally couldn't be used.
There were too many cars stuck on them, and the few people in the Camp simply couldn't move them, so they had to take detours.
Additionally, to adapt to the RV's driving speed and prevent accidents, they actually drove very slowly.
This was evident from the mileage covered today.
If the highway were clear, this journey would take at most two days to complete.
"You should all know that if you just cross the continent from top to bottom, driving 500-600 kilometers might be enough."
"But if we have to take small roads to detour to the Prison, it's conservatively estimated to be 800 kilometers, and that doesn't include any other situations that might arise along the way."
Shawn gave a rough estimate.
If everything went smoothly.
They could arrive and rest for one night on the fourth day, then find the Prison and scout the situation on the fifth day, clear out some Walkers and take the Prison on the sixth day, and fully move into the cells on the seventh day.
Rick frowned, his beard an inch longer, making him appear to show a hint of feigned old age.
Although Shawn only spoke of 800 kilometers and 4-5 days, Rick could see more.
This basically meant that they would still need to brave the elements and sleep outdoors for the next few days, just like today.
The apocalypse was still the apocalypse; staying one more day meant one more day of danger.
But faced with the Prison described by Shawn, Rick was reluctant to give up.
"This is a rare opportunity; after taking one risk, things will get much, much better." Rick told himself in his heart.
Taking a deep breath, Rick continued.
"OK, now the rest of you will have to rely on yourselves. We will divide into four groups by vehicle. I need everyone here to take care of the people in your respective cars."
"If there are any problems, remember to notify Shawn and me via radio."
"Just as Shawn suggested, at least one person needs to be awake in the car at night to deal with possible situations."
"At least during this period, no infighting, no arguments. The team needs the strength of every one of us."
Rick looked at them, his tone serious.
Everyone present nodded silently. Shane subconsciously glanced at Lori and Carl in the back of the red overlord.
Through the clear glass, he nodded at her.
Rick took all of this in.
The brief meeting adjourned. Daryl leaned his crossbow against his shoulder and walked up to Shawn, patting his arm.
"Merle and I will sleep on the roof tonight. I'll wake you up if anything happens, don't worry."
The roof Daryl spoke of was indeed the roof of the nearly 3-meter-high fire truck.
Sleeping on the roof was almost the safest option. Neither Walkers nor humans could notice them immediately, but Daryl could notice them immediately.
Shawn nodded, smiled at him, and then flipped over to get back into the passenger seat.
Watching the taillights of the other cars gradually extinguish, Shawn held his Stone Hammer with the head facing down, cradling the end of the hammer handle, and gradually fell into a deep sleep.
After the apocalypse, the city was still noisy, and the suburbs were still quiet.
He couldn't say he slept well, but at least no special circumstances occurred in the middle of the night. Shawn slept until dawn.
Shawn slowly opened his eyes.
Just as he was about to stretch, his peripheral vision caught a dark figure from the side window. Without thinking, Shawn directly clenched his fist and punched out.
"Shit! Bro, are you trying to murder me?"
At the critical moment, Merle suddenly pulled his head back, a cold sweat on his back.
Merle even felt that punch could have blown his head off.
After waiting on the roof for a while, Merle didn't hear a response. He tentatively stuck his head out from above again and saw Shawn's half-smiling expression, which made him sigh in relief.
"Bro, it's me, not a Walker."
"Of course, I know it's you. If it were Daryl, I wouldn't have thrown a punch." Shawn shrugged.
"Don't joke around, I'm your best friend, bro."
Merle looked at Shawn with a smile, not at all angry that he had almost been headshotted by Shawn's punch just now.
Merle
Hearing Merle's slightly ingratiating words, Shawn's lips curled up.
He naturally knew what Merle meant by 'best friend'.
It didn't just mean good brother or good friend.
The two words 'best friend' were also unashamedly stating that he was firmly on Shawn's side, that he was one of Shawn's people.
Unless Shawn abandoned him, he would not betray him under any circumstances.
This was Merle's promise to Shawn.
Although it wasn't as mushy as an undying love between a man and a woman, it proved Merle's loyalty.
Beside him, Merle had been observing Shawn's expression ever since he tentatively spoke.
It was only when he saw Shawn's subtle smile that he relaxed, thinking to himself.
"Yesterday, Lori also showed favor to Shawn. Once we reach the Prison, the Camp will most likely be run by Shawn."
"I was the brother who was close to Shawn from the very beginning, so of course, I have to be the first to cling to this powerful figure."
Merle was a bit of a jerk, but fortunately, his mind was clear most of the time.
When it came to his own interests, even if the other party wasn't Shawn, Merle would firmly stand behind them.
Not to mention that Shawn had saved his life on the roof of the department store in Atlanta.
By the time Shawn got out of the car, everyone was already ready to go.
He had no appetite in the morning.
Shawn only ate two pieces of honey-dipped bread and drank a bottle of coffee beverage before getting into the driver's seat.