Chapter 79

**- Xenon -**

I never noticed when the battle truly ended as my mind soon started focusing on nothing but my bleeding. I grunted in pain as I took off my shirt, placing it in the inventory before taking it in my hand. I acted purely out of instinct and in hindsight, I'm glad nobody was around to notice it. I applied pressure to the wound, regardless of how unbearable it was becoming by the second.

My right shoulder and arm were almost completely paralyzed; I could barely move either, and the only feedback I felt from both of them was pain. My grunts were slowly increasing in volume and at some point, Shane and Daryl came to me, looking all over my wound, yet I was unresponsive. I couldn't process anything they were saying, the world was turning around for me. The only thing that kept me from fainting was the constant pain that only seemed to increase in intensity.

I didn't know how much time passed until I was suddenly being carried over to a car, one of ours, most likely. Everybody seemed frantic for some reason I could not comprehend. I am sure at some point I passed by Amy who was looking at me with a shocked face, hand covering her mouth as she started crying for some reason.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!" I was brought over to reality by a searing pain on my shoulder, as some kind of liquid was poured over me, Hershel having done so. It is what my mind needed at that moment, as all my mental faculties came back online.

"We gotta take the bullet out." I heard Hershel say while he got to work without asking for permission, something I could hardly give in my state. "Restrain him." I felt extra weights on all my limbs, making movement almost impossible. I could barely make out what Hershel was trying to do to me in my addled state, yet after an excruciating amount of time, I lost consciousness.

**- Xenon -**

"Don't wander too far, Carl!"

"Yes, mom."

I opened my eyes groggily to the voice of Lori chiding her child. An unfamiliar ceiling scenery in front of my eyes, if it could be called that: a mattress. My brain took a few moments to register that we were indeed inside a prison, and nothing was out of the ordinary. Then it came to me, what happened before. The attack... Getting shot in the shoulder... I don't know if we suffered any losses during the exchange if anyone got away... I need to find out.

"AAAAAARGH!" Trying to get up was the worst idea that came to my mind at the moment, but as soon as I processed it, I chuckled at how comically cliché my attempt was...

I heard hurried footsteps growing in intensity until they revealed Amy's worried face to me.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly, placing her hands gently on my chest to hold me down. "You shouldn't move. Hershel will be here soon."

"I'm fine..." I managed to shake my head. "I just moved too suddenly. I was practically asking for it." She seemed taken aback, not expecting I'd joke in my circumstances. I'm surprised in myself if I am being honest, as I'd expect myself to be a weeping mess by now.

"Hershel will be here any moment now..." I was uncertain if she was trying to comfort me or herself, but it was certainly leaning towards the latter.

"Lay two tokens on my eyes for the ferrymen..." I said dramatically, pulling my head back. "I am fading to Elysium... I see Barthal-" I couldn't hold it anymore and started chuckling. Earning myself a slap on the shoulder. "Ouch!"

"Sorry! Sorry! I forgot!" Amy apologized frantically.

"Calm down, Amy. I'm alright..." I chuckled. Maybe I am a dick after all...

Hershel came running shortly afterward with a whole army of people behind him. He asked me a few questions to assess the situation before he checked the wound again. He informed me that he successfully removed the bullet, but it managed to fracture my collarbone. It would take me a week or two before I can move properly again. Months before coming back to full health...

I was not happy in the least with the news... I don't think an explanation is necessary. Being a vegetable for so long would basically spell my death as soon as something unexpected happened, which I have no doubt it will... We are dangerously close to the Governor's territory, and albeit his group was not at its peak yet, they were extremely dangerous...

On a happier note, we've successfully eliminated every single one of the hostile groups without suffering any casualties. I also asked about Randall and Dave, as I've been told I was sleeping for two days. Daryl didn't wait for any group discussion and went ahead executing them in their cells when nobody was paying him attention, having expected there would be some kind of moral crisis over killing them. I can't praise him enough for it, as I'm sure Dale's relentless pestering would've eventually made them cave in.

Oh right, I've been ignoring system notifications since the beginning of the attack. I had the quest rewards to look up for...

< You have leveled up! >

< You have leveled up! >

< You have leveled up! >

< You have leveled up! >

< Evaluating performance… >

* Ding *

< You are eligible for rewards! >

< +3 DEX Gained! >

< +2 CON Gained! >

< +3 CHA Gained! >

< +2 Stat Points >

< [Sprint] has leveled up! >

< [Detect Bloodlust] has leveled up! >

< Skill Gained! >

[Weapon Mastery: Firearms. (Passive)] LVL 3

Increased weapon accuracy.

Increased proficiency with firearms.

[Sprint. (Passive/Active)] LVL 4

*Passive:

-12.5% Stamina consumption while running.

*Active:

Cost : 1.8 SP/sec

Increases your sprinting speed by 17.5%.

<>

[Detect Bloodlust (Passive)] LVL 2

Range: Variable.

Detects Bloodlust targeting you.

< Quest Complete : Defend the Prison. >

Objective: Defend the prison from the attack led by Randall and Dave's group.

Bonus Objective: Kill all members of the group.

*Rewards:

-> EXP

-> Book: Survival Bows

-> 1 Stat Point

*Bonus Rewards:

-> + 2 END

-> 2 x [Minor Regeneration Potion]

-> Library

< System Feature Unlocked: Library >

Description: By looking at any written document, you can now save it in the library to access it at any time. It can also be used for note taking.

< +1 WIL Gained! >

< +1 WIL Gained! >

< Skill Gained! >

[Pain Resistance. (Passive)] LVL 1

Increased pain tolerance.

Reduced effects of pain.

< Status >

Name : Xenon

Age : 16

Level : 17 | Progress : 0/200

-

Stamina (SP) : 400/400

-

STR : 21

DEX : 20

CON : 8

END : 18

CHA: 30

WIL : 8

INT : 25

WIS : 15

LUK : 11

Unused Stat Points: 15

<>

I was dumbfounded for a while, and I'm pretty certain it showed on my face for the external observant. I was also happy, most of all, and a bit annoyed at the same time.

I'm annoyed at the system expecting me to get shot... You'd ask me how I know, but it's plenty clear to me. Bonus Objective: Don't let any villain escape. Reward: Health Potion *wink* *wink* *nudge*

But my petty annoyance aside, this reward was sure to save me a LOT of time. I don't know how potent the health potion would be, the 'minor' part of the name was a bit worrying. Though I am dealing with the supernatural in this case, so perhaps my current injuries still rank as 'minor'? I would be enraged if I consumed a potion yet had nothing to show for it though.

I have lost both my Rifle and Handgun masteries and obtained a Firearm one instead. The main difference between them is that Firearm weapon mastery provides a bonus weapon accuracy that isn't weapon-specific... Once you factor in the fact that I got a book on how to make Bows of all things just afterward... It's crystal clear what the system is trying to tell me...

The pain I have suffered through this ordeal was not in vain, as I have obtained two more points in willpower, and a pain resistance skill. That would explain why I am hardly paying any attention to the pain coming from my shoulder which is by no means an easy feat. I could still feel how intense the pain is yet I could somehow ignore most of it.

And I don't think I need to mention how ridiculously useful the Library function is...

The amount of Stat Points I currently have is getting ridiculous... I am not sure anymore if it is a good strategy to keep story them until I achieved the maximum my body could achieve with physical training. Maybe it's time to start benefiting from them instead.

It is interesting to note that the EXP requirements for the next level have significantly decreased, sitting at 200 this time around. You might think it's a good thing, but it's truly not... It can only mean one thing: the EXP rewards have changed. It's evident to me that the System's goal is not to make things easy for me. It is heavily invested in my personal growth, but surely not at the price of my laziness. Meaning that while I have been previously rewarded 5 EXP points for killing Walkers, the reward is likely less. And it also makes sense to some degree: there is no use in having absurdly big numbers to represent progress while the very same result can be achieved using small numbers, to track progress better.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Amy asked me softly; I smiled at her caring tone.

"Better now that you are here." I grinned at how shy she was acting. I wonder if it's because of my absurdly high CHA stat, or if I'm just that handsome... It probably has to do with the fact that we've barely spoken to each other recently, so it might feel like we're back at square one in our budding friendship.

"Glad to hear that." She smiled in an attempt to reduce the awkwardness she was probably feeling, yet couldn't hide the red hue her cheeks took at the compliment. "I brought some books with me."

"Of course you did." I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, there is nothing wrong with liking to read." She pouted, nudging me with her finger.

"I know, I'm just kidding." I shook my head wryly. 'Would've been better if we just talked for a bit...' I thought.

"You're not hanging out with Beth and Jimmy?" I changed the subject.

"I am." She said hesitantly. "They wanted to come here with me... but they weren't sure if you'd like that..." she said vaguely.

"Why not?" I tilted my head in confusion. I had nothing against either of them. Maybe I have some contempt for Jimmy for behaving like an idiot, but still...

"Well... They think you're a bit... intense, shall we say?" Amy said vaguely. "And I don't believe you are, trust me." I raised an eyebrow at that.

"Really? After everything you've seen me do, you don't believe that? We gotta get your eyesight checked!" I chuckled at her pouting face.

"It's not like you enjoyed doing any of it, you're being too harsh on yourself." Amy shook her head. "And they just don't know you well yet, that's why they're uncomfortable around you." I don't particularly fancy the idea of talking to both of them, quite frankly. I find it extremely counterproductive when I could be spending my time doing things that truly matter. It might sound hypocritical to say that when I clearly enjoy talking to Amy, but that's mostly because I fancy her.

"Well, maybe it's time for me to be more social then..." I said vaguely. I need to build more relations with everyone in the group if I want them to trust me. I think it would harm me in the long run if I am seen as a reclusive character, so I will do my best to mitigate the issue.