The Shield Archipelago was made up of four islands, blocking the estuary of the Mander River.
This was not the first time Tiemin had occupied the Shield Archipelago.
Not to mention the Shield Archipelago, Bear Island in the north near the Great Wall and Qingting Island in the south of the Westeros were all Tiemin territory in the past. In other words, it was the Iron Seed's sphere of influence.
Just like how Tiemin had once occupied a large area of Hejian Land and was known as the number one overlord of the Seven Kingdoms.
Yes, Tiemin was now very weak. The total area of the Iron Archipelago was not even comparable to a powerful count's territory, but their ancestors were indeed very rich.
More than ten thousand years ago, the Shield Archipelago was still called "Fog Archipelago." Tiemin occupied this island, killed all the men on the island, and plundered all the women as "salt concubines". Later on, he built the island into a bridgehead to plunder River Bend.
The Iron Seed pirates drove their longships up the Mander River, and even sailed all the way to the Bitter Bridge a thousand kilometers away. They were extremely arrogant.
The Highcourt Gardener family (before Tyrell, the owner of River Bend, a status similar to Stark in the Northern Territory) worked hard for seven generations to completely expel the Iron Seed from the Shield Archipelago.
This was because the Shield Archipelago's environment was dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack.
The coastline was uneven and the hydrological environment was unpredictable. The island was large and steep, and there was also fog shrouding the nearby waters all year round.
The name "Fog Archipelago" explained everything.
Such a dangerous place, yet Tiemin was as familiar as home.
You Lun had almost bet everything, mobilizing all the forces of the Iron Archipelago.
The Iron Fleet had 100 longships, and the Iron Archipelago had more than 300 warships. In total, there were more than 30,000 Iron Seed pirates.
There were almost no strong men on the Iron Archipelago.
If such a huge force was placed anywhere else, it would be impossible to hide.
But winter had arrived, and the sea fog rose again.
Just like in ancient times, the Fog Archipelago concealed Tiemin's ambush as if it was a child.
The Qingting Island Fleet was indeed strong, but it only had about 200 warships. Its military strength was far inferior to that of the Iron Seed Fleet.
Tiemin had the advantage in terms of the number of warships and soldiers, as well as the advantage in terms of terrain and psychology from the ambush. However, You Lun still had a trump card — the sea monsters.
Garlan led five thousand High Court elites and successfully landed on the island. They took over Gray Shield Island, Oak Shield Island, and South Shield Island without any accidents.
After Tiemin received the gold royals as the ransom, he cursed and left the castle and the coastal fortress, leaving the island to the Highlanders.
Tyrell's soldiers entered the castle and the fortress, and the handover was completed smoothly.
Garlan did not let down his guard, but he did not think that anything would happen today, until he landed on Green Shield Island, which was closest to the coast …
Ten thousand Tiemin swarmed out from the gaps between the cliffs on both sides, drowning Garlan and the remaining two thousand soldiers like a flood. The other three thousand soldiers were stationed on the three new islands that they took over.
The enemy had an absolute advantage in terms of numbers, as well as countless kerosene bombs and ballistae. "Valiant" Garlan was not Danny. He did not cheat and died on the spot. Two thousand soldiers perished with him.
The second son of the Highlanders, dead.
Garlan, who was on Green Shield Island, did not even wait for the Qingting Island Fleet to rescue him. Almost at the same time when the Green Shield Island ambushed him, a huge red octopus emerged from the water like a demon from hell. It crushed the flagship of the Qingting Island Fleet into pieces like a mischievous child crushing a onion biscuit.
Kevon once told Cersei that Pikesk Redwin and Randall Tarly would bring peace to the world and stability to the country.
Villa Tyrell, the successor of the High Court whom Old Rose had high hopes for.
The two heroes of the Seven Kingdoms, one representing the present and the other representing the future, did not even have the chance to officially appear before they died in the mouth of the sea monster.
The change in the Shield Islands happened suddenly, but it was impossible for the neighboring Highlanders not to receive any news.
While grieving for the tragic death of her two grandchildren and nephew, Old Rose did not forget the threat that was close at hand. The Shield Islands were downstream of Highlanders.
Other than immediately arranging for soldiers to strengthen the defense of Highlanders, she also sent out letters to the nobles of River Bend for help.
After the nobles of River Bend received the letter, they did not delay and immediately sent troops to rescue their lord.
There was only one problem.
Most of the main forces of River Bend went to King's Landing with Lord Inflatable Fish and Randall Tarly.
Danny participated in the "Honey Wine River Tournament" in the old town because River Bend needed to recruit mercenaries to fill the defense of the city.
The five thousand elites that Garan had brought to the Shield Islands were all hired from the Martial Arts Tournament, but they were all killed in one day.
Therefore, You Lun was able to lead twenty thousand Iron Seed soldiers to surround Highlanders and beat back the reinforcements of the Wine Hall, Oak City, and several other counts.
When the High Court was about to fall into You Lun's hands, perhaps Old Rose was desperate enough to send a letter to Dragonstone Island asking for help.
Old Rose's actions were somewhat unimaginable, but her starting point was very rational.
First of all, the old woman had grown up listening to legends and knew that the Megalosaurus could deal with sea monsters.
Yes, the sea monsters went against the current and entered the Mande River. They were using their tentacles to crazily whip the city gates and walls of Highlanders near the river.
If not for the thick walls and strong city walls, as well as the effective killing of the sea monsters by fire oil bombs and ballistae, Highlanders would have already lost the city gates.
Secondly, Highlanders had no military strength and could not hold on for much longer. Even if others were willing to rescue Highlanders, they would not be able to put out a nearby fire.
Dragon Queen had a dragon and could arrive in two days.
The problem was that Danny was not in a position to save Highlanders. She did not have the time or the kindness to do so.
Danny sneered at Marvin and Scholar Pylos, who had rushed over to inquire about the situation.
She sneered, "The vanguard of the alliance army is approaching Meereen City. I have to ride a dragon every day to wipe out the enemies coming from all directions. How would I have the time to go to the Westeros?
Furthermore, I swore that the one who ends the Long Night will be king. Before the Long Night ends, I will not participate in the civil war of the Seven Kingdoms.
Furthermore, the City of Knowledge violated the rights of a guest and wanted to kill me. Isn't Old Rose the mastermind behind this? "
"Your Majesty, if it were someone else, I would not advise you, but what You Lun is doing is intolerable," Marvin said anxiously.
"What news have you received?" Danny asked curiously.
Old Rose's letter did not describe what had happened that day in detail. It was very likely that she did not know the exact process of the changes in the Shield Islands.
"There is news that You Lun held a sacrificial ritual after the war, using the corpses of the dead to offer to the Evil God," Pylos said with a pale face.
"Impossible." Danny immediately shook her head in denial. "Scholar Pylos, you are not an Extraordinary person, so you might not know much about sacrificial rituals.
Only the blood and souls of the living are attractive to the Evil God. It's not that corpses cannot be sacrificed, but the effects are very poor. "
Marvin sighed. "In theory, that is indeed the case. But after You Lun completed the sacrificial ritual, he did receive huge returns. His sea monster nearly doubled in size.
I'm guessing that You Lun did not sacrifice corpses, but war and slaughter.
Perhaps the massacre of Qingting Island and the war with the Highlanders was the sacrificial offering, and the corpses were just the end of the sacrificial ritual. "
Danny looked at the bull-neck doctor in surprise. She did not expect him to have such a brilliant theory.
"This theory is very novel, but it also seems very reasonable," she said.
Marvin shook his head. "It is not novel. This is the doctrine of the Storm God.
After receiving the news, I began to look up the gods that Tiemin believed in, the Inami and the Storm God.
They both encouraged killing, but the Inami favored rape and pillage, while the Storm God longed for large-scale slaughter and destruction.
The Iron Seed burned, killed, and looted, practicing the ancient path of the Inami, and pleasing the Inami. I am not sure if the Inami priests could gain power from the Inami.
But this time, the Iron Seed started a war and sacrificed to the Storm God with conquest and slaughter. The Storm God really responded to You Lun. "
The Storm God and the Inami saw each other as eternal enemies, but they were also the old gods that Tiemin believed in.
Other than Tiemin and a few islanders from other islands, almost no one else believed in the Storm God and the Inami.
It was just like how few people in the West believed in the Three Pure Ones.
The Iron Seed islanders were a unique race with their own gods.
But believing in the Inami was the mainstream value of the Iron Seed. It was just like how angels and demons were gods in the West, but normal people believed in angels, right?
Well, in the eyes of people outside the Iron Seed, the Inami encouraged plundering and rape, and made the Iron Seed refuse to farm. They were almost equivalent to demons.
But in the eyes of the Iron Seed, the Inami was an angel.
Just like how demons seduced humans to fall, in the eyes of Tiemin, the Storm God specifically lured the Iron Seed to destruction.
The Inami was like God. She spread her doctrine and brought the souls of her believers to her flowing palace (a paradise that looked like the Dragon King's Crystal Palace) for a banquet. Any wish of the believers would be fulfilled by the mermaids. Wasn't that paradise?
There was a popular saying in Tiemin, "The dead do not die, but they will rise again, and even more fiercely."
It was similar to the "God bless" that foreigners often said.
It was referring to the Inami.
Normal Tiemin could believe in the Storm God. Just like in American universities, there were many demon worshipers societies (as seen in the movies).
But You Lun believed in the Storm God, so he was a rebel.
The reason was simple. The Pope of the Vatican personally crowned you as the Emperor of Europe, but you believed in the Devil …
"That guy hid it so well. Everyone was fooled by him. In total, there are two people, "Scholar Pylos said with a complicated expression.
The two scholars of Dragonstone Island were filled with emotions, but Danny did not feel anything.
She was now against the alliance, against Bellerion, against the Green Prophet, against many evil gods, against fate, and even against Lahlo … against the heavens, the earth, and the gods. She was no longer afraid or shocked.
A mere Storm God, a mere You Lun, could only leave a ripple in her heart.
"That's it?" Dragon Queen's expression was calm. It was like Marvin looking at his wife's spending bill for the month.
Marvin said anxiously, "Your Majesty, You Lun's sea monster was originally blood-red, and its tentacles were twenty meters long.
But after completing the sacrificial ceremony at the Shield Islands, the sea monster almost doubled in size. Its tentacles were more than thirty meters long, and its suckers grew white, barbed teeth.
Its mouth looked like a monster's, and it could really eat like a mouth.
The corpses of Sir Vilas, Count Garlan, Count Redwin, and dozens of other nobles were all eaten by the tentacles of the sea monster. What a tragedy! "
"Hmm, interesting." Danny was deep in thought. The sea monster seemed to be able to evolve through sacrifices … or rather, demonize.
Marvin saw that Danny was still calm and said, "The surface of the sea monster's body also changed. It became dark red, and demon-like black spots appeared on its smooth skin. It looked like an unopened eye.
Maybe, after it opened its eyes, it could use witchcraft. Don't let it live! "
"How do you know so much?" Danny asked curiously.
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