"Shawn… Shawn, just wait for me at the starting point…"
Carl gritted his teeth, an overwhelming soreness and weakness washing over him.
Perhaps even he hadn't noticed at this moment that Shawn had already taken up a significant place in his heart, as if any trouble could be solved by finding him.
The image of Shawn killing Walkers like a god descending from heaven was deeply etched into Carl's consciousness.
Perhaps this also explained why Carl, at his age, was able to persevere until now.
This had almost exceeded the support of data theory; what remained of Carl was pure belief.
1.2 kilometers…
900 meters…
600 meters…
300 meters…
In Carl's blurry vision, he distantly saw Shawn's figure, who had secretly bypassed to the starting point.
The Stone Hammer was at his feet, and Shawn stood with his arms crossed, looking at Carl from afar, a surprisingly emotional sigh beneath his stern face.
"You're not a child anymore, Carl, you did it."
Shawn felt all the hairs on his body stand on end, his skin tingling.
It was then that he realized the 'American growth' that he had taken for granted in his previous life.
Only after witnessing Carl's multiple transformations in a single day did Shawn realize that when Carl took his first step, he had already completed his own growth.
Even if Shawn hadn't been there today, Carl would have found a way to survive.
Shawn firmly believed this!
Time passed minute by minute, until the last second of the sun setting behind the mountain, in the transition between light and dark.
Carl gradually approached Shawn, weak and listless, forcing his body forward with sheer willpower.
When he reached Shawn's front, dozens of Walker figures swayed behind Carl, and low growls assaulted him from all directions.
Carl lifted his head, squinting one eye, which was soaked with sweat, and looked at Shawn.
In a trance, Shawn seemed to see what Carl would look like when he grew up.
He slowly opened his mouth and uttered a few hoarse, low words.
"…Shawn, I did it!"
Carl
Carl said this sentence with more conviction than ever before.
But no sooner had he finished speaking than Carl's expression lightened, and he tumbled forward, falling straight down.
He was too tired, utterly exhausted, unable to squeeze out another shred of energy.
With a 'thud', it wasn't the hard ground he expected; Carl fell into Shawn's embrace.
"You did very well, Carl… You did very well."
Shawn held Carl's calves with one hand and steadily supported Carl's back with the other.
He placed him in the 6-person back seat of the fire truck, letting him lie gently on the soft seat.
Bang--!
He closed the car door.
Shawn stood with the last afterglow of the setting sun behind him, facing the darkness.
He carried the Stone Hammer and showed a grim smile to the small group of Walkers that followed closely.
"Damn it, I've tolerated you for too long!!"
…
His eyeballs rolled several times beneath his eyelids.
A pair of light-colored eyes, which had inherited the best features of both parents, slowly opened.
Carl looked vaguely at a milky white beam of light spilling in from outside the curtain, and he reached out his hand, just managing to cup this ray of sunlight in his palm.
Feeling the warmth from his palm, memories gradually flooded Carl's mind.
A moment later, he propped himself up in surprise, enduring the soreness that swept over his entire body, and exclaimed with joy.
"I did it?!"
"I'm not dead; Shawn saved me?"
"What's all the fuss about? Making such a racket as soon as you wake up… If you attract Walkers, you'll have to deal with them yourself."
Shawn pushed the door open, carrying a plate of hot tomato soup.
He used his finger to pry open Carl's eyelids, and after confirming for a moment, he confidently handed the thick soup to Carl.
"There are no fresh ingredients left. I found some semi-finished canned goods to make this thick soup. Drink it while it's hot to replenish your strength."
Smelling the faint sourness emanating from the tomato soup, Carl couldn't help but swallow his saliva.
He took it, first scooped a spoonful into his mouth, then, with rapid breaths and eyes lighting up, he took several more mouthfuls without delay.
While eating, Carl asked, his words a bit muffled:
"Shawn, how long have I been asleep?"
"Counting from when I brought you here, one day and two nights have passed."
"Ah??"
Carl looked up, his pale little face filled with surprise.
"Then we need to hurry back; Mom must be so worried if she can't see me."
Carl didn't even have time to finish his tomato soup, quickly urging Shawn.
And as soon as Lori was mentioned, he couldn't help but want to cry, as if all his grievances had surfaced.
Looking at Carl, Shawn secretly sighed that he was right not to take him back overnight.
If he had truly let him see Lori, it was possible that all their efforts would gradually be in vain.
Besides giving Carl a strong dose of medicine this trip, Shawn also needed to spend some time'strengthening his foundation' to help him stabilize this state.
"No rush." Shawn raised his hand to stop Carl's actions: "I never planned to take you back."
"Although you've slept for one day and two nights, we still have half a week for training."
"Did you forget? Rick told you to follow my arrangements in every word and deed."
"Didn't forget…"
Carl mumbled disappointedly, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.
Anyone who didn't know would think it was Sophia standing before Shawn at this moment.
"Well, after waking up, only thirty percent of the state remained, and seventy percent was sent back." Shawn sighed helplessly.
However, Shawn could never forget the look Carl gave him that night when he looked up.
In that instant, Shawn even felt as if the Carl in front of him had traveled back from the future.
Too similar!
But it's not good to say that; how can someone be like themselves?
Shawn smiled and shook his head, then casually patted Carl's head.
"After you finish the soup, training will have to start again."
"Don't worry, after you go back this time, Rick and Lori will look at you with new eyes."
Shawn's words were full of confidence, just as he had promised Rick in the beginning.
But perhaps Carl's current transformation alone would be enough to shock Rick and his wife.
"Okay!"
This time, Carl nodded heavily, with the same confidence in his words, seemingly granted to this little guy after he successfully completed the 'round trip to the town' that day.
Hearing this, Shawn got up and went to the living room.
And this was precisely the room where Shawn had rested for a night, still containing some gas and complete basic facilities.
He casually flipped through some comics taken from the family's bookshelf.
"Superheroes?"
"Why don't superheroes come out to save the world now that it's the apocalypse?"
Looking at Captain America holding up his shield in the comic book, Shawn casually tossed the book aside, somewhat disdainful of so-called superheroes.
In the end, it's better for people not to harbor any unrealistic fantasies.
Click--
A soft sound came, and Shawn looked up, his eyes immediately lighting up.
Carl was now wearing wooden armor, chest out, standing perfectly straight in front of Shawn.
Although he was also dressed in wooden armor, the Carl of today seemed like a completely different person from two days ago; the subtle aura about him could not be concealed.
Having personally killed Walkers and crossed that threshold, Carl was now reborn!