"Why? Shouldn't they pay the price?"
Ren Zhong took a deep breath, "You weren't present when I spoke yesterday, so it's normal not to know. I don't blame you. I'll repeat it now. Beyond their identity as enemies, they're people first, and they're people under control. The shepherd dogs hiding in the dark, driving the flock, were all executed last night. Most of the living captives are innocent people caught up in this."
"Since they're also people, we should save and treat them. At the same time, I must fulfill my promise to treat captives well, to build my reputation and authority. When we truly contend for control of the world, this reputation will be our sharpest weapon. Although there may be stubborn lurkers among the captives, it doesn't matter; I only care about the probability."
