When Jegal Cheon spoke, not as if speculating but with the tone of certainty, Dan Baek-u stroked his beard and nodded.
"That could be possible. If that's the case, I can see why Cheon Ryu-yeong seemed almost supernaturally perceptive about everything. But still—that doesn't explain everything. If he's an enemy spy, why would he help us?"
Jegal Cheon's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
"It may be that he intends to give up something small in order to gain something greater."
"Gain something greater?"
"In the days to come, rumors about Cheon Ryu-yeong will spread far beyond Sichuan's martial world—to all under heaven. He'll be called a genius strategist who drove away the Demonic Cult's famed commander, the Heavenly Demon Sword, with nothing but his three-inch tongue. He'll be celebrated as the hero who saved not only the Emei Sect from annihilation, but also the Kunlun Sect, the Dokgo Clan, and the Black Tortoise Unit."
"That's true. Without a doubt, in this Sichuan affair, the one who achieved the most outstanding merit was Cheon Ryu-yeong."
There was a trace of jealousy in Dan Baek-u's tone.
Knowing well the man's obsession with fame, Jegal Cheon hid a quiet sneer in his heart and continued,
"If righteous warriors gather around Cheon Ryu-yeong because of his fame… he'll gain power. And if he uses that power to betray us at a decisive moment…"
Jegal Cheon let the thought trail off.
But Dan Baek-u groaned, his face showing sudden realization.
"We would… suffer an immense blow. Yes, that's entirely possible. Chief Strategist—then what should we do?"
Jegal Cheon rubbed the bridge of his nose again before answering.
"For now, the idea that Cheon Ryu-yeong is a spy remains only a suspicion. But since the possibility exists, we must prepare for it. We will elevate him further—actively give him power and status."
Dan Baek-u's eyebrows shot upward.
"Even though the likelihood is high that he's a spy?"
"Yes. I will grant him the position of Fourth Strategist of Baekhyeon Pavilion."
Baekhyeon Pavilion was the headquarters of the Martial Alliance's strategists, housing nearly a hundred of them. Jegal Cheon himself was the Pavilion's master.
Now he was proposing to give Cheon Ryu-yeong the Fourth Strategist rank—just below the Chief Strategist, the Left Strategist, and the Right Strategist.
Dan Baek-u's eyes widened in shock.
"Even if he isn't a spy, and even if his accomplishments are great, I don't think it warrants that much. Isn't that far too extreme? Of course, Baekhyeon Pavilion is under your authority, but… it seems excessive."
"Given that we've lost the Sichuan branch, we need a hero who can offset that loss. It would take a position like Fourth Strategist to make the public truly enthusiastic and forget the humiliation of losing it."
"That may be, but…"
"In addition, I'll assign the Black Tortoise Unit, which remains in Sichuan, and the White Tiger Unit, currently stationed at the Guizhou branch, to serve as Cheon Ryu-yeong's direct forces for the time being."
"…!"
"They will be his subordinates in name only. In reality, they'll monitor his every move. I will also inform the Tang Clan's leader of the possibility that Cheon Ryu-yeong is a spy."
Dan Baek-u finally nodded in understanding.
"Oh! So that's your intention."
"I will also send the Right Strategist, who is currently in Luoyang, to Sichuan."
"Heh heh heh… A double and triple layer of surveillance, is that it?"
"We can't afford even the smallest mistake—if he truly is a spy. And beyond Cheon Ryu-yeong himself, this will also serve as a way for the Alliance to assist in the fight against the Demonic Cult—without offending the Tang Clan's pride."
Dan Baek-u chuckled.
Yes—this was typical of Jegal Cheon.
If Cheon Ryu-yeong was truly a spy, he would be placed in the awkward position of having to fight on the very front lines against the Demonic Cult.
And with the Right Strategist alongside him, slipping away would be impossible; ten times out of ten, the Right Strategist would see to that.
If Cheon Ryu-yeong betrayed the Tang Clan or the Righteous Faction, either the Right Strategist or the commander of the Black Tortoise Unit would strike him down.
Or perhaps the Tang Clan's poison would dissolve him into nothing more than a splash of blood.
Beyond that, the Right Strategist might even turn Cheon Ryu-yeong's role as a spy to their advantage, using him to produce some gain in the fight against the Demonic Cult.
And if Cheon Ryu-yeong was not a spy, this would serve as another test of his abilities—to see whether the events in Sichuan had been the product of luck, or whether a truly extraordinary genius strategist had been born.
The Alliance Leader and the Chief Strategist exchanged smiles.
Yet even Jegal Cheon, hailed as the greatest genius in the martial world, could not foresee what consequences this decision would bring.
He recognized the Heavenly Demon Sword's abilities and kept his guard up against him, yet still underestimated him.
It was a mistake that would return to him as an irreparable loss—but not being a god, he could not know it.
The fortress that had once been the Martial Alliance's Sichuan branch, now turned into a Demonic Divine Cult outpost, was bathed in the hues of the evening sunset.
The Heavenly Demon Sword Baek Un-hoe had erected a small shrine in one corner of the branch to honor those who had died in the battle, and had stayed there for several days.
Aside from one meeting of the leadership, held five days ago when the Young Cult Leader arrived at the head of two thousand troops, he had not left the shrine.
Seated with his eyes closed, deep in thought, Baek Un-hoe frowned slightly at the noise coming from outside.
The rough voices of Mong Chu and Pa Reuk, captains of the Black Wolf Unit's first and second squads, carried into the shrine.
"We must see the Celestial Wolf Commander."
"We must see him immediately."
The voice of Black Wolf Vice-Commander Gwan Tae-rang could be heard trying to stop them.
"The Commander ordered that no one be allowed in. Please leave."
As the small quarrel continued, Baek Un-hoe opened the shrine door and stepped out.
At his appearance, Mong Chu and Pa Reuk rushed forward and dropped to their knees.
"Commander!"
"Please help us."
Seeing their grim expressions, Baek Un-hoe, who had been slipping on the shoes placed on the steps, tilted his head.
In truth, he thought they had come to tell him that the Black Wolf Commander's consciousness had returned.
But the look on their faces was far too grave.
"What is it?"
Pa Reuk spoke first.
"Please save our commander!"
Baek Un-hoe's thick brows twitched.
"Is he gravely injured? But I'm no physician—"
Pa Reuk cut him off.
"That's not it. Our commander regained consciousness yesterday."
"That's good to hear. His injuries were so severe I was worried—"
Again Pa Reuk interrupted.
"Commander, it's not that…"
Gwan Tae-rang, unable to watch any longer, cut in with a cold voice.
"You're being rude. Mind your manners."
Pa Reuk flinched but spoke again with indignation.
"This isn't the time to be fussing over manners, damn it!"
Mong Chu chimed in,
"Commander, the Young Cult Leader is about to punish our commander. Please stop him."
A look of disbelief came over Baek Un-hoe's face.
"The Young Cult Leader is punishing the Black Wolf Commander? For what reason? By what right?"
Gwan Tae-rang sighed and said,
"He has ordered one hundred strokes of the rod, under the pretext of holding him responsible for our defeat."
One hundred strokes!
A healthy man could die from such a punishment.
For someone who had only just awoken from severe injuries the day before, even the Black Wolf Commander could not survive it.
The sword scar on Baek Un-hoe's right cheek twitched with anger.
"Lead me to the Black Wolf Commander."
Mong Chu and Pa Reuk brightened at once.
But Gwan Tae-rang bit his lip with a look of regret and said,
"Commander, this wasn't the Young Cult Leader's decision alone. It was agreed upon by five others: the Cult's Blood Sacrifice Grand Elder, the Yellow Demon Guest, Elder Mong Hyeol-bi, the Black Heaven Lotus's Deputy Leader Ma Bul, and the Palace Mistress of the Blood Shark Palace, Sa Hyeol-gang."
"…!"
Baek Un-hoe's eyes flickered.
He understood immediately why Gwan Tae-rang had not reported this sooner.
The Young Cult Leader and he were rivals for leadership of the Demonic Cult, and did not get along.
In such a situation, opposing a decision supported by two Grand Elders—including the Blood Sacrifice Grand Elder—as well as Ma Bul of the Small Dark Sound Division and Sa Hyeol-gang of the Four Emperors Palace, would bring political repercussions.
Mong Chu and Pa Reuk bowed their heads, tears falling.
"We know we're being shameless. We know this could put you in a difficult position. But… you're the only one we could turn to."
Pa Reuk continued,
"Please help us. You know our commander isn't someone who should die like this. He's devoted his whole life solely to the Cult."
Gwan Tae-rang answered coldly,
"I respect the Black Wolf Commander as well. But you both know that even if our commander objects, this can't be stopped. When the leadership meets without the Cult Leader present, decisions are made by majority vote—you can't pretend you don't know that and make such demands."
The Heavenly Demon Sword Baek Un-hoe was one of the few allowed to attend the leadership meetings of both the Demonic Divine Cult and the Black Heaven Lotus.
He was the only battlefield commander, below the rank of elder, permitted such access—a privilege granted because he was recognized as having received personal tutelage from the Heavenly Demon Ancestor within the Heavenly Demon Cave.
In truth, the most powerful figure in the Demonic Divine Cult was the Cult Leader, followed by the Council of Elders, which included the Cult's Grand Elders.
Next in rank to the Grand Elders, Baek Un-hoe was recognized as their equal.
Gwan Tae-rang, knowing well that the Heavenly Demon Sword and the Young Cult Leader were sworn enemies, had no wish for Baek Un-hoe to sour his relations with the Elders—especially not when two representatives of the Black Heaven Lotus were also present.
Though Baek Un-hoe was the commander responsible for the Sichuan campaign, he was not the Cult Leader. All matters here were decided by majority vote in the leadership council.
At Gwan Tae-rang's cold words, Mong Chu and Pa Reuk hung their heads, swallowing back their tears.
Baek Un-hoe glanced at them once, then said to Gwan Tae-rang,
"Lead the way."
Mong Chu and Pa Reuk brightened again, while Gwan Tae-rang let out a sigh. The commander's tone was firm—meaning nothing he said would change his mind.
"…Understood. I'll also ready the Celestial Wolf Unit."
It was preparation in case things escalated into a physical confrontation. And if it truly came to a fight, the odds were bleak.
Of the Celestial Wolf Unit, only about three hundred and fifty remained uninjured and battle-ready—while the Young Cult Leader had brought two thousand elite troops, including many Grand Devils.
Yet, thinking on it, there was a sliver of hope. Among the Young Cult Leader's forces were surely some who secretly admired the Heavenly Demon Sword.
But Baek Un-hoe shook his head.
"No. All of Sichuan, save this place, is full of orthodox warriors. They'll be watching us closely, waiting for the chance to strike. Internal strife is unthinkable."
"But—"
"I'll go alone. If you won't lead the way, I'll find it myself. I think I know where it is."
Baek Un-hoe set off. Mong Chu and Pa Reuk hesitated, glanced at Gwan Tae-rang, then followed after him.
Gwan Tae-rang sighed heavily, shook his head, then let out a faint chuckle and joined them.
Black Wolf Commander Cho Ji-myeong stood with his back straight, looking down from the steps at the Young Cult Leader and the assembled leadership.
"Do not humiliate me. Just kill me."
Pale and unsteady, Cho Ji-myeong looked as though he might collapse at any moment. But in his one remaining eye burned fierce heat.
The Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, Demonic Dragon of the Jade, Noe Ak-cheon, was forty-three years old, with blood-red hair and sharp axe-like eyes. He gave an order to his subordinates.
"What are you waiting for? He's a criminal to be punished with the rod. Get him on the board!"
Before the words had even left his mouth, Cho Ji-myeong barked out,
"I have never committed a crime deserving such humiliation!"
Noe Ak-cheon chuckled darkly.
"Shameless, are you? Your poor judgment got many of your men killed. Because of that, our plan to seize Sichuan at once has been thrown into disarray. And you still claim you've done nothing wrong?"
"I'm not avoiding responsibility. I only mean this—I have lived my entire life in the field for the Cult. If I am to die, let it be on the battlefield, not on some damned plank of wood. If you intend to humiliate me, then just kill me!"
"Kukuku… I will punish you with the rod to uphold military discipline like iron. If you die in the process, I'll have your head stuck on a pike, to show all our resolve to hold commanders accountable for defeat."
Noe Ak-cheon gave the order again.
"Put that criminal on the board immediately! If you disobey, I'll take your heads first!"
At his icy command, those hesitating nearby quickly bowed and answered.
"By your command!"
Six men moved in on Cho Ji-myeong.
At that moment, a deep voice rang out from beyond the ring of watching cultists.
"Take your hands off the Black Wolf Commander."
It wasn't loud, just calm—but the words carried, reverberating through the air.
Faces stiffened.
It was the Heavenly Demon Sword, Baek Un-hoe.
The cultists in front of him hastily stepped aside to clear a path. In their faces was a sigh of exasperation.
The Young Cult Leader and the Heavenly Demon Sword—everyone in the Cult knew of their enmity.
Baek Un-hoe approached Cho Ji-myeong with a faint smile.
"I just heard you regained consciousness yesterday."
The six men holding Cho Ji-myeong backed away, glancing between Baek Un-hoe and Noe Ak-cheon. The Young Cult Leader's order was frightening—but the Heavenly Demon Sword's word was even harder to defy.
Cho Ji-myeong gave Baek Un-hoe a faint smile.
"Mong Chu told me. Thank you for saving me and my men."
"If I'd been any later, you'd have carried that regret to your grave. I hope you recover soon, so you can once again face the battlefield's spears."
From the moment Baek Un-hoe appeared, Noe Ak-cheon had been watching with folded arms. Now he spoke.
"Hmph! So the so-called commander finally shows himself when things turn grim. This isn't your place to interfere, Heavenly Demon Sword."
Baek Un-hoe turned to face him.
"I told you everything five days ago. That the orthodox sects were stronger than we expected. That you should be wary of the genius named Cheon Ryu-yeong."
Noe Ak-cheon frowned. That damned Heavenly Demon Sword—there was nothing about him he could stand.
Especially his refusal to show proper deference.
"And you don't see this as holding the defeated commander accountable?!"
"If anyone should answer for defeat, it's the late Elder Ma Shin-rang, the Black Ghost Blade—not this man. So why the hell are you making a spectacle out of punishing the wrong one?"
Noe Ak-cheon's axe-like eyes grew more vicious.
"Did you just say 'hell'? To me?"
The watching cultists sighed and shook their heads. The expression on their faces said, Here we go again.
"What else should I call this farce? Did you even listen to a word I said five days ago? Otherwise, how could you be doing something so stupid?"
"Haah! Heavenly Demon Sword! You—!"
Grinding his teeth, Noe Ak-cheon turned to the other five leaders standing beside him.
"You see this? He's not just defying me—he's insulting all of us in the leadership!"
Baek Un-hoe snapped back.
"Noe Ak-cheon! Don't get cocky!"
"What?!"
"Look me in the eyes when you speak. Stop sniveling behind the Grand Elder and the others, dragging their names into your quarrel."
"You… you bastard…"
Just as their quarrel was about to boil over, the Blood Sacrifice Grand Elder stepped forward.
Sixty-six years old, he looked straight at Baek Un-hoe.
"Heavenly Demon Sword, I too find your words and actions deeply regrettable and offensive. We thought long and hard before passing judgment. But surely, as a commander yourself, you know someone must take responsibility. We set out to seize Sichuan in one strike, but now we're surrounded by orthodox sects."
Baek Un-hoe bowed to him, then replied,
"And the result of that is to kill a loyal servant of the Cult? Someone who has fought for us in the field for thirty years? Then tell me—who will ever give their life for the Cult again? What commander, what soldier, will pledge loyalty to leaders who can't forgive a single failure?"
"Heavenly Demon Sword, I—"
"Grand Elder, I'm not finished speaking."
"…!"
"The Black Wolf Commander went in my stead to aid our allies. He fought to avenge the comrades who had fallen. In doing so, he lost his own eye. And yet you—after using him for thirty years—now discard him over one defeat?"
The Blood Sacrifice Grand Elder's face flushed with anger.
"This was the opening battle for unifying the world. If we do not hold a defeated commander accountable in an important fight, not only our Cult, but our Black Heaven Lotus allies will lose face."
Baek Un-hoe glanced at Ma Bul and Sa Hyeol-gang, who had been silently observing, then turned back to the elder.
"So you mean to say—this is just making a scapegoat?"
The elder frowned.
"Interpret it however you wish. Our decision is final, and it will not be overturned. This concerns the honor of this leadership."
Baek Un-hoe shook his head.
"As commander responsible for the Sichuan campaign, I cannot accept this outcome."
"You may be commander here, but you are not the Cult Leader. Decisions made by majority vote of the leadership must be obeyed—even by you. Do you not understand? It's not for you to accept or reject."
Noe Ak-cheon cut in again.
"Your arrogance pierces the heavens! Has my father's favor made you think you're the Cult Leader himself? Heavenly Demon Sword, even if you did survive the Heavenly Demon Cave and carry the Ancestor's will—"
Baek Un-hoe cut him off.
"Shut it! While the Black Wolf Commander and I spent ten years roaming the Outer Martial World, you were enjoying luxury in the inner halls. What do you know of the blood-soaked struggle of the front lines?"
"You bastard—!"
Baek Un-hoe cut him off again.
"Noe Ak-cheon! Stop testing my patience. Or I'll kill you."
"…!"
Not only the leadership, but many of the onlookers widened their eyes in shock.