The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The Sea King stood at the bow of a gaudy ship, looking up at the sky with a surprised and doubtful expression.

The metallic sound, never heard before, that pierced through space and time came from the sky… What was that sound? It was full of murderous intent, like a sharp sword composed of golden and jade tones, piercing through all sounds of water, wind, people, and birds… Surpassing all other sounds…

On the river, all kinds of water birds fluttered in frightened flight, uniformly skimming across the water towards the west…

*

Inside the Iron Bank, the Iron Bank’s assassins looked at each other in dismay. It was the first time they had heard that high-pitched, clear sound. The sound lingered in the sky for a long time, echoing distantly, filled with chilling murderous intent! As assassins, they were particularly sensitive to any sound containing murderous intent… When danger approached, assassins were the first to sense the threat!

The Iron Bank’s manager, Bernice, stood on the Iron Bank’s high tower, looking up at the sky, his eyes wide and his mouth agape, like a stone sculpture… What was that sound just now? How could it give people such a terrible feeling… Has the dragon come? Has the dragon come? Has the dragon come?

*

In the House of Black and White, the yellow-robed monks, the faithful, the Faceless Men, the Elder of Destiny, Arya Stark… Whether they were inside the House of Black and White, in the courtyard, or on the streets and squares outside the House of Black and White… Everywhere, everyone looked up at the sky together, with strange expressions…

*

In the heavily guarded Stone Quarter, in a tower, Tyrion Lannister’s expression changed slightly as he looked up at the sky. He only saw the ceiling above him. Opposite him, Bran Stark, sitting in his wheelchair, remained motionless, his eyes fixed on a spot on the ceiling, expressionless…

In another tower, Jaime Lannister leaned out of the window, looking at the sky… His messy beard had reappeared, his golden hair was dry and dull, and his face looked thin, as if he had been slightly ill, and some of his vitality had been worn away…

“Father, has the dragon come?” Myrcella Lannister asked cautiously.

Her younger brother, Tommen Lannister, did not speak, but the fear in his eyes said it all. Young Tommen knew very well in his heart that the dragon had come. The arrogant sound of gold and jade just now was the roar of a dragon…

*

On the outskirts of the Braavos city-state, at the estuary, the scouts in the eyes of the Titan, one of the world’s nine artificial wonders, the sailors on the ships entering and exiting the sea passage between the Titan’s legs, the workers in the huge shipyards, the naval soldiers on the warships in the naval port, the mercenaries in the streets and alleys of Braavos, the free people, the nobles, the merchants… Everyone looked up at the sky in surprise and doubt. That dragon roar alarmed the entire Braavos…

*

The people of Braavos were all looking up at the sky.

At first, people saw a small black dot appearing in the blue sky. In an instant, the small black dot grew larger, as large as a crow. Next to the crow, a small black dot vaguely appeared. When the crow turned into the size of a sea eagle in the blink of an eye, the small black dot became a small bird… As if only a heartbeat had passed, the sea eagle became the size of a goat, the size of a water buffalo, the size of an elephant, the size of a longship, the size of a warship, and finally became a golden-red flying beast.

The flying beast shot down like an arrow!

Next to the golden-red flying beast, there was a black flying beast that was too small in comparison. It was only because people’s attention was attracted by the golden-red flying beast that no one noticed that next to the golden-red flying beast, there was also a black flying beast reflecting the sunlight.

Dragon!

Almost at the same time, tens of thousands of people exclaimed in unison—Dragon!

No one in Braavos had ever seen a real dragon, but in reliefs, in lyrics, in books, in paintings, on the stage of comedy performances, and in the speeches of scholars, everyone had seen, heard, and excitedly talked about dragons.

When a real dragon appeared in the sky, people recognized it at once.

Self-taught!

Definitely!

Suddenly, the giant dragon, which had been shooting down straight as an arrow, slowed down, its wings spread out, and its size suddenly became as large as a red cloud that covered the sky. The black dragon Drogon flew beside the giant dragon, like a slender black-clad girl beside a giant.

On the back of the black dragon, riding was a beautiful woman in colorful clothes—Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons.

Roar!

The dragon’s roar struck again. This time, the dragon’s roar was like a giant bell made of gold and jade being struck. The excited and clear sound rang in everyone’s ears, piercing their eardrums and making everyone’s faces change. Many women and children covered their ears with their hands, shrank their heads and shrugged their shoulders, their eyes full of fear.

The giant dragon came: a long tail, a long neck, golden-red scales reflecting the sunlight, a ferocious and terrifying head, dragon eyes glowing with camouflage and dazzling light, huge dragon claws, an incomparably huge body… People began to scream, hide, crouch down, and run around… In just an instant, the tens of thousands of people who had been looking up at the sky scurried like ants on a hot pot, scattering to hide themselves…

*

Inside the stone tower.

Tyrion Lannister looked at Bran Stark: “Seer, the Mountain has come, but you didn’t seem to warn the Iron Bank, the Sea King’s Palace, or the House of Black and White beforehand, nor did you tell us.”

Bran Stark’s gaze was fixed on a spot, motionless, as if he hadn’t heard Tyrion’s words at all.

Some people and things are always exceptions.

Bran Stark could not directly see prophecies about the Mountain himself. The Mountain was like a shadow in the sunlight. The sunlight shines on everything, reaching the sky and the earth, but there are still some places where the light cannot reach, and that is the exception.

The Mountain is such an exceptional existence.

Bran Stark can only see or deduce prophecies related to the Mountain from other people and things.

Tyrion shrugged. He was used to Bran’s lack of response to him.

“Seer, the Mountain has come. How will things develop? Can Braavos withstand the Mountain and his dragon?” Tyrion’s words were full of sarcasm.

“Human power cannot stop a dragon,” Bran said faintly.

“Does that mean the Mountain is invincible?”

“Dragon hunters can deal with dragons.”

“But you didn’t let the Sea King build dragon hunters. Why?”

Bran Stark did not answer, his gaze shifting from the ceiling to Tyrion’s face.

“Is it easier to assassinate the Mountain than to use dragon hunters to deal with the dragon?” Tyrion asked.

Bran remained noncommittal.

“Bran, you make me feel like I’m a complete idiot in front of you. But even if you knew how to build dragon hunters, the Sea King wouldn’t have time to build them. The Mountain came too fast. The God of Light won against the Green Seer.”

*

On the rapidly advancing gaudy ship, the Sea King looked at the dragon gliding in the sky with a gloomy expression, and asked the chief scholar beside him: “Scholar, is there no way to kill a dragon?”

“…Dragon hunters… I’ve heard of such crossbows…”

“How to build dragon hunters?”

“I don’t know… the method of building dragon hunters.”

“Can’t we try to make them?”

“…We can try…”

“Perhaps we mistakenly trusted the Green Seer.” The Sea King frowned deeply.

“Your Majesty, the Green Seer did not foresee the Mountain and his dragon.”

“Yes, he was focused on assassinating the Mountain, but the Mountain has already come to our door first.”

“Arya Stark’s warning may be true,” the scholar said hesitantly.

“But Braavos will never yield,” the Sea King said sternly.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

*

In front of the Sea King’s Palace gate, the Mountain and Ian looked up at the two dragons in the sky.

Ian’s one eye emitted a cat-like green light.

It was the first time he had seen such a terrifying dragon.

He was very excited!

If he hadn’t made the right choice, he and his three thousand brothers would have become a small pile of ashes under the dragon’s flames.

But now, he had more confidence.

He and his three thousand brothers had chosen to stand on the side of the dragon.

“Your Majesty, I have never seen such a huge dragon,” Ian’s voice trembled.

“The dragon’s name is Sheepstealer, and she is my mount.”

“Sheepstealer?”

“She likes to steal sheep to eat.”

“Steal sheep?” Ian was incredulous.

The Mountain smiled slightly: “Sheepstealer is now a two hundred and fifty-one-year-old adult dragon. Of course, she can eat whatever she wants now; but when she was young, she couldn’t be so casual. She is a wild dragon, born on Dragonstone Mountain on Dragonstone Island. When Sheepstealer was young, the skies were ruled by the Targaryen family’s dragons and dragon riders, as well as five other wild dragons that were even larger than her. The battles between wild dragons were the most bloody and deadly; many warriors also obeyed the orders of the king at the time to tame the six wild dragons. For safety, little Sheepstealer could only carefully live by stealing sheep to eat. She stole sheep year after year, and the shepherds all recognized her. Her reputation for loving to steal sheep also spread, so people called her Sheepstealer.”

“A very cunning little fellow!”

“Sheepstealer was eventually tamed by a woman named Ricinus after a year, and became a member of the royal dragon rider team. More than two hundred years have passed, and the dragons and dragon riders of that time have all died, leaving only Sheepstealer hidden in the clouds and mountains of the Mountains of the Moon. Now, she is my mount and comrade.”

“Your Majesty, what is our next operation?”

“First capture the Sea King, then take the Seer.”

“Perhaps we should go to Iron Bank Island first,” Ian’s one eye flashed.

Behind the Mountain and Ian were hundreds of carts of gold and silver treasures from the Sea King’s Palace.

The Sea King is said to be the richest king in the world. People have a saying, why does the Sea King alone have so much gold and silver jewelry? Because the treasures in the sea are all his.

The Sea King’s wealth is personal property. The wealth of the Iron Bank belongs to a banking group.

Compared to the Sea King’s hundreds of carts of gold and silver jewelry, the gold and silver jewelry of the Iron Bank is even more abundant. The Sea King’s wealth can still be loaded in carts and has a definite quantity, while the wealth of the Iron Bank is stored in a huge vault that has hollowed out half a mountain.

Ian was insatiably greedy and persuaded the Mountain to seize the wealth of the Iron Bank.

This made the Mountain’s heart beat faster.

No one would嫌弃that they have too much gold and silver treasure, and the Mountain was no exception.

“The Iron Bank?!” The Mountain’s voice suddenly rose.

“Yes, Your Majesty, the Iron Bank,” Ian said with a smile. The right half of his face was still bloody, but Ian didn’t seem to feel any pain at all. The terrible wound on his face didn’t bother him at all, nor did it affect his combat effectiveness. “After we take Iron Bank Island, we can also use the strategic location of Iron Bank Island to establish our own military camp to resist Braavos’ counterattack.”

The Mountain smiled, and he understood what Ian meant.

Since the two minds are in sync, there is no need to say more.

The gold in the Iron Bank is said to be able to hire all the mercenaries on the continent of Essos to work for him.

Gold!

The most gold in the world is on Iron Bank Island.

It is said to be a fortune that can buy the whole world.

Ian believes that neither the Sea King nor the Seer is as important as so much gold.

The gold of the Iron Bank, the accumulation of thousands of years, a legendary vault with the mountain as a warehouse.

The Mountain understood Ian’s proposal: robbing the Iron Bank is the real way to get rich.

Of course, the Mountain had a deeper consideration: with the gold of the Iron Bank in hand, when the news spreads, people all over the world will trust and accept any paper currency that is promoted. —Because the gold of the Iron Bank guarantees it, people don’t have to worry that the paper money cannot be exchanged for gold. The paper in hand will not depreciate, will not be useless, and will not be impossible to exchange when you want to exchange it for gold.

“Ian, pass the order to the logistics officers to escort the carriages, and the soldiers to line up. We will go to occupy Iron Bank Island,” the Mountain ordered.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Ian said in a sonorous and powerful voice, filled with murderous intent.

Ian took it for granted that attacking Iron Bank Island would of course be a fierce battle. The island-guarding mercenaries of the Iron Bank are not so easy to deal with, and they are mainly Unsullied.

But obviously he still knew nothing about how to fight with dragons.

Ian assembled the team, while the Mountain stretched out his hand to the sky: “Queen Daenerys, we are going to attack Iron Bank Island.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Daenerys flew the black dragon low. The black dragon circled and landed in the square.

Daenerys’s reputation is widespread on the continent of Essos. Her dragons, her image, and her beauty are all topics that people relish.

Daenerys’s name rang out, immediately attracting the attention of all the soldiers.

Many people cheered: “Mother of Dragons!”

Daenerys Targaryen’s prestige on the continent of Essos can be seen from this, which is also one of the reasons why the Mountain is so determined to conquer her.

“Crouch down, Sheepstealer,” the Mountain shouted to the sky.

The giant dragon slowly circled and descended, bringing down gusts of wind.

The black dragon flew to the ground, making the soldiers excited and excited.

The giant dragon circled and landed, stirring up a gale, shocking the soldiers.

The pressure was as real as it could be, overwhelming.

The three thousand soldiers were all of one mind: if Captain Ian hadn’t followed King Mountain in time, they would have given their lives for the Sea King’s commission. The reputation of mercenaries is very important, but they prefer to stand on the side of the victor.

No amount of gold matters if you lose your life. Besides, after choosing to pledge allegiance to King of the Magic Mountain, the soldiers' first operation was to plunder the Sea King's Palace. There were so many gold and silver treasures in the Sea King's Palace that Ian's legion filled over three hundred carts. In the plaza, the carriages loaded with gold, silver, and jewels formed a long line, guarded by the legion's officers.

In principle, whatever the soldiers looted was theirs, but undoubtedly, generals, centurions, and leaders would get more through skimming.

King of the Magic Mountain didn't need to lift a finger to plunder the Sea King's Palace; he would certainly get the lion's share. There was a strict set of rules for dividing the spoils.

*

A short time later, Ian, on horseback, led the way with his thirty centurions, followed closely by three thousand soldiers. Above the legion, a giant dragon with gold and red scales and a black dragon flew side-by-side at low altitude. The column traveled by land, crossing stone arch bridges, heading towards the Iron Treasury Island.