```
Perhaps it was wishful thinking, naïve, but Roland simply couldn't accept Li Lin's answer, which was too pointed.
"Why must a choice be made between only two answers?"
Conquer or destroy—having to choose only between the two seemed too strange. Even if war was an extension of political means, politics weren't comprised solely of war. Besides preparing for war through deception and subterfuge, there were alternatives such as compromise.
"How can one absolutely refuse to believe in humanity, thinking they are incapable of peacefully accepting coexistence, considering them an enemy? Wouldn't the other side hold the same view? In the end, nothing changes; it merely temporarily alters the dynamics of dominance and pushes violent conflict into the future. Without attempting to fundamentally change one's thinking, there's no talking about revolution."
"So?"
"Why not give it a try on a small scale first?"
