Ryan began sorting the list carefully.
He first filtered by age, then by overall conduct and ability, and finally by family circumstances.
Those with heavier family burdens were placed at the top.
Men who carried wives, children, and elderly parents on their backs rarely complain.
They endure hardship quietly, gritting their teeth through hunger and exhaustion, and when given a lifeline, they clung to it with everything they had. Compared to the carefree, such people were steadier, more loyal, and far less likely to waver.
From the stack of names, Ryan circled just over thirty.
He planned to find a discreet opportunity to speak to them together.
He wouldn't force anyone.
He would lay everything on the table and let them choose for themselves. Stay with him and take a different path, or leave the factory and continue searching for work elsewhere. Whatever they chose, he would respect it.
In the past, Ryan would never have crossed certain lines.
