While everyone was still shocked and indignant over the false alarm, Levi's words snapped them awake.
Yes, moderate struggle is still struggle, and non-violent non-cooperation is still non-cooperation. Non-cooperation will eventually offend people.
"I just want everyone to realize that engaging in a struggle is not playing house. Being a Windguide carries risks," he stated.
"The victory we seek must inevitably be taken from the hands of vested interests. Regardless of whether our methods are moderate or not, those vested interests will never welcome us."
"Think about it carefully." Levi asked solemnly once more, "If one day this joke is no longer a joke, and the enemy's butcher knife truly falls upon us—everyone, are you prepared?"
Of course they weren't.
The crowd looked at each other in dismay, their expressions somewhat awkward and complex.
Caitlyn was also choked up and speechless. She suddenly realized that even as a Councilor's daughter, she couldn't guarantee that the possibility Levi mentioned absolutely wouldn't happen.
Gradually, everyone realized that Levi's words just now were actually a test.
And in this test, the vast majority of them had scored a zero.
The enemy hadn't even truly arrived; just hearing the news had already scared many into having their faith shaken or even shattered.
So when the Piltover Enforcers truly stood before them with raised guns, would they still have the courage to hold onto their faith?
"We can pursue non-violent non-cooperation," Levi continued.
"But even non-violent non-cooperation requires faith and courage!"
Facing the enemy's bloody suppression, to still be able to sit blankly without resisting time and time again, to still persist in non-violent non-cooperation, using one's own life to deplete the enemy's manpower, material, and financial resources, increasing the cost of the enemy's colonial rule...
This indeed required courage and sacrifice.
Yet the so-called Windguides present didn't even possess the sheer defiance to face down a weapon with their bare heads.
Most of them were merely attracted by a beautiful ideal, romantically fantasizing about a completely bloodless victory.
"Clearly, many people have not made such mental preparations."
"Windguides are not just leaders and the core; they are the vanguard of the struggle."
"Whether it is a moderate struggle or a violent one, we should be the ones standing at the front. If the enemy's butcher knife falls, we should be the first ones cut down!"
"For those who are not ready, being a Windguide might not be a good thing."
"Therefore, I have made a decision."
Levi's tone gradually grew heavy.
Anyone with enough workplace experience would be able to read between the lines:
First, state the difficulties the company is currently facing and the terrible future situation, then express deep concern for the employees' personal futures...
Could this be a massive layoff?
It really was. Levi truly intended to thoroughly "optimize" the Windguides.
It was just that corporate layoffs were to ensure profits, while he was doing it to ensure the purity, organization, and combat effectiveness of the ranks.
Previously, when the organization was newly founded, to facilitate the expansion of their influence, the threshold Levi set for the Windguides was very simple, consisting of only one rule:
As long as someone had developed faith in Janna, they could become an official member of the Windguides.
This condition looked difficult, but it was actually very simple.
A person might be scolded by their boss during the day, go home at night, read Janna's pamphlet, and feel that Janna was absolutely right and the ultimate ideal was great—this counted as having faith.
But if the next day the boss praised him a bit, saying he did a good job and promising a promotion and a raise next year if he kept it up...
The young man's heart would surge with enthusiasm, his blood boiling; he wouldn't feel bitter or tired, thinking that the current situation was fine and ideals were too far out of reach—his faith could instantly vanish.
These shallow believers were friends, but they were far from being comrades-in-arms, nor could they serve as such.
"Therefore, I have made a decision."
This decision was to "optimize" a batch of shallow believers with wavering faith.
But of course, Levi wouldn't act like a business owner and release them back into society as exported talent.
Although their faith was shallow, they still had faith and ideals, and they held the hope of growing into true Windguides.
Thus, he announced, "I have decided to establish a new organization under the banner of the Windguide Association—"
"The Windchaser Association!"
"Windchasers?" Everyone carefully savored the term.
One guides the wind, the other chases the wind; the latter sounded just like followers of the former.
Was Levi planning to set up a subsidiary under the main organization?
Indeed, that was exactly what he was thinking.
Because the requirements for shallow believers were too easy to meet, in Janna's vision and calculations, all two million-plus residents of Zaun could entirely be developed into shallow-level believers in the future.
If the entry threshold for Windguides wasn't reformed now, wouldn't the entire population become Windguides in the future?
If everyone was a Windguide, then how could the Windguides still be considered a "vanguard"?
How could the advanced nature and combat effectiveness of the ranks be guaranteed?
Thus, Levi explained in detail, "The so-called 'Windchasers' will be a mass organization of progressive individuals led by the Windguide Association. It will be a school for the vast number of progressives to learn Janna Thought through practice, serving as assistants and a reserve force for the Windguides."
"And the first batch of members for this organization will be born from among us."
Now everyone completely understood.
Although Levi's wording was somewhat veiled, everyone could still hear the underlying meaning:
He planned to optimize a batch of unqualified Windguides, having them join the newly established Windchasers to act as assistants and reserves for the Windguides.
"Then who is a Windguide and who is a Windchaser? How will that be judged?" someone asked with concern.
People all wanted to progress. If given the chance, everyone wanted to be a leader, not an assistant.
And Levi's answer was simple: "Faith!"
"Windguides should be the vanguard of the struggle. They should bear hardships first and enjoy comforts last, charge at the front and retreat at the rear, sacrifice first and protect themselves last... They must be selfless and dedicated."
"To meet these conditions, one must be a staunch idealist."
"Therefore, only those whose faith is sufficiently firm and devout can become Windguides who lead the winds of change!"
"As for those who have only just developed faith, whose faith is still wavering, they should remain among the Windchasers to continue practicing and learning."
"Through continuous progress in practical work, they can also become true Windguides in the future."
At this very moment, the Threads of Faith of the crowd were still clearly visible.
Everyone could see whose "thread" was brighter and whose faith was firmer.
This was an incomparably fair criterion for distinction.
Because those with brighter "threads" simply had firmer faith than others; they were more capable of enduring hardship, more dedicated, willing to sacrifice, and lacked selfish motives...
Facing these "strong ones" in terms of faith and moral standards, the "weak ones" were too embarrassed to speak up and call it unfair.
After all, faith and morality had no entry barriers.
Anyone who felt it was unfair could simply learn to follow their example.
Learn to charge at the front, endure hardship at the front, and bleed at the front... Unfortunately, these weren't things one could learn just by saying so.
"Alright, let's do it this way!"
After some discussion, everyone approved of Levi's proposal.
A portion of the people believed that this method of using faith to distinguish between the vanguard and the reserves was very fair and reasonable. So they could accept it.
Another portion deeply agreed with Levi's theory, believing that the struggle must be led by those with the firmest faith.
A smaller portion was genuinely frightened by Levi's words, realizing the immense risks hidden behind the glorious title of Windguide.
So rather than being a Windguide, it was better to be a Windchaser first.
This way, if the Piltover Enforcers really attacked, they would only be considered "accomplices."
And if the Windguides' cause succeeded, they could still be considered founding supporters.
Either way, it wasn't a loss.
In short, amidst the crowd's varying thoughts, Levi's proposal was passed almost unanimously.
"Then, those who have been chosen by Janna may now step forward—"
"You will be the true Windguides!"