The battlefield was cruel. They might survive, but they also might be wiped out.
Their lives would never be left to their enemies. Hence, whether these people were innocent or not was not a consideration. The most important thing was to ensure that the entire mission could be carried out smoothly.
Also, how innocent could a person with a gun be?
The firepower in the village was strong enough. T6 touched the mortars beside his feet and smiled. "There are still mortars. I'll keep them. They might be useful."
Almost everyone in this village with more than 200 people had guns. As for them, they had more than 20 people. They should have some heavy firepower against a village with more than 200 people.
Z7 took down a fellow who was preparing to go over to his sentry post. He said in a low voice, "Stay and prepare for the second wave of clearing. I'll catch up with them."