There were more than five hundred thousand liberated Sandfolk on Mist Oasis's side.
After all, they had been "carefully selected by slave owners," so their physical condition was generally quite good.
Among the old, weak, women, and children, there were more children and fewer elderly.
In truth, the majority were still strong young people.
Most of the Sandfolk women were healthy as well. They could meet the demands of labor and fit the standards of fertility and abundant childbirth, making them high-quality slaves capable of producing the next generation.
The few older Sandfolk had generally mastered one or more productive skills.
For example, feeding livestock or excelling at growing a certain crop.
Some elderly people had learned reading, writing, or musical instruments. They were eunuch slaves specifically kept by slave owners to handle clerical tasks and perform for guests.
Quite a number of Sandfolk could only be considered a burden in a major battle.
Forget charging head-on and killing enemies—even not wetting themselves when faced with the menacing Punitive Expeditionary Force would count as strong nerves.
Rather than letting them stay here to die for nothing or serve as cannon fodder in a meat grinder of a battle, it was better to take them deep into the desert and establish scattered bases around small oases.
They might be no good at fighting, but they were highly skilled at farming and animal husbandry.
Putting suitable people in suitable positions was far better than cramming everyone together in one place.
Thus, Tamir and the others intended to select a small number of young people capable of fighting and lead the old, weak, women, and children into the desert.
Some of the food supplies and production materials seized from the city would be enough for them to establish strongholds with the help of