The adjutant contemplated more than others; even if one of these Shi individuals managed to defeat the others and unify the entire Sek Planet, what would he gain from it?

There aren't even basic production tools; there are no skilled tool users. Most of the common people are illiterate. The population is sparse, and years of fighting have nearly wiped out the people of Sek Planet. If not for them, the Shi Family still needs the Long Warriors; exterminating all the common people is no joking matter!

The adjutant witnessed firsthand the cruelty of those Shi Family members. Executing captives was just the norm. One less scumbag is a good thing—whose hands aren't stained with countless blood debts? So it's best if those fighters die, sparing the common people from further harm. The adjutant once personally took down a fighter. Although he felt extremely nauseous afterward and retched uncontrollably, he didn't regret it one bit. He believed he did the right thing. Even if he's a bit more brutal to those scumbags, he feels it's justified! Watching those scumbags cry and beg under the gunpoint, their bodies shrinking in fear; some even soiled themselves. But what's the use? The Long Warriors carrying out the executions laughed wildly. These nearly dead prisoners were still objects of their amusement. They beat them, abused them. In the end, those fighters would probably hope to eat a bullet and end their misery sooner.

While the adjutant felt justified in killing fighters, for they deserved it, killing ordinary civilians was too extreme.

If all the civilians were annihilated, how would these troops survive? Do those Shi Family members really have dung for brains? No, the adjutant believed they were driven by some grandiose ideology. It's the civilians that provide food and clothing, continuously supplying manpower. These Long Warriors are human too; they need clothes, food, drink, and people to support them! Now, they prefer seeing civilians over Long Warriors. Initially, the adjutant didn't understand why those Long Warriors were particularly excited to see common people. Later he understood that civilian fear exceeded that of any warrior, even if warriors fought battles. Because although they too feared, they had a baseline. This made the Long Warriors who delighted in abuse and derived twisted satisfaction from the suffering faces, heartrending cries of pain, feel endless joy! A grotesque mentality breeds grotesque individuals. Grotesque individuals further warp mentalities, creating a vicious cycle, an unsolvable deadlock.

When they captured civilians, it was like discovering treasure. Indeed, under their gunpoint, under their inhumanity, civilians dwindled. Most died in combat crossfire or from collateral damage, famine, disease, etc. Survivors often hid in secluded wilderness—mountain life was tough but free from brutal Long Warriors, the fearsome sound of gunfire. If lucky, they could sleep peacefully through the night, hear the morning birds chirp, see various creatures dart about. These creatures were endearing, infinitely more so than brutal Long Warriors. These civilians couldn't comprehend why those seemingly human like them became so cruel when wielding guns, so devoid of humanity.

They feared those wielding guns, their expressions, their terrifying laughter, the sound of armored vehicles. Yet in the mountains they felt safer; there always was food to find—fruits or tubers. Though poorly flavored, it's edible. At least, they wouldn't starve. Despite diseases occasionally claiming their lives or sudden dangers like mountain floods, it's better than living in constant fear. So they'd rather stay in the wilderness.

Let those gunmen fight among themselves, perhaps everyone dying is best—nobody left to harm them. The civilians deeply resented the Long Warriors and the instigators of bloody battles. Sometimes they gazed upon nearby fertile fields; now abandoned, growing wild weeds. These lands, if cultivated, could sustain many lives. It's such a waste, if possible; if agreed to, if granted safety, they'd even share half the harvest. No, only what's necessary to survive would suffice. If nothing else, they'd let them take everything just to avoid disturbance. But these civilians knew—it was impossible, absolutely impossible.

To escape warfare and avoid the scourge of Long Warriors, civilians on Hanke Planet left their homes for distant wilderness to live humbly, causing the Sek Planet's productivity to practically cease.

The adjutant disagreed with the Shi Family's killing civilians for sport. He believed the people should never be killed for entertainment, as they are fundamentally essential.

But with his inconsequential voice, he could only face the atrocities helplessly, in silence, unable to act against the Long Warriors' tyranny.

Now Jiang Cheng ordered him to clean the battlefield with civilians. He was highly reluctant but dared not defy Jiang Cheng's commands. He knew with clarity how terrifying Jiang Cheng was, so he hesitated, unwilling to venture into the dreaded place.

He misunderstood Jiang Cheng's intentions; Jiang Cheng wanted to assess his leadership influence over civilians, assigning him to battlefield cleanup, fostering quicker cohesion. If civilians rejected him, Jiang Cheng would find another way.

So Jiang Cheng was displeased with the adjutant's dilatory attitude; seeing Jiang Cheng's cold glare fast turning furious, the adjutant finally led civilians away.

When the adjutant brought the group to the battlefield, the civilians were thunderstruck by the scene. Bodies lay everywhere, devastated Japanese tanks still smoked. Gazing at the distorted ruins, the adjutant sighed deeply.

He instructed civilians to start cleaning the battlefield. Those with guts turned over corpses, pooling useful items together. Timid ones carried materials back to settlements, while he swallowed his revulsion, undertaking both tasks.

With the adjutant's coordination, their work progress systematically, cleaning up the expansive battlefield efficiently.