Gasp! No update in four months?! Well, rest assured, people. I was having problems coming up with ideas to link up plot bits that I had in mind for this fic, and lo and behold, I came up with them. Expect updates MUCH more frequently, and thanks for your support!

Chapter 7: Heroes Converge

"It is in times like these, when all hope seems lost, that we witness acts of unbelievable valor and unspeakable barbarity. Xi Han's founder, Emperor Liu Bang himself, had utilized the talents of men like Lord Zifang and Han Xin, and with their minds he carved out an empire from what was once the mighty empire of Qin. In an age shortly before that, Qin Shihuang slaughtered countless people in the name of order, and though he achieved that order, many still wince at the thought of his crimes. Even in both eras, we Chinese had seen unity and enjoyed it for some time. Thus, it's sad that after all these years, China has fallen apart, and now the rise of these animals and their endless attacks on us has only added more fuel to the fire.

"But this does not mean that hope has left us. Lord Zifang, since you have come from the west, it's clear that Shu is willing to stand beside us once more. With the combined might of Wu, Shu, and Wei, we should be able to stand a chance against these feral legions. But it looks like we get more than just our current heroes. The very fact that Zhang Zifang, Master Strategist for the formation of Xi Han, stands beside us today is proof that the heroes of old have come. The fact that His Majesty Xiang Yu is among our warriors shows that Heaven has thought well enough of us to send our greatest veterans, men who lived so many centuries ago, to the field.

"Stand tall, warriors of China, stand proud and smile in spite of these horrible circumstances. I may sound like that lunatic Zhang Jiao, but Heaven is on our side! Heaven has sent us our legendary champions and it is clear that Heaven does not want us to fail! Let us liberate China from these inhuman claws. Let us stand as one in spite of our political ideals or the disorderly nature of our respective ambitions. Let us march as one."

With that said, Zhou Yu stabbed his sword into the ground, and as the wind blew, sending his hair flying wildly to the left, many of Wei's soldiers felt rather intimidated, while the warriors of Wu cheered.

"He tries to be a smooth talker, but I wonder if there's any brain behind that fancy tongue." Jia Xu snickered, along with Sima Yi and Cheng Yu.

Guo Jia just smiled. "Do keep in mind that Zhou Yu outwitted all three of you at Chi Bi. It was a pity that illness took my life shortly before that battle, otherwise I might have been able to help."

"That's right!" Cheng Yu snarled and turned to Jia Xu. "You were the master strategist of our forces then, and yet you failed to recognize the dangers of those chains. Even I petitioned to our lord, though he failed to listen because you advised him not to worry."

Sima Yi waved his fan. "If we continue arguing like this, then Zhou Yu and Lu Xun will have many reasons to laugh at us. No, we should instead plan strategies to help take down those animals first, then we can deal with those imbeciles in Wu."

"I wonder how they are imbeciles when they made our forces look like fools, Zhongda." Guo Jia sighed. If anything, it was his colleague's mutual arrogance that would lead to Wei's demise.

Xiang Yu and Lu Bu sat on the opposite ends of a table, each man grabbing tightly onto the other's hand.

"Now!" Cao Zhang, the referee, yelled as the two began an arm wrestling match.

"Hmn? Why aren't you two bashing each other's brains out?" Lu Xun wondered aloud as he approached them. Though Lu Bu wasn't someone to be trusted, Boyue knew that, with Xiang Yu and Cao Zhang as a buffer, it was quite unlikely that he'd get killed.

"Shh…" Cao Zhang warned. "Xiang Yu made the advice that it would be smarter to prove their manliness through non-fatal competitions like these instead of an armed sparing match. If either of them were to die our mission would be compromised, right?"

"Well." Lu Xun rubbed his chin. "You're right. The two of them are our best fighters, after all."

"Took you long enough. I thought you were a glorious strategist. Even I figured that out in a few seconds without asking."

Lu Xun laughed. "Well… I guess I just lack some common sense."

Cao Zhang smirked. Lu Xun was as humble as usual.

Lu Bu snarled as his hand began to overtake Xiang Yu's, and slowly Xiang Yu's arm seemed to be drooping.

But, moments afterwards, the King of Chu grunted and Lu Bu's hand slammed onto the table, with the "Man among Men" letting out a roar of frustration.

"How did I lose?! I was just about to bring your arm down!"

Xiang Yu smiled. "Ask Chen Gong. He can explain to you what I did."

Lu Xun stroked his chin. Xiang Yu might fail in politics, but he did have a sense of tactics. Then again, there was a reason why Han Xin once called him invincible.

The great General of Xi Han entered the city of Chengdu, disguised, of course.

Beside him was Han's first Empress, Lu Zhi.

"Milady, we have to act like a couple or else our cover will be blown… If the people realize that we're alive, then, like Xiang Yu, we'll draw too much attention." Han Xin whispered.

"Very well, General. You're lucky that I trust you enough, given how you were executed for treason." She chuckled. (1.)

"Stop speaking of such things, milady, and I swear that your husband miscalculated. You're lucky that I'm still serving you after your husband's betrayal." His eyes narrowed.

"Fair enough." The woman nodded with a sigh.

Han Xin rolled his eyes. To think that someone like her was the wife of Liu Bang was to be a merciful joker. Then again, Liu Bang was idiotic enough to betray him in the first place. But with Zhang Liang currently a major part of the allied army, there was no doubt that Han Xin would personally be welcomed into that army with open arms.

However, he was not a fool, not like Xiang Yu. To let the enemy know of his existence would be devastating if they wanted the element of surprise. The animals were about to attack: he could almost smell their approach. Thus, he had to catch them off guard and destroy as many as possible. No matter how wise Zhang Liang was, he couldn't do this alone.

Even with decent strategists like Sima Yi and Zhou Yu by his side, Zhang Zifang simply was not tactical enough to handle such a large and powerful army, at least in Han Xin's eyes. (2.) To ask for China's reunification was to ask for the greatest general China had ever known. No doubt someone like Zhou Yu was capable of holding back a significant number of these monsters, but in Han Xin's eyes he himself could destroy all of them.

And he would make good that boast.

In the city of Baidicheng, Shu's border city on the edge of Wu, Zhang Liang, Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, and Zhang Zhao, the four main officers of Shu Han and Dong Wu, had decided to discuss terms for their allied forces. Various advisors of Shu, Wei, and Wu also stood around them to listen and provide them with additional ideas.

Of course, Guo Jia and Xun Yu, the Wei counterparts of those four minds, were also there, but since Wei barely existed as a state they had a much softer voice in this mater.

"As Prime Minister of Xi Han, and noting my victories over His Majesty Xiang Yu, I believe that it is prudent for me to assume the rank of Master Strategist in this united campaign. Any objections?" Zhang Liang asked.

"None, sir." Kongming nodded.

"He who objects to your post is foolish, considering your achievements." Zhou Yu added.

Everyone else just nodded.

"In that case, Zhou Yu, you are our Supreme Admiral. I trust no one speaks out against this?" Zhang Liang smirked.

Sima Yi's eyebrow twitched, and he immediately began to wave his head.

"Oh, you have something to say?" Zhuge Liang chuckled.

"You are showing obvious favoritism to that pretty boy, Lord Zifang. Simply because he voiced his admiration for you does not mean that he deserves to be given such a critical rank immediately." Sima Yi raised his head to give Zhou Yu a proud glance.

Zhang Liang just laughed. "No, it does not. But tell me, who was the mastermind at Chi Bi?"

"Me!" Kongming spoke up.

"No, you weren't…" Zhao Yun, who basically counted as a strategist as Shu had few concrete examples (besides Fa Zheng and Jiang Wei).

"Yep, he wasn't… I might not have been there but take one look at the battle record and it's obvious." Fa Zheng added.

Kongming glared at them. So much for being on the same team.

Jiang Wei glared at the pair. "Stop bullying the Prime Minister!"

At that point Zhang Zhao growled: "Can we just get back to the issue at hand? Zhongda, who do you believe is more qualified to be Supreme Admiral?"

Sima Yi just gave him a rare blank stare. "I… Er… I'd say Lu Xun?"

"Sorry, I decline." Lu Xun waved his hands. "I'd say my teacher is more qualified than me."

"Seconded." Jia Xu smirked at Sima Yi.

"And I agree. Does anyone else in Wei disagree with Gongjin's appointment?" Guo Jia turned to his colleagues. Since no one else spoke up for him, Sima Yi just groaned.

Zhuge Liang glanced at his rival. This day was a bad one for both of them.

"General Xiang Yu shall serve as our Grand General. Does anyone object?" Zhang Liang spoke aloud.

Lu Bu turned to Chen Gong. "Um, what does that last word mean again?"

Chen Gong facepalmed. "Master Zifang, my lord disagrees with your appointment."

Xiang Yu just kept his mouth shut and glanced at Zhang Liang. How would he respond?

"Oh? Would you like to nominate yourself, then, Lu Bu?" Zhang Liang shrugged his shoulders.

Lu Bu just glanced at Chen Gong with a blank expression, and the strategist sighed.

"No, he would not… He retracts his statement. Moving on…"

"Chen Gong…" Lu Bu started to grab his strategist and shake him. "What are they talking about?"

Chen Gong just sighed. "I'll tell you later."

"Why not tell me now?"

"Because we're in a meeting."

"Well, if I don't get what's going on, then this meeting is stupid."

"If anything, you're the imbecile here." Sima Yi spoke aloud.

Jia Xu was about to backhand his subordinate, but Lu Bu got to him first.

"You're calling me stupid?!"

"I, um… Yes." Sima Yi blurted out.

"You're calling me stupid?!" Lu Bu grabbed Sima Yi's throat and began to crush it.

Kongming could barely contain his laughter as his rival flailed about, begging for mercy in sign language before finally passing out.

1. Historically it is said that she's the one who conspired against Han Xin in the first place, though he isn't aware of this, obviously.

2. As the author, in my eyes there are only two strategists that can compare to Han Xin: Guo Jia and Zhou Yu. Guo Jia did little in comparison to Gongjin because he died too quickly and his situation wasn't nearly as desperate as Gongjin (as Guandu was Cao Cao and Xun Yu's brainchild, not Guo Jia's, and Yuan Shao is far more incompetent than Cao Cao as a commander), and for that Han Xin does not recognize Fengxiao yet. Trust me, by the end of this fic, he surely will.