Looking at the conflicted man in front of him, Jason smiled and reached out to shake Sean's hand.
"No need to be polite," he said casually. "Just make something good for dinner tonight—I'm starving."
"Hahaha…"
Laughter rippled through the group as the camp welcomed its newest members. Surprisingly, no one seemed particularly wary. There was a sense of ease in the air.
As night fell, the wilderness around them felt unusually peaceful. No wild animals stirred in the darkness, and the zombies, for now, were trapped far off in the cities. This place, at least for the moment, seemed safe.
"I really admire your guts, man," Sean said as he listened to Glenn recount their journey. "Moving through that many walkers? I don't think I'd have made it out alive."
Jason gave a small smile as he held a skewer over the fire. "People only show their courage when they're forced to."
The flames flickered in his eyes as he continued, "Back in the old world? I just wanted to sleep in, eat instant noodles, and spend my days gaming or watching TV. That was the life."
It was a quiet confession, one that revealed a man completely changed by the world he now lived in.
Rick, sitting nearby, finally asked what had been on his mind. "Are you planning to stay here long-term?"
Jason didn't respond immediately, but Rick's question made others pause.
"What do you mean? Isn't it good here?" Sean asked, caught off guard. He scratched his head and added, "It's safe now. There's a clean water source nearby. We don't have a ton of food, but it's manageable. There are fish in the stream, animals in the woods… though we haven't had much luck catching them."
Jason stayed silent, letting Rick handle the response.
"No," Rick said firmly. "You're only thinking about now. What about the future? Are we really safe in an open camp with just a few people? There aren't many zombies now, sure—but no one can promise that won't change tomorrow."
He hadn't spent much time with Jason, but he'd already learned something important from him: never think only in the present.
Sean looked uneasy. The truth was, he hadn't thought about the future at all. The current calm had made him drop his guard. But the reality was, while the forest slowed the zombies down, it didn't stop them completely.
The conversation started to shift into awkward silence, and Jason noticed it.
Rick's right—but he's too blunt, Jason thought.
"Let's not dive into that tonight," Jason said, standing up and brushing the dirt off his pants. "Rick, come with me."
He handed the skewer to Duan and led Rick toward the back of the tents.
"What's up?" Rick asked, puzzled.
"Are you crazy?" Jason shot him a look and sighed. "We're outsiders here. You think they'll listen to you warning them about their own camp? Even if you're right, we need to ease into that conversation. Let them come to the conclusion themselves."
Rick frowned, trying to understand.
Jason continued, "The way you're talking, it's like you're already taking over. They might start thinking you're trying to push them out. People are touchy in times like these. We need them on our side."
Rick sighed, finally getting the message. "Yeah… I guess I jumped the gun."
Jason gave him a friendly pat on the back. "We're all adjusting. Just… take it slow. Earn their trust first. Then we talk about the future."
The firelight flickered behind them, casting long shadows across the forest floor—reminding them both that the world, though calm for now, was always waiting to change.