Would be hurt

[Rachel Adams]

This sentence is from the book "Reading Challenge" by Casey Malarcher. "But I knew I had to do it or a lot of people would be hurt, maybe killed."

It refers to something that has already happened why do they use "would" not "would have been hurt"?
I provided the screenshot.

It's at the end of the fifth paragraph.

 

[Rover_KE]

When she decided to do it, it was still in the future.

 

[Rachel Adams]

When she decided to do it, it was still in the future.

Where can I read more about it? Which section of grammar is it?

 

[5jj]

It's a kind of indirect speech.
I know (that) a lot of people will be hurt.
I knew (that) a lot of people would be hurt.