The Mountain of Ice and Fire

“Release!” The Mountain roared.

Five hundred rockets shot into the sky, like a magnificent meteor shower.

Streaks of fiery light illuminated the night sky of the Red Keep.

The arrows whistled down, indiscriminately covering the city walls.

Puff, puff, puff!

Triangular iron arrowheads fell with a whistling sound.

Some shot into the city walls, some shot onto the city walls, some shot into shields, and some shot into people's bodies…

Screams, warnings, running, orders, shouts, and the clashing of weapons rang out!

Chaos erupted on the city walls!

“Ready!” The Mountain roared!

The second volley of rockets was placed on the bowstrings.

The Mountain pointed his greatsword towards the city gate: “Release!”

Five hundred rockets concentrated on the city gate walls, and screams rang out again.

This section of the city wall above the city gate was densely packed with guarding soldiers.

With covering fire, anyone within the range of the rockets was likely to be hit.

Shields could also be pierced by armor-piercing arrows, pinning the arm holding the shield to the shield itself.

Armor-piercing arrows falling from the sky had even greater and more terrifying killing power.

The longbow's hard arrows, with their tips pointing towards the sky, soared upwards before turning downwards, drawing a high arc. In the night, each rocket was a beautiful shooting star, only these shooting stars were filled with murderous intent.

After three rounds of rockets, the soldiers on the city walls were completely suppressed, all crouching behind the low walls of the battlements, holding their shields at an angle.

“Battering ram, advance!”

The Mountain issued the order.

The general commanding the battering ram was the Mountain's uncle: Ronnel Spicer, the Broken Nose. He was a fierce general from Castamere, with great strength and skilled in using a heavy axe. Together with the Mountain's father-in-law, Gawen Westerling, he garrisoned Dragonstone for the Mountain and secretly mined obsidian to make arrowheads, daggers, and short knives.

Among the nobles, few generals used heavy axes, Ronnel was one of them. This was remarkable among noble generals, but after the Mountain conquered the Claw, there were suddenly more than a dozen generals who used heavy axes, and the soldiers of the Claw also mostly used various kinds of axes.

Ronnel was brave and fierce, jumping off his warhorse and personally pushing the ram with the soldiers to batter the gate, which greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers. The battering ram rolled rapidly and slammed into the bronze gate with a deafening boom, the huge echo of which could be heard throughout the city.

On all four sides of King's Landing's city walls, the City Watch soldiers looked towards the Red Keep. Their commander, Bronn, had been 'persuaded' by the Mountain to remain neutral, and the soldiers had all received orders to stand by, which was in line with their inner expectations.

City Watch soldiers, lords of the Crownlands, none of them wanted to fight the Mountain!

“Siege ladders, advance!” The Mountain issued the order.

The siege ladders were commanded by Lord Gawen Westerling.

Gawen and Ronnel, garrisoning Dragonstone, had limited opportunities to earn military merit, having missed the Westerlands campaign and the suppression of Randyll Tarly. The Mountain had to give his father-in-law and uncle a chance to earn merit.

Gawen Westerling commanded the Dragonstone soldiers to carry ten siege ladders towards the city walls.

The soldiers on the city walls immediately counterattacked, returning fire with their own bows and arrows!

Soldiers poked their heads out from the embrasures of the battlements, extending their bows and arrows to shoot downwards.

However, the Mountain's rocket fire did not stop, and the soldiers who poked their heads out were shot down one after another.

“Shieldmen, defend! Archers, fire!” On the city walls, the centurion gave orders.

Shield after shield was raised on the battlements, and archers hid behind the shields, extending their bows and arrows out from the embrasures to shoot downwards.

The soldiers carrying the siege ladders towards the city walls were shot down one after another!

*

Inside the city walls, Julie Clegane launched a frontal assault, attracting the attention of the shieldmen, while the other two groups of soldiers maneuvered around the left and right, quickly completing the encirclement. Suddenly, from the darkness on the left and right sides, many Clegane night raiders emerged, and a rain of crossbow bolts and short arrows shot over, causing the team of shieldmen defending against Julie Clegane's frontal assault to fall one after another.

Encircled on three sides, Julie Clegane quickly devoured a team of twenty-odd shieldmen.

Without waiting for orders, the warriors pulled the blood-stained short arrows from the corpses of the enemies, reloaded them into their short crossbows, their movements skilled and quick, and the three-team formation remained undisturbed.

“Barracks, set it on fire!” Julie ordered.

Ahead were the East Barracks, where the Red Keep's garrison soldiers were stationed. The barracks were empty, the soldiers having been sent out in full force to garrison various locations.

Woooo woooo woooo!

On the city walls, an urgent horn sounded, this was a distress signal from the city gate.

From Maegor's Holdfast, the Tower of the Hand, the Tower of the Maiden, the Great Sept, and the Black Cells, soldiers poured out, some to reinforce the city gate, and some to rush towards Julie Clegane's position.

Before the team of shieldmen was annihilated by Julie, they blew the horn and successfully sent the message. The soldiers all knew that the Mountain's raiding party had entered the Red Keep from underground. Thus, the reinforcing soldiers split into two groups.

A team of about a hundred elite warriors from the Kingsguard came to meet Julie Clegane in battle.

*

Julie Clegane charged into the barracks with her short crossbow.

The Red Keep had two barracks, one east and one north, which were the residences of the soldiers stationed on the city walls.

Julie kicked over a brazier, sending burning coals flying out, igniting the tents.

The soldiers took down the candles on the walls and the torches on the iron racks, and lit the quilts, cloaks, curtains…

The fire began to burn!

Before the Kingsguard from Maegor's Holdfast could rush close, Julie and the others had already withdrawn from the barracks and were lined up on the lawn outside: the three teams formed a semi-circular formation to meet the enemy.

In the light of the fire in the barracks, the shadows of Julie and the others were stretched long.

The sound of the battering ram echoed again and again, and the shouts of the attacking soldiers joined in, indicating that the siege ladders had reached the city walls and the attacking soldiers had begun to climb.

Under such circumstances, the Kingsguard remained orderly, they were the best warriors, without a doubt.

Julie's hands were lowered, and all the warriors' hands were lowered, they did not raise their longswords, nor did they assume a fighting stance, which made the commander of the Kingsguard somewhat puzzled, because this was unreasonable. But the guard was charging, the Kingsguard centurion was also charging, and did not stop.

They had to quickly eliminate this raiding party, and then go to reinforce the city gate.

The Kingsguard had a blind confidence in their own combat power, they had been pampered for too long!

Julie lowered her arms, and did not raise her longsword to assume a fighting stance, because they had short crossbows in their hands.

If they held the short crossbows level, they would be seen by experienced warriors.

In close combat, no one could be a match for the dense volley of short crossbow bolts.

They could not let these guys have psychological and military preparation, letting them charge up on their own was the best tactic.

The most valiant Kingsguard, eager to perform meritorious service, naturally charged up without the slightest hesitation.

Closer, Julie at the head, could already see the cold light in the eyes of the opposing centurion. The hundred or so longswords held upright were a rapidly moving forest of blades.

Julie raised her short crossbow, the centurion's pupils suddenly dilated, but it was too late for him to stop, Julie blew the military whistle. In the sharp sound of the military whistle, a series of crisp trigger mechanisms sounded densely, the whistling sound of the bolts was like the wind blowing past, and the sound of armor-piercing short arrows, puff, puff, puff, rang out densely.

The centurion was the first to fall down, his longsword swung at Julie, but Julie did not dodge, the longsword missed its mark and brushed past Julie's shoulder. The centurion's forehead, throat, face, chest, and abdomen were gloriously hit by arrows, Julie aimed at the centurion and fired all the crossbow bolts.

The centurion fell, and the soldiers around him also fell one after another.

A hundred-man team against a hundred-man team!

The most valiant hundred-man team in the palace was utterly defeated in the face of short crossbows!

Julie threw down the short crossbow, drew two white swords - these were the swords of honor of the Kingsguard, the honor of the supreme Kingsguard, which had been hanging above the fireplace in the round meeting room of the White Sword Tower for many years, as sacred as the statues of the Seven Gods - and the cold light of the two white swords flashed, cutting off the centurion's head.

“Kill them all!” Julie glanced in the direction of the bronze gate, where a fierce battle suddenly erupted, she knew that the Kingsguard and the Hand's Guard had not chosen to surrender, so they were executing the Mountain's second plan: kill them all!

Opportunities could only come once or twice, there was no third or fourth time!

Kevan could arm the Kingsguard and the Hand's Guard with a soul willing to die, and the Mountain would destroy that soul along with their bodies!

The death squads, holding back a breath of murderous intent, threw down their short crossbows and drew their longswords. Many of the soldiers who had fallen to the ground were not dead, they were only injured, and some soldiers chose to surrender… a cold sword light accepted their surrender before their death, and a fierce hacking mercilessly destroyed their lives. The last few soldiers who turned and fled were also caught up, and dozens of longswords swiftly cut into their helmets, shoulders, chests, and stabbed into their arms, abdomens, and legs…

A group of hellish demons reaping lives! The swarm of pursuers could only be described as insane…

The proudest and most elite team of Kingsguard was completely annihilated, all killed, while Julie's team only had a dozen minor injuries.

Under the cover of night, the sudden attack of the repeating crossbows was unmatched in its sharpness!

Julie blew the military whistle, and the team quickly assembled.

In the direction of the city gate, the sounds of battle resounded through the night sky. On the city walls, close combat battles broke out, the sound of swords clashing was like a violent storm, and countless projections lengthened by the firelight entangled, pounced, fought, and chased on the ground… The booming sound of the battering ram was like the roar of evil souls from hell… The bronze gate of the Red Keep was built too well, the soldiers on the siege ladders had already climbed onto the city, and the battering ram was still battering the gate, the gate was already dented, but it still hadn't fallen… General Ronnel Spicer was furious and joined the attacking team, he was the third general to climb onto the city. Before him, two of Gawen's centurions had already reached the city, one from Castamere and one from the Claw.

Kaka kaka!

The portcullis of Maegor's Holdfast was raised.

Maegor's Holdfast was the royal residence, a city within a city, a very wide and tall square military fortress-like building, with high walls on all sides, and a moat under the walls. Once the portcullis was raised, people could not attack the city gate. The moat had long been dry, and the bottom of the moat was filled with iron thorns to prevent the enemy from crossing the moat to attack.

“Tower of the Hand!” Julie issued the order.

The Mountain ordered Julie to help open the bronze gate, but now it was no longer necessary. The attacking warriors had reached the city walls, and as the warriors continued to climb onto the city, the close-quarters combat situation on the city walls would soon be reversed. The bronze gate, which was too strong, was about to be knocked open. The portcullis of Maegor's Holdfast had already been raised, and Julie's hundred-man team could not attack it, so they would attack the Tower of the Hand.

Basically, after the distress signal was sounded on the bronze gate city walls, almost all of the forces loyal to the Hand within the Red Keep went to reinforce the city gate guards. After the hundred-man team intercepting Julie was annihilated, Julie chose to attack the Tower of the Hand, which was not inappropriate.

*

On the city walls, the furious Ronnel Spicer swung his great axe wildly, forcefully chopping open the dozen or so longswords that pounced at him. Panting heavily, the soldiers behind him shouted and climbed up continuously, jumping down from the battlements, and several soldiers from Castamere were busy guarding him. More soldiers lunged forward with longswords… The sound of swords clashing was like a rainstorm in Ronnel's ears…

Ronnel took a slight breather, his shoulder was slashed by a sword, but it didn't injure the bone; his helmet was slashed by a sword, the blade cut open the helmet and his scalp, and blood flowed into his neck; his chest had a shocking scratch left by a longsword, and on both sides of his ribs, the blade cut open his plate armor and injured his bones, the force of the slash was like a heavy weapon…

In front of him, two knights were lying down, one knight's head was chopped open by the great axe, and red and white flowed all over the ground; the chest of one knight was hit by his axe, leaving a huge wound on his chest, and even the armor was torn open with a long gap; and one knight's arm was chopped off by him, the person escaped, and the arm remained… About seven or eight soldiers were injured by his heavy axe sweeping and hitting them, and several waves of attacks had been repelled by Ronnel alone…

The soldiers and centurions who were the first to climb onto the city were either dead or injured, and each of them had to face the dense stabbing and slashing of a dozen or so longswords. Ronnel Spicer, who climbed up in time, opened a gap, allowing the soldiers behind him to have a safe landing point, and soldiers continued to climb up the battlements and jump down, and the situation of the sword fighting on the city walls was tilting towards the Mountain's army…

The battle was very fierce, and neither side was willing to retreat. Longswords were fiercely hacked, blocked, stabbed, and they had to kill each other… Every soldier in the battle was a warrior, in close combat, the ones who were hit by swords and fell, the ones who attacked and defended, there was not a single coward to be found…

Besides strength, combat skills, and courage, there was no other way to win!

Those who fought without retreating on this section of the city walls were all death squads!

*

Boom!

With a loud noise, the bronze gate was knocked open, and a red tide poured in from the city gate like a wave of the sea.

The Mountain blew the military whistle for a full-scale attack, the sound of horses' hooves exploded, and thousands of heavy cavalry roared out. The Mountain was in the center, and the generals around him included Captain Alyn, Captain Joyce, Ser Cymon Lyos, the Grafton Cupps brothers, Anguy the archer, Landon the Bastard, squire Comm Warner, the tribal leaders of the Crab Coast, and nearly twenty other fierce generals.

The Red Smoke Beast took the lead and charged into the Red Keep, and the Ice Greatsword swept horizontally downwards in the rapid run, and the soldiers who came to engage were chopped down one after another, and many soldiers had just made an attacking posture, and the person had been cut into two pieces…

Heavy cavalry entered the city, and a hundred-man squad at the city gate collapsed in the blink of an eye. Various weapons relentlessly hacked and slashed at the soldiers, while spiked clubs and iron hammers crashed down, deforming the soldiers' helmets and heads alike... Warhorses moved like lightning, and the fleeing soldiers' attempts to escape were utterly futile. In just a short while, the hundred-man squad at the city gate was completely annihilated, and even the soldiers who knelt to surrender were killed, leaving no one alive...

The Demon Mountain lightly nudged his legs, and the Crimson Smoke Beast understood, rushing towards the city wall as if flying.

The flame-red body of the heavily armored Crimson Smoke Beast was concealed by chainmail. It was like a streak of black lightning, or a floating patch of green cloud, traversing the sloping city wall ladder as if walking on flat ground. All who stood in its path were crushed, and the Ice Sword occasionally flashed with a cold light, accompanied by screams and a rain of severed limbs and blood.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye, the Demon Mountain and Crimson Smoke flew onto the city wall, appearing on top of it like a god!

The cheers and shouts of ten thousand Clegane soldiers shook the heavens and the earth! The Clegane soldiers were all awestruck by the Demon Mountain's unmatched aura. Amidst the shouts of the army, the Clegane soldiers fighting the enemy on the city wall were greatly encouraged. The arrival of the Demon Mountain riding the Crimson Smoke Beast suddenly doubled the strength of the fighting soldiers, and their combat skills greatly improved, causing their opponents to be struck, knocked down, and killed...

"Fall back, all of you!" The Demon Mountain roared.

This shout was like a thunderclap, suppressing all the sounds inside and outside the city wall.

Commander-in-Chief Benlont, Duke Mace, and Ser Garland in the square were all shocked! The two thousand Reach soldiers trembled with fear, their faces changing color!

On the city wall, the soldiers who had already gained the upper hand retreated one after another, forming a defensive formation.

"I'll give you time to form your ranks." The Demon Mountain pointed his Ice Sword at the enemy soldiers. "I gave you a chance. If you don't capture Kevan the traitor and surrender, and don't open the city gate, then die!"

On the city wall, the remaining Royal Guards and Prime Minister's Guards quickly assembled into two hundred-man squads, one forming a shield wall, and the other forming a longsword wall. But their morale was already on the verge of collapse.

These absolute zealots were equally shocked to see the Crimson Smoke Beast and the Demon Mountain appear on the city wall. This kind of shock was unprecedented!

The Demon Mountain's might and killing intent were palpable, like an invisible steel plate, pressing down on the hearts of these zealots!

"Kill!" The Demon Mountain roared.

The Crimson Smoke Beast charged out with a roar, and the Ice Sword was raised high. More than ten thousand soldiers inside and outside the city wall looked up, and there was silence!

The Demon Mountain charged into the formation alone!

Most of the soldiers below the city wall could only see the Demon Mountain's body and the Ice Sword raised high, unable to see the enemies the Demon Mountain was fighting. The low walls on both sides of the city wall blocked everyone's view, but it did not prevent them from staring at the Demon Mountain's rapidly moving figure.

"Defense!" The centurion shouted.

Clang, clang, clang!

The shields quickly stacked together, forming a perfect defensive turtle shell.

Boom!

A loud noise!

The Crimson Smoke Beast slammed into the shields, and the leading shield shattered with a crack. The soldier behind the shield was impaled on the unicorn's horn, and the enormous impact caused the entire shield formation to collapse instantly. The soldiers fell to the ground, and the shields flew out of their hands.

The soldiers who lost their shield protection were exposed to the Demon Mountain's Ice Giant Sword.

A cold light swept across, drawing a beautiful arc.

Any object within the arc: shields, armor, human bodies, longswords... were easily cut in two like fragile leather by a sharp razor...

The Demon Mountain's divine power was brought to the extreme. The Ice Sword's sharpness was enough to withstand the recoil force of a large number of objects stacked together, and it was completely dissolved under the toughness of Valyrian steel!

Several cold lights drew vertical and horizontal lines, like the scythe in the hands of the Grim Reaper, wantonly reaping lives.

Dozens of soldiers got up and turned to flee.

Clang!

The centurion of the second hundred-man longsword squad dropped his longsword: "Demon Mountain, we are no match for you, but we will not surrender! We will disarm. Please let my brothers leave and let them be free men."

The Demon Mountain's notorious reputation meant that there were always some true knights who could not accept his transformation. No matter what he had done, what he had said, or what heights he had reached, this group of people's contempt and hostility towards the Demon Mountain came from the soul and could not be changed. The pride of a knight would not allow them to associate with an evil person like the Demon Mountain, let alone kneel to him.

The Demon Mountain did not say a word, and the Crimson Smoke Beast slowly walked over.

"Put down your weapons!" The centurion ordered.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Longswords were thrown all over the ground!

"Centurion, you still don't understand the Demon Mountain's evil. You can't accept me, and I can't accept you!" The Demon Mountain said coldly.

"I accept any punishment from you, my lord, please spare my brothers' lives."

"I have given you a chance." The Demon Mountain said softly, "There can only be a first and second chance, and there will never be a third or fourth."

The Demon Mountain turned the Crimson Smoke Beast around before he finished speaking. The Crimson Smoke Beast looked slow, but it was actually surprisingly fast. By the time the words 'fourth time' fell, the Demon Mountain was already at the staircase leading down the city wall.

"Go and kill them all, leave no one alive!" The Demon Mountain said to the Clegane soldiers on the city wall.

Loffer Spicer was the first to raise his heavy axe and rush up...

Boom!

The soldiers were like wolves and tigers, and the Demon Mountain's 'leave no one alive' released all their bestial nature. Their faces were twisted, and they roared as they pounced forward... The last batch of Royal Guards and Prime Minister's Guards, who were once in the highest positions, pampered, and arrogant, did not pick up their weapons. Knives and swords plunged into their bodies, and the sounds of some soldiers begging for mercy and pledging allegiance to the Demon Mountain were drowned out by the sounds of knives and swords, screams, and shouts...

After a short while, the fighting on the entire city wall came to an abrupt end!

On the short section of the city wall, the air was filled with blood, and corpses lay in a jumble, like a living hell!

The Royal Guards and Prime Minister's Guards armed by Kevan were completely wiped out, killed by the Demon Mountain. A few soldiers who ran down the city wall were also quickly killed by the Demon Mountain's cavalry below the city wall.

The Royal Guards were so fearless in battle, which was a perfect result of Kevan's careful cultivation and personnel replacement of the Royal Guards and Prime Minister's Guards after he became Prime Minister. There were not many nobles and soldiers in King's Landing who were full of hostility and antipathy towards the Demon Mountain, but there were not few either. Their perception of the Demon Mountain was like the Demon Mountain's younger brother, the Hound. The Hound swore to kill the Demon Mountain, but later, he realized that his determination to kill the Demon Mountain had wavered. But even so, he could not accept fighting alongside the Demon Mountain, and the Hound finally chose to leave the Demon Mountain.

Randyll Tarly still insisted on marching rapidly and fighting the Demon Mountain after the Demon Mountain warned him several times, which was deeply rooted in their perception of the Demon Mountain as an evil person.

Some people simply cannot accept the Demon Mountain's various evil rumors and choose to face the Demon Mountain and rather die than yield. Kevan was intentional and gathered this group of soldiers after becoming Prime Minister.

*

Prime Minister's Tower.

Julie led the soldiers to the gate, and a soldier shouted, "Password!"

The answer he received was a crossbow bolt inserted into his throat.

Julie's hundred-man squad had only a few crossbows.

The soldier fell down.

Several soldiers appeared above the low wall of the gate. Swish, swish, swish, a burst of crossbow bolts pierced the air, and several soldiers screamed and fell off the low wall.

Julie ordered the soldiers to smash open the gate. There was a brief silence in the courtyard, and then a voice rang out from the second floor: "My lords, brave warriors, Prime Minister Kevan is no longer in the Prime Minister's Tower. We are servants, helpers, kennel workers, cooks, grooms, nuns, maids... Please spare the lives of the Clegane warriors."

Julie did not answer and led the soldiers into the Prime Minister's Tower. A man who looked like a steward came out of the hall tremblingly to greet them, seemingly hoping to persuade Julie to stop and spare their servants and helpers.

Before he could speak, Julie's white sword pierced the steward's chest.

The white sword was pulled out, and the steward fell!

"Kill them all, leave no one alive!" Julie said indifferently.

The Demon Mountain's military order included the order to kill those who did not take the initiative to surrender, but that was actually aimed at soldiers. Julie knew this very well, but she pretended to be confused and ordered all the people in the Prime Minister's Tower to be killed.

The massacre began from the first floor. The soldiers began searching from the stables. The hounds in the kennels and the kennel workers were all killed. The Clegane zealots were all the Demon Mountain's elites, and these people had a fatal flaw: they were prone to going berserk. In the end, even the horses in the stables, and the pigs and goats in the livestock pens, were all killed.

Maids and servants, regardless of whether you are innocent or guilty, are all beheaded!

If this scene were seen by Eddard Stark or Sansa Stark, I wonder what they would think. Once, during Cersei's coup, all the maids, servants, nuns, and livestock of the Stark family were killed. Except for the ants in the cellar, all living animals and people were killed.

Julie searched the Prime Minister's Tower but could not find Kevan.

*

The war ended, and the Demon Mountain fulfilled his promise and captured the Red Keep in the early hours of the morning.

The eastern sky was still early!

The entire King's Landing was sleepless!

Julie led her team back: "Father, the people in the Prime Minister's Tower refused to surrender and resisted stubbornly. I killed them all."

"Everyone?"

"Yes, Father! Kevan is not in the Prime Minister's Tower!"

The Demon Mountain was expressionless!

Julie's words made many soldiers envious.

Being able to enter the Prime Minister's Tower to massacre once was a rare and wonderful opportunity in life! That feeling must be different from fighting in other places.

"Julie, take your men and cut off the heads of all the enemy corpses, and stick them all on the spear tips on the walls of the Bronze Gate. Leave the spear tip at the head of the Bronze Gate for Kevan, he deserves the first position."

"Yes, Father."

Ever since Julie Clegane was rescued by 'spear tip', her whole person had completely changed, completely blackened, cold-blooded and ruthless, and she had long put her personal life and death out of her mind. There was nothing she dared not do. It was just destined that her archery skills and contributions would always be suppressed by Anguy, one head shorter.

*

Benlont Brown, Duke Mace, and Ser Garland Tyrell were summoned by the Demon Mountain and rode into the city side by side from the Red Keep Square. The Demon Mountain was waiting for them in front of the drawbridge of Maegor's Holdfast.

The drawbridge of Maegor's Holdfast had already been raised, and the moat was filled with iron spikes.

Except for the Maidenvault, the Demon Mountain's soldiers controlled every building in the Red Keep: the Sept of Baelor, the Prime Minister's Tower, the barracks, the Courtiers' Tower, the White Sword Tower, the godswood, the Citadel, the library, the throne room... Maegor's Holdfast, protected by the moat, had become an isolated city in the city.

The Demon Mountain did not launch an attack on Maegor's Holdfast, the castle where King Tommen lived, a complete military fortress. The city wall was built of giant rocks and was extremely strong.

"Lord Mace, Commander Benlont, I hope to lower the drawbridge by shouting and have King Tommen and Queen Margaery come out to meet us. But I am worried that if the traitor Kevan is in Maegor's Holdfast, will he desperately try to harm His Majesty Tommen in a moment of desperation? We are capturing the traitor and being loyal to His Majesty Tommen, and we must not frighten or harm His Majesty, otherwise my conscience will be uneasy." The Demon Mountain looked at the two high-ranking officials of the Imperial Court with an inquiring gaze.

Intelligence Minister Bernie Clegane and Maritime Minister Wagner Gall were also by the Demon Mountain's side.

Five high-ranking officials of the Imperial Court gathered in front of the drawbridge of Maegor's Holdfast: Military Affairs Demon Mountain, Intelligence Bernie, Maritime Wagner, Garrison Commander Benlont, and Legal Affairs Mace!

"Perhaps we should first send someone in to talk to Prime Minister Kevan, give him some conditions of pardon, order him to lower the drawbridge, open the gate of Maegor's Holdfast, and let us in, or have him safely return King Tommen to us," Lord Mace suggested.

"Kevan must die!" The Demon Mountain emphasized.

"Besides death, Kevan may have something he is willing to exchange. For example, we pardon his family's crimes and let his descendants continue to hold Kevan's territory," Mace made some suggestions of womanly kindness.

The Demon Mountain agreed, and he was about to decide to send Lord Mace to complete this glorious task when a figure appeared on the city wall of Maegor's Holdfast: Gyles Rosby. He stood on the city wall and waved to the Demon Mountain.

The Demon Mountain knew Earl Rosby, a useless good man whose advantage was that he was old, weak, and sickly.

Rosby, from the royal territory, was a powerful noble. His second wife was the niece of Countess Stokeworth, Bronn's mother-in-law. Rosby was older than Countess Stokeworth, but he called Countess Stokeworth aunt.

As a result, Earl Rosby became Bronn's relative.

Bronn and Podrick Payne swore allegiance to the Demon Mountain after Little Devil left Westeros.

In addition to being a relative of Bronn, Rosby also became a very close relative of the Stark family in the North.

Earl Rosby's sister, Lady Bethany Rosby, was the sixth wife of Marquis Walder Frey of the Riverlands. She had passed away before Walder Frey died in the Red Wedding.

Lady Bethany gave birth to five children, of whom Pywin Frey and Olifa Frey became Robb Stark's close and loyal guards, and her daughter Roslin Frey became the queen of the King of the North. And Earl Rosby was the uncle of Queen Roslin, and also the uncle of Robb Stark.

And the Demon Mountain had inextricably linked secret connections with the Robb Stark family.

The Rosby family was powerful, but the population was small, and Rosby himself had no children. His right of inheritance had always been a problem, and Bronn had hinted that he hoped the Demon Mountain could help Bronn obtain the Rosby family's territory. The Stokeworth family territory and the Rosby family territory were neighbors, and Bronn's wife was Earl Rosby's cousin, and had a certain roundabout right of inheritance.

The voice of Earl Gyles Rosby called out, hoarse with a coughing rhythm, "Lord Mountain, you have already broken through the gates of the Red Keep. King Tommen orders the soldiers of Dragonstone and the warriors of the Royal Navy fleet to withdraw from the Red Keep. Ser Bronn and Lord Garlan Tyrell will each lead a thousand soldiers from their respective banners to garrison the Red Keep, and the rest of the soldiers will be stationed at the seven city gates!"

"Lord Gyles, please inform His Majesty that the traitorous Hand, Kevan, must be brought to justice, or the Mountain will not withdraw."

"Lord Mountain, Hand Kevan is not in Maegor's Holdfast."

"Lord, the traitorous Hand Kevan is also not in the Tower of the Hand."

"Lord Mountain, Hand Kevan must have fled in fear of his crimes. Please wait a moment while I report to the King, explain the situation, and ask the King to decide."

The Mountain exchanged glances with Burney, who nodded. The Mountain then said, "No need. Since you say that Hand Kevan is not in Maegor's Holdfast, I believe you. The Mountain only seeks to capture the traitorous Hand and eliminate his remaining accomplices. The Mountain is utterly loyal and vows to serve His Majesty the King until death. If the King commands, the Mountain will obey. Soldiers of Dragonstone and naval warriors, immediately withdraw from the Red Keep and garrison the Red Keep's plaza."

"Very well then, thank you, Lord Mountain."

The Mountain gave the order, and the soldiers of Dragonstone and the naval warriors withdrew from the Red Keep in batches.

The Mountain then ordered the Clegane cavalry to garrison the northern barracks of the Red Keep. The eastern barracks had already been burned by Julie, with the curtains and quilts reduced to ashes and the stone walls blackened. It would be better to leave them for the city guard and the Reachmen to garrison.

Ser Bronn ordered the thousand city guards stationed at the city gates to return to the Red Keep to garrison.

Garlan Tyrell ordered the thousand Reachmen soldiers in the Red Keep's plaza to enter the Red Keep and garrison the city walls first.

*

The Mountain said, "Earl Gylesby, please lower the drawbridge. I and my generals wish to see the King and beg for his forgiveness. The Mountain is innocent, but the war has caused casualties. I ask His Majesty to understand."

"Lord Mountain, you are admirable and worthy of respect for serving the country and the people, and for eliminating treacherous officials," Earl Gylesby praised the Mountain in a singing tone. "The night is late. Would you like to enter and see His Majesty the King now, or wait until dawn?"

"Lord, I urgently want to see His Majesty now. I fear His Majesty is not safe," the Mountain said frankly, his words containing a hidden meaning. He feared that His Majesty the King had been abducted by Hand Kevan.

These words caused Bronn, Mace, Garlan, and others to stir in their hearts.

"Earl Gylesby, please inform His Majesty that we vassals are concerned about His Majesty and request an audience," Lord Mace said. His daughter was in Maegor's Holdfast, and her life would be in danger if she were abducted by Kevan.

"My lords, please wait a moment while I report to His Majesty and hope that His Majesty will be willing to see you."

Earl Gylesby did not dare to make a decision on his own. He was just a useless good man. He went down the city wall and went to the secret room in Maegor's Holdfast to consult with His Majesty the King.

In fact, the nine-year-old Tommen could not have made the arrangements just now. If Kevan was not by the King's side, then it was naturally the Queen Margaery's doing.

*

Although the cold wind, as thick as ink, occasionally blew through the cave and onto his body, Kevan did not feel cold because heat was escaping from the dragon bones.

It was dark here, deep underground. It was very wide here, and the complete skeletons of three giant dragons were preserved here.

Balerion the Black Dread, the mount of the first Dragon King Aegon, and his two wives (who were also sisters), Visenya's Vhagar and Rhaenys's Meraxes.

Balerion's giant mouth was open, and an adult could easily walk into it. Standing in its mouth, stretching out one's hand, one could barely touch its upper jawbone.

Balerion the Black Dread could swallow a wild bull in one bite.

Of course, this was just a legend. But when Kevan came here with a torch and saw the huge dragon skeleton, he finally believed the rumors.

The size of the three dragon skeletons was staggering.

Such magical creatures, spewing out flames, who could resist them?

Kevan felt fear when he saw the bones of these three giant dragons.

Although the skeletons of the three giant dragons were merely dead objects, Kevan still felt the pressure of the dragon's might under the dark gaze of the dragon's eyes.

After the torch went out, Kevan mustered his courage and walked into the dragon's mouth. He kept walking inside, inside the dragon's skeleton, until his head touched the dragon bones. He lowered his body and continued walking inside. Finally, Kevan completely hid himself at the very back of the dragon bones.

Here, although he still could not avoid the cold wind blowing from who knows where in the cave, it was as warm as spring.

If he had not entered the secret passage from the passage in the study of the Tower of the Hand, Kevan would not have come to such a magical place.

It was the first time he had come to such a place and seen three huge dragon bones. Above the dragon bones, there were signs hanging, writing the names of the three dragons.

Kevan decided to hide here for a while.

Even if the Mountain's men came in pursuit along the secret passage, the secret passage was crisscrossed, and they might not be able to find this place. Even if they found this place, Kevan hid himself in the innermost part of the dragon bones, shielded by the three dragon skeletons. He believed that he could escape the Mountain's soldiers' search.

Compared to other places, this was undoubtedly the best place. What pleased Kevan the most was that the heat of the dragon bones made him feel warm. Other places were either wet or cold.

He didn't know how long had passed, but Kevan felt that he couldn't hold on any longer. He decided to take a nap first. As soon as the thought of taking a nap arose, he immediately fell asleep.

The physically and mentally exhausted Kevan was too tired, and the warmth of the dragon bones made him want to sleep too much.

Suddenly, Kevan woke up with a start. A threat was approaching him in the darkness, causing him to instinctively wake up and be on guard.

Kevan drew a sharp dagger, with dragon bones as the hilt and inlaid with gems. Fortunately, it was dark, and the iron-rich dragon bones were also black, which well concealed the light of the dagger and gems.

"Scholar Qyburn, you have been hiding here all along?" A voice came from the mouth of another dragon skeleton. "When Kevan ordered you to be killed, the Lord's army was outside the city. Why didn't you go out and find Lord Mountain?"

It was the voice of Burney Clegane.

Kevan was shocked.

Burney Clegane and Scholar Qyburn are also here. When did they come? How long have I been asleep? Scholar Qyburn has been hiding here all along? How is that possible? When I came here with a torch, I didn't see Scholar Qyburn.

"There are three dragon bones here, warm and pleasant. When I'm hungry, I go out from here, enter the Citadel through the secret passage to get something to eat, and listen to what's happening in the court. It's much more comfortable than going to the Lord's camp, and there's no risk at all."

"It's safest to go to the Lord's camp. Where does the risk come from?"

"Kevan accused me of colluding with the Lord, conspiring, and saying that I'm the Lord's man. I have to avoid appearing in the Lord's camp, otherwise it will prove that Kevan's accusation may be true."

"Well, that makes sense. Kevan has a lot of cronies, so you can't give them any excuse," Burney praised.

Qyburn smiled, "Lord Burney, when I was sleeping in the dragon bones, I heard footsteps. When I opened my eyes, guess what I saw?"

"What? Could it be that Kevan escaped here from the hidden passage in the study of the Tower of the Hand?"

"Yes, Lord, you are so smart, you guessed it right. Someone holding a torch ran here in a panic. When I took a closer look, it was Kevan!"

"You saw him, but he didn't see you?" Burney laughed.

Kevan suddenly understood that the conversation between Qyburn and Burney was meant for him to hear.

Kevan instantly broke out in a cold sweat. He felt his hands and feet were cold, but his whole body was heating up. The hand holding the dagger was wet, and his chest was burning as if on fire! The place where his body touched the dragon bones felt as if the dragon bones were burning, giving off a scorching heat!

Thanks to [Bai Jiahei] [Book Friend 20190527142214940] for the reward this time. Thank you, handshake!