Chapter 10: The Rift Within the Alliance

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The first light of dawn crept over the horizon, yet the sea remained shrouded in a thick haze. The allied fleet, having just endured a fierce battle, bore the scars of conflict—hull pocked with cannon marks, sails tattered and trembling as if recounting the brutal struggle they had survived.

“Li Chuan, escaping this time was entirely due to your command,” Lana said with a complex tone—gratitude mingled with a hint of unease. “But sadly, our cost was heavy.”

Li Chuan looked up at the dissipating smoke in the distance, his face devoid of joy. He spoke coldly, “Losing an ally is indeed our greatest failure, but without this accident, more might have betrayed us. At least now, the situation is clearer.”

Hours earlier, the allied fleet had been sailing along a set course toward a rendezvous point, unaware that the enemy had already set an ambush. The Black Flag Consortium, allied with the Serpent Tail Sect, had deployed a large fleet, laying traps in a treacherous reef-filled sea area, aiming to annihilate the alliance’s main force in one strike.

Enemy ships burst from the sea fog, cannon fire instantly shattering the morning’s calm; splashes struck the hulls like sharp blades.

“Adjust formation! Don’t let them encircle us!” Li Chuan commanded sharply. The crew sprang into action, trying to stabilize the chaos. Yet, outnumbered and familiar with the waters, the allied fleet was forced into retreat.

At the critical moment, Li Chuan spotted a fatal flaw in the enemy warships: in pursuit of speed and firepower, they were lightly armored and lacked effective resistance against sinking.

“Lead them into the reefs!” Li Chuan pointed at the map. “Let them trap themselves.”

Lana hesitated. “But we’re unfamiliar with the reefs too. If mishandled, the losses could be worse.”

“Trust me this once,” Li Chuan’s gaze was resolute. “We have no choice but to gamble.”

Under his command, the fleet feigned a rout, gradually drawing the enemy into the reef-laden area. Believing victory certain, the enemy sped up their pursuit.

“Prepare to ignite!” Li Chuan ordered coldly. Several dozen oil-filled barrels were silently cast into the water.

When the enemy ships reached the perfect position, Li Chuan raised a signal flag. “Fire!”

Countless fiery arrows streaked across the sky, igniting the oil into roaring infernos that spread across the surface. The enemy fleet was trapped in the blaze, unable to advance or retreat.

“Withdraw! We’ve seized the initiative; don’t let them find a chance to counterattack!” Li Chuan ordered again, and the allied fleet took advantage to retreat.

But just as relief swept through the ranks, a friendly ship strayed from the retreat path and was singled out by the enemy—the flagship of the Tianying Consortium, a crucial ally.

“Damn it!” Lana clenched her fists. “We have to save them, or this victory means nothing!”

“It’s too late,” Li Chuan shook his head, voice calm yet resigned. “Risking a rescue now will only lead to total annihilation. The chance of an ambush is too high; we can’t save them.”

Lana gritted her teeth. “Abandon our ally? That will shatter the alliance’s morale!”

“If we all die, that’s the real end of the alliance,” Li Chuan’s voice was low and firm. “Sometimes, the hardest choices must be made.”

In the end, the Tianying flagship was sunk. The Black Flag Consortium seized the moment to declare the defeat was due to “allied command incompetence,” stirring unrest within the coalition.

After the battle, the survivors gathered on a desolate island.

“Li Chuan! You abandoned our ally!” Duan Tianxing angrily confronted him. “If you hadn’t led us into the reefs, Tianying would never have faced such disaster!”

“Calm down!” Lana stood before Li Chuan, shielding him. “Without him, we’d all be dead under the Black Flag Consortium’s siege!”

“But now?” Duan Tianxing’s doubt echoed many voices. “Tianying is gone, their power dispersed, and the alliance has lost its balance.”

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“Listen to me,” Li Chuan stepped forward, his tone steady. “This defeat wasn’t due to poor strategy but because we underestimated the possibility of an ambush. From now on, all actions must be intelligence-driven; otherwise, no number of allies can avoid becoming sacrifices.”

His calm reason silenced some but failed to quell the discontent entirely.

Lana silently stood beside him, striving to uphold his authority. Meanwhile, Duan Tianxing’s sister, Duan Xiaowan, seized the moment to approach Li Chuan, worry evident in her eyes.

“Li Chuan, you’re pushing yourself too hard. If not for yourself, think of others.”

Lana’s heart tightened unexpectedly at the sight.

“Miss Duan, we’re discussing the alliance’s affairs, not matters of romance,” Lana said coldly, her tone laced with sarcasm. “Besides, Li Chuan’s decisions are beyond reproach. Less needless concern would be better.”

Duan Xiaowan was undeterred. “I’m only worried about him! Princess Lana, do you think you’re the only one entitled to stand by him?”

Li Chuan frowned, interrupting their quarrel. “Enough. This is no time for arguments. Our priority now is to rebuild the alliance and prevent further losses.”

Duan Xiaowan withdrew unwillingly but cast a meaningful glance at Lana before leaving. “Li Chuan fights for the alliance, but some treat him merely as a tool.”

Lana’s face flushed with anger, yet she forced herself to suppress it.

Late at night, Lana stood at the bow, gazing at the dark sea, her emotions tangled. She knew her feelings for Li Chuan had long surpassed mere comradeship, but Duan Xiaowan’s presence stirred an unfamiliar sense of threat.

Meanwhile, Li Chuan studied the maps alone in the cabin. Though the battle had forced the Black Flag Consortium to retreat temporarily, he knew the real crisis was far from over.

“Only by uniting more forces do we have a chance to win,” he muttered, eyes shining with determination. “No matter what, I will keep this alliance alive.”

“That’s the rule of the sea—trust is never a lasting strategy,” Lana said from the deck, staring at the dawn breaking over the horizon, her gaze tinged with reluctance and resolve.

Hearing her, Li Chuan turned, weary yet resolute. “Maybe you’re right, but rules are static, people are alive. Our goal isn’t to be bound by sea rules but to rewrite them.”

Lana smiled faintly, a trace of mockery in her tone. “Rewrite the rules? Do you know what that means? These maritime laws have stood for centuries, and those who tried to change them paid dearly.”

“That’s exactly why we must be smarter and more cautious,” Li Chuan stared at the map, his eyes gleaming with calm intelligence. “If the rules block us, we’ll find their weaknesses from within.”

The night’s battle had severely drained the alliance’s strength. The fall of Tianying shook many previously hesitant allies, and some small factions began quietly withdrawing their fleets.

“The situation is grim,” Duan Tianxing said, gloom darkening his features as he reviewed the damage report. “Without a clear plan, the alliance may crumble.”

“We must restore their confidence,” Lana frowned. “If this continues, the Black Flag Consortium won’t need to attack—we’ll destroy ourselves.”

Li Chuan glanced at Duan Tianxing, voice low but decisive. “To stabilize the situation, we must prove the alliance’s worth with victory. Only by showing our strength will they stay.”

“Victory is easier said than done. We’re running low on supplies,” Duan Tianxing sighed. “Have you considered that the ambush intelligence might have been leaked from within?”

Lana’s expression shifted slightly. “You mean… there’s a traitor among us working for the Black Flag Consortium?”

“Not might be—definitely,” Li Chuan said coldly. “The Tianying fleet’s route was so secret; without a mole, the Black Flag Consortium couldn’t have ambushed so precisely.”

A heavy silence fell over the cabin.

As the group debated their next move, Duan Xiaowan quietly entered, her eyes soft as she looked at Li Chuan.

“Everyone blamed you earlier, but I know you made those decisions for the alliance.”

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Lana frowned, her tone icy. “Miss Duan, if you have nothing else, now is time to discuss the alliance’s affairs.”

Ignoring Lana’s displeasure, Duan Xiaowan approached Li Chuan, offering a cup of hot tea. “You’ve commanded all night; you must be exhausted. Take some tea and rest.”

Li Chuan politely accepted the cup. Lana, however, sensed a provocative edge in Duan Xiaowan’s gesture. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to remain calm.

“Princess Lana, as the alliance’s pillar, you need not concern yourself with such trivial matters,” Duan Xiaowan smiled, her words carrying a subtle sharpness. “But Li Chuan isn’t a god; he needs someone to share the burden.”

“That’s enough.” Li Chuan looked at Duan Xiaowan, his voice quiet but commanding. “This is the command room. Personal feelings must be set aside. Miss Duan, please leave.”

Duan Xiaowan paused, disappointment flickering in her eyes, but nodded and turned away.

Lana watched her retreating figure, a slight smile playing on her lips—tinged with satisfaction. Yet her expression soon darkened, aware that such emotional conflicts could become hidden dangers to their mission.

That night, Li Chuan convened the fleet’s leaders.

“What we need most now is to reorganize the fleet and secure supplies,” Li Chuan said, pointing at the map. “Here is a small Black Flag Consortium supply fleet. They never fight, only handle logistics. If we capture them, it could ease our predicament temporarily.”

“Seize the supply fleet? Sounds promising,” Duan Tianxing nodded but frowned quickly. “Though their routes are erratic; they won’t be so easy to catch.”

“That’s why we need reliable intelligence,” Li Chuan said, turning to Lana. “This task falls to you.”

Lana raised an eyebrow. “You want me to approach the Sea Scales?”

“Exactly. The Sea Scales value reputation. They might not help us outright, but with the right price, they’ll provide information.”

Lana pondered briefly and nodded. “Very well, I’ll try.”

Leading an envoy, Lana set out for the Sea Scales’ base. Along the way, memories of her experiences with Li Chuan stirred a complex tide of emotions.

Shortly after her departure, an unexpected visitor arrived aboard the alliance’s flagship.

He was one of Lana’s suitors—Tang An, a noble scion from the Southern Ocean Kingdom. Accompanied by guards, he sought to join the fleet under the pretense of “support.”

“Where is Princess Lana?” Tang An asked immediately upon boarding, eyes sweeping the surroundings before settling on Li Chuan.

Li Chuan replied coolly, “Princess Lana is on a mission. If you have business, you may speak with me.”

Tang An narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Li Chuan. “So you’re the so-called ordinary man who helped her forge the alliance? You don’t seem remarkable.”

Li Chuan ignored the provocation, responding coldly, “Princess Lana owes no one explanation for her decisions. If you’re here to help, you’re welcome; if not, please leave.”

Tang An sneered. “Big words. I’d like to see just how capable this so-called commander really is.”