The Mountain of Ice and Fire

While Little Demon was lost in a blissful daze, the Mountain led the Steven Clegane Legion to land at the port of Braavos.

Meanwhile, Arya and Ian's legions also withdrew from the Iron Bank island, advancing towards the Sea Lord's Palace by land.

Ian's legion left a thousand-man regiment to garrison the Iron Bank island, with seven hundred-man squads defending the docks and stone arch bridges. Three hundred men were stationed at the military fortress in front of the Iron Bank.

Arya left her long-faced senior sister and junior sister, Little Enchantress, to secretly defend the Iron Bank.

The Iron Bank's wealth was astonishing, requiring careful guarding.

The official in charge of the Iron Bank was still the former key keeper of the Iron Bank—Attwood. He and his wife knelt before the Mountain and swore allegiance. The Mountain believed that Attwood had seen too much gold and jewelry, and his greed for wealth might have been completely overcome. Compared to the mercenaries in Ian's army, the Mountain was more willing to trust Attwood's character. He judged that Attwood was a more trustworthy person when it came to gold.

Even if Attwood was not trustworthy, the three hundred-man squads assisting him in guarding the Iron Bank were from Ian's legion and were completely unfamiliar and hostile to him. The key keeper and the soldiers assisting him in guarding the Iron Bank were wary of each other, making it difficult to form a united force in a short time, even if the wealth was tempting.

Of course, what the Mountain didn't know was that Arya Stark had sent her two most trusted Faceless Men to secretly help him guard the astonishing wealth of the Iron Bank.

*

The Mountain would naturally arrange his own people to guard the Iron Bank, but the legions closest to Braavos were only the Ragged Prince of Pentos, the Dothraki cavalry, and the surrendered pirate legions of the Stepstones. Among the pirate legions, the Mountain believed that the most trustworthy person was General Steven Clegane, whom he had granted a surname and noble status.

According to the Mountain's plan, General Steven Clegane led a thousand-man regiment to Braavos.

These were the Mountain's own people, whom he was relatively more willing to trust.

The dragon slowly flew low over the skies of Braavos, with the Mountain riding on its back, allowing the people on the streets to see his figure. Daenerys, riding the black dragon, was on his right, and her great fame in Braavos brought a very good subtle influence of awe to the Mountain's conquest.

Below the dragon and the black dragon was a thousand-man legion advancing with swords raised high—the Steven Clegane Legion.

At the same time, in the squares, streets, and markets of the various islands of Braavos, the Maesters were leading hundred-man squads of General Ian's army to announce the major change of ownership in Braavos—Gregor Clegane, the dragon king from Westeros, had arrived!

Before the Maesters' announcements, the name of the dragon king Gregor Clegane had already spread among the people of Braavos. The hundred-man squads patrolling and garrisoning the various islands were all mercenaries. After receiving the Maesters' announcements, they advanced towards the Sea Lord's Palace under the leadership of their centurions to pay respects to the new Sea Lord.

News of the upheaval in Braavos began to spread like wildfire in every corner of Braavos with the Maesters' energetic propaganda!

—The fat Sea Lord had been killed by the dragon king, the power of the Iron Bank had been completely destroyed, the wealth of the Iron Bank had been taken over by the dragon king, the most powerful naval fleet in Braavos had surrendered to the dragon king, and the naval commander-in-chief, Vincent, personally led the team and sent the best longships to conquer the city-state of Lorath—and more importantly, the House of Black and White on the Isle of Gods had a deep connection with the dragon king, they accepted the existence of the dragon king, and chose to stand on the side of the dragon king.

And it was said that the real reason the dragon king came to Braavos was to save the House of Black and White on the Isle of Gods!

Before the dragon king attacked Braavos, the House of Black and White, the Sea Lord's Palace, and the Iron Bank had already broken apart—a mysterious prophet came to Braavos and persuaded the Iron Bank and the Sea Lord's Palace to assassinate the dragon king of Westeros, this plan eventually led to leaks, and was collectively opposed by the seven elders of the House of Black and White, however, soon after, the seven elders of the House of Black and White died strangely at the same time, it is said that this death was related to the Iron Bank, the Sea Lord's Palace, and the mysterious prophet.

The newly appointed Heavenly Mandate Elder of the House of Black and White took office, she rejected the agreement proposed by the Iron Bank, the Sea Lord's Palace, and the prophet to assassinate the dragon king, and ultimately led to a break with the Iron Bank and the Sea Lord's Palace. The Iron Bank and the prophet conspired to burn down the House of Black and White, wiping out all the Faceless Men in the House of Black and White, and the dragon king in Westeros was also a rare prophet, he saw the crisis of the House of Black and White on the Isle of Gods from the oracle, so he came with his dragon to save the House of Black and White and the Heavenly Mandate Elder.

The new Heavenly Mandate Elder of the House of Black and White was from Westeros, and had a secular friendship with the dragon king before coming to Braavos. After she returned to Westeros from the House of Black and White, she became the dragon king's personal guard.

These messages circulating in the streets and alleys provided a righteous annotation and moral shaping for the Mountain's invasion.

However, the citizens of Braavos did not care much about justice and morality, as long as the dragon king did not indiscriminately kill citizens, as long as the Faceless Men of the House of Black and White really supported the dragon king, they maintained their wait-and-see attitude in surprise and doubt.

The mercenaries in various places were different, as long as someone paid them salaries, they did not mind whether the Sea Lord was a fat man or a giant.

Among the mercenaries who made a living in Braavos, a considerable number were Unsullied soldiers.

Unsullied soldiers had a very recognizable sign: bronze armor, spiked helmets, shields, and long spears!

The dragon flew low in the skies of Braavos, and civilians, nobles, mercenaries, merchants, fishermen, craftsmen, and apprentices all looked up at the behemoth and the giant on its back. No matter what they were thinking in their hearts, the Mountain did not see anyone stand up to oppose him, nor did anyone shout slogans to fight.

Braavos was the freest trading city-state, there were no slaves here, and even servants were free citizens.

*

Half an hour later, the Mountain's dragon arrived in front of the Sea Lord's Palace. Looking at the neatly arranged original mercenary legions of Braavos in front of the Sea Lord's Palace, the Mountain suddenly felt how outrageous it was that he had ordered Ian's legion to plunder the Sea Lord's Palace—that was him carrying out the most thorough looting of his own home. This fully illustrated that he was still a novice when it came to the profession of being a king—whether in his previous life or this life, he had no experience of being a king to draw on.

He was not experienced!

This was a lesson!

For the future conquest of Lys, Myr, Tyrosh, Qarth, and other places, conquest was enough, there was no need to destroy those famous buildings, nor was there a need to plunder those wealthy cities.

The Mountain reflected on himself: he felt that he had been somewhat inconsiderate. And Daenerys had not offered any reminders, which showed that Daenerys was also not experienced.

The original intention of the Mountain and Daenerys in coming to Braavos was indeed not to take Braavos. They just wanted to save Arya Stark.

And as for burning down the Iron Bank's fortress and defenses, now it seemed like it was actually a stupid thing to do. —Actually, it was only necessary to kill all the people in the Iron Bank, those remarkable giant stone houses and perfect high-tower buildings could be completely left for their own use.

It was easy to destroy, but difficult to rebuild!

Moreover, once he became the king of Braavos, those damaged properties actually seemed to be his!

The dragon slowly landed, and the mercenary legions filling the square numbered about eight thousand people, these people were shocked by the dragon and shaken by the Mountain's giant size. When the mercenaries were all watching the Mountain intently, no one knew that the incomparably mighty dragon king was actually regretting his impulsiveness in his heart. But the Mountain also knew that although the burning of the Iron Bank's fortress was too regrettable, the ruthless attack could make the citizens and soldiers of Braavos feel more awe towards him.

The Mountain's gaze fell on the statue in the square—the Sea Lord's statue.

So many things that should not have been burned were burned, but the thing that should have been burned the most was preserved.

"Are you willing to no longer be mercenaries? I hope you can become the royal professional legion, fight for me, obtain fiefs and titles through military exploits, benefit your descendants, and establish your own foundations," the Mountain's voice resounded throughout the audience.

"I submit, pledge allegiance to Your Majesty, and will no longer be a mercenary," a centurion said loudly.

He took the lead in kneeling on one knee, drew the saber from his waist, held it in both hands, and raised it above his head.

The soldiers behind the centurion knelt on one knee together, drew their sabers or swords from their waists, raised them high above their heads, and swore allegiance to the Mountain.

This was an easily contagious chain reaction.

For most mercenaries, they were willing to be professional soldiers of the royal family or the governor, rather than be mercenaries who could lose their jobs at any time. However, some generals preferred to do mercenary work rather than be professional officers of some big shot, because that would be subject to many military laws.

In just a short while, all the officers and soldiers knelt down, holding their swords in both hands, raised them above their heads, swore allegiance to the Mountain, and petitioned to be the king's professional legion, no longer being mercenaries.

Having a lifetime job was better than finding something to do here today and going to another place to take on a task tomorrow.

The Mountain was very satisfied with the mercenaries' actions.

Standing beside the Mountain were Daenerys Targaryen and General Steven Clegane. On the three people's sides were two dragons, one large and one small. Behind them was a valiant thousand-man legion.

"Very good, I announce that from this moment on, all of you are my, Gregor Clegane's, royal legions, usually stationed in Braavos, and will follow me to conquer the world in times of war," the Mountain drew the giant sword on his back and pointed it to the sky, "Long live Braavos!"

"Long live Braavos!" The soldiers stood up, shouted together, and raised their swords, like a shining forest.

The Mountain had the talent and ability to make the soldiers' blood boil with just a few words.

"Now, send out three hundred-man squads, pull down the Sea Lord's statue, and remove all the base of the fat statue for me."

Dozens of centurions stood up together, vying for the opportunity to pull down the Sea Lord's statue.

The Mountain took a fancy to a centurion, this centurion was the first to kneel and express his submission to him.

"What's your name?" the Mountain asked the centurion.

"Your Majesty, my name is Bean, from Tyrosh."

"Bean, you are now a general of a thousand-man regiment, all the nine hundred-man regiments here and your own hundred-man regiment are under your jurisdiction. I will entrust you with the task of pulling down the fat statue."

"As you command, Your Majesty." Bean immediately knelt on one knee, lowered his head, and pressed his right fist tightly against his left chest.

The sound of horses' hooves came from the stone arch bridge. The two leading the way were Arya Stark and General Ian. Behind them was a carriage, and Bran Stark was sitting inside the carriage. Faceless Men surrounded the carriage, and two thousand-man regiments followed closely behind.

Arya Stark saw Bean from afar, and her heart skipped a beat.

That Bean seemed to have faint traces of disguise.

Arya Stark rode over, her eyes fixed on Bean, who was directing the pulling down of the Sea Lord's statue.

That guy's face was not his real face.

Was he a remnant of the Iron Bank?

Or another assassin?

In Braavos, assassins were Faceless Men; in Westeros, the mysterious person was the Stranger; in Slaver's Bay, assassins were the Sons of the Harpy; in Qarth, assassins were the Manticores... there were assassins all over the world, and some were good at disguise... however, in the whole world, the most famous were the Faceless Men in the House of Black and White on the Isle of Gods.

Faceless Men—names spoken, death descends—each one was an assassin among assassins.

This Bean was not an ordinary person, not an ordinary centurion, he had the characteristics of an assassin, changing his original appearance.

"Who is he?" Arya asked the Mountain.

The Mountain followed Arya's gaze to look at Bean.

"He is Bean, from Tyrosh, a mercenary centurion, the first general to kneel and submit to me."

"He is valiant, agile, and looks like his martial arts are very good," Arya praised.

"Yes, there are also outstanding talents among the mercenaries," the Mountain was very satisfied with Bean's appearance, temperament, words, and deeds in all aspects.

Bean's appearance was also outstanding!

General Ian and Bran's carriage arrived together.

The crowd dismounted and paid their respects to the Mountain King, and Bran also got out of the carriage with the help of the Faceless Men and sat in a wheelchair. In the wheelchair, he pressed his hands on his left chest to pay his respects to the Mountain, calling him Your Majesty.

Rumble!

With a loud noise, the fat Sea Lord's statue was pulled down, and in the dust, the marble on the ground and the statue shattered together.

"Why not use dragon fire?" Arya asked.

"Letting the Sea Lord's soldiers pull down the Sea Lord's statue with their own hands is more meaningful than burning it with dragon fire," the Mountain said. This was the Mountain's way of controlling people. He paid great attention to these small details.

Half an hour later, on the square in front of the Sea Lord's Palace, the Sea Lord's statue was completely removed and turned into rubble and thrown into the trash.

The Mountain led the generals into the Sea Lord's Palace.

Although Daenerys was the queen of Slaver's Bay, she still submitted to the Mountain and became the first person on the right-hand side of the Mountain, who was sitting on the throne.

The Mountain began his first political affairs meeting in Braavos.

Bean took the lead in attending and said: "Your Majesty, the loyalty of the Unsullied is beyond doubt, your subject suggests that Your Majesty gather all the Unsullied in the legion and form the Royal Guard of the Sea Lord's Palace, or send them to defend the Iron Bank."

"Good idea, Bean, you are in charge of this matter."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Arya looked at Bean with indifference, Arya could not tell whether this person was an enemy or a loyal subject to the Mountain. But one thing Arya was very sure of: Bean was not this person's real face.

Arya looked at Bran in his wheelchair. She was responsible for protecting the Mountain's safety and needed Bran's prophetic powers to make a judgment about Bean.