Chapter 2: The First Days at the Quarry
Following the smoke brought Jayden, after about half an hour of walking, to a large clearing carved into a rocky hillside. A few tents, a trailer, and a burning campfire in the middle. There it was. The quarry camp.
Jayden paused at the edge of the clearing, unsure of what kind of reception he would expect. The bloody machete in his hand and the bow on his back would mark him as either a threat or a valuable ally.
The first person to spot him was a man patrolling with a rifle. Shane Walsh. The confident, macho demeanor he remembered from the series was immediately apparent. The moment Shane saw Jayden, he aimed his rifle at him.
"Stay where you are! Who are you?" he shouted.
Jayden slowly put his machete down and raised his hands. "Calm down. My name is Jayden. I'm alone. I was just looking for shelter."
Shane approached him suspiciously, his eyes taking in Jayden's modern equipment and clean-cut appearance. "Where did you get that gear? Military or something?"
"No. Let's just say I was… prepared." Jayden hated lying, but he couldn't explain the system's existence. That rule was absolute.
The other camp residents had begun to gather noisily. Lori had little Carl behind her protectively. Dale watched from the roof of his trailer with his binoculars. Amy and Andrea huddled together anxiously.
"What did you find, Shane?" Lori asked, concern in her voice.
"I don't know. A kid on his own," Shane said, not taking his eyes off Jayden. "There's blood on his machete."
"I met one on the road," Jayden explained calmly. "I had to deal with it."
Dale called from the top of the trailer. "He doesn't look dangerous, Shane. Just a survivor."
Shane thought for a moment, then nodded toward the machete Jayden had left. "Take it. But if you make any sudden moves, you'll regret it. Come with us."
That was how Jayden was accepted into the camp. The first few days were tense. Everyone was skeptical. They asked him questions about where he came from, where his family was, how he'd managed to find such good equipment. Jayden made up a vague story about losing his family at the beginning of the epidemic and dismissed the issue of equipment.
It was his skills that won him acceptance. At dawn on the second day, without a word, he ventured into the forest with his bow and arrows. His [Basic Hunting] skill taught him how to read animal tracks, how to use the wind, and how to move silently. Within an hour, he returned with two rabbits.
The change in people's attitudes when he brought fresh meat to the camp was palpable. They were tired of canned food and stale crackers. From that day on, Jayden became the camp's hunter. Every day, he went into the woods, hunted, and made small but significant contributions.
But for Jayden, these hunting sessions weren't just about finding food. They were a perfect opportunity to hone his skills.
[Basic Archery skill gained experience! 15%]
[Successful hunt! Basic Hunting skill gained experience! 20%]
His quiet nature and constant urge to do something set him apart from the rest of the camp. He and Glenn hit it off immediately. They were both young and didn't shy away from risky pursuits. Dale seemed to appreciate the observant spirit behind Jayden's silence, while Shane harbored a kind of competitive respect for him; Jayden's talents were beneficial to the camp but also a potential challenge to Shane's leadership position.
Jayden never told anyone about the system or his knowledge that the characters were actually from a TV show. He treated them like real people, because in this world, they were real. Their pain, their fears, their hopes—everything was palpably acute.
A week later, Jayden had established a new routine. He wasn't just hunting in the woods anymore; he was also taking on a more dangerous mission: going to Atlanta alone to scavenge supplies.
"This is crazy," Shane said when he first heard Jayden's offer. "The city is crawling with walkers. Even Glenn won't go in there alone."
"I can be quiet and fast," Jayden said. "Going with a large group draws more attention. I just go in, grab what we need, and leave. It's less risky."
His real reason was different. The city was where he could hone his skills the fastest. More walkers meant more obstacles, more EXP, and more opportunities to level up. If he wanted to survive, he had to get stronger as quickly as possible. He had to prepare before Rick Grimes arrived, before the Governor's Office, or before Negan.
Shane reluctantly agreed. The camp needed critical supplies like medicine, batteries, and canned goods. Jayden's success could affect the fate of the entire camp. So, at dawn the next morning, Jayden set out for Atlanta, backpack empty and guns loaded. The city's silent hunter was on his first big hunt to level up.