Chapter 11: Arriving at Harper Town

After Lily finished eating, she looked visibly more at ease. Her trembling had stopped, and a hint of color finally returned to her cheeks. Shawn stood up, extending a hand to Lily to help her rise.

"Feeling better?" he asked while his gentle smile remained on his face.

Lily nodded, her eyes expressing a mixture of gratitude and appreciation. "Yes, thank you, Big Brother Shawn."

"It's all right, but we need to get going if we want to reach Harper Town before nightfall. The night right now is very dangerous since we don't know what kind of mutant beasts are lurking in the shadows," Shawn said, disinclined to travel at night due to the possible danger it may cause Lily.

"I'll carry you on my back so that you can rest while we travel," he said.

He then took off his backpack and placed it securely across his chest. The backpack is secured by a strap that clings to his body tightly, ensuring that it won't hinder his movements.

This allowed his back to be free, so Lily could rest comfortably while he carried her.

Shawn crouched down in front of Lily, facing his back to her.

"Alright, hop on."

Lily hesitated for a moment before eventually climbing on his back. Once she was settled, he stood up slowly, making sure that she'd been secured.

"Hold on tight," he advised, feeling her small hands wrapping around his shoulder.

With Lily safely on his back and his backpack placed in front, Shawn started moving again.

The weight was manageable, thanks to his enhanced strength.

He resumed the journey with a steady face, knowing that getting to Harper Town as quickly and safely as possible was now even more important.

After they set off, Lily asked Shawn a curious question. "Big Brother Shawn, what's that mutant beast you were talking about earlier?"

Hearing this question, Shawn thought for a minute before answering, "The mutant beasts are the animals in the past that have transformed into powerful monsters. Just like those zombies, those mutant beasts will also attack any humans they see."

Lily's grip on his shoulders tightened slightly. "Are they as dangerous as the zombies?"

"Yes, they are," he replied. "But don't worry, I'll definitely protect you. We just need to be cautious and alert on the way."

In order to soothe Lily's spirit and cheer her up, Shawn started telling her some funny stories that he once experienced.

Soon enough, some giggling sounds can be heard as they pass through the wrecked village. They talk and laugh for several hours, sometimes encountering wandering zombies and mutant beasts.

Shawn would then ask her to close her eyes so that she wouldn't witness the gruesome scene of blood flowing.

Lily can only heed his words and close her eyes obediently. After confirming that Lily's eyes were closed, he would then take action and kill those monsters. Just like that, he leveled up once, and he could even feel that he had filled up a third of the origin energy he needed for the next level.

[You've successfully leveled up to Level 16]

He didn't mind the notifications and just continued his talk with Lily.

"We were really scared at that time. That big fellow Troy's shorts were ripped apart, forcing him to cover his private parts and run around with a dog chasing him," Shawn recounted, laughing as he did.

"I mean, who would've thought that a dog would crazily chase after a laser pointer? Haha. When I pointed that laser to Troy, that dog madly went after him while he screamed and cried for help." He laughed even more loudly, the memory of his friend Troy in such a state bringing back fond and funny memories.

Shawn stopped laughing, however, after he noticed that he was the only one laughing. Turning his head, he saw that Lily was already asleep, her head gently nestled on his shoulder.

Smiling to himself, he adjusted his pace to ensure a smooth journey for this sleeping girl.

The terrain around them was a mix of overgrown vegetation and ruined structures, with signs of destruction everywhere.

Occasionally, he would hear distant growls of beasts and even some calls for help. Shawn chose to ignore it, though, and just continue on his way.

He was neither a saint nor a hero, and he didn't have the ability to help everyone in need. The only reason he helps Lily is that he sympathizes with her, and he doesn't want her to grow up alone without anyone beside her.

Shawn knows what kind of hardship she will go through if that were to happen, especially considering the chaos in the world with zombies and monsters roaming all over the place.

That's why he wanted to help prevent that from happening.

While Lily was sleeping, Shawn passed by the next village, which seemed to be similarly deserted and ravaged as the previous one.

The houses stood silent and empty, with the windows broken and the doors hanging ajar. This village seems to be even more wrecked than the previous one.

Shawn glanced around but didn't stop. His priority is to get Lily to Harper Town safely and allow her to reunite with her mother.

Only then would he find his friend, Troy, and team up with him in order to get stronger. He first planned to help that guy level up, aiming to boost his strength first and foremost.

The journey was uneventful and eerie, with Shawn trying to avoid any confrontation with mutant beasts. His senses were on high alert, but he managed to avoid any significant threats, thanks to his heightened abilities.

Soon, they passed by the next town, only glancing at it from afar. He can barely perceive the silhouettes of some zombies roaming aimlessly near the entrance. As per usual, Shawn chose not to court any trouble and just focus on getting to his destination as quickly as possible.

That town appeared to be overrun by zombies. It looks like the civilians inside were in terrible danger, akin to an executioner's blade hanging over one's neck.

"If they don't clean up those zombies soon, then it's only a matter of time before they meet a certain doom," he thought.

Little by little, as they finally approached Harper Town, the scene that greeted them was a stark contrast to what Shawn was hoping for.

The once-bustling town was now in shambles. Buildings were damaged, streets were littered with debris, and a pervasive silence hangs in the air, occasionally broken by mournful cries or the roaring of zombies.

The town was barely recognizable, a mile away compared to its previous conditions. Shops that were once filled with life are now just an empty shell of the past. Cars lay abandoned in the streets, and smoke rose from several buildings, hinting at recent fires. The air was thick with the acrid scent of burning and decay.

He cautiously circled the perimeter, not wanting to enter through the main entrance, where he spotted a group of zombies loitering around.

He opted for a less conspicuous path, hoping to find a much safer entry point to the town. After circling around, he finally found a side street that looked relatively clear and decided to slip through there.

The streets were very quiet as Shawn made his way deeper into the town. He kept himself in the shadows, his eyes constantly inspecting the surroundings, looking for any sign of movement.

Shortly, he reached what appeared to be remnants of a temporary barricade. Signs of fierce struggle were evident: bloodstains, broken weapons, and both the bodies of humans and zombies.

Shawn frowned, hoping that not all areas in the town are all like this.

He found a relatively intact building and decided that it was a good spot to take a brief rest. Gently, he set Lily down on a relatively clean patch of ground, making her lean against the wall. She stirred slightly but still remained asleep.

Shawn took a moment to catch his breath and assess their situation. He knew needed to find Lily's mother, the sooner the better.

As he stood near the window, he heard a rustling sound behind him. Looking back, he saw Lily waking up, his action of settling her down still resulted in her waking up.

"Feeling okay?" He asked.

"Hmm, I did. Are we in Harper Town now?" She replied, asking a question of her own.

"Yes, we're here."

Lily's expression brightened, her eyes full of expectation. "Then have you found my mother?"

Shawn shakes his head. "Not yet, we've just arrived a few minutes ago."

Hearing this, her face kind of slumped, disappointed that she still wasn't able to see her mother. She was about to say something when Shawn suddenly pressed his index finger to her lips, signaling her to stay silent.

He led her to a corner and had her hide behind the tables and chairs in the room.

He whispered, "I just heard some noise nearby, and I suspect that it's a group of zombies. You stay here and hide, while you wait for me to take care of them, alright?"

Lily nodded her head in response to him, she even covered her mouth to indicate that she will remain silent.

Shawn takes out the hatchet he once used and gives it to her. "Use this to protect yourself if I'm still not here and you encounter something, okay?"

Lily takes the hatchet, determination can be seen in her face, realizing that she'll be alone for a while.

Shawn patted her head and carefully left the building, taking care not to make any noise. After he exits the building, he covertly moves across the houses nearby, hoping to find that group of zombies.

He traverses through a few houses, eventually discovering the location of the group of zombies. Observing them from a distance, he counted slightly more than twenty zombies.

[Level 13 Mutant Zombies]

Seeing the levels of the zombies, he decided to just deal with them all, since their average levels didn't differ by more than one or two levels.

Without hesitation, he sprinted rapidly to them, readying his Precision Strike. He leaps and slices the head of the nearest zombie. He didn't stop his offensive and just pressed on. His sword flashed through the air, each swing accompanied by the sickening thud of heads falling to the ground.

Right now, he can steadily use Precision Strike in one of two attacks. He was close to reaching the point where he could activate the skill with every strike, though the increased origin energy consumption was a concern.

Shawn didn't even use his Sword Force against these zombies, easily killing all of them. The battle was swift and brutal, leaving a pile of lifeless bodies in his wake.

After dealing with them, he was about to go back to Lily when he suddenly heard a thumping sound along with a slight vibration of the ground.

Turning his head to his right, he saw a two and a half-meter giant zombie slowly making his way through him. Its arms were particularly notable, bulging with muscles and appearing to be fused with metal, creating a monstrous hybrid of flesh and blood.

Shawn's grip tightened on his sword as he prepared to face this new threat. The battle wasn't over yet.