Perhaps sensing Yu Lian's gaze, Banner twitched the scar on his cheek and lowered his head. "Well, uh, I was only saying it offhand. Just offhand."
Deng Zhengqing said, "This subordinate only feels that after the Battle of the Ring of Miracles, Commander Sayo's ground forces held out for another two months, inflicting casualties far beyond their own numbers. Whether they died in battle or survived, they are more deserving of the title of hero than I am. We struggled desperately in the Diamond Nebula and finally awaited your rescue. They're in Imperial prisoner-of-war camps, in an even worse situation than ours. Now that we know where they are, there's no reason to abandon them."
Look at that conviction! Listen to those eloquent words! Who said a modest gentleman couldn't speak well?
Or perhaps it was precisely because he was a gentleman that he needed to be well-read. That was how you made your words sound good and spread the righteous way of the world.
Just look at everyone's expressions. They clearly agreed with Deng Zhengqing. Also, perhaps it was just his imagination, but though Deng Zhengqing's words resonated with nearly everyone, a flicker of disappointment seemed to cross Captain Nemo's face.
...Wait, did he think their public personas would overlap from now on?
Yu Lian was starting to feel that being a leader really was a thankless job. You had to plan and make decisions, find a way forward for all your subordinates, take the blame for every outcome, and look after everyone's mental health and emotional needs.
It was probably no different from catering to a childless cat lady.
Feifei summed up, "Never abandon anyone, never give up. You said that was the kind of army you wanted in the future."
Yu Lian nodded. He had indeed said