Game of Thrones: The Black Dragon King

The original Braavos was actually a collection of hundreds of islands scattered throughout a secluded bay. The area was swampy, and the nearshore area was almost entirely surrounded by a mountain-like island, leaving only a natural strait large enough for ocean-going merchant ships to pass through.

Around 500 BC, a group of escaped slaves and refugees from the Valyrian colony, led by the Moonsingers, arrived at this archipelago surrounded by bays. They decided to make it their secret refuge. These people were actually the first inhabitants of Braavos and the original builders of the city.

To avoid the Valyrian dragons, this place was extremely isolated, with no one allowed to enter but no one allowed to leave, cutting off all contact with the outside world. Basically, no one knew about it until the Valyrian catastrophe suddenly broke out, at which point Braavos was officially opened to the outside world.

Walking the streets of Bravos, anyone would be captivated by its unique waterfront charm, for it is built in the most unlikely place to build a city—on water. With its winding waterways and flowing clear waves, it is like a romantic dream floating on the blue waves, a poetic and picturesque scene that lingers in the mind.

But for the ancestors of the Braavos, this was their suffering.

When faced with harsh natural environments, powerful peoples may abandon farming, pick up axes, and seek help from their neighbors. But for the disadvantaged, hard work and toil are their only way out.

The first pioneers endured the persistent miasma, the stench of the swamps, and the venomous mosquitoes, braving wind and rain, clearing thorns and brambles, and forging ahead with great difficulty.

Because of the extensive network of waterways, a large number of small boats were needed. To withstand sudden tides and to accommodate occasional voyages to the open sea, the bows and sterns of the boats were upturned. Later generations described their ancestors' design as poetic, resembling a crescent moon.

Bravos has very few buildings taller than five stories, as this is the maximum that its soft foundations can withstand. However, the building heights here exceed the average level of other cities because land available for construction is extremely scarce, resulting in very few trees in the city.

Building a house here requires five times the cost and effort compared to building on solid land. First, oily trees over 30 feet tall must be felled from forests several miles away, dried in the shade, and shaped into stakes. These stakes are then densely driven into loose sand to drain groundwater, thus increasing the foundation's load-bearing capacity and preventing the building from settling. Next, stone is quarried from distant hills to lay the foundation, typically over 10 feet deep, with ample waterproofing and moisture-proofing measures. Only then can the normal construction process begin. The high cost and limited land mean that Braavos' streets are crammed with gray stone houses, so densely packed they're almost touching, with no room spacing; some houses are even built directly over the river.

Braavos is surrounded by water, yet it is a water-scarce city because seawater is undrinkable. Residents had to transport water from distant sources. Initially, the city's water supply relied on carrying it by hand, then on livestock. Later, the expanding population and declining urban livability forced the people of Braavos to build an elevated aqueduct, spanning swamps and shallows to transport fresh water from the mainland. This aqueduct was thus called the Sweetwater Aqueduct. Indeed, after enduring such hardship, a glass of clean water tasted like a precious, deeply refreshing sweetness.

"What a fragile urban safety net." High up on a hill outside Braavos, at the intake of the Sweetwater Canal, Reed kicked down dozens of sealed wooden barrels, each weighed down with a counterweight.

That was a biological weapon equipped on a torsion catapult; it stuffed diseased and dead livestock into wooden barrels, sealed them, and then left them to dry in the sun...

Braavos's terrain, seemingly easy to defend and difficult to attack, is actually incredibly vulnerable. There's only one exit; blocking it with a few sunken ships would immediately cut off supplies. Most critically, the water source is nonexistent. The bay's topography means the city has no underground water supply; if the sweetwater canal's intake is breached, the city's reservoirs and public fountains would dry up within a month.

"The men are in position, sir," said Chief Assassin Hassan Sabah.

"Let's get started!" Reed skillfully opened the protective case and set up the Milton lens. This was a high-end model he'd recently purchased after saving up; the zoom and focal length could be adjusted by changing the lens elements through the telescopic sleeve. It offered a long field of view and clear imaging, making it an excellent choice for battlefield observation and espionage. After setting it up, Reed aimed the lens at a dock.

Braavos is surrounded by water, with docks everywhere, and its two main seaports are one in the north and one in the west. The northern one is the Purple Harbor, which is only for Braavos merchant ships and fleets to dock, while the western one is the dock open to foreign ships and is crowded with foreign vessels. All ships must first dock at the Grid Dock, where Neptune's customs officials will board and inspect the cargo holds.

"The Red God Priest and the Hand of Sacred Fire from Valantis?" the customs official asked in bewilderment.

The Braavos were religious, but most of their temples were located on an island called the Isle of the Gods, which was situated in the center of the city. The most magnificent of the many temples was the Temple of the Moon Singers, because it was they who led the original Braavos to the island for refuge.

In addition, there are the Father of the Waters, who likes to build repeatedly and marry constantly; the God of a Thousand Faces, who likes to change faces and give death; the Seven Gods, who like to role-play; and even those gods who have long been forgotten are all enshrined in the Sanctuary.

The island's temples naturally include those of Raholo, who loves playing with fire, but the worship of the Lord of Light is a niche group in Braavos. Aren't there too many red-robed monks and Hands of the Holy Fire on this entire ship?

"Revelation from the Lord of Light, my lord! The long night is dark and treacherous. In our previous prayers, we were fortunate enough to glimpse the vision of the future, the Lord of Light, the heart of holy flame, the god of shadows and fire, the god of heat and life. His revelation is on the 'Island of Gods.'" The priest, played by a comedian, spouted nonsense.

"What a weird thing..." the customs officer thought to himself, but maintained a polite demeanor.

In Braavos, all the gods are respected. The city, which thrived on commerce, expected to offer prayers and alms at every temple they encountered.

The main duty of customs is to collect taxes, but Rahlo's followers are mostly poor, fanatical, irrational, and often demand alms. Although he had some doubts, the customs officer, thinking of his meager salary and precarious family debt, didn't want to cause trouble and waved him through.

Reed watched all this through the Mill lens, a cold smile playing on his lips. He had been patient enough to recover from his injuries and prepare for the future.

Regarding the previous assassination attempt, we couldn't find out who placed the order, or whether Aquaman participated or acquiesced. However, the fact remains that the perpetrator came from the temple of the Many-Faced God—the House of Black and White. In that case, let's start by targeting him.

Using religious conflict to mask his revenge was one of his long-planned schemes. The island is dotted with temples, each representing a different religious force. In this city of diverse faiths, a balance and competition between the various religions always exists.

Reed turns the camera to the "House of Black and White," perched atop a small rocky hill on the Isle of Gods. It's a windowless, dark gray stone temple with stone steps leading from the entrance to a covered dock below. The temple's dome is sharp and black, a stark contrast to the white, skeletal weirwood doors, like the two poles of yin and yang. At this moment, the temple doors are tightly shut, and all is silent, as if isolated from the world.

"For the Lord of Light!" A loud shout rang out in the darkness as assassins and arsonists disguised as fanatical followers of Rahlo rushed toward the Black and White House.

"Fire and ice! Light and darkness! Life and death! Day and night! Summer and winter!" The clown, fully immersed in his role as the priest of the Red God, danced and sang with fervent devotion: "Destroy the God of Cold! Destroy this dark, cold, and deadly god of darkness! For the glory of our Lord, for the future of humanity, we fear nothing, and declare war on this soul of ice! This ancient god of night and fear! Fight! Devout believers, like the ancient savior Azor Ahai, wield the flaming sword of the messenger of light, and end this eternal conflict! The Lord of Light is with you! Fight! Fight!..."

The piercing shouts echoed through the night sky, filled with fanaticism and determination. The assassins and arsonists, disguised as fanatical followers of Rahlo, seemed to have been truly endowed with boundless power by the Lord of Light. They brandished their torches and weapons coated with asphalt and set ablaze, surging towards the House of Black and White like raging flames.

However, the House of Black and White remained eerily calm in the face of this sudden attack. The gates swung open with a deafening crash, and the faint light filtering in from within mingled with the firelight outside, creating a bizarre and surreal scene. Countless statues stood along the walls, tall and menacing, red candles flickering at their feet. In the center of the temple was a ten-foot-diameter pool of poisonous water, with stone cups placed around its edge. Numerous hollows were carved into the walls, some containing the remains of people who had come to drink from the pool and seek death. The atmosphere was serene and eerie, exuding a chilling aura.

"For the Lord of Light!" The shouts rang out again, more impassioned and more fervent. Accompanied by piercing screams and chaotic running, the House of Black and White was instantly engulfed in flames, the firelight illuminating half the night sky. Reid calmly observed all of this through the Mill Lens, the flames reflected in his pupils.

The assassins were well-trained and swift. Shouting the name of the Lord of Light, they attacked the priests and acolytes of the House of Black and White, while the arsonists, armed with torches, set fire to the House of Black and White and threw pottery jars filled with asphalt into every corner of the temple, creating chaos. The fire spread rapidly and engulfed the entire temple.

The servants of the House of Black and White were caught off guard. They tried to extinguish the fire, but it was too fierce to control. Some tried to rush out of the temple, but were intercepted by assassins disguised as believers, and a fierce battle ensued.

As his own units began to suffer heavy casualties, Reed realized that the Faceless Ones had made their move. He quickly adjusted the focus of his Mill Lens, trying to capture the Faceless Ones' silhouette.

However, in the chaos, it was impossible to pinpoint a master assassin skilled in disguise, with unpredictable movements and elusive figures. They mingled among priests and acolytes, even among Reid's soldiers, often carrying out assassinations before their targets could react.

Unlike before, there was no chaotic and complex environment here for them to stealthily disguise themselves and move around. The narrow space limited the Faceless Ones' abilities. Everyone was densely packed together. They could indeed kill more enemies with their nimble skills, but they could not prevent their own demise.

Some Faceless Ones killed Reid's men, then peeled off their faces and clothes, attempting to escape using their signature tricks. However, they were exposed by the system's identification system and were quickly surrounded and killed.

For some reason, Reed always felt that these assassins emerging from the Black and White Courtyard were not on the same level of power as the one he had encountered in Gaisel City.

The battle continued for some time. The flames within the Black and White Courtyard gradually dimmed, and resistance began to diminish. In the main hall on the first floor, all the followers of the Thousand-Faced God were killed. However, the battle was not yet over.

Fire, fighting, and chaos quickly attracted the city's garrison, night patrols, militia, and firefighters. The few remaining friendly forces immediately clashed with these reinforcements. Such a battle, where one is surrounded, usually offers no escape, but Reid's men were inherently ruthless, fearless assassins and arsonists who, with a determination to leave no survivors, charged towards Braavos's reinforcements. The clash of weapons mingled together, creating a scene of utter despair.

Blood splattered everywhere, severed limbs and remains littered the ground, and the air reeked of blood. Through the Mill lens, Reed watched the brutal battle with a cold gaze, devoid of any pity or hesitation.

The assassins and arsonists charged at Braavos' reinforcements like mad beasts, their eyes filled with indifference to death.

Braavos's reinforcements were equally determined, fighting back to kill the rioters who were setting fires and committing massacres in their city.

However, in this battle where the odds were stacked against them, the assassins and arsonists quickly found themselves at a disadvantage. They were constantly broken through, suppressed, and surrounded.

As the battle drew to a close, an old man dressed in a white linen robe emerged from the gates of the Black and White House. He stood there quietly, his face showing no sign of panic or fear, but rather an air of detachment and serenity.

A kind person, the leader of the faceless.

The benevolent man stood before the burning temple, coldly observing everything. After a long while, he abruptly turned his head to look in the direction where Reed had been.

How could you possibly see a ghost from a distance of nearly two leagues?

Looking at the kind-looking person in the camera lens, Red's lips curled into a satisfied smile.

Although it was impossible to completely eliminate all of the House of Black and White's core henchmen, it still created enough chaos and destruction for them, preventing the House of Black and White from recovering its strength in the short term. Incidentally, it also stirred up the many harmonious temples in the peaceful water city of Braavos to become even more "loving and affectionate".

Reid then shifted the camera to another location, where the Titan of Braavos, a ship originally intended as a expendable vessel, began to slowly tilt at the opportune moment, visibly sinking into the middle of the channel...

Reed, observing from afar, let out a satisfied chuckle. After this series of moves, Reed believed that the Braavos people would be unable to cause any more trouble in the near future.

He leisurely disassembled the expensive Milton lens, carefully stored it in a leather case lined with a velvet protective cover, slung the case over his shoulder, and then rode off into the distant dense forest.

After a long while, a giant, jet-black dragon soared into the sky and disappeared into the night, as if it had never existed.