That never happened.

I was trapped in this hellhole, until the line between dream and reality blurred beyond recognition.

It was hard to think straight anymore. Hunger gnawed at my insides, and the stench of this cell crawled into my mind like rot.

Maybe that's why everything started feeling… off. My thoughts tangled, looping over themselves, until even I couldn't tell what made sense anymore.

BANG!

The door to my prison was blown off its hinges, slamming against the wall.

"General!"

A woman stepped in, dressed in dark shinobi garb built for stealth. Tight sleeves, silent boots, and a hood that shadowed her face. A black mask hid her mouth and nose, leaving only her night colored eyes visible.

Ten others followed, moving like ghosts behind her.

I tried to speak, but my mouth wouldn't obey.

"General, please drink this first,"

She handed me a gourd. The water… oh, the water. It hit my tongue like salvation after weeks of thirst. Unfortunately, that relief barely lasted before another sensation tore through me.

Every swallow burned against the sores in my mouth. Still, I drank, crying like a fool for finding the taste of water, a luxury.

While I was focused on the gourd, the others quietly began unlocking my chains, one link at a time.

The woman's eyes never left me. She held out a small wooden bottle, the surface polished smooth, and inside were several black-colored pills.

"This is an Elixir, made from the Twilight Viper. It should restore your vitality. But please take no more than one—the effect is extremely potent."

I did just that. As soon as the elixir touched my tongue, a rush of Qi shot through me. It was so strong, I thought my heart would explode.

Quickly, I forced myself to control my breathing, relying on the same principles of the monk's technique since I had no memories to draw from the womanizing general.

'This feeling.'

Right away, I noticed something different—unlike my original body, where energy traveled through the meridians first, this one absorbed the power directly into the muscles, converting and neutralizing it before any harm could occur.

Judging by the woman's words, it seemed the General had kept this ability a secret from everyone.

I also instinctively adjusted my breathing. It wasn't something I decided to do; my body moved on its own, guided by muscle memory carved from years of repetition.

If the monk's breathing technique was steady and warm, this one was rough and forceful — like the difference between a small desk vacuum and a full-blown residential one.

However, it also had its downside. It was unstable and dangerously volatile.

The sudden intake of air made my lungs stretch to their limit. It hurt, like fire spreading through my chest, but the efficiency was unreal. Even my Evil Qi couldn't push me this far.

This gave me an idea, and I swallowed another pill.

"No!" She tried to stop me.

"Just let me be," I ordered.

I sat cross-legged, forcing my trembling body into a meditative stance. Each breath drew the Qi deeper into my muscles.

My flesh, once shriveled and pale, began to fill out as I swallowed one pill after another.

"General!" she cried out in alarm, seeing my skin swell unnaturally and the veins on my forehead bulge like I'd overdosed on steroids and tried deadlifting.

"I'm close! Don't disturb me!" I groaned, every word squeezed out through clenched teeth.

"Yes, General." She cupped her fists and bowed deeply before turning to her companions.

"Protect the General at all costs. The emperor has lost his way; the time has come for the Murim alliance to seize the nation" she commanded.

They nodded as one, moving in seamless harmony like a single flowing river.

Dozens of footsteps thundered in response, armor clanking, blades unsheathing—until the sound of steel clashing filled the air. A battle begun right outside.

All the more reason to focus. In the end, only my own strength could guarantee my survival.

'Concentrate'

The Qi raging through my meridians trembled, each pulse shaking my very core. My recovery accelerated. I was so close, just one more cycle and—

BOOOM!

The woman who had been guarding me was hurled across the room.

Dust scattered as she hit the floor, sliding to a stop. Blood trickled from her lip—but her faint, ragged breaths told me she was still alive.

I forced my eyes open just enough to take in the scene before me.

She took a pill, dulling her pain and flooding her body with just enough strength to stand again.

"General… forgive me," she rasped, forcing herself upright. "I allowed this wretched man to get too close."

Her gaze was fixed onto the newcomer. A figure draped in black and gold robes, their layered folds trimmed with intricate patterns. His long black hair was tied neatly behind his head, and small, sharp eyes surveyed the room.

"General Sun Wang, so you truly dared to raise a coup against the emperor. I have long heard of the people's devotion to you, but witnessing it with my own eyes is… enlightening."

He didn't raise his voice, yet every word dripped with sarcasm.

"Don't speak to the General like that! He's the hero of this nation—he's done more for our people than the emperor himself!" she snapped, her voice unwavering, not a hint of doubt in it.

A cold smile tugged at his lips. "I won't deny that he's more capable than His majesty. After all, not everyone can leave such lasting impressions on the emperor's wife and daughters."

She snapped her short sword up in defiance.

"That's a lie! The General would never do such a thing. This is propaganda—an excuse to execute him without the citizens rising in anger!"

"Oh?" He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So you're saying His Majesty would tarnish the honor of his bloodline merely to frame one man? Surely, you jest. There are a thousand cleaner ways to destroy a person's name."

I kept my silence, letting the two of them argue. The longer they talked, the more time I bought for myself.

Still… I had to admit, he made more sense. There's no way such an outrageous scheme could actually happen.

"You're a liar !" she shouted, refusing to back down. "No man could be that vile!"

My lips twitched. If only she knew how twisted a man could become when desire ruled over reason. We were animals wearing the mask of civility, nothing more.

Rules and laws might've tamed us a little, but deep down, we were still predators by nature.

I committed the same sin; just on a smaller, far less… ambitious scale.

The only thing that stopped me was time and circumstance. Power doesn't corrupt. It just unmasks what was already there.

"You are fortunate, General Sun," he turned his attention to me. "To have a follower so blind, so loyal, that she shields your every wicked deed… Tell me—did you wield this same charm to seduce the Queen herself?"

I opened my eyes and stood up, stretching my arms and legs as if waking from a light nap.

"It doesn't matter." I rolled my shoulders, letting my neck crack with a slow twist. "You should've killed me when you had the chance."

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