In the central command tent of the allied army, banners snapped in the wind, while drums and horns rumbled low.
Outside the tent, the bitter northern wind howled past, sweeping up yellow sand, yet inside was a roaring hubbub.
Three command desks draped in tiger pelts stood in a row, with three men seated behind them—the marshals of Wu Kingdom, Liang Kingdom, and Zheng Kingdom.
The Wu Kingdom marshal had red hair and a tangled beard, a face dark as iron, and a pair of large, bright eyes like bronze bells.
The Liang Kingdom marshal was fair-faced and beardless. His silver armor made his figure appear straight and imposing, while the folding fan in his hand swayed lightly. Arrogance filled his brows and eyes.
The Zheng Kingdom marshal was short and fat, his face glistening with oil. He held a meat bone between his teeth and laughed indistinctly.
Ten figures sat on either side of the command desks, their auras as steady and heavy as mountains. They were the ten Martial Emperor Realm experts gathered by the three kingdoms.
Some had their eyes closed in rest, while others raised cups and drank deeply. Every one of them exuded a pressure that looked down upon the world.
The charcoal fire blazed in the tent, roasting whole lambs until fat sizzled from their skin, filling the air with fragrance. Earthen wine jars lay scattered across the ground, liquor spilling from their mouths and gathering into tiny streams on the floor.
The generals stood or sat in groups of three or five, clutching huge chunks of roasted meat as they cursed and boasted loudly, spittle flying everywhere.
"HAHAHA! Youzhou City? It is no more than a pellet-sized patch of land!"
The red-haired, bearded Wu Kingdom marshal gulped down a mouthful of strong liquor,