The Mountain of Ice and Fire

"The Mountain," Daenerys Targaryen said on the back of the black dragon, "I see many mercenaries on the islands scattering, not gathering."

"I see it too," The Mountain kept pace with Daenerys.

Below the two dragons, General Ian led three thousand soldiers in a thunderous advance, followed by a long line of over three hundred carriages laden with gold and silver treasures.

The sack of the Sea Lord's palace had yielded a truly bountiful harvest.

"Mountain, I see their morale is wavering. If we fly along on dragonback and call for their surrender, it will greatly shake their military and popular support."

Daenerys had extensive experience in this area.

She had used this method in Slaver's Bay, on the Dothraki Sea, and in King's Landing, achieving significant results. When Daenerys led her three dragons to call for surrender in King's Landing, if the Mountain's dragon hadn't suddenly appeared and restored the confidence of the King's Landing people, the collapse of the entire city's military and popular support would have been only a matter of time.

"No need," The Mountain said flatly.

"You want to fight?" Daenerys tilted her head. She had originally wanted to say that he liked killing, which was probably not good, but the words changed at the last moment to, 'You want to fight?'

"Let's kill off the Iron Bank people first."

Daenerys's beautiful eyes stared at The Mountain, but The Mountain's expression remained unchanged.

"Daenerys, the Iron Bank's money cannot be left to any of its original owners, nor can it be left to any Iron Bank assassins."

The Iron Bank had its own armed forces: a thousand Unsullied legion, a thousand mercenary legion, and assassins comparable to the Faceless Men. However, the number of Iron Bank assassins was extremely small, usually hidden and rarely acting. Only when the Faceless Men refused to act or the Faceless Men failed would the Iron Bank mobilize its own assassins to assassinate anyone who failed to repay their debts.

"Your target is the Iron Bank's money?"

"My target is the future plan for paper money circulating throughout the world and the system bank."

"Paper money plan?"

"When every subject receives a Clegane Bank banknote, if they all know that this banknote corresponds to glittering gold, they will easily accept the circulation of paper money. Paper money is lighter, and for bulk trade, nothing is easier to carry than paper money."

"What if paper money gets wet? And there's also fire," Daenerys was not very receptive to The Mountain's promotion of paper money. It was an instinct.

"If it gets wet, it can be dried."

"It can't be fireproof," Daenerys smiled slightly.

"Yes, but let's focus on the many advantages of paper money. The mining of gold mines will only decrease, while paper money doesn't need to worry about not being able to be produced."

"If only Clegane Bank has the power to mint money, you will be able to exploit the wealth of the entire world."

The Mountain's face stiffened: "Issue as much paper money as there is gold. Issuing paper money at will will lose its value and damage the credibility and purchasing power of the entire Clegane Bank's currency. If it were really as you say, everyone, including myself, would be a victim."

Daenerys laughed heartily, her bright eyes and white teeth beautiful and moving. It was rare for her to see The Mountain so serious and solemn: "Don't be nervous, Mountain, I fully support your promotion of paper money."

"Good, then let's go to the Iron Bank island first and burn the entire island's first line of defense."

"Okay!"

The Mountain and Daenerys rode on dragonback and saw that the soldiers on the islands far and near were neither lined up nor marching towards them. The soldiers were running around in disarray, but definitely not gathering. The mercenaries' reputation for fighting for the Sea Lord was not as important as their own lives, which was a weakness of mercenaries. When it really came to a life-or-death battle, if they had the advantage, the mercenaries would advance bravely and be invincible; when the situation was clearly at a disadvantage, and fighting meant paying the price of life without seeing the light of victory, they would protect themselves and retreat first out of respect.

"Ian, we'll go to the Iron Bank first to clear the obstacles for the infantry," The Mountain shouted below.

His voice was mighty and unparalleled, like the ringing of a giant bell.

Ian raised his heavy axe and let out a hoarse roar, and three thousand soldiers raised their weapons and shouted together.

"Long live Westeros!" The Mountain shouted the slogan with force.

Thus, the cry of 'Long live Westeros' resounded through the skies of Braavos.

More than three thousand people shouted together, and the momentum was astonishing. On the islands far and near, the stationed mercenaries withdrew from their defenses one after another. Wherever Ian went, there were no encounters.

The might of the dragons was not something mercenaries could resist.

Ian's legion was going to the Iron Bank island by land—the islands of Braavos were connected by stone arch bridges of various sizes and lengths—and on each island, there were Sea Lord's mercenaries stationed, more or less.

Amidst the shouts, the great dragon and the black dragon let out deafening roars. In the howling wind, the great dragon and the black dragon flew away towards the Iron Bank island.

The Iron Bank island was easy to recognize. On the island, there was a tall tower with a golden glittering top, which was a symbol of the Iron Bank's wealth and status.

"I'll burn down the tower," The Mountain said, "Daenerys, you attack the Unsullied legion guarding the Iron Bank."

"Burn them all?" Daenerys was still a little hesitant.

If they were willing to surrender, she hoped to give them a chance. The Unsullied were the best infantry in the world, and Daenerys also had an eight thousand Unsullied legion under her command, which had made great contributions for her.

"Kill them all."

"Why?" Daenerys hesitated for a moment, but still asked. She was decisive in killing, but she still hoped to give people a chance of survival.

"The Iron Bank has its own assassins, and perhaps those assassins are among the Unsullied soldiers. They have the abilities of the Faceless Men. This is what Arya Stark told you in the elders' courtyard of the House of Black and White. Arya is the destined elder of the House of Black and White, and even she is somewhat afraid of the Iron Bank's assassins, so we must not be merciful in this regard," The Mountain said sternly.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Daenerys replied. She changed her address for The Mountain to 'Your Majesty,' and it was unclear whether she was truly obeying the order as a subordinate or whether there was some deliberate teasing in her words.

Whoosh!

Sheepstealer arrived above the Iron Bank island. With a dragon's roar, all the soldiers on the island looked up at the sky.

The great dragon's wings spread open, blocking the sunlight, and the shadow it cast almost covered the entire island.

Everyone on the island's face changed drastically.

On the tower, stood several managers and supervisors of the Iron Bank—in addition to the chief manager Bennis, there were also several managers and supervisors of subdivided businesses, and each manager and supervisor was a famous figure in the outside world.

Several managers and supervisors looked up at the behemoth, and everyone's eyes were filled with despair.

The three elders were nowhere to be seen beside the managers and supervisors.

The three elders had already been burned to death by Bran Stark.

An accidental fire, just like when the seven elders in the House of Black and White encountered an accident together while meditating in the quiet room.

Bran Stark had fulfilled his promise to Bennis, and Bennis had also arranged a fire attack on the House of Black and White, but before the time came to implement it, he was greeted by The Mountain and the great dragon.

"Bennis, we can't let the great dragon burn the Iron Bank island to ashes. A thousand years of foundation cannot be ruined in our hands," a manager said sharply. His tone towards Bennis was full of anger and hostility. The managers and supervisors all believed that Bennis was responsible for the Iron Bank's disaster. He should not have accepted the seer boy's statement.

Bennis's face was pale, his lips were purple, and his forehead and nose were covered in cold sweat.

Before Bennis could defend himself, a supervisor had already knelt on one knee, raised his hands to the sky, and shouted: "Great Gregor Clegane, King of Westeros, please spare the Iron Bank. The Iron Bank vows to become a permanent ally of Westeros and never betray you."

The Mountain leaned his head down on the back of the great dragon. He heard the supervisor's hoarse shout, the voice was hoarse, but every word was heard clearly. The Mountain pushed up his mask, letting fresh air fill his mouth and nose, which refreshed him: "Dragonfire!"

The great dragon Sheepstealer received the order. From within its long neck, golden-red light was projected, and a small sun-like fireball quickly formed in the dragon's throat. The dragon flapped its wings, and in the howling wind, it circled the tower. The dragon's mouth, as large as an abyss, opened, revealing a mouth full of fangs and densely packed barbs on its tongue. A golden-red fireball suddenly rushed out of the dragon's mouth, hitting the top of the tower directly.

Boom!

With a loud noise, the fireball exploded, and flames flowed down like liquid, instantly surrounding the spire and engulfing the several managers and supervisors on the top of the tower in the blink of an eye. Extremely short screams rang out.

"Dragonfire!" The Mountain continued to shout.

A long pillar of fire cut into the tower like a flaming long knife. The great dragon circled, dragging the long knife across the tower in a ring. The golden-red ring was like a ring of fire inlaid on the high tower. Seeing that the high tower began to shake, the place where the tower was on fire began to turn into liquid. The high temperature caused many things inside the tower to spontaneously combust and make crackling explosions.

"Dragonfire!" The Mountain patted the great dragon's head, constantly issuing dragon language orders.

Sheepstealer spat out a long pillar of fire, cutting around the tower in a circular pattern from top to bottom, one knife after another, forcibly baking the tower made of huge stones until it softened. Many of the huge stones softened in a very short time and quickly turned into liquid…

Rumble!

With a loud noise, the high tower symbolizing the status and wealth of the Iron Bank collapsed, stirring up high gray dust, which was mixed with golden-red flames. No person or animal in the tower could escape in such a collapse, high temperature, and thick smoke.

The Iron Bank fortress next to it jumped like a small block.

The earthquake caused by the violent collapse of the high tower made of huge stones tore huge cracks in the ground, and also tore the walls of the Iron Bank's fortress, the gate was crooked, and all the floor-to-ceiling glass in the reception hall of the Iron Bank's fortress was shattered. The unparalleled force of the shock shattered the glass into powder in an instant, forming a cloud of silver mist with faint reflections of the sun.

"Sheepstealer, burn down the fortress," The Mountain patted the great dragon's head affectionately, pointing to the Iron Bank's fortress, which was as large as a small city: "Dragonfire!"

Sheepstealer flew low, spitting out fireballs one by one, boom, boom, boom… accurately hitting one building after another: watchtowers, Red God temples, scholar towers, kennels, weapon shops, barracks, halls, main fortress towers… In one dragonfire fireball after another, under one dragonfire light after another, the people on the ground ran and shouted, there were soldiers, centurions, knights, scholars, old men and women… Cries and screams were endless…

Many old men in robes knelt down, raising their hands to the sky and shouting something… Many women also knelt on the ground, kowtowing to the great dragon, begging in the local language of Braavos to the great dragon and dragon knight, hoping that the dragon knight and the great dragon could at least spare the younger generation around them… The Mountain was expressionless, and the sound of dragonfire was endless… Soon, countless dragonfire fireballs ignited the entire Iron Bank fortress… The fire was raging, and black smoke and golden-red flames enveloped everything…

"Fly low, Sheepstealer, fight!" The Mountain shouted.

Sheepstealer flew low, looking almost close to the ground. It flew around the Iron Bank's fortress, chasing anyone who ran out of the fortress. The dragon's wings, dragonfire, dragon claws, dragon tail, dragon mouth, every attack was completely irresistible to flesh and blood. In the blink of an eye, Sheepstealer swept away all the soldiers, generals, servants, and Iron Bank accounting scholars who escaped from the fortress under The Mountain's command… Even the fastest mercenaries could not escape the sweep of Sheepstealer's dragonfire fire pillar…

"Ascend!" The Mountain shouted.

Sheepstealer ascended, its wings flapping, and the wind howled.

On other parts of the island, the green grass plains remained, and the small fishing villages by the sea remained peaceful and quiet; but in the center of the island, soaring flames, huge smoke pillars, and the crackling sound of fierce burning formed a picture of human hell. In the sky above this picture, a great dragon, its wings spread as if it could cover the entire island, glided slowly in the sky above the island. On the Iron Bank island without dragon-hunting ballistae, no weapon could cause substantial damage to the great dragon.

This was a one-sided burning from a high vantage point!

*

The stone arch bridge defense line connecting the island to the outside world had also collapsed.

A thousand-man Unsullied regiment was stationed on the stone arch bridge, wearing bronze armor, spiked helmets, and carrying round shields, short knives at their waists, and long spears in their hands. This legion blocked the necessary bridge to enter the Iron Bank island. The neat formation, the densely extended spears, and the overlapping shield defense line could not withstand the impact of a fireball from the black dragon Drogon.

Daenerys ordered the black dragon to spit out three fireballs into the Unsullied legion's formation, which caused the Unsullied legion's formation to collapse completely.

In order not to burn the bridge to facilitate the entry of Ian's legion—after a dragonfire attack, the ground needed the legion to enter, set up camp, and clear the remaining enemies—Daenerys launched a second round of attack from behind the Unsullied legion. The pillar of fire spat out by the black dragon was like a large broom. The Unsullied soldiers were like black ants stirred into a ball. The black-red dragonfire pillar broom swept left and right, and the ants were swept into curled charred bodies…