"Get out your flashlights and any light sources! Back to back, everyone grab a weapon!"
Rick roared.
While handing his pistol and Little Carl to Lori, Rick raised his tactical shotgun and blew open the head of a stray Zombie.
After doing this, Rick glanced at Shawn.
If he hadn't suggested a welcoming ceremony that evening, the sleeping crowd would have been caught off guard at this very moment.
What would be the consequences then?
Rick didn't know, nor did he dare to imagine, only feeling the hairs on his back uncontrollably stand on end, traveling from his spine to the top of his head, instantly dispelling all his drowsiness.
Merle and Daryl were following not far behind Shawn, while the others looked on in surprise at Shawn's calm figure walking into the jungle.
Recalling the bloody scene of Shawn smashing a Zombie's head with three hammers just now, they felt a pang of fear but also a sense of security.
"It's a good thing this person is on our side."
This was the true thought in the minds of many people at the Quarry Camp.
Compared to Merle, Shawn seemed more stable and gentle, although he looked much more brutal when he acted...
"Don't go too far, I can't always see you!"
Daryl shouted in Shawn's direction, a crossbow bolt flying from his hand and piercing a Zombie's skull, brain matter flowing out from behind the arrow, before the Zombie finally fell heavily.
"Instead of worrying about that barbarian, you should worry more about me!"
Merle's large pistol fired a barrage of shots, and he watched as Zombies in front of him fell one after another.
His muzzle was intentionally or unintentionally pointed in the direction Shawn had left, helping Shawn clear the Zombies behind him.
But facing all this, Shawn just wanted to say:
"Slow down! All of you, slow the hell down!"
Triggering a headshot, smashing a Zombie's head with one hammer, Shawn glowed with golden light, reaching Lv4.
However, he didn't pay attention to the level-up message, but instead hurried to the next edge of the Camp, beginning to harvest Zombie heads.
With everyone having hot weapons, the number of Zombies decreased very quickly.
Shawn, who had originally hoped to use this unexpected ambush to raise his level above 6, had wasted his efforts.
Bang--!
Shawn stopped, following the smoking bullet hole at his feet, and looked at Andrea, who was gripping a pistol tightly not far away.
"She's in the RV!"
Andrea, with a panicked expression, shouted to Shawn from afar.
Shawn turned his head and saw three to five Zombies wandering around the RV door.
He strode forward.
One hammer… two hammers… if that doesn't work, then another hammer!
Thanks to the Ma Bone Warhammer's attack range, all the Zombies were knocked staggering to the ground, accompanied by a brief stun effect.
Shawn bent down, like an old man diligently working in the fields, delivering a supplementary hammer blow to each fallen Zombie.
"Don't rush, after so many years of slaughter, I know your business best, even more intimately than my own family."
"So take it slow, one by one."
Shawn's tone was leisurely, out of place with the urgent and exciting scene, yet his blows were exceptionally fierce, giving the Zombies no chance to get up and bite.
Splat--
After taking down the last nearby Zombie, Shawn didn't open the door immediately, but instead knocked heavily on the RV door a few times, making the RV shake slightly.
Gasp--!
A startled sound came from inside.
Shawn said helplessly, "Stay in there, don't run around. I'm watching this area, nothing will happen."
Upon hearing Shawn's words, the panicked sounds from inside subsided considerably.
Turning his head, Shawn looked into the distance, made an 'OK' gesture to Andrea, and then, holding his Ma Bone Warhammer, began to enjoy the Camp's first 'large-scale battle'.
Although there was some initial panic, with Rick in command and Shane, Daryl, and others assisting, the situation quickly stabilized.
Most importantly, the amount of ammunition and firearms in their gun bags gave everyone immense courage.
"Even a small Quarry Camp has the potential to become a king~"
Shawn didn't even turn his head, raising his hand to hammer down a stray Zombie that had gotten too close.
Before he could deliver the finishing blow, an arrow flew over and accurately struck the Zombie's temple.
In the distance, Daryl raised his chin at Shawn, conveying everything he wanted to say with just his eyes.
"You're welcome."
Although Shawn had repeatedly emphasized that Merle no longer owed him, Daryl clearly didn't think so.
"He's so tsundere."
Shawn found Daryl's reaction somewhat endearing.
After the last few gunshots, a white mist of burning wood and gunpowder filled the air, and accompanied by the first faint light from the distant horizon, this first 'large-scale battle' was officially declared over.
"Are you all okay? Is everyone okay?"
Rick immediately checked on Lori and Carl, who were hiding behind him, and only after surveying everyone else did he dare to breathe a sigh of relief.
Amy, wearing a white cartoon-patterned top, scurried out of the RV and ran into Andrea's arms, the two sisters embracing for a long time.
Amy rested her head on Andrea's shoulder, looking at Shawn, who was slowly approaching, with lingering fear, her face pale and silent.
"Thanks, I owe you one."
Andrea looked at Shawn with red eyes.
She could die, but Amy could not.
"We're all from the same Camp, it was just a small favor."
Shawn always downplayed his achievements.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!!"
"You blew a Zombie's head off with one hammer, do you know how awesome you are?!"
Merle yelled, mimicking a golf swing towards Shawn, spewing profanities.
He completely disregarded Lori's slightly displeased expression nearby, as she subtly extended both hands to cover Little Carl's ears.
Merle was one, Shawn was another, both crude fellows!
Why is my Little Carl's path to growth so difficult?
Lori felt a slight irritation, so much so that her lower abdomen seemed to subtly twitch.
...
Noon.
Everyone moved the Zombie corpses away from the Camp and began preparing lunch.
Shawn stepped onto the small hill to the east, coming up behind Carol, who was wearing a simple floral dress.
At this moment, she was tightly gripping a hoe, and beside her, her husband Ed's body lay silently, with a bullet hole in his forehead.
He had his throat and jaw torn off by a Zombie in his sleep, his entire lower jaw exposed, but at this moment, Ed looked less annoying than when he was alive.
"I heard you refused everyone's help and wanted to bury Ed yourself."
Shawn stood behind her for a while but didn't hear Carol's response.
Looking back, people from the Quarry Camp in the distance were subtly looking in their direction, their eyes filled with concern.
Lori held Sophia, who was clutching a doll, and Little Carl in her arms, while Rick stood with his hands on his hips, his gaze sweeping back and forth at Shawn's side.
Perhaps the surprise attack in the early morning had tensed the nerves of this lion leader, who had not yet fully matured.
Turning back, Shawn took two steps forward.
He glanced at Carol, who seemed still immersed in her emotions, then reached out and directly took the hoe from her hand, vigorously swinging it at the not-so-firm ground.
"Let me do it, let me do it." Carol quickly stood up, her expression looking somewhat weak.
But Shawn paid no attention to her words, focusing solely on swinging the hoe, just like Carol had been, without saying a word.
Before long, a small pit about 1 meter deep, the height of a person, was dug.
Shawn gasped for breath, casually wiped the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his right arm, and then returned the hoe to Carol's hand.
Immediately after, he walked towards the Camp members without hesitation.
"This is a hurdle Carol must overcome, this is an opportunity for her to be reborn, she just needs a little help."
Shawn thought to himself.
Others might not understand Carol, but Shawn certainly did.
This resilient and talented woman had been confined and restrained by Ed; she needed someone to help her, even if she kept saying no.