Gong looks at my remote ball of healing for a moment, at my request to have her create a separate space for the parasite victims. She realizes my plan and gives a nod, closing her eyes to direct the spiders more directly.

In short order, Gong organizes a sizeable portion of her spiders to dig deep, deep underground, away from the underground city, to create another large space. With my scan, I’m able to see the same skills she used to create the underground facility.

Using the spiders’ cultivation and massive numbers, they tunnel through qi infused underground rock formations and use those same materials and their webbing to reinforce their tunnels and areas. Making the structures even more stable than before, despite the open spaces.

As for spirit beasts deep underground, Gong has already been chasing away any potential threats at this level of the area. For those she couldn’t chase away, she redirected away their food sources so that they would move themselves elsewhere.

If the spirit beasts were more intelligent, they might have retaliated. Luckily, none are at that level yet, unlike the spirit beasts I’ve tamed (like the spiders) which have that built into them with my taming contract regardless of cultivation level.

She builds the facility and underground area in a short time. Transporting the over ten thousand people down to it, as she does.

Of course, I have my remote ball of healing float follow close behind.

After quite a bit of time, we arrive in the area. Using my scan, I observe aboveground, far above where we are deep underground. Word has already spread to this area about the possibility of healing the parasite affliction.

Meaning that the groups will start checking the areas they know the victims were in, to ‘remove’ them. Just as we were horrified by the fact that almost all the groups had a section with the parasites below them, most other people would be, too. Getting rid of that possibility of public condemnation and loss of face is the only course of action for them.

But we should still have some time before that happens and they risk extending their spiritual senses to check. A major factor is that they wouldn’t assume that I’ve already tackled the issue here or found their secret areas. So, their assumption would be that the only thing that would occur is that some broken people would be around, that couldn’t explain what happened to them.

Even with this in mind, I head down to the newly created area, which resembles the underground city, but seems more like a containment area or prison hospital instead. Which… isn’t exactly wrong.

Gong has already separated everyone into grouped areas, so I can work. I segment the populations and direct Gong’s spiders to reposition people.

There are around 12,300 victims in total.

I transport the 400, which includes 2 of the 5 demonic cultivators intended for Xun, to a designated area for transfer to Xun, along with the materials needed to awaken them when Xun is prepared.

I can tell that 1800 of the remaining 11,900 are pure psychopaths and sociopaths. They were, of course, healed mentally, but still can have tendencies. In many ways, Yalei is an outlier in that way, because she had gotten rid of most of them. Though, the closer and romantic aspect of the relationship may be a factor in that.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

I’m honestly not sure if I’ll be able to restrain all of them, even with the mental healing.

With 10,100 left, I can say around 8500 of them are problem people, in terms of personality, political beliefs, and other aspects. Outsiders, almost all of them. If not originally, now for sure. Since anyone who would have cared about them would have been ‘removed’ when they were taken.

The final 1600 are just normal people, at least mentally. Normal people who were tossed to the parasites or captured by them. Some were relatives, others were just in the wrong place or at the wrong time. This group includes cultivators, but they don’t have any weird circumstances.

Using these categories as the guideline, I come up with a plan.

The 1600 are going to be fully healed and sent to the sect. After all, there’s no actual risk of blowback on that. Some are already being cultivators and will just get their cultivation back, in addition to an above average spirit root from the healing, at the least. The others will be promising candidates, with their increased spirit root and my recommendation.

For the 8500 problem people, I’m hoping I can send half of them to the sect. Those who won’t cause too much trouble, at least.

…wait a second. Aren’t I just taking most of the people that will give me the most headaches then?

…

I suppose it’s the only option, since it wouldn’t be a good idea to make the sect deal with people that they’ll be less inclined to protect. Leading to a situation that the sect would get irritated with me about and would put the people in danger, even after I already healed them.

Last, here are the ones that concern me the most.

3 demonic cultivators.

One of whom is a Core Formation.

Yeah, she definitely isn’t getting her cultivation back.

I quickly review their information with the scan, before encountering a surprise.

…huh.

Actually, getting cultivation back might be up in the air. I should chat with her, to get a better idea of their circumstances.

As I say that, I walk up to one of the other demonic cultivator women. Her eyes peacefully closed, having gone through the illusion where I removed any mental issues from her.

…

Should I just kill this one?

The good and bad part of my scan is that it gives me information on the people I’m dealing with. As well as the probabilities that they can be rehabilitated.

The demonic cultivator in front of me was a baby eating type.

Yep. They ate babies to progress their demonic cultivation. Gleefully, as well.

Of course, there're reasons and backstory for them, but at the end of the day, they ate many babies. And have a low likelihood of turning good, even with psychopathy and the mental healing illusion therapy.

It’s not an impossible chance. Just somewhat low.

I have a spider close to their unconscious body. Its mouth positioned at her neck.

Ready to take her life.

…if I let her live and shouldn’t have, I could put all I love at risk. As well as drawing the ire of righteous sects all around.

My hand shivers at the thought. But also, of the sleeping face of a woman who looks at peace.

Punishment or Rehabilitation?

Death or Life.

This decision holds me in place, as my mind covers my previous actions.

When I killed that man before he could kill me.

When I killed those other men in the Vermillion Stripes.

But all of that was different. Combat vs. the position of healing. Would it be right if I killed her, when she’s under my care? And when I have the chance to rehabilitate them?

Then, would I have done the same for the men I killed, had I had them in the same position?

…yes. I would try to have convinced them. To rehabilitate them. Even if it’s only a tiny chance… people should have that chance. Even if they are monsters.

And especially since my scan is showing that they truly have a chance of rehabilitating.

If, after all that, they betray that trust and hurt others, that’s when I’ll retaliate.

…

If I have the opportunity, and it’s not life threatening, I should try…

…

Even as I think this, a pit of uncertainty and danger covers my heart.

I slowly call the spider’s mouth away from the woman’s throat.

…this feels like a bad idea.

I force myself to turn away.

Wondering if the morals I hold on to are worth the potential price to be paid.

I guess I’ll find out.