At dawn, a thick fog wrapped around the Great Lagoon like a quilt, reducing visibility to only a few hundred meters.
The people of Braavos had not yet woken from the nightmare of the previous night when something even more terrifying occurred—a third "meteor" fell in front of the Titan of Braavos, splashing up a water column dozens of meters high.
...Well, it missed its mark.
But the dragon's intention was clear: it was trying to destroy the Titan!
In terms of symbolism, the Titan of Braavos to the Braavosi was like the Statue of Liberty to the Americans.
In terms of national defense, the Titan guarded Braavos' only entry point.
Without the giant fortress, more than half of Braavos' defense would be compromised; and given how narrow the channel was, if the Titan collapsed, the falling boulders would surely block the entrance.
The fourth strike wasn't a "meteor" from the sky. Instead, the two dragons each carried four or five barrels filled with cotton and fire oil, dropping them from a height of five hundred meters onto the Titan's head.
This time, there was no miss—the Titan's upper body was set ablaze.
The intense heat didn't kill many guards; nearly 99% had already evacuated the fortress when the first "meteor" hit the sea, splashing up countless waves. Only a small death squad remained, stationed on the Titan's shoulders, head, and even in its mouth, operating anti-dragon ballistae.
From its chest to its head, the Titan was made of bronze-coated giant stones, so it couldn't be melted by the fire oil. But the extreme heat still caused the Titan to "change its face."
From a towering, roaring, majestic warrior, it now looked like a slumped, wrinkled, droopy-eyed "fallen old man."
...Yes, bronze deforms under high temperatures.
By now, daylight had fully arrived. At the Old Clothes Wharf, countless foreign ships hastily departed, rushing for the channel.
Meanwhile, an influx of foreign merchants swarmed the Iron Bank, cashing in deposit slips, withdrawing gold, and closing their personal accounts—planning to flee Braavos for good.
All over the city's canals, small family-laden boats began relocating in droves.
On Water Spring Isle, in a modest gray stone house, a large round table had been set up in the living room.
Old man Gugasnai trembled as he held a parchment letter, his sallow face twitching with a mix of fury and confusion.
Suddenly, he slammed the letter down, pointed at Sea Lord Copernicus seated at the head of the table, and roared, "Arrest this traitor who has thrown our government into chaos and sullied the honor and reputation of Braavos!"
"I..." Copernicus looked as pale as a corpse.
Fatty Bessaro rubbed his weary face and said with a sigh, "Copernicus, it's your turn to sacrifice yourself for Braavos."
"Copernicus, we will remember you," the acting councillors said solemnly, with glimmers of tears in their eyes—which only made Copernicus... well, he twisted his face in rage, nearly bursting a lung.
"Your Excellency," said a stern-faced man with a square jaw, "you have two sons, three daughters, a nearly sixty-year-old mother, four brothers, one sister, and so many cousins they could fill a whole street."
"Sigh..." Copernicus seemed to go limp, collapsing into his wooden chair, looking utterly defeated. "Give me a bottle of Sweet Sleep Flower. I'm afraid of pain."
Sweet Sleep Flower was a poison that caused a painless death.
"Be brave, Your Majesty!" Seeing Copernicus give in, Fatty Bessaro perked up, gently encouraging, "You are the prime culprit, the root of all evil, the origin of all disaster and curse.
Only by enduring the curses of the masses, the whip of the Mother of Dragons, and the scorching fire of the Demon Dragon can the people release their rage, the world restore trust in Braavos, and the Dragon Queen calm her wrath.
And only then can Deathwing fulfill his mission of cleansing earthly sins and return to being a guardian of peace and justice."
"I..." Copernicus's facial muscles twisted so violently that his features nearly dislocated. "Bessaro, f*** your mother!"
Braavos surrendered to the demon dragon.
The dragon soared through the sky, followed on the ground by over a dozen strong horses. Their riders vigorously waved a massive flag of peace—a multicolored striped banner.
"Great Big Black, Black Dragon God, Lord Deathwing! The traitor has been seized, the filth purged, and justice delivered! Mercy, compassion!" the knights shouted as they ran.
Daenerys hadn't planned to pay them any mind. According to her plan, she still needed to drop all forty iron rods and two hundred barrels—ten tons total—of fire oil stored on the ship.
She hadn't even used one-tenth yet. How could she offer them mercy?
But soon, even the usually kind-hearted Bessaro joined in, raising a peace flag and shouting up at the black dragon, "The traitor has been executed—we request negotiations!"
She couldn't ignore the House of Black and White. Otherwise, this conflict might truly escalate into an all-out, no-limits war.
She had to admit, Daenerys was deeply wary of the House of Black and White.
Especially after confirming that the Faceless Men weren't solely based within the House, her caution only grew.
No matter how powerful her magic or her flames, she couldn't hurt enemies she couldn't see.
But her hidden enemies could see her every move—every friend she had.
Luckily, the House of Black and White was in the same awkward position: the Faceless Men couldn't defeat the Dragon Queen, and the Dragon Queen could threaten the very foundation of the House—Braavos.
Hovering above an arch bridge spanning two islands, Big Black descended to two hundred meters, circling above the knights' heads. In a thunderous voice, he said, "What do you wish to say? I am busy seeking the next place of punishment."
Bessaro and the others were shocked—because the dragon was now flying along the Sweetwater Canal, heading toward Purple Wind Isle.
The Sweetwater Canal was Braavos' lifeline.
Built from gray stone and bricks, supported from below by tiered arched bridges like modern elevated highways, it spanned the city and provided clean, drinkable freshwater to the Braavosi.
This water came from spring-fed lakes in the southern mountains of Essos, flowing across marshes and wetlands for dozens of kilometers before finally reaching Braavos' canal and its mouth at sea.
The entire city—beggars to Sea Lords, dockworkers to Iron Bank guards—relied on this canal for survival.
Because seawater is undrinkable, and the canal water flows through the swamps, drinking it directly can cause disease. It cannot be consumed without boiling.
The demon dragon actually intends to target the Sweetwater Canal?!
Moreover, the poor draw water from public fountains with buckets, while the rich build pipelines to divert water directly into their homes. In other words, by following the pipelines, one can locate the homes of the wealthy.Among them, Purple Wind Isle is densely covered with such pipelines, which means it is a gathering place for the wealthy!
This is deadly!
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How can the demon dragon be so clever and cunning? How is anyone supposed to survive like this?
"Great BB, please show mercy! We can talk this out!"The fat man, Bessaro, stuck the peace flag into the ground beside him, cupped his sausage-like hands around his mouth like a megaphone, and shouted loudly:"Please stop and listen! The insane, inhumane, treacherous, greedy, bloodthirsty, and honorless Copernicus has already been captured by the rebels this morning. His puppet regime has been overthrown, and many Purple-Robed Army rebels have also been apprehended and detained. All that remains is for you to carry out justice and punish them accordingly."
"Braavos broke its word. I can no longer trust you," the demon dragon said, shaking its massive head. Its voice echoed in all directions.
"Someone is willing to vouch for this second negotiation and swear by the Many-Faced God. The House of Black and White stands with Braavos through life and death, honor and disgrace, and will never again allow Braavos to break its word or lose its honor."
The gentle tone of the voice was calm and peaceful, but it carried an unyielding and resolute determination — the Faceless Men would live and die with Braavos. To destroy Braavos would be to declare a war to the death against the House of Black and White.
"Very well. The reputation of the Faceless Men is known across the world. Since the House of Black and White is willing to vouch for the people of Braavos, I will convey your request for a second negotiation to my mother."
Black roared loudly, ensuring that his voice could be heard by residents and travelers on the nearby islands.
"Ah, the nightmare is finally coming to an end."The people of Braavos, who had spent the entire night in fear, wept tears of joy.
But some foreign merchants still expressed concern: "Let's hope the House of Black and White doesn't go back on their word. If they do, Braavos will truly become unlivable."
"The House of Black and White — the very nest of the Faceless Men — and you still don't trust their reputation?"
"Trust? In times like these, even the Iron Bank isn't trustworthy anymore. And we're talking about a bunch of assassins—"
"Shh! Are you out of your mind? Speaking ill of the Faceless Men? If you really must say it, at least whisper! You're saying that in front of so many people—are you an idiot?"His companion rebuked him loudly.
The crowd around them looked over with odd expressions in their eyes.
Black circled up into the sky and disappeared into the dense mist.
With the backing of the House of Black and White, the news that the officials of Braavos would enter a second round of negotiations with the Dragon Queen spread rapidly.The people of Braavos had mixed feelings — hope, anxiety, fear, and resentment.They didn't know whether to hate the demon dragon, the Dragon Queen, or the oath-breaking officials.
Until the authorities made an announcement:The ringleader of the coup, Copernicus Yalason, and the Purple-Robed Army traitor, Cantona, had been arrested and were now detained on the deck of the Purple Ship, paraded along the canal for public viewing.
Numerous heralds — some on horseback, others rowing boats — spread across the streets and waterways of Braavos, announcing the suppression of the rebellion and the overthrow of the puppet regime.
It was a clear signal:Everyone, go throw rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables!
Anger, fear, hatred, and resentment found a release.Citizens swarmed to the canal banks. Some even followed by boat, hurling insults and rotten produce at the Purple Ship as it passed by.
Foreigners at the Old Clothes Vendor's Wharf who heard the black dragon's roar also had mixed feelings.Some let out a sigh of relief: their ships and cargo were safe.Others felt disappointed:Damn it, why are the people of Braavos such cowards? Our allied army of hundreds of thousands is advancing toward Slaver's Bay — what are you afraid of? Worst case, join the alliance and fight the Mother of Dragons to the bitter end!At the very least, you could use the flesh and blood of Braavos to block the demon dragon's "meteor storm."If they could keep one or two of the dragons occupied, that would be even better — especially that Deathwing. He's terrifying.
Old Clothes Vendor's Wharf, bridge of the Laurel Breeze.
"Papa, do we still need to leave Braavos right away?" the bald, dark-skinned girl Koja asked her father.
"Well..."Kuhuru, wearing a cloak of yellow and green feathers, hesitated."I trust the Dragon Queen's word. As long as the negotiations succeed, the demon dragon will surely stop wreaking havoc in Braavos.
In fact, Deathwing — Big Black — already showed mercy to foreign merchants last night.
Otherwise, the chaotic Old Clothes Vendor's Wharf would have already burned to ashes. But now... I'm not so sure I trust the people of Braavos—"
"Roar—"A nightmare-like black figure passed over the dock.
"I am the Holy Light. I am the Messenger of Justice! The negotiation has concluded — I am no longer Deathwing."The divine dragon declared.
(End of Chapter)
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