In Depth (Part 2)

In the prison's main yard, silence filled the surroundings. Today had truly been a day full of intense emotions—everyone had felt the world in its full splendor through all these explosive experiences.

Around a campfire, everyone sat immersed in silence. But in the next moment, someone clapped. Everyone looked up and saw Rick, who seemed to have something to say.

"I know we're all very tired. You've worked hard today. Get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow, we'll move deeper into the prison, which means we'll have a great shelter in the future."

Rick paused, looked at everyone, and continued, "Once we renovate the inside of the prison, it'll be a great place to live. Based on what we've seen, there's a large kitchen, an armory, and an infirmary, so we need to clean this place thoroughly before moving resources inside."

"Rick is right! Establishing ourselves here is only the first step in the plan, and it's also the most important one to ensure our survival!" Jason said seriously, his gaze sweeping over everyone around the fire.

Then he looked down at the ground and added, "I think many of you are a little confused about our future and unsure how to handle it. The only thing I can tell you is that once we settle in this prison, we'll strengthen the defenses around it to increase our security."

"The goal is to continue taking in new survivors, and then I'll teach you more about how to secure your own lives. Next, we need to have our own resources—grow food in large quantities and eventually expand our influence."

"Only when our numbers grow will we be able to do much more!"

After hearing Jason's words, everyone became interested and excited at the idea of welcoming more survivors into their community. Captivated by his words, they paid close attention to what he was about to say.

"You might think what I'm saying isn't realistic. Right now, it isn't. But I'm telling you the truth—this is the end of the world. Survival resources will be the most important thing in the days to come. How can we ensure we have infinite resources and never worry about food? By planting, raising livestock, and manufacturing—just a small part of what we'll need!"

Jason paused to let his words sink in. Then, in a clear voice, he continued, "You know, as time passes and the outside world gets worse, we'll experience unimaginable things. That's when we'll truly see the cruelty of human nature! We'll witness massacres over a single bite of food or a glass of water…"

"If I had a choice, I'd rather none of us ever have to go through such things, but that's impossible. That's why we must strengthen our community and defend ourselves against anyone who intends to harm us."

"Only when we are so strong that no one even dares to think about hurting us will we be able to set the rules! Believe me when I say that in the future, we will create a world where no one will do anything that could harm us."

"God once said, 'Never repay evil with evil; act in such a way that everyone sees we are honorable people. Do everything possible to live in peace with everyone, and most importantly, never take revenge…'"

Jason looked at everyone and said in a serious tone, "At some point, we'll have to do things we never dreamed of doing. But I'm telling you now—let justice take care of it. From this moment on, I will be the one to take revenge. I will make them pay for what they deserve."

"Never let evil defeat you…"

Those who had never wandered the outside world couldn't understand just how cruel it would become in the final days. Surviving was much harder than anyone imagined. That's why most survivors preferred to travel long distances to remote places rather than venture into a city.

Anyone thinking of leaving and taking their own path would have to face a world that had become a jungle. If they weren't strong or intelligent, they would be devoured by the stronger and wiser. Many in the S.C.T. community had never known hunger and thirst, and Jason wanted them to be aware of the struggles many others faced.

Then, Jason finally said, "I hope you all remember what I said—if you want to be part of the S.C.T. community and a part of this change, we must live as a family! Internal conflicts won't be tolerated, the formation of separate groups won't be allowed, and indiscriminate killing of innocent people won't be permitted. We will also not tolerate anyone intimidating our people."

"Anyone who tries to destroy our world, our S.C.T. community, will know the face of devastation!"

Suddenly, Merle's rough voice broke the silence. "Jason, do you really know how to farm? I was thinking about a little cannabis field—I figure that kind of crop could be really helpful for us. Besides, we'll have to think about recreating things we don't know much about."

Everyone stared at Merle in silence. Was this really a problem worth focusing on right now? Was he serious?

Hearing Merle's words, Jason shifted his gaze to him as he stood up and said, "Well, there are books and manuals among the resources I've gathered over time, and we also have many skilled people with that kind of knowledge. But even if we didn't, I think I could figure it out without too much trouble."

"Huh…" Jason heard a few murmurs among the crowd. He was genuinely confident in his abilities and saw no need to hide it.

From the beginning, Jason had studied many things that would be useful in the future and had never truly relied on finding people with specific skills. That's why, while at the CDC, he dedicated himself to studying. He continuously improved—not just physically but also in terms of knowledge.

"Internally, I think we should clarify the division of labor and announce the positions for leaders of smaller groups. Of course, once we fully occupy this place, we'll hold votes to consider everyone's opinions."

"Up to now, I've been leading the S.C.T. community, but that could change if you all wish. Someone else can take the leadership position if they have better skills than I do." Jason didn't want to be an authoritarian leader—he preferred to listen to others before taking absolute control by force.

"No, I vote for Jason!"

"So do I!"

"I think the same!"

Everyone present raised their hands, showing their agreement that Jason should continue leading the S.C.T. community—including Rick and Shane, who had nothing to say.

Jason didn't refuse, either. Although everyone had followed his orders before, that kind of obedience had only lasted while the CDC was operational because he had provided them with food and security.

But after many days, everyone had learned to fight, and leadership roles had formed subjectively among those closest to Jason.

Jason stood up, rubbed his hands together in appreciation, and then said, "Thank you for your trust and support. Since you still agree that I should lead, I won't refuse. But just like at the CDC, we need some people to help manage this place alongside me."

Seeing that everyone agreed with his words, Jason pointed to two people in the group and said, "Rick and Shane—these two great men are experienced police officers. I recommend them, along with Sam Valdez and Tommy, to be the leaders of the combat team."

"Then there's Guillermo, who will be the security captain for now. Guillermo was also involved in all aspects of coordination before the end of the world. I recommend him for the position of internal leader."

"Finally, Merle and Daryl—although these two are not security guards, they both have strong survival skills in the field and are responsible for some training. Choosing them would be the right decision. What do you think?"

While discussing this, Jason didn't notice that Daryl gave him a complicated look, and everyone agreed.

"I support it!"

"We have no objections!"

"Of course, these titles are just for the division of labor, and we won't force anyone to take on a role if they don't agree. We are also trying to survive, just like you. If one day our orders put the group at risk, everyone has the option not to follow them."

Jason's serious attitude was once again supported by everyone present.

...

The next morning, everyone woke up early and ate something, but when they got up, they saw Jason carrying some wood in his arms.

"Sir, what are you doing with that wood?" Since the vote was finalized last night, people had started calling Jason "Sir" or "Captain." These titles also applied to others, but Merle made it clear that he didn't like that kind of nonsense.

When Jason heard the question, he smiled and replied, "I'm trying to make a few small things."

With the help of the others, Jason attempted to make a kind of shield for those who didn't have riot shields. The plastic shields on the ground weren't enough for everyone.

After some time, Jason and the others managed to create makeshift wooden shields that looked sturdy. These shields were different from the plastic ones, but they provided the same function.

To be honest, he was just practicing while everyone else woke up. He wanted to see if this method was actually viable.

Merle stood to the side, observing the shield, and said, "Well, this thing would actually be useful."

Once everyone was ready, Jason instructed those carrying wooden or plastic riot shields to take the lead, and they finally entered through the prison gate.