The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 282: Evil is a Skill

The five prison wagons creaked and groaned as they traveled along the River Road to the famous Trident River crossroads inn. Everyone who saw the wagons turned pale.

The space inside the prison wagons was small, and the people crammed inside were unclothed. The wagons were made of iron bars, with the bars close to the prisoners' bodies, front and back. No matter what method was used, it was impossible to fit a grown adult into such a narrow space. Whoever put the people in the wagons must have used an unusual method.

The people inside the prison wagons had to remain standing, as it was impossible to sit down. Iron bars pressed into their muscles, front and back. Their necks were also fixed in place by circular iron collars that were just the right size, making it very difficult to turn their heads.

The iron bars of the prison wagons were embedded in flesh, and white muscle bulged out between the bars.

The faces of two of the men were so badly beaten that their features were indistinguishable.

The first prison wagon contained a fat woman, her white flesh bulging out between the iron bars. Her eyes were beaten shut, and she was muttering softly: "Water, water, water!"

This woman was none other than Lady Ryger of Harrenhal, whom the Mountain had let go.

The landlady of the crossroads inn came out when she heard the noise and was horrified to see Lady Ryger in such a state. Unable to restrain herself, she scooped up a bowl of water and brought it to Lady Ryger's lips. Lady Ryger's lips were cracked and dry, her face was purplish-blue, and she was forced to stand upright, her whole body deeply embedded in the iron bars of the prison wagon.

The red-cloaked soldier escorting the prison wagon laughed and said, "Landlady, don't meddle, or our general will hang you."

"Who is your general? Even if Lord Tywin came, I wouldn't be afraid. How can your general torture people like this without fear of divine retribution from the Seven Gods?"

"Our general is Amory Lorch," the soldiers laughed. "Landlady, quickly prepare good wine and food. We have to hurry on our way after we eat."

"Where are you going, officers?" the landlady asked, her tongue wagging, as she brought the wooden ladle to Lady Ryger's lips. Lady Ryger's eyes were unable to open, and her face was covered with countless small cuts, dripping with blood. She smelled the water and tasted the sweet, fresh water at her lips, instinctively and eagerly drinking.

Swish!

An arrow flew, pierced the wooden ladle, and took it from the landlady's hand. A general rode up on horseback, none other than Amory Lorch, the Westerlands general who was determined to surpass the Mountain in notoriety for evil deeds.

Amory Lorch said, "Landlady, what is your name?"

"Marsha Heddle!"

"Marsha Heddle, do you have a long rope in your inn?" Amory Lorch looked up at a huge tree in the courtyard. The tree was ancient, and some black ravens were perched on it, cawing incessantly.

"Yes, General, we have a long rope."

"Tell your workers to bring the rope out."

"Yes, General." Marsha Heddle's face changed. She sensed something bad was about to happen, but she couldn't refuse. General Amory Lorch's soldiers were arriving one after another, numbering in the hundreds.

Why hadn't the Westerlands army been ambushed by the Riverlands forces along the way? Had the armies of the nobles been defeated or destroyed? Marsha Heddle was a Riverlands subject. Lady Catelyn had captured Tyrion Lannister, the Imp, at her inn. Had Lord Tywin found out about that? But what did it have to do with a small commoner like her?

The rope was brought out, and all the guests in the inn were driven out, as were the workers and cooks. Marsha Heddle's husband, daughter, and son were also driven out.

Amory Lorch dismounted, drew his longsword, and held it to the throat of a young man dressed in coarse cloth: "Boy, do you want to go home safely?"

"Ser… I don't have a home. Marsha took me in."

"Oh, then I'm very sorry." Amory's sword pierced the boy's throat, entering in the front and exiting at the back of his neck.

More than a dozen guests and the inn's workers and cooks trembled with fear.

This made Amory Lorch laugh heartily.

He loved seeing people afraid of him, which brought him physical and mental pleasure.

Amory put his sword to the heart of the second person and laughed, "Strong man, what do you do?"

"I'm a fisherman, my lord." The strong man was almost kneeling.

"A fisherman?"

"Yes, a fisherman. My boat is on the Red Fork River not far from here."

"You're a fisherman here?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Then do you know Marsha Heddle?"

"…Yes…my lord." The strong man had bronze skin, large hands and feet, and eyes filled with fear.

The bright longsword was pressed against his heart. A light stab and he would be dead. The boy who had just been killed lay at his feet.

"Then you should also know Marsha Heddle's family?"

"…Yes…my lord…"

"Tell me, who is her family," Amory Lorch said with a smile.

The strong man pointed to Marsha Heddle's husband, daughter, and son.

Amory Lorch moved his longsword away from the strong man's heart and slowly moved it to his wrist. The strong man knelt down with a thud, his face showing a pleading expression: "My lord, please spare my life."

"Because you identified Marsha Heddle's family, I'll give you a choice: do you want to keep your heart or your right hand?"

The strong man didn't answer, and kowtowed repeatedly.

Amory Lorch laughed: "So you want to keep your right hand." He kicked the strong man over, and his longsword was pressed against the strong man's heart.

"No!" the strong man shouted, his voice filled with horror.

Chop!

With a crisp sound, Amory's longsword circled, a cold light flashed, and the strong man's right hand was chopped off: "So you wanted to keep your heart."

The strong man let out a wolf-like howl.

Amory Lorch and the soldiers around him laughed heartily.

Amory laughed: "Fisherman, if you don't leave, I'll shoot you with an arrow."

The fisherman picked up his right hand and staggered away. Amory Lorch and his brothers burst into laughter again.

Amory pointed his longsword at Marsha Heddle's husband: "Innkeeper, can I ask you for a favor?"

"…My lord, please command…"

"Come, tie this rope into a noose and put it around Marsha Heddle's neck." Amory's longsword slid across the man's chest and slowly pointed to Marsha's daughter. The longsword stopped at the daughter's chest and shook gently. The blade of the longsword was extremely sharp. The clothes on the girl's chest were cut open, revealing her full chest, which had already been cut by the blade, and blood oozed out.

"Do it," Marsha Heddle suddenly roared angrily at her husband.

"If you don't put the rope around the landlady's neck, I'll let you see how your daughter is fucked to death by my brothers." Amory's eyes were full of lewd smiles as he looked at his soldiers. "If you can't fuck her to death, I'll fuck you to death."

The soldiers burst into laughter, and many soldiers swore that they would fuck the girl until she couldn't move anymore.

The man suddenly burst into tears, like a helpless child. He tied the rope into a knot and tremblingly put it around Marsha Heddle's neck. Then he knelt on the ground, buried his head in his arms, and sobbed.

"Boy, go up the tree, loop the rope over that big tree trunk, and throw the end down." Amory's longsword pointed at Marsha's son. "If you have any filial piety, hang Marsha cleanly. Otherwise, I'll let you see how miserably Marsha will die." Amory gave an artist-like smile. "Look at Lady Ryger's prison wagon. This is my invention. I call it the Clamp Wagon. The Clamp Wagon has a small space, and the body of any adult cannot be stuffed into it, but I stuffed Lady Ryger in. Do you know why?"

The boy's eyes were bloodshot, his body was shaking, his lips turned purple, and his face was as white as snow.

"The Clamp Wagon is forcibly closed on people from both sides," Amory laughed. "First, fix one side of the iron bars on the wagon, then push Lady Ryger up to the iron bars, and then put the other side of the iron bars in front of Lady Ryger. Several strong men behind Lady Ryger hold up the fixed iron bars, while seven or eight strong men in front of Lady Ryger push the iron bars in front of the lady with force until the two sides of the iron bars are close to the position of the lock, and then lock the buckle. The Clamp Wagon is stuffed with people."

The boy didn't even dare to look at Lady Ryger's tragic state. The space in the Clamp Wagon was barely enough for a child, but it was forcibly clamped on Lady Ryger's fat body.

"Boy, even if all the locks on the iron bars of the prison wagon are released now, Lady Ryger will not want you to take the iron bars off her body, because they are embedded so deeply in the flesh. If Lady Ryger lives long enough, her fat will wrap around the iron bars and grow."

The boy's legs went weak, but he was forced to stand up straight slowly by Amory's longsword.

"Are you willing to go up the tree and hang Marsha, or will we do it and slowly play her to death?" Amory laughed.

"…My lord…we are just commoners…why are you doing this to us…" Marsha Heddle asked hoarsely.

"Oh! You finally thought of the key to the problem. Yes, you are just commoners and can provide us with wine and food, but why should I hang you? Why?" Amory Lorch looked at his smiling soldiers. "Why is that? Does anyone know?"

"Landlady, when you were feeding Lady Ryger water, I kindly reminded you that you would be hanged for giving Lady Ryger water without the general's permission," the soldier escorting the prison wagon laughed.

"Who is your general? Even if Lord Tywin came, I wouldn't be afraid. How can your general torture people like this without fear of divine retribution from the Seven Gods?" Amory Lorch imitated Marsha Heddle's tone. His effeminate tone made the soldiers laugh again.

"Marsha Heddle, I'm not afraid of divine retribution from the Seven Gods. I'm only afraid that the Seven Gods won't give me retribution." Amory's longsword pointed to Marsha's son. "Boy, go up the tree and let's end this cleanly."

Marsha Heddle looked at her child and said, "Go up the tree, child, I won't blame you." Before she finished speaking, she suddenly rushed towards Amory Lorch, waving her hands, and slapped Amory Lorch's face with her thick palms.

Amory laughed, stepped back and dodged, and his longsword flashed twice, cutting off Marsha Heddle's hands. Marsha Heddle's screams caused the crows on the top of the tree to fly up with a flutter, cawing in alarm, and fly into the sky.

Marsha Heddle fell to the ground, rolling and screaming.

Her husband fainted from fright, his whole body twitching on the ground. The boy knelt down, his eyes blank and unfocused. The girl rushed towards Marsha, but was kicked over by Amory. Then he reached out and tore off the girl's outer clothes. The girl struggled desperately, and Amory slapped her backhand, almost knocking her out. Then he kicked her again, kicking the girl into a crouching position like a shrimp, her body constantly convulsing and shaking.

Amory chuckled: "Boy, go up the tree, throw the rope down, and I'll let your sister go."

The boy stared blankly at Amory Lorch. He got up mechanically and climbed up the big tree amidst the jeers and laughter of Amory and others. Following Amory's instructions, he looped the rope over the trunk and threw it down. Then he slid down the tree, brought a bucket of cold water, and woke up his unconscious father.

Under the coercion of longswords and spears, the father and son hoisted Marsha Heddle up, hanging her in mid-air, and then tied the end of the rope to the tree trunk.

Amory laughed and threw two copper stars at the feet of the father and son: "You did a good job, you were very obedient. These two copper stars are a reward for you. Innkeeper, now go cook us some food, and be quick about it."

"Yes, my lord!" the man replied mechanically, his eyes unfocused, and walked into the inn. Amory nodded, and two soldiers followed him.

Amory threw two more copper stars at the boy's feet: "Boy, I've already paid. Your sister is ours tonight."

The soldiers cheered, whistles, curses, and foul language rang out.

Marsha's body, hanging in the air, was still convulsing and twisting, her appearance terrifying.

Swish!

An arrow flew, passing in front of Amory Lorch, and hit Marsha's throat. Marsha's twisted body stiffened, and then suddenly relaxed completely, no longer moving.

Everyone was shocked and looked around. A black shadow flashed, and another arrow shot out, nailing it to the big tree. The shaft of the arrow vibrated, and a golden dragon was tied to the tail with a red silk thread.

"I'll pay a golden dragon. Tonight, the girl is mine!" A clear voice was as sharp as a knife.

The sound of hooves came from the Kingsroad. Three riders led the way, the middle one a lithe girl, and the riders on either side were slender and strong. The slender man held a longbow in his hand, and it was clear that he had fired the two arrows just now.

Behind the three, about a hundred riders followed closely.

Amory Lorch laughed: "Miss Julli, if you need a maid, take her."

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