The hidden currents (2)

"Are we really going to send all these youngsters to their deaths?"

Gunlan looked at the hundred young men and women below. It was a rare instance in which he stared at his superior defiantly. He was many things; greedy, lustful, petty, and a suck-up. But he wasn't a killer. 

Gunlan genuinely wished for the North to develop. He wasn't strong or smart but he spent his life thinking about programs to develop the youth. His dream was to see a generation of geniuses appear who would fill in all the major posts of the kingdom. 

"You are mistaken," Rayos replied calmly. He knew his underlings, especially their weaknesses. "Yes, this will kill many but the true geniuses will shine brighter than anyone else. They have been fighting in controlled environments so far. But that will only create entertainers, not warriors."