163. The Strategist’s Scheme

At the royal army's headquarters, tension flared between the general and the strategist after the failure of the assassination mission. The general could not contain his fury upon hearing the news.

"Strategist, your plan has failed. If we can't break the momentum of the Murim Alliance, we'll lose our chance to win this war."

Bowing his head, the strategist calmly replied, "General, it's not over yet. This time, I will exploit a more subtle method to target the cracks between the Murim Alliance and the Magyo."

The general narrowed his eyes. "What scheme do you propose?"

The strategist began slowly, "The Magyo has always been at odds with the Murim. Their current cooperation is merely a temporary alliance born out of mutual resistance to the royal court. There is no true unity between them."

Pointing at a map, he continued, "What if we secretly contact the Magyo and offer them dominance over both the orthodox and unorthodox factions? If they believe they can rule the Murim, they'll weaken the alliance from within. Once their power is diminished, the royal court can easily sweep through what remains."

The general raised an eyebrow. "And if they refuse our offer?"

The strategist smiled. "Even then, we benefit. If rumors spread that the royal court is negotiating with the Magyo, distrust will fester within the Murim Alliance. Division will follow. A divided Murim is the best opportunity for us."

Satisfied, the general nodded. "Good. Put the plan into action. Send envoys capable of contacting the Magyo and let the rumors spread naturally among the Murim."

The royal court's spies began their covert mission. Secret emissaries met with the Magyo's leaders and conveyed the offer.

"The royal court now sees the Murim Alliance as the greater threat. If the Magyo cooperates, the royal court will hand over the reins of the Murim to you."

The Magyo's representative furrowed his brows. "Are we to believe the royal court will fulfill our long-held ambition? I find that hard to trust."

The emissary responded with a calm smile. "We now face a common enemy. If the Murim Alliance falls, the Magyo will rise stronger than ever."

The Magyo hesitated. Cooperating with the royal court was not a decision to be made lightly.

Meanwhile, rumors of the royal court's contact with the Magyo spread rapidly within the Murim Alliance, inciting anger and confusion.

"The royal court colluding with the Magyo? This is the greatest threat we've faced!" "Is the Magyo pretending to help us while conspiring with the enemy behind our backs?"

Lee Do-hyeon remained calm but deeply troubled. He gathered his key allies to discuss the matter.

Baek Wol-hui was the first to speak. "Do-hyeon-nim~, this reeks of a royal scheme. If we start doubting each other now, we're playing right into their hands."

Han So-yeon nodded. "It's clear the royal court is trying to fracture our unity. We must not fall into their trap."

Cheong Un-jin spoke gravely. "Do-hyeon, you must stand firm. If this alliance cracks, everything we've built will crumble."

Lee Do-hyeon's voice was resolute. "We will not fall for the royal court's scheme. Now is the time to strengthen our bonds, not break them. We must speak directly with the Magyo and uncover the truth behind these rumors."

Though the royal court's plan aimed to divide the alliance, Lee Do-hyeon's steadfast leadership and the determination of his allies only served to strengthen their unity.

But the royal court's strategies were becoming increasingly insidious, and the tides of war began to shift into a new phase.

Lee Do-hyeon made his decision.

"In this war, the greatest thing we could lose is unity. And to protect that, we must be willing to endure any hardship."

***

Chapter : The Beginning of Fracture

Tension between the Murim Alliance, the Magyo, and the Imperial Court had reached its peak. On the surface, the Murim Alliance and the Magyo maintained their alliance, but beneath it all, subtle fractures had begun to emerge. Within the Magyo, some factions quietly began exploring the possibility of cooperating with the Imperial Court.

In the central chamber of the Magyo, several high-ranking officials sat heavily before their leader, the Celestial Sword Demon Queen (Cheonjammawang). One of them opened his mouth cautiously.

"Lord, our alliance with the Murim Alliance has benefited us thus far, but there's no guarantee they won't betray us in the future. In fact, aligning with the Imperial Court might be a more realistic choice."

Another official nodded in agreement.

"The Imperial Court has already conquered the Central Plains as the Yuan Empire. Like us, they were once outsiders. If we are to survive, we must consider joining forces with those who share similar origins."

Cheonjammawang listened in silence, her expression unchanged. Yet her quietness weighed heavily on the room.

"Lord," one official hesitated before continuing. "The Imperial Court has promised to hand over control of the Murim to us should the Alliance collapse. The Murim Alliance has always been a coalition of our enemies—righteous and demonic sects alike. If they fall, this could be our chance to take the center stage."

Cheonjammawang finally spoke, her voice low and deliberate.

"Do you trust such promises? Is it not possible the Imperial Court only seeks to use us for their own gain?"

Another official spoke carefully.

"That may be true. But if we reject their offer, they will turn on us once the fight with the Murim Alliance is over. Refusing now may cost us dearly later."

Meanwhile, unusual movements were being detected within the Murim Alliance as well. Rumors began to spread that some individuals were attempting to make secret contact with the Imperial Court.

A member of the Beggar's Union whispered darkly,

"I heard the Imperial Court is trying to ally with the Magyo. They promised to hand over power once the Murim Alliance is dismantled."

A member of another sect burst out in anger.

"How can anyone believe such nonsense? That the Court would oust us and crown the Magyo? It's nothing but a ploy to weaken the entire Murim."

Cheong Un-jin quietly approached Lee Do-hyeon and spoke gravely.

"Do-hyeon, things are growing unstable. There are those—both in the Alliance and the Magyo—trying to find common ground with the Imperial Court. If we fracture now, we'll be that much easier to destroy."

Baek Wol-hui also spoke, her voice filled with concern.

"Do-hyeon-nim~, whether the rumors are true or not, the only thing we can do now is stay united. If we lose trust in one another, we're just playing into the Imperial Court's hands."

Even within the Magyo, secret dealings with the Imperial Court were taking place. One impatient official, unable to wait for Cheonjammawang's decision, met with an imperial agent in secret.

"We are not like the Murim Alliance—we see things as they are. If the Imperial Court truly intends to hand over the Murim to us, we are prepared to accept that offer."

The agent smiled and replied,

"Very well. The general of the Imperial Court will respect your decision—so long as the Magyo proves its loyalty."

The official nodded.

"You'll soon see how we intend to move."

Cheonjammawang had already sensed these movements. Though she could not trust the Imperial Court's promises, she was no longer certain the alliance with the Murim could endure to the end.

Alone, deep in thought, she murmured to herself,

"Becoming part of the Murim does not mean we lose our identity… But joining hands with the Court may mean discarding our pride…"

Her eyes flickered with doubt—but the time for a decision was drawing near.

As whispers of betrayal spread through the Murim Alliance and factionalism took root in the Magyo, chaos deepened across the martial world.

Lee Do-hyeon had to find a way to navigate this growing unrest.

And Cheonjammawang, too, knew that her choice would determine the fate of the Magyo.

A new phase of the war was fast approaching.