The king on the Great Wall

"I don't know. It's rare to see people coming in and out of this house. It turns out that it's a place where important people store their property. That makes sense."

The onlookers and commentators did not wait for too long. After a while, the soldiers who broke in brought out boxes full of gold coins and silver coins and various kinds of large and small shapes. rare treasures.

Such a huge amount of wealth is hidden in such an ordinary dwelling, if there is nothing tricky in it, no one will believe it!

The dazzling light of the treasure immediately aroused the instinctive greed and anger in everyone's heart, and suppressed all rational voices.

The noise intensified by more than ten decibels in an instant. It was originally just for many unrelated citizens who came to see the excitement, but under the leadership and encouragement of the plainclothes supporters, and the wealth in front of them that I could never earn through hard work, I became bloody. The boss was furious, and began to impassionedly and spontaneously preached the accusations against the archbishop by Luchen Frey to more people who did not know the situation, and even invited them to join their team of stolen goods.

After taking a brief inventory and leaving the soldiers to guard and transport, Mace Tyrell waved his hand and headed to the next hiding place under the leadership of Archbishop Lu Chen.

One place, two places, three places... The actions of the anti-stolen team seem aimless and random, but in fact they imply rules. The route can ensure that the least distance covers as large a non-repeated area as possible, so that the information can spread and influence the highest efficiency.These dens that were seized were not all the personal property of the archbishop, quite a few of them—probably more than half were accumulated by other archbishops.But in order to maximize the momentum and eyeball stimulation, they were all put under the same name.

Anyway, no one dares to jump out to claim these things, and try to try the tiger's mouth at the price of their lives... No, just grab the food from the dragon's mouth.

The sun rose from the eastern sky to the top of the head, and the news of the public report at the old town central market quickly spread throughout the city with the growth and actions of the anti-corruption team, which completely overwhelmed the investigation of Iger's criminal record and the Queen's blood. The heat of the discussion of sin.

During the wind and rain in the city, the party in the center of the vortex, the archbishop of the Seven Gods, sat slumped in the Starry Church, extremely remorseful.

Why do I have to mess with that man—clearly there are countless people who have proved with their lives that they can't mess with him?

Of course, the Church's struggle against the Targaryen Dynasty is not limited to spreading rumors. Unfortunately, his numerous follow-up preparations will probably remain in the planning and preparation stage forever.Iger didn't even wait for him to make a second move, and launched a thunderous counterattack before he could cover his ears, and went straight to kill him!The speed and ruthlessness of the method make people wonder: Has the other party already arranged everything, just waiting for him to take the first step to cross the thunder pool?

Unlike countless old town people who were still being pushed away by the tide, the archbishop now knew why Iger had a curfew last night.

That man was not afraid that the townspeople would gather together at night to discuss rumors unfavorable to him to continue to ferment, but to arrange today's extermination operation against him!

Every street and every string of alleys inside the city wall of the old town has been tightly controlled by the Western Expeditionary Army who entered the city overnight.Every place where wealth is hoarded and stored, even outside the high walls of the Starry Temple at this moment, is the queen's dogleg fully armed and on guard!

Although he has already learned about the situation in the city, he can neither arrange for the transfer and destruction of stolen money and evidence, nor can he withdraw from the city alone. Even after the collapse of the human establishment... he can't even encourage some devout believers to defend himself. I can only sit here alone, suffering and helplessly waiting for my ending general.

As dusk approached, the bleak red sunlight seemed to herald the end of himself and the Seven Gods.The archbishop knew: before the sun set, the last stop of the "stolen inspection team" that had already coerced tens of thousands of people must be where he was right now, the Starry Church!

-

Chapter 720 The Killer's Romance

Outside the house is bustling, inside the house is silent.

Ernst Ubi stood sideways by the window on the second floor facing the street, while flying up and down the noble and sharp tile-steel dagger in his hand, while carefully and sharply observing the outside through the slightly gapped window panel.

Not far away, the towering tower on Zhengzhan Island stands majestically, while the streets of the old town below are crowded with people and traffic.In addition to normal production and economic activities, the air is also full of discussions about the sacking of the former archbishop and the upcoming election of the new archbishop. People's voices and tone are full of joy and anticipation, and there is no slightest concern for the king's power over the church. , The dictator overrides the grievances and worries of all beings.

Even just a week ago, he, like most people in the world, would never have believed that such a thing would happen: unexpectedly someone could organize and instruct others to attack the Starry Temple in Old Town, the headquarters of the Seven Gods, and take the total The bishop was dragged out of his lair to parade in the streets-but he did not suffer the surging resistance and backlash from nobles and believers!

Half of the stolen property of the archbishop confiscated by Lord Mace Tyrell was returned to the church for worshiping the seven gods, repairing the church, and helping refugees; the other half was injected into the account of the newly established Old Town Autonomous Council. It will be used to stabilize prices and build new public facilities... In short, it will benefit the citizens.

In this way, the situation becomes:

The whistleblower was an insider of the church, and the Tyrell family, who was also a follower of the Seven Gods, took the lead in organizing the arrest and raid, and the ultimate beneficiary was every citizen within the generous and tall walls of Old Town.

The trinity is intertwined, and even if someone wants to find a place for the archbishop in the future, it will be difficult to count on Iger.

What a sophisticated, venomous and skillful power game method, with the iron fist and joy that are unique to those who come from the army, even as an enemy, I can't help but want to applaud!

If the Night Watchmen defeated the White Walkers, the Land Grant Army went all the way south, the Western Expeditionary Army smashed through the river bend... and a series of epic marches or feats, it is just rumors and stories for those who have not witnessed it with their own eyes.So this time, in the old town bureau, I witnessed the whole process like a grandfather hanging and beating his grandson, digging out the foundation of the Hightower family's millennium business, forcibly moving them, and countering the provocation and pressure of the church in a smooth manner, and even backhanded After the archbishop was replaced with a slap, Ernst really began to respect this enemy, and realized how difficult the mission and task he was shouldering were.

Braavos and Volantis, together with the other seven soy sauce free trade city-states, can never guarantee victory in a head-on confrontation... This person who is backed by Westeros and controls the power of the Seven Kingdoms .Even if they were lucky enough to win the war, the outcome would inevitably be that half of the world would be devastated.

Only by assassination and physical destruction can the cost and destruction be minimized!

When people are killed, they die.

This is a very simple truth.

No matter how high you are, how decisive you are, how good you are at fighting, or how wise you are, as long as your heart stops beating and your mouth and nose stop breathing, you will die and turn into a dust of history.

Ernst Whooby is the deputy head of the Braves Department of Affairs, and his official position is "the leader of the first operation group of the Special Affairs Department of the Iron Bank".If you haven't heard of the name, you're right—for his name is one of the greatest military secrets of Braavos, and indeed the world.

The word Urby means "assassin" in a certain dialect of Essos that has been wiped out by the Valyrians - Ernst Urby was born into a mysterious family that for generations has made it a point to end the lives of its own kind Among them, killing is his ancestral skill, just as the position of leader of the first action team is almost hereditary within his family.

Only troubles or enemies that seriously threaten the interests and future of Braavos, and which all other departments of the city-state are helpless to deal with, will be referred to the Ministry of Special Affairs;

And only the most intractable handful of these troubles will use the first action group;

And only the most critical and unmissable items or persons among this difficult group will make him, the team leader, give up the command from a remote position and lead the team to the front line in person.

And such a mission has not appeared for more than ten years.

When the old man Gordon Gallonier solemnly called him into the office and told him with a serious face that this task must be completed at all costs, Ernst actually didn't take it seriously: In the turbulent situation of defection and disappearance, an experienced and special talent like him should stay in Braavos and focus on hunting down those magical assassins who can change their faces, or at least organize to protect the "keykeepers" so that Counterattack against defectors is.How could he somehow cross the ocean to kill a night watchman who broke his oath?

This is a typical butcher's knife!

But now, he knows that he was wrong. This operation code-named "Dragon Slaying" is not only necessary, but Iger is listed as the No. [-] target, and the assassination priority is even ranked after Danny who is obviously the blood of the real dragon. There is no misjudgment of severity in the slightest.

……

When setting off from Braavos, the Iron Bank had already received information that Iger was about to embark on the Western Expedition. When Gordon Gallonier arranged a ship for Ernst Uby, he ordered him to go straight. It must be the last stop of the Western Expedition. The layout of the old town is waiting in the wings in advance.Half a month ago, Ernst was quite skeptical. What if the Hewan people won the war and defeated the Queen's Western Expedition? Fortunately, (maybe it's a pity?), in the end Iger did as the old man expected , very competitively killed and collapsed the Hewan coalition army and came under his nose.

From the day that the Prime Minister in Black led the Western Expeditionary Army into the old town with great momentum, Ernst began to observe the target in secret, compared with the existing information, and tailored a customized assassination plan for Iger. .

This observation didn't matter, Ernst immediately found himself facing an extremely difficult target.If it hadn't been for the intelligence showing that this person has always been vigilant about "bringing a dozen people to the toilet", Ernst would have almost suspected that the news had leaked, his assassination team had been exposed, and Iger knew someone was coming to kill him.

Bringing a dozen people to the bathroom is a joke, but the night watchman’s emphasis on his own safety and security is only more exaggerated than this: he lives in secluded places and never shows up unless necessary, and works mostly by remote control and rarely appears in public places; Most of his confidants followed him from the grassroots, and there was no possibility of being rebellious if he was loyal to him; there were people in his team who were proficient in magic like the high priest of the Red God, even if the Faceless Man had not defected, it would be difficult to be confused Get close to him; as for the guests who visit him, no matter men, women, old or young, high or low, all will be subject to interrogation and body search...

Ernst naturally thought of opening a breakthrough from the kitchen to poison, but this loophole was blocked tightly after being used once by an unknown colleague.

For a few moments, his crew wavered and wondered if the assassination mission was impossible.At this time, the role of sending the shrewd and powerful man—that is, Ernst Ubi himself to the front line is revealed: after careful observation and hard thinking, this professional from the killer family finally thought of a feasible solution. plan.

Assassination, the elimination of the assassination target is the goal - no one has ever stipulated that this must be done quietly.

If the target's security is comprehensive... It is difficult to replicate the elegant and classic "assassination" plan used to assassinate the Luo Jiaer brothers, then use a fashionable and modern, a little rough and wild plan to "kill" clearly, Also acceptable!

What Ernst thought of was what Iger brought to the world by himself——gunpowder!

After the gunpowder formula was "leaked" almost publicly, the Hightower family, who did not participate in the war, also formed a team of alchemists to conduct research. As the tower was occupied by Iger, the finished and semi-finished products in this studio were also abandoned in the warehouse And in the laboratory, it took a little effort to smuggle it out, and then make proper arrangements on the way Iger is going...

An idea popped up in Ernst's mind uncontrollably: If the assassination is successful, his name will be left in the family history like the great-great-great...grandfather who organized the assassination of the Rogal brothers 170 years ago. This "Dragon Slaying Action" will also be included in the classic success stories of the Special Affairs Department of the Iron Bank without any suspense, and it may even be among the best. Conduct research and analysis over and over again.

Is there anything more romantic than that for a killer?

Chapter 721

When you come out to hang out, you have to be trustworthy.I said to move your whole family, so I will definitely move your whole family.

After the autonomous parliament was quickly prepared to be formed, and the archbishop was dragged out of the Starry Cathedral to parade the public... After the internal and external environment of the entire old town was completely wiped out, he realized that no one would come to rescue him. The Hightower family finally recognized the situation and began to pack their luggage and plan their itinerary cooperatively. On the last day of Iger's seven-day deadline—that is, a week after he entered Old Town, he was "escorted" by a whole team of Unsullied Embark on the road to King's Landing.

Turning your hands into clouds and covering your hands as rain, that's probably the case, right?

Iger never thinks that he is a person with a desire for power. All his life trajectories in this world are driven forward helplessly, but when he really stands in a high position, he enjoys the feeling of looking down on everything. He admits that he does have So buoyant.

After completing the epic achievement of "moving the owner of the towering tower", Iger still did not leave with him: he received double good news from the Iron Islands and Qingting Island, so he flexibly changed the original itinerary and decided to continue to sit in the old town to supervise Command the assembly, integration and drill of the three fleets of the Iron Islands, Oldtown and Redwyne.Here, he will install most of the artillery columns carried by the Western Expeditionary Army on board, and conduct adaptive training for the artillerymen on naval battles...

Iger will start later than those who take the land route, and there is a high probability that he will return to King's Landing a few steps later. Daenerys will definitely be extremely irritable and anxious waiting for this.But a little waiting must be worth it: King's Landing cannot fall into the hands of slave owners, and when he returns to the Narrow Sea, he must be leading a joint fleet that has already hoisted the red dragon flag and can directly participate in the battle after running-in.

Today, he is going to the port to check and accept the results of the first phase of the artillery boarding.

The wooden wagon wheel rattled on the stone pavement, shaking from side to side amidst the rhythmic sound. As the economic capital of Westeros, the old town has excellent urban construction and infrastructure. Perfect, just like all APs and Leads - slightly dated and in disrepair.I hope that the self-governing council that is about to take power can make good use of the start-up funds I gave them to do some good things that can benefit the citizens... If it can’t even be corrupted, then it doesn’t matter, economic issues are always the best frontal struggle The handle, when you need to deal with them in the future, you can take it out and use it ready-made, and replace it with a group of people who are more obedient and loyal to the Queen.

There was noise and shouting again from the front of the road. This must be the cavalry guarding the Prime Minister's driving and driving away the stalls and other vehicles along the way.When he was a commoner before crossing over, he was tired of this kind of fanfare to disturb the people several times, but now, he really realized how much his time must be wasted, and in this dangerous away game, he must not Delayed on the road by any accident, became a fixed target for assassination or murder.

Although his carriage has been reinforced with a "bulletproof" design, it can still be easily shot through by a big guy like the Dragon Hunter Crossbow.

The noise soon stopped—if it was a stall that was spread too far, it must be closed. If there are passers-by or other vehicles passing by, they must stop at the side of the road to let him pass. The driver waved his hand lightly The whip in the middle speeded up slightly, trying to pass through this narrow passageway lined with buildings on both sides as soon as possible.

Iger withdrew his thoughts, and turned his head to look inside the carriage with some dumbfounding—the two red-robed women, one big and one small, were sitting opposite him.

Even though she had clearly told Myrcella that she would not transfer her work, this sensitive and stubborn little princess ran to Melisandre while she was not paying attention, and asked Rah Luo made a sacred conversion oath—vowed to dedicate himself to the Red God from now on, never to marry a husband or have children, and to follow and serve himself wholeheartedly for the rest of his life.He even used his pocket money to order a set (maybe several sets?) of a red dress similar in shape to the priest's robe, which he has been wearing since yesterday.

At this moment, she was sitting side by side with the glamorous Melisandre, both like sisters and mother and daughter, which really made Iger move his index finger.

Although seductive and capable, I have to think carefully about how Tyrion should explain.

……

The attack happened at this time without warning.

The source of the explosion was a two-wheeled cart that had just been driven to the side of the road by the advancing cavalry. To be precise, it was a few bags of goods loaded on it.The ignition device is a red-hot crossbow shot from a half-opened window not far above it... The timing of its launch is very accurate, just stuck in the moment Iger's carriage passed the small cart.The steel penetrates the sack and the cloth tightly wrapped around the gunpowder bag, and the high temperature ignites the dense black powder, and the gas that expands from the combustion does work violently, and instantly bursts its own container and camouflage, and is thrown away in the intense light and heat Numerous fragments were produced.

Iger was riding in a special carriage with a closed compartment, and he did not open the window to look out, so the fire did not hurt his eyes.He could only feel a loud "boom", and then the entire carriage was blown away as if being slapped into the center of a storm by a god with a giant palm. It rolled twice and hit the building across the street before stopping. He also threw it to a corner of the carriage, hit his head on a solid wooden bar, and fainted briefly.

In the east of Old Town, in the middle of the temporary camp of the Western Expeditionary Army, which is empty outside the wall and only dozens of basic guards are left, the green dragon Lei Ge, who was lying in the dragon's nest and sleeping soundly, suddenly opened his bronze eyes. It raised its slender head and neck and glanced at the slowly rising small mushroom cloud in the west, then got up and jumped, flapping its wings and flying towards the direction of the city amidst a gust of wind and exclamation.

"My lord, wake up!"

Iger was shaken back to reality. He opened his eyes in a daze, resisted the severe pain that seemed to be falling apart all over his body, and sat up on the floor of the carriage... on the ceiling, observing his surroundings amidst strong dizziness and tinnitus Come.

I don’t know if it’s the high quality or the power of the black powder is limited to this. Although the carriage is turned upside down 180 degrees, the overall structure is still intact. Only the windows are smashed by the air waves, and even the door panels are still where they should be. The location, the light slanted in from the window hole, and the air was full of choking smoke and the smell of gunpowder.

"How long have I been in a coma?" As soon as the words came out, Iger realized that this was nonsense. The smoke had not dissipated, and he should have just woken up after losing consciousness for a few seconds, so he changed his mouth and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Myrcella said with some guilt. She shared a car with Iger and Melisandre. Both adults passed out, but she was fine. Of course, it wasn't just because of good luck or strong bones that she was fine. Instead, he used the Prime Minister and Ms. Melisandre as human sandbags, so that he didn't end up in the same situation where he was bleeding and passed out. "You're bleeding!"

Iger, who was ringing in his ears, couldn't hear Myrcella's answer at all, but he still saw her gesture to touch his head, and stretched out his hand to his hair, and sure enough, his palm was covered with blood.

so close!

Although he was wearing armor, it was impossible for him to wear a helmet at all times, but if the impact was a bit heavier...

Immediately following the shock and fear, was a burst of burning and anger that suddenly emerged from his chest—the dragon scale bestowed by R'hllor seemed to have sensed the host's injury and distress, and was moving with unimaginable intensity. He Efficiency sent wave after wave of heat to all parts of his body, not only quickly stopped the bleeding on his scalp, but also suppressed the pain everywhere on his torso, which overwhelmed the discomfort, it was a sudden The time became extremely clear and turbulent fighting spirit and sense of power.

He now wants to tear the hands of the assassin who planned the attack!

After confirming that Iger was not in danger, Myrcella turned her head and looked in the direction of the car door: "What should we do now? Or, I'll go outside first and let you know if there's nothing wrong?"

"Don't move, just stay in the car!" Iger grabbed Myrcella, who was about to lean out, and dragged her back to him, "Since someone thought of and was able to organize this attack, they will definitely put me at risk." Hugh in the dead place. They must have a backup, if they leave the carriage at this moment, they will become a live target for crossbow arrows, wait here, take good care of Ms. Melisandre, and wait until the patrol comes to clear the field and provide ambulance!"

Chapter 722

As the first and second largest city in Westeros before, Old Town is naturally covered with layers of intelligence networks that belong to different forces and overlap with each other.Among them, the most powerful and most powerful one naturally belongs to the host Hightower's family, and the second-ranked one mostly eats the food of the Tyrell family who guards the river bend...

As for who ranked third, it was once a question mark, but as the two dynasties of "Mad King" Aerys Targaryen and "Spoiler" Robert Baratheon collapsed one after another, the two kings who were loyal to the two royal families The agents lost their top and allegiance, and now the ranks fell to the Iron Bank of Braavos.

The original purpose of the Iron Bank to set up this network was to monitor the scientific research of the Academy City, grasp the dynamics of the Holy See of the Seven Gods, and understand the city's economic activities, especially the development and policies of the Old Town Bank, before they might threaten Braavos. Report on financial status and city-state interests in a timely manner, and take appropriate actions to intervene or stifle signs of danger when necessary.With such strong aggressive malice and external forces, its organizational structure is different from the defensive intelligence networks deployed by other local forces, which are usually neutral in nature, and it pays special attention to hiding its own existence.

The middle and upper management of this network basically rely on dispatch rather than hiring local snakes, and the bottom layer also tries to use exclusive clerks and civilian informants that have nothing to do with other forces. The degree of overlap with other "networks" is the lowest, and it is naturally the most secretive.

However, there is no impenetrable wall in the world. Theoretically speaking, even if such an explosive and assassination preparation is not detected in advance, it will at least be noticed to a certain extent by the boss and the second in the front row. clue.

Herein lies the problem: after Iger entered the city, he put the Hightower family under house arrest, blocked their information transmission channels to the outside world, and left their intelligence network without a leader.After using administrative means to forcibly interfere with the power of the boss, let the intelligence network of the Tyrell family, who is the second child, easily rise to the top... The boss and the second child are fighting each other, coupled with the battle between royal power and religious power, chaos Among them, the series of actions secretly carried out by the third child who stayed out of the matter, it became a matter of course that he could successfully hide the truth.

Brief recap: It was Iger's rampage in Oldtown that created cover and opportunity for the Assassins to operate against him.

……

Gunpowder smoke filled the streets, and the road was full of horrified screams and running figures of nearby residents.

Unlike Iger, who has the protection of the reinforced carriage and the buffer of multi-layer thick wood boards, the steps and riding guards guarding the carriage have all endured the frontal impact of the explosion firmly.Even if he was not killed by stones and fragments on the spot, he was thrown to the side of the street by the air wave and hit the wall and passed out. Amidst the pain and groans of the wounded, even if he was lucky, the Unsullied soldier who was hard-boned struggled to think When he got up, he was immediately greeted by crossbow arrows from the second floor on both sides of the street.

Ernst Ubi quickly loaded the crossbow bolts, stared expressionlessly at the car downstairs on the street through the window hole that was blown away by the partition—the overturned carriage shrouded in white smoke, and waited quietly The next victim that might emerge from it.

But he didn't wait.

Either the target was comatose or dead, or he had wisely chosen to be a coward and wait for rescue—and with the style and norms of the Special Affairs Department of the Iron Bank, such uncertainties were absolutely not allowed to remain.

The prime minister's driving is divided into three parts: the front, the middle and the back. One is responsible for opening the way ahead and the other is responsible for avoiding being followed. Although the most important part in the middle, which executes the guards, has been reimbursed, the other guards at the two ends will react soon. Rescue... Not to mention that there are patrols of the Western Expeditionary Army everywhere in the city at the moment.

Time was against them.

"Go downstairs."

Ernst gave the order briefly and neatly, put away the guy and walked quickly to the stairs, quickly went downstairs to the street, and walked towards the carriage with two of his men.

"boom!"

"boom!"

Two more small explosions and flames came from both ends of the street. The members of the Special Affairs Department responsible for blocking the reinforcements from the other side had already fought with the front and rear of the Prime Minister's Guard. Ernst had to determine the outcome of the battle as soon as possible and take care of it. Finish everything and retreat.One step too late, they would all be martyrs today.

According to the previous plan, a can of Shanzhai Wildfire was handed to Ernst. He threw it out without looking at the can. Amidst the clear cracking sound, the green liquid with a pungent smell instantly splashed all over the horse. The entire side of the carriage.

It is rumored that the Commander-in-Chief of the Night Watch is a ruthless character who can tear the White Walker apart. "Open the door and enter the compartment to check if he is dead" is obviously a stupid idea.The tasks that can be completed with the help of tools are not in vain.

If no one rushed out after the flames engulfed the carriage, it would naturally mean that the mission was completed, but if Iger rushed out from inside... he would be greeted by three poisoned crossbow bolts.

The torch was also handed to Ernst, which he had clearly requested repeatedly before the start of the mission—in the face of the possibly most powerful and valuable prey in his life, he wanted to do it himself to show respect and grab the final blow by the way achievement signature.

The carriage door was kicked open with a bang, and a black figure rolled out of it, rushing towards them with a steel sword in hand.

Two crisp crossbow strings bounced from left to right in Ernst's ears. The two subordinates pulled the trigger and fired the crossbow arrows as soon as the target appeared. The sudden shooting made one The crossbow arrow missed, and although the other one hit the target, it still did not affect Iger's momentum of charging.

"Huh." Ernst sneered, and while quickly taking a step back, he let go of the torch and picked up the already wound crossbow hanging on his chest, aiming at Iger's chest during the movement, and fired without hesitation. Fired the third crossbow bolt.