Chapter 11 Bran's Fall and the Blood of the Dragon King
Having dealt with Littlefinger's assassin, Lin Hao did not relax his vigilance.
He knew that the dagger was only part of the conspiracy.
Littlefinger's true killing move was to instigate war.
And the event that ignited the fuse in the original story was Bran's fall.
Although the assassin was dealt with, the affair between Cersei and Jaime was undeniable.
As long as Bran, that curious little fellow, continued to climb, tragedy could still happen.
"He must be stopped."
Lin Hao stealthily moved through the shadows of Winterfell, his senses, sharpened by the temporary charisma bonus, scanning the surroundings like a radar.
Soon, he felt a faint climbing sound from the other side of the abandoned tower.
His heart tightened, and he immediately went around.
Indeed, under the moonlight, a slender figure, like a gecko, was nimbly clinging to the mottled stone wall, moving steadily upward.
It was Bran Stark!
"This kid really knows how to court death!" Lin Haocursed inwardly and immediately followed.
He didn't call out, as that might scare Bran and cause him to lose his grip and fall.
He could only rely on his far superior physical ability and skill, also clinging to the wall like a ghost, following closely behind Bran.
The tower was high, and the higher he went, the stronger the wind became.
Bran was clearly struggling, but his gray eyes, belonging to House Stark, were filled with stubbornness and a longing for the view from above.
Just as he was about to reach a window ledge at the top, faint sounds of gasping and conversation between a man and a woman drifted out from inside the window.
"...If he finds out, he'll kill us." It was Cersei Lannister's lazy yet slightly excited voice.
"So what if he knows? He's just a drunken oaf now." Jaime Lannister's magnetic voice was full of disdain.
The content of the conversation was unseemly, full of mockery for King Robert and the forbidden passion between the two.
Bran's curiosity was fully piqued; he adjusted his posture and cautiously peeked his head towards the window ledge.
Inside the window, an indecent scene clearly entered his innocent eyes.
Queen Cersei and her own brother, "Kingslayer" Jaime Lannister, were entangled naked.
Bran's head buzzed, a complete blank.
He was stunned by the sight, his body stiffened, and his foot slipped, almost causing him to fall.
"Who's there?!"
How alert was Jaime inside the window; he instantly noticed the movement outside.
He quickly threw on a piece of clothing and strode to the window in a few steps.
When he saw a small Stark boy hanging outside the window, his handsome face instantly filled with icy killing intent!
"Oh, look what we've found." There was no warmth in Jaime's voice.
"Jaime, no!" Cersei also came over, her face filled with panic.
"For love, I'll do anything." Jaime said coldly, extending his hand without hesitation, grabbing Bran's ankle, and about to push him down!
Bran was scared out of his wits, struggling desperately, but how could his strength compare to that of an adult knight?
Just at this critical moment!
A powerful hand, like an iron clamp, suddenly grabbed Jaime's wrist from below!
"What are you doing?!"
Jaime was greatly surprised; he looked down and saw that the bastard who had annoyed him at the banquet had somehow climbed up!
Lin Hao's eyes were as cold as knives; he stared at Jaimeand said word by word, "Let him go!"
His arm suddenly exerted force, and a tremendous power far beyond that of an ordinary person instantly erupted!
"Crack!"
A crisp sound of bone cracking rang out!
"Ah!"
Jaime let out a painful scream; he felt as if his wrist had been crushed by a giant bear!
Under the excruciating pain, he subconsciously released his grip on Bran.
Lin Hao took the opportunity to pull the terrified and limp Bran behind him, his other hand still firmly clamping Jaime.
"You're courting death!" Jaime was both shocked and enraged, and his other good hand immediately reached for the sword at his waist.
But he grasped at empty air.
"Are you looking for this?" Lin Hao's voice was like ice from the deepest abyss.
He had, at some point, drawn the sword Jaime had hung by the window, and now, the cold blade was steadily pressed against Jaime's throat.
Jaime's body stiffened, and cold sweat instantly drenched his back.
He could clearly feel the chilling killing intent emanating from the blade!
He had no doubt that if he moved again, the other party's sword would pierce his throat without hesitation!
Cersei inside the room was also scared pale; she wrapped herself in a blanket and shrieked, "Snow! What do you want? Are you trying to murder a Kingsguard?!"
"Shut up, bitch!" Lin Hao snapped, the killing intent in his eyes making Cersei's voice cut off abruptly.
He looked at the pale Jaime and said coldly, "Kingslayer, I don't care what dirty secrets your House Lannister has. But today, if you dare to harm a single hair on Bran, I promise you and your sister will not see tomorrow's sun."
His voice was not loud, but it was full of undeniable deterrence.
Jaime saw mountains of corpses and seas of blood in those black eyes.
It was a gaze he had only seen in the most insane mercenaries and warriors who had experienced countless life-and-death struggles!
He had no doubt about the truthfulness of the other party's words.
"Let us go... we can pretend nothing happened." Jaimespoke with difficulty, his broken wrist throbbing with excruciating pain.
"Remember your words." Lin Hao snorted coldly and slowly retracted his sword.
But he did not stop there.
The moment he sheathed his sword, he slammed the hilt hard against the back of Jaime's neck!
Jaime grunted, his eyes rolled back, and he was knocked unconscious.
"Jaime!" Cersei cried out in alarm.
Lin Hao ignored her, simply holding the stunned Bran, and in a few leaps, safely landed from the high tower.
As soon as he landed, the system's notification sound rang wildly in his mind!
"Ding! Detected that the host, in a moment of crisis, erupted with strength and will beyond limits to protect his loved ones, bloodline resonance +10%..."
"Ding! The 'Dragon King Factor' in the host's bloodline has initially awakened!"
"Bloodline Talent: Dragon King's Blood (Primary)"
"Effect 1: Your strength, speed, and recovery ability will receive a permanent small increase."
"Effect 2: Your resistance to fire is greatly increased."
"Effect 3: You can sense the life activity of a Dragon eggthrough touch."
A series of notifications filled Lin Hao's heart with wild joy!
Dragon King's Blood!
This was his fundamental basis for survival in this world!
He didn't have time to examine it closely; he quickly carried Bran away from this troubled place.
He knew that after tonight, the peace of Winterfell and even all of Westeros would be completely shattered!
Chapter 12: The Deal with the Queen
Lin Hao, holding a still-shaken Bran, quickly returned to his room.
Along the way, he cautiously avoided all patrolling guards.
Back in the room, he immediately closed the door and lit a candle.
In the candlelight, Bran's small face was still ashen, and his body was trembling slightly.
Everything that happened tonight had clearly exceeded what an eight-year-old child could bear.
"Hodor..." Bran's voice was tearful; he clutched Lin Hao's clothes tightly, as if grasping a last straw of hope, "I... I saw..."
"Shh." Lin Hao placed his finger on his lips and gently soothed him, "I know what you saw. But from now on, you must keep all of this to yourself. You can't tell anyone, including your father, mother, and siblings, understand?"
Though young, Bran understood the seriousness of the matter.
He looked at Lin Hao's serious gaze and nodded heavily.
"Remember, tonight you just had a nightmare, fell out of bed, and then I found you, nothing more." Lin Hao had concocted a story for him.
"But... that Ser Jaime, he tried to kill me!" Bran's eyes were filled with fear.
"With me here, he can't harm you." Lin Hao's voice was steady and firm, carrying a convincing power, "But we don't have enough strength to fight House Lannister yet, so we must learn to endure and dissemble."
He looked at Bran's half-comprehending eyes and sighed inwardly.
After tonight, this child's childhood would likely end prematurely.
After comforting Bran and personally seeing him back to his room, Lin Hao's expression instantly darkened.
He returned to his own room and took out the fossilized Dragon egg from a hidden compartment under his bed.
Following the system's prompt, he placed his palm on the cold surface of the Dragon egg.
Bloodline Talent: Dragon King's Blood (Elementary) Activated
A faint but clear connection instantly formed between him and the Dragon egg.
He could almost "hear" a very weak life pulse, sleeping deep within this silent "stone."
"There really is life!" Lin Hao was ecstatic.
But he also felt that this spark of life was like a flickering candle in the wind, liable to go out at any moment.
It needed immense energy to awaken.
"It seems that hatching the Dragon egg must be put on the agenda."
Just then, an extremely faint knock sounded on the door.
"Tap, tap-tap."
The sound was very soft, with a unique rhythm.
Lin Hao's eyes narrowed; he quickly hid the Dragon eggand simultaneously gripped the valyrian steel dagger under his pillow.
"Who?" he asked in a deep voice.
A deliberately lowered, magnetic female voice came from outside the door: "Snow, it's me, Cersei."
Cersei Lannister?!
Lin Hao's pupils suddenly constricted.
This woman actually dared to come to him at such a time?
His thoughts raced, and he quickly understood her intention.
She was here to negotiate, or rather, to silence him.
A cold smile played on Lin Hao's lips; he released the dagger, walked over, and opened the door.
Outside, Cersei Lannister stood alone in the shadows.
She had changed into a dark casual outfit, using her hood to cover her striking golden hair, but even so, it couldn't conceal her breathtaking beauty and mature, alluring figure.
Seeing Lin Hao open the door, she unceremoniously slipped inside.
Lin Hao closed the door and watched her with interest.
He had to admit, up close, this woman's beauty was indeed aggressive. The mature fragrance of peaches mixed with a faint hint of wine was enough to make any man's heart waver.
"Your Majesty, visiting a bastard's room late at night, aren't you afraid of rumors tarnishing your reputation?" Lin Hao leaned against the door, his tone laced with a hint of mockery.
Cersei was clearly not in the mood for banter; her beautiful emerald eyes were filled with wariness and coldness: "Enough talk, Snow. Tell me, what do you want?"
In her view, Lin Hao taking such a huge risk to save Bran, yet not immediately making it public, surely meant he had an agenda.
"What do I want?" Lin Hao smiled, "I want many things. For example, House Lannister's gold mines, the rule of Casterly Rock, or... Your Majesty?"
His last sentence was incredibly flippant, his gaze brazenly wandering over Cersei's still breathtaking curves, even through her clothes.
"You dare!" Cersei was instantly enraged; she proudly lifted her chin and shouted, putting on a brave front, "You are merely a lowly Snow! Do you believe that with just one command from me, your body will appear in the icy river of Winterfell tomorrow?!"
"I believe it." Lin Hao's smile remained, but his eyes suddenly turned cold, "Of course I believe it. But I believe even more that before I die, I will have enough time to tell King Robert everything I saw in the tower tonight."
"You..." Cersei's face instantly turned pale.
Her greatest weakness was firmly grasped in Lin Hao's hand.
She knew that with Robert's volatile temper, if he found out about her and Jaime's affair, the entire House Lannister would be burned to ashes by the King's wrath!
This bastard before her, seemingly harmless, was in fact a venomous snake that knew best how to strike at vital points!
Cersei took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.
She finally shed her queenly arrogance and spoke in an almost equal tone: "Alright, you win. State your terms, as long as they are within my power."
"That's more like it." Lin Hao nodded with satisfaction.
He walked to the table, poured himself a glass of water, and slowly said, "My terms are simple. First, control your brother Jaime, and control yourself. As long as you no longer harm Bran, or any Stark, I will pretend tonight's events never happened."
Cersei frowned; this condition was much simpler than she had imagined.
"And the second?" she pressed.
"Second," Lin Hao turned around, his gaze burning as he stared at her, "I want something. Something that only House Lannister, or rather, only King's Landing can find."
"What thing?"
Lin Hao slowly uttered three words: "wildfire."
"wildfire?!" Cersei exclaimed, her beautiful face filled with shock and confusion, "What do you want with that mad, unstable substance?"
wildfire, a magical substance created by the Alchemists' Guild, once ignited, produces terrifying green flames that even water cannot extinguish.
It was King's Landing's most dangerous and most heavily guarded secret weapon.
"That's not something Your Majesty needs to concern yourself with." Lin Hao said indifferently, "I don't need much, just a small jar, enough for me to do some small experiments."
His true purpose, of course, was to use the immense heat of the wildfire to activate his Dragon egg!
Cersei's eyes flickered rapidly; she was weighing the pros and cons.
Though wildfire was precious and dangerous, compared to the risk of her family's destruction, it seemed insignificant.
"Fine." After a long pause, she finally grit her teeth and agreed, "I can find a way to get you a jar of wildfire. But how can you guarantee you'll keep your promise and stay silent forever?"
"I don't need to guarantee you anything." Lin Hao walked up to her; they were barely a foot apart, and he could clearly smell her alluring scent.
He leaned down and whispered into Cersei's ear, in a voice only they could hear, "Your Majesty, you just need to remember that from tonight onwards, your leverage is in my hands. If I let you live, you live; if I let you die, you must die. So, it's best not to play any tricks."
The warm breath on her earlobe made Cersei's body involuntarily shiver.
She had never been threatened by a man like this, let alone a mere bastard.
But she sadly realized that not only could she not resist, but a strange excitement, a feeling of being dominated by a strong man, even arose within her.
"I... I understand." Her voice, for the first time, carried a subtle tremor.
"Very good." Lin Hao straightened up, resuming his harmless smile, "Then, a pleasure doing business, Your Majesty. Now, you can disappear from my room."
Cersei looked at him deeply, her complex gaze holding fear, humiliation, and a hint of curiosity she hadn't even noticed herself.
She pulled up her hood, said no more, and vanished like a ghost into the night.
Chapter 13 The Prime Minister's Hand and the Personnel Going South
The deal with Cersei temporarily defused the crisis of Bran's exposure and also solved Lin Hao's most critical energy problem for hatching the Dragon egg.
For the next few days, Winterfell appeared calm on the surface.
Jaime Lannister claimed he had 'accidentally' injured his wrist while sparring and remained indoors all day.
Cersei resumed her haughty, aloof Queenly demeanor, though when no one was around, her gaze towards Lin Hao would become exceptionally complex.
As for Bran, the biggest victim, his emotions gradually stabilized under Lin Hao's psychological counseling and the cover story of a 'nightmare'.
Although he was no longer as lively and active as before, and there was a hint of melancholy in his eyes, it also made him appear more precocious and steady than his peers.
Eddard Stark found it a bit strange, but after Maester Luwin examined Bran and confirmed he was fine, he didn't delve deeper.
All his energy was focused on dealing with King Robert.
Finally, on the fifth day of the King's arrival, Eddard Starksummoned Lin Hao to his study.
In the study, only Eddard and Maester Luwin were present, and the atmosphere was somewhat solemn.
"Hodor," Eddard Stark looked a little tired, but his eyes were still sharp, "The King has invited me south to King's Landing to serve as his Hand, the hand of the king."
Although he had known the plot for a long time, Lin Hao's heart still sank when he heard these words firsthand.
The gears of fate had, after all, turned to this point.
"That is a great honor, My Lord," Lin Hao responded calmly.
"Honor?" Eddard gave a self-deprecating laugh, "Perhaps. But I would rather stay in the North. King's Landing... that is a man-eating place."
He clearly harbored disgust and wariness towards the political maelstrom of the South.
"Jon Arryn died," Eddard continued, his voice very low, "He died under mysterious circumstances. The King believes it was poisoning, done by House Lannister. He needs someone he trusts absolutely to help him uncover the truth."
"So, you agreed?" Lin Hao asked.
Eddard Stark nodded, a hint of helplessness on his face: "I had no choice. Robert is my brother; I cannot stand by and watch him be surrounded by a nest of vipers."
"Then, you called me here because..."
"I plan to take some people south with me." Eddardlooked at Lin Hao, his eyes full of expectation, "Sansa and Arya will come with me, and Sansa will be betrothed to Prince Joffrey. And you, Hodor, I hope you can accompany me to King's Landing."
This was his true purpose in seeking Lin Hao today.
During the past period, the wisdom, composure, and maturity far beyond his age that Lin Hao had displayed had completely won over the Warden of the North.
In his opinion, it was a waste of such a genius to stay in the North focusing on agricultural development.
Bringing him to King's Landing, that den of dragons and tigers, might make him his most capable assistant.
Maester Luwin also chimed in, "My Lord is right, Hodor. Your talents should not be buried in the ice and snow of the North. King's Landing has the largest library in the Citadel, where countless knowledge awaits you to discover."
Go to King's Landing?
Lin Hao's heart pounded.
This was both danger and opportunity!
The danger was that King's Landing was the stronghold of master schemers like Littlefinger and Varys; once he went south, he would inevitably be drawn into the highest levels of power struggles.
But the opportunities were equally immense!
King's Landing had the wildfire promised by Cersei, the potential connection with Tyrion, and countless opportunities to expose him to the true core power of this world.
To change the fate of House Stark and to win this game of thrones, King's Landing was a necessary stop!
Thinking of this, Lin Hao no longer hesitated.
He knelt on one knee, and with a solemn knightly gesture, swore to Eddard Stark: "My wisdom and my sword are yours, My Lord. Whether in the icy wastes of the North or the fiery pit of King's Landing."
"Good! Good!" Eddard Stark was overjoyed and personally helped him up, "With you by my side, I feel much more at ease!"
The matter was thus settled.
A few days later, the King's retinue began to prepare for their return to King's Landing.
Among the Stark family's farewell party, the atmosphere was somewhat somber.
Lady Catelyn Tully held her husband and daughters who were about to depart, her eyes red.
Robb, as the acting Lord of Winterfell, gravely made his final handover with his father.
Lin Hao, meanwhile, was bidding farewell to Arya.
"Hey, when you get to King's Landing, don't you dare forget our promise!" The little wolf girl's eyes were red, but she still put on a fierce facade, "You have to write and tell me if those Southern knights are as formidable as you!"
"Don't worry." Lin Hao smiled and stroked her head, "When I return, I'll bring you the best 'Needle' (the name Arya gave her sword) from King's Landing."
He then looked at Sansa on the other side.
The maiden was gazing dreamily at Prince Joffrey's retreating figure, her face filled with longing for the future and romantic fantasies.
Lin Hao sighed inwardly, walked over, and whispered, "Sansa, King's Landing is not like Winterfell; people's hearts are treacherous there. Remember, no matter what happens, don't easily trust anyone, especially those princes who sweet-talk you. Protect yourself, and if anything happens, come find me."
Sansa snapped out of her reverie, saw the genuine concern in Lin Hao's eyes, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded obediently: "Mm, I understand, Hodor."
Having arranged everything, Lin Hao boarded his carriage.
As the convoy slowly started, about to leave Winterfell, he lifted the curtain and took one last look at the majestic gray castle.
He saw a red-robed figure standing silently on the highest tower of the castle, gazing in the direction of the convoy.
It was Melisandre!
When did she arrive? What was she doing here?
An alarm instantly blared in Lin Hao's heart! This woman was one of the most unstable factors in the Game of Thrones world!
As if sensing his gaze, Melisandre in the distance slowly raised her hand and performed an ancient, religiously significant gesture towards him that he couldn't understand.
Immediately, her figure disappeared behind the tower.
"The priestess of the lord of light..." Lin Hao lowered the curtain, his eyes becoming extremely solemn.
He realized that his transmigration seemed to be causing more and more uncontrollable butterfly effects.
The road to King's Landing ahead was destined to be anything but smooth.
Chapter 14: Assassination on King's Road
The journey south was long and tedious.
The massive royal procession, like a bloated caterpillar, slowly wriggled along the muddy King's Road.
Lin Hao did not choose to ride in a carriage, but instead asked Eddard Stark for a fine horse.
He needed to use this journey to quickly familiarize himself with horsemanship and adapt to the long travels of this world.
After spending 300 Prestige in the system store to exchange for "Basic Horsemanship", he almost instantly transformed into an experienced veteran rider the moment he mounted the horse.
This once again astonished the North Territory Guardsresponsible for teaching him, who could only attribute it all to "Lord Hodor's extraordinary talent."
King Robert also showed some interest in this "bastard nephew" whom Eddard valued.
During one stop for rest, he had enthusiastically invited Lin Hao to a wrestling match.
Lin Hao knew that Robert was strong enough to wrestle bears in his youth, and his own initial boost from the "Dragon King's Blood" was nowhere near enough, so he skillfully used "technique" rather than brute strength to contend with him.
He utilized the disarming and joint lock techniques from modern grappling, causing Robert's immense power to miss several times, even forcing the King into a somewhat awkward position at one point.
Although he ultimately "narrowly lost" to Robert's absolute strength, this match made Robert look at him with new respect, slapping him on the shoulder and laughing, "Good lad! Much stronger than my effeminate son! Eddard, your nephew is excellent!"
This praise made Prince Joffrey's face turn ashen, and his gaze towards Lin Hao was filled with venom.
Queen Cersei, meanwhile, subtly glanced at Lin Hao, a flicker of unnoticed brilliance in her emerald eyes.
Lin Hao was completely unfazed by this; what he wanted was to continuously increase his standing in the hearts of the King and Eddard.
Aside from interacting with the King, Lin Hao spent most of his time with Tyrion Lannister.
One was knowledgeable, the other exceedingly intelligent; they discussed everything under the sun.
From the Doom of Valyria to the customs of the continent of Essos; from the heraldry of Westeros to the power structure of King's Landing, the two always found common topics.
Lin Hao used some packaged modern perspectives, such as "economic base determines the superstructure" and "power comes from the recognition of the people, not bloodline," repeatedly shocking Tyrion's worldview and leaving him in awe.
"Hodor, I truly suspect there's a Grand Maester from the Citadel living in your head," Tyrion remarked more than once.
Through Tyrion, Lin Hao also gained a deeper understanding of the situation in King's Landing, especially concerning the Master of Coin, Littlefinger, Petyr Baelish, and the Master of Whisperers, The Spider, Varys.
"Remember, Hodor," Tyrion warned him with a grave expression, "in King's Landing, you can offend the King, you can even offend my father, Tywin Lannister, but never easily offend those two.
Because the former will only ensure you die a clear death, while the latter will ensure you don't even know how you died."
Lin Hao took this advice to heart.
The caravan traveled for nearly a month, finally reaching the Inn at the Crossroads on the Trident River.
According to the plot, this is where Arya's direwolf, Nymeria, would bite Joffrey, ultimately leading to the tragic killing of Sansa's direwolf, Lady.
Lin Hao had been secretly vigilant and had warned Aryain advance to restrain Nymeria and avoid any conflict with Joffrey.
Although Arya was mischievous, she always listened to Lin Hao.
With her deliberate avoidance, the fated conflict did not occur.
This allowed Lin Hao to breathe a sigh of relief and also made him realize that as long as he was strong enough, the plot could indeed be changed.
However, he still underestimated the hidden malice of this world.
The very next day after the caravan left the Inn at the Crossroads, an assassination attempt targeting him quietly unfolded on the King's Road.
At that time, the caravan was passing through a dense forest.
Lin Hao and Tyrion were riding side by side, discussing the customs of Dorne.
Suddenly, Lin Hao's senses, enhanced by the "Dragon King's Blood," picked up an extremely subtle killing intent emanating from the forest!
"Look out!"
He instinctively let out a loud shout, simultaneously yanking Tyrion's reins, pulling him and his horse towards himself.
In the very next instant!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Three poisoned crossbow bolts, like the fangs of a venomous snake, shot out from the forest!
One of them whizzed past where Tyrion had just been, embedding itself deeply into a tree trunk by the roadside, its fletching still buzzing.
The other two formed a triangular pattern, blocking all of Lin Hao's escape routes!
This was clearly a premeditated assassination, intended to succeed!
"Assassins!"
"Protect the King!"
The surrounding guards instantly fell into chaos.
In a flash, Lin Hao displayed extraordinary reaction speed and horsemanship.
He sharply squeezed his horse's flanks with his legs, his body almost sliding sideways against the horse's back, narrowly dodging one crossbow bolt with an incredible "Cossack riding" maneuver.
At the same time, he drew the sword Eddard Stark had given him, swung his arm, and precisely parried the last arrow aimed at his face!
"Clang!"
Sparks flew!
Lin Hao's immense strength even split the crossbow bolt in half!
"Well done!" Tyrion's face was pale from the thrilling scene, but he couldn't help but cheer loudly.
Lin Hao didn't hesitate; after steadying himself, he looked coldly in the direction from which the arrows had come, roaring at the North Territory Guards beside him, "They're coming for me! Protect Lord Eddard and the ladies! Everyone else, follow me!"
With that, he spurred his mount, charging into the dense forest like a black lightning bolt, the first to enter!
Rage surged within him!
Who was it?
Was it Joffrey, who hated him to the bone? Or Cersei and Jaime, wanting to silence him? Or perhaps... Littlefinger, unwilling to accept defeat?
No matter who it was, anyone who dared to harbor killing intent towards him had to be prepared to face his thunderous wrath!
Chapter 15: Chasing the murderer in the jungle, unexpected clues
The light in the dense forest was dim, with dappled shadows from the trees.
Lin Hao took the lead, and with the extraordinary perception brought by the Dragon King's Blood, he could clearly detect the clues left by the assassins in the forest—broken branches, faint dew marks on the grass blades, and a lingering, faint killing intent in the air.
Several of the most elite North Territory Guards followed closely behind, their eyes filled with awe as they watched Lin Hao move through the complex terrain as if on level ground.
This Lord Hodor was not only exceptionally intelligent and skilled in martial arts, but he was also a top-tier tracking master!
The assassins clearly hadn't expected anyone to pursue them so quickly, and with such advanced tracking skills.
The traces they left seemed a bit panicked.
"Split up and pursue!" Lin Hao ordered the guards behind him. "Maintain whistle contact! They won't get far!"
"Yes!"
The guards immediately fanned out, forming a net to press into the depths of the dense forest.
Lin Hao, on the other hand, followed the clearest trail alone.
His speed grew faster and faster, and the North Territory steed beneath him, under his masterful control, unleashed astonishing potential, nimbly weaving through the trees.
Soon, the back of an assassin, dressed in black leather armor and holding a crossbow, appeared in his line of sight.
The assassin evidently spotted him, looked back with a flash of panic in his eyes, and then fled even more desperately into the depths of the forest.
"Trying to run?"
Lin Hao's eyes turned cold, and he unslung the riding bow he had prepared from his saddle.
Bending the bow, nocking an arrow, aiming.
The entire sequence of movements was fluid and seamless.
"Whizz—"
The bowstring twanged!
An arrow, like a shooting star chasing the moon, tore through the air with a sharp whistle, striking the assassin's calf with incredible precision!
"Ah!"
The assassin let out a scream, stumbled, and went from a desperate sprint to a tumbling mess, crashing heavily into a large tree.
Lin Hao spurred his horse forward, dismounted, and pressed his longsword against the man's throat.
"Speak, who sent you?" Lin Hao's voice was devoid of any emotion, chillingly cold.
The assassin, however, was tough; he glared fiercely at Lin Hao, spat out a mouthful of blood, and rasped, "Kill me if you want! You'll get nothing from me!"
As he spoke, a look of grim determination flashed in his eyes, and he attempted to bite down on the poison sac hidden in his teeth to commit suicide!
Lin Hao was prepared.
He flicked his wrist, striking the man's jaw hard with the hilt of his sword.
"Crack!"
With a crisp sound, the assassin's jaw was dislocated, and a mouthful of teeth mixed with blood gushed out, the poison sac rolling to the ground with them.
The intense pain caused the assassin's body to convulse, and finally, a hint of fear entered his eyes as he looked at Lin Hao.
This young man's ruthlessness and meticulousness were simply demonic!
Lin Hao didn't bother with further words, directly reaching out to search his body for clues.
However, the result was somewhat disappointing.
The assassin had no insignia or token on him that could directly prove his identity, and his weapon was the most common type of standard crossbow on the continent.
"Looks like professional death-sworn," Lin Hao frowned slightly.
Just as he was about to give up and finish off the assassin, his fingertip inadvertently brushed against a tiny, hard bump on the inside of the man's leather armor.
His heart stirred, and he used a dagger to cut open the inner lining of the leather armor.
A small, black iron badge fell out from the interlayer.
The badge's design was peculiar: a bat impaled by a spear.
"This is..." Lin Hao's pupils constricted slightly.
He had thoroughly studied the heraldry of the Westeroscontinent, but he had never seen this badge in any book.
This was clearly not the emblem of a noble house.
It looked more like the symbol of a secret organization.
As Lin Hao was examining the badge, the sound of North Territory Guards' whistles came from the distant forest, indicating they had also found something.
Lin Hao no longer hesitated; he ended the assassin's life with a single sword stroke, then put the peculiar bat badge into his in arms, remounted his horse, and rode towards the direction of the whistles.
Soon, he met up with the others in a clearing in the forest.
The guards had captured two other assassins, but they hadn't managed to take them alive.
The two assassins had decisively poisoned themselves the moment they were surrounded.
"Lord Hodor, these two have no clues on them," the captain of the guard reported somewhat shamefacedly.
"No, there are clues."
Lin Hao dismounted, walked to the two corpses, and squatted down to examine them carefully.
Soon, on the back of one of the corpses' necks, he discovered an extremely well-hidden, tiny tattoo that almost blended with the skin color.
The pattern of the tattoo was identical to the black iron badge he had just found—a bat impaled by a spear!
"It's them," Lin Hao's eyes became incredibly solemn.
"My lord, what is this?" the captain of the guard asked curiously.
"An organization that shouldn't be here," Lin Hao slowly stood up, frantically searching his mind for memories related to this badge.
Suddenly, a description he had overlooked, from an inconspicuous corner of the original novel, surfaced in his mind.
It was when Tyrion was captured by Catelyn Stark and tried in the Eyrie; Bronn, the sellsword he hired, had boasted of having been a mercenary in Essos in his youth and mentioned a mysterious assassin's guild that delighted in assassination and creating chaos—the "Night Bat Group."
Their symbol was a bat impaled by a spear!
"The Night Bat Group... an assassin's guild from Essos?" Lin Hao's heart sank instantly.
Things were far more complicated than he had imagined.
While Joffrey and Jaime were arrogant and foolish, they didn't have the capability, nor would they dare, to privately hire an foreign assassin's guild to commit assassination right under the King's nose.
Cersei might have had the inclination, but she was currently at his mercy and unlikely to take such a huge risk.
Thus, the identity of the mastermind was almost obvious.
Both the motive and the capability, and the ability to secretly bring foreign assassins to Westeros... "Littlefinger... Varys?"
A cold killing intent flashed in Lin Hao's eyes.
It seemed that after he thwarted their first plot in Winterfell, he had been completely targeted by these venomous snakes hiding in the shadows.
They wanted to eliminate him, this "variable," completely before he even entered King's Landing!
"Lord Hodor, what shall we do now?" the captain of the guard asked for instructions.
"Dispose of the bodies as if nothing happened," Lin Hao's voice returned to calm, but those who knew him well could hear that beneath this calm was a volcano about to erupt.
"We're going back. This game... is getting more and more interesting."
Chapter 16 Arriving at King's Landing, Undercurrents in the Red Keep
The assassination attempt was ultimately attributed to a group of reckless bandits.
King Robert was furious about it and ordered a thorough investigation, but it naturally came to nothing.
Lin Hao did not tell anyone his suspicions, including Eddard Stark and Tyrion.
He knew that accusing Littlefinger or Varys without absolute proof would be an extremely foolish act.
It would only alert them and put him in a more disadvantageous position.
He simply tucked away the 'Night Bat' badge, and in his heart, he raised the danger level of King's Landing by several notches.
After this small interlude, the procession continued its journey.
Half a month later, a magnificent yet somewhat dirty large city finally appeared on the horizon.
King's Landing, they had arrived.
This city, built upon three hills, was the center of the Seven Kingdoms.
The towering Red Keep stood on Aegon's High Hill, overlooking the entire city and the shimmering waters of Blackwater Bay.
However, when the procession truly entered the city gates, what greeted them was not the prosperity of the capital, but a strong smell mixed with sweat, excrement, and rotten seafood.
The narrow streets were crowded with ragged commoners, who stared at the King and the Northern nobles' entourage with a numb yet curious gaze.
Sansa and Arya both couldn't help but frown, clearly disappointed with their 'first impression' of King's Landing.
Lin Hao, however, was accustomed to it; he knew that this was the truest essence of this city of power—gilded on the outside, rotten on the inside.
After entering the Red Keep, Eddard Stark was immediately summoned by the King and plunged into the complex state affairs and the handover of the Hand's duties.
Sansa and Arya were arranged to live in Maegor's Holdfast, beginning their new lives in King's Landing.
As Eddard's 'advisor' and 'attendant,' Lin Hao also obtained an independent room within the Red Keep.
His room was not large, but its location was excellent, overlooking a good portion of Blackwater Bay.
After settling down, he did not rush into action but instead used the next few days to absorb all information about the castle like a sponge.
Every day, he would accompany Eddard Stark to the Small Council meetings, observing with a cold eye how the lavishly dressed high officials vied for power and attacked each other in front of the King.
He saw the short, unremarkable Master of Coin, Petyr Baelish, Littlefinger, who always wore a benevolent smile.
He also saw the fat, smooth, lavishly robed The Spider, Varys, who always exuded a perfumed scent.
These two, as Tyrion had said, were like venomous snakes hidden in the shadows, seemingly harmless, yet always able to spew the most deadly venom inadvertently.
They almost never directly confronted each other in meetings, but every word, every glance, was full of cunning and insinuation.
Eddard Stark, this straightforward Northerner, in front of these old foxes, was like a fierce tiger that had wandered into a snake pit; although brave, he was constrained everywhere and seemed out of place.
Lin Hao saw all of this and worried deeply.
He privately reminded Eddard several times to be wary of Littlefinger and Varys, but Eddard clearly did not take it completely to heart.
In his opinion, although these people were cunning, they could not cause much trouble in the face of the King's absolute power.
"Foolish sense of honor," Lin Hao could only sigh in his heart.
He knew that to change Eddard's deeply ingrained beliefs, persuasion alone was useless; he had to see and experience the bloody lessons firsthand.
And what he had to do was to accumulate enough strength before the tragedy occurred, to have the qualification to overturn the chessboard.
That day, Lin Hao wandered alone in the Red Keep, on the pretext of familiarizing himself with the environment.
With his powerful memory and the faint sense of direction granted by the system, he quickly got a general understanding of the Red Keep's intricate structure.
As he walked down a secluded corridor, a familiar figure appeared ahead.
Queen Cersei Lannister.
She seemed to have just returned from somewhere, accompanied by only one handmaiden. Seeing Lin Hao, her steps paused slightly, and a complex expression flashed in her beautiful emerald eyes.
"Lord Snow, what a coincidence," Cersei's tone carried a hint of imperceptible sarcasm.
"Indeed, Your Majesty," Lin Hao bowed slightly, his posture impeccable.
The two brushed past each other.
In the instant they crossed paths, Cersei quickly whispered in a voice only they could hear, "wildfire, in the alchemist's chamber beneath Maegor's Holdfast. Tonight at midnight, I will have someone distract the guards; you will only have fifteen minutes. The stuff is dangerous, get it and leave quickly, don't cause me any trouble."
With that, she walked away gracefully with her handmaiden without looking back, as if nothing had happened.
Lin Hao's steps did not falter, and a calm smile remained on his face.
But in his heart, waves were already stirring.
wildfire!
The key to hatching the Dragon egg was finally within reach!
Chapter 17: Night Exploration of the Secret Room, Wildfire
The nights in King's Landing were much more boisterous than in Winterfell.
Even in the dead of night, the Red Keep was still brightly lit, with the sounds of guards patrolling intermingling with the clamor from distant taverns.
Lin Hao changed into a set of black night clothes, easy for movement, and carefully concealed the valyrian steeldagger that Littlefinger had "gifted" him.
He sat quietly in the dark room, regulating his breathing, waiting for midnight to arrive.
The awakening of the Dragon King's Blood had made his senses extraordinarily keen.
He could clearly hear the footsteps of the patrolling guards outside the corridor, distinguish different scents carried on the wind, and even roughly outline the room's contours in the darkness.
When the clock struck twelve, Lin Hao's eyes snapped open.
Like a civet cat, he silently opened the window, agilely flipped out, and crept along the shadows of the castle's outer wall, heading towards Maegor's Holdfast.
The Red Keep's defenses seemed impenetrable, but for Lin Hao, with his modern climbing skills and superhuman physique, it was still full of loopholes.
He always found blind spots and weak points in the defenses, blending into the night like a wisp of smoke.
Soon, he reached the underground area of Maegor's Holdfast.
Just as Cersei had said, the entrance to the alchemist's secret chamber was indeed deserted at this moment.
The two Gold Cloaks who should have been on guard here were nowhere to be found.
"This woman, at least, keeps her word."
Lin Hao didn't hesitate and quickly slipped into the passage.
A pungent smell of sulfur mixed with chemical agents assailed him; the passage was dimly lit, and the walls were covered with green, slowly flowing marks, like mold, left by years of storing wildfire.
He followed the spiraling stone steps, descending deeper.
Soon, a large door made of black iron and covered with complex locks appeared before him.
The main door was locked, but an inconspicuous small door next to it was left ajar, clearly left specifically for him by Cersei.
Lin Hao pushed open the small door, and a spacious underground chamber unfolded before him.
In the center of the chamber were rows of shelves made of special stone.
On the shelves, hundreds of clay jars were neatly arranged. The liquid inside the jars glowed with an eerie, heart-pounding green in the dim light.
wildfire!
Even through the clay jars, Lin Hao could feel the violent and unstable energy contained within.
"Ding! High-concentration magic energy source detected: wildfire!"
"Warning: This substance is extremely dangerous; please proceed with caution, Host!"
The system's prompt made Lin Hao even more careful.
He wasn't greedy; following Cersei's instructions, he only planned to take the smallest jar.
He pulled out a pre-prepared bag from his Pregnant, wrapped in multiple layers of thick cloth and leather, and carefully walked towards a shelf in a corner.
However, just as his hand was about to touch the clay jar!
A strong sense of danger, like a needle prick, assaulted him from behind!
Lin Hao's pupils suddenly constricted; almost instinctively, he abandoned taking the wildfire and violently rolled to the side!
"Hiss!"
A crossbow bolt, almost grazing his scalp, slammed into the wall opposite him, its arrowhead gleaming with an eerie green light, clearly tipped with potent poison!
"Who?!"
Lin Hao sprang to his feet with a carp-like flip, the valyrian steel dagger already in his hand, his eyes coldly fixed on the direction of the entrance.
In the darkness, a man dressed in Gold Cloaks guard attire slowly emerged. He held a loaded crossbow, aimed directly at Lin Hao.
His face was covered by a grotesque bronze mask.
"A Faceless Man?!"
Lin Hao's heart instantly sank to the bottom.
No! A Faceless Man assassin wouldn't wear such a flamboyant mask!
"Whose man are you?" Lin Hao asked in a deep voice, his mind racing.
Had Cersei betrayed him?
Unlikely; it didn't align with her interests.
Then, there was a third party who knew about his actions!
"Dead men don't need to know too much." The voice from beneath the mask was hoarse and strange.
Before he finished speaking, he pulled the trigger again!
Another poisoned arrow, aimed straight at Lin Hao's face!
The two were no more than ten paces apart; in such a confined space, facing a deadly weapon like a crossbow, it was almost a certain death situation!
But Lin Hao was no ordinary man!
The moment the opponent pulled the trigger, he had already reacted!
He chose not to dodge, because the space was too small, there was nowhere to avoid!
He made a move that even the assassin was shocked by!
He suddenly grabbed a wildfire clay jar from a nearby shelf and, with all his might, hurled it fiercely at the assassin!
This was a gamble with his life!
The assassin clearly hadn't expected Lin Hao to be so insane, daring to use wildfire as a weapon! He instinctively dodged to the side.
"Boom—!!!"
The clay jar collided with the poisoned arrow in mid-air, instantly exploding!
Green liquid splattered everywhere, and the moment it touched the air and walls, it violently ignited into a towering, eerie green flame!
Terrifying high temperatures instantly swept through the entire chamber!
The green flames, as if alive, spread wildly along the walls and floor, illuminating the entire underground space into a hellish scene!
"Madman!"
The assassin let out a roar of mingled shock and fury; although he had dodged the center of the explosion, his arm was still ignited by the splashing wildfire.
The green flames clung to his armor, and no matter how he tried to extinguish them, they only burned fiercer!
He could only scream in pain, tearing off his burning armor, and frantically fled towards the exit.
As for Lin Hao, the instigator of the explosion, the moment he threw the clay jar, he had already lunged towards the other corner and quickly hid behind a row of heavy stone shelves.
Even so, the terrifying heat wave still scorched his back, making it burning hot.
"Cough, cough..."
Lin Hao coughed violently, choked by the thick smoke, but he couldn't afford to dwell on it.
He knew that the explosion would soon attract all the guards of the Red Keep, and he had to leave immediately!
He seized an opportunity, pulled out another small, pre-prepared bag from his Pregnant, filled with quicklime powder.
He forcefully threw the bag towards the most intense part of the flames.
"Bang!"
The quicklime powder rose, temporarily obscuring visibility.
Lin Hao took this chance, rushing out from behind cover like a leopard, not even glancing at the assassin writhing and wailing on the ground, and dashed towards the small, ajar door at his fastest speed!
He had to escape before the guards surrounded the place!
What he didn't know was that this raging green fire, ignited by his own hands beneath Maegor's Holdfast, would stir up an immense storm in King's Landing!
Chapter 18: Blaming and Secret Meeting with "Octopus Spider"
Rushing out of the alchemist's secret chamber, Lin Haodidn't stop for a moment.
He pushed his speed to the limit, weaving through the Red Keep's intricate corridors and shadows.
Behind him, the piercing alarm bells were already echoing through the sky, and countless torches, like a long dragon, converged towards Maegor's Holdfast.
He knew that he hadn't left many traces, but as soon as dawn broke, with Varys's pervasive intelligence network, some clues would eventually be found.
"I must find a scapegoat."
A bold plan quickly formed in his mind.
He didn't return directly to his room but instead took a large detour, arriving near the Kingsguard's camp.
The area was heavily guarded, but for Lin Hao, who was focused on stealth, there were still opportunities to slip through.
He avoided all patrol teams and quietly infiltrated to the outside of Jaime Lannister's tent.
He didn't go inside; he merely slipped a piece of Gold Cloaks fabric, torn from the bronze-masked assassin and still bearing scorch marks from wildfire, silently into the gap of the tent flap.
He had ripped this piece of fabric from the assassin as he fled the secret chamber.
After doing all this, he left like a ghost, quietly returning to his room... The next day, the entire King's Landing was shaken by the Red Keep's fire last night.
The alchemist's secret chamber beneath Maegor's Holdfast was largely destroyed, nearly a hundred pots of wildfire were lost, and more importantly, a charred, unrecognizable body, suspected to be an assassin, was found at the scene.
King Robert was furious and ordered a thorough investigation.
At the Small Council meeting, the atmosphere was extremely tense.
"A bunch of useless fools!" Robert's roar echoed through the hall, "Someone dares to play with fire in my castle, while I am sleeping?!"
Janos Slynt, the Commander of the City Watch, was sweating profusely, kneeling on the ground and trembling.
Eddard Stark frowned, keenly aware that this incident was far from a simple accident.
Just then, Varys, the Master of Whisperers, emerged from the shadows with his characteristic, silent steps.
"Your Majesty," he said in his effeminate voice, "After a night of investigation by my little birds, we seem to have made some insignificant discoveries."
"Speak!" Robert roared.
"We found this outside Ser Jaime Lannister of the Kingsguard's tent."
Varys said, taking a clear evidence bag from his sleeve, which contained a charred piece of Gold Cloaks fabric.
At these words, everyone was stunned!
All eyes turned in unison to Jaime Lannister, who stood beside the King, his face instantly turning incredibly grim.
"Nonsense!" Jaime, both shocked and enraged, immediately stepped forward to defend himself, "This is a setup! It's a frame-up!"
"Oh?" Varys rotated his corpulent body, a strange light flickering in his small eyes, "I wonder, Ser Jaime, where were you at midnight last night?"
"I... I was resting in my tent!" Jaime quickly said.
"Is that so?" Varys's lips curved into an eerie smile, "However, two serving maids on watch said they saw a figure very much like Your Grace stealthily leaving the direction of Your Majesty's chambers and heading towards Maegor's Holdfast last night."
"You are slandering me!" Jaime was thoroughly enraged, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.
"Enough!" King Robert slammed his hand on the table, interrupting their standoff.
His eyes, clouded by indulgence and alcohol, were now filled with suspicion and fury.
He looked at Jaime as if he were an enemy who could betray him at any moment.
"Jaime Lannister," Robert's voice was as cold as the northern wind, "Hand over your sword and white cloak. You are confined until this matter is thoroughly investigated!"
"Your Majesty!" Jaime still wanted to argue.
"That is an order!"
Finally, under the King's undeniable roar, the proud "Kingslayer" could only humiliatingly unfasten his sword and white cloak, symbols of the Kingsguard's honor.
Lin Hao stood behind Eddard Stark, observing everything with a cold eye.
He knew his frame-up had succeeded.
Jaime and Cersei's affair was already a thorn in the King's heart, and Varys's timely presentation of eyewitnesses, coupled with the evidence, was enough to make the suspicious Robert pour all his doubts onto House Lannister.
This nail, so to speak, was temporarily hammered in.
The meeting ended on a sour note.
As Lin Hao prepared to leave with Eddard, Varys quietly approached him.
"Lord Snow, may I have a word with you?" He extended the invitation with a smile that felt both refreshing and chilling down the spine.
Lin Hao's heart tightened; he knew what was coming.
He nodded impassively.
The two came to an deserted corridor.
"The fire last night was quite spectacular." Varys got straight to the point, his small eyes looking at Lin Haomeaningfully, "My little birds told me that before the fire, a dark figure was seen lurking near Maegor's Holdfast. That figure was agile, bold yet meticulous, and… seemed to know the Red Keep's layout like the back of his hand."
Lin Hao's expression remained unchanged: "Could The Spider's little birds have been mistaken?"
"Perhaps." Varys smiled, not dwelling on the question, "However, what I'm more curious about is that charred assassin. My people found something interesting on him."
He paused, then slowly uttered three words: "Night Bat Group."
Lin Hao's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly at that moment.
"It seems Lord Snow knows that name." Varys keenly caught his momentary emotional fluctuation, his smile growing wider, "This makes it even more interesting. How does a bastard from the North provoke a group of mad dogs from Essos?"
He stared intently at Lin Hao, as if trying to read something from his face.
But Lin Hao's expression had returned to its usual calm.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Lord." He replied calmly, "Perhaps those assassins mistook me for someone else."
"Is that so?" Varys sighed softly, a hint of regret in his tone, "What a pity. I thought we might become friends. After all, we both have a common, disliked friend, don't we?"
He spoke with a hidden meaning.
Lin Hao instantly understood what he meant.
Varys was implying that the assassins were sent by Littlefinger, and he wanted to recruit Lin Hao to deal with Littlefinger together.
This was both a test and an overture.
Lin Hao was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke.
"The Spider's web is too complex. I am just a crow from the North, accustomed to flying freely in the sky, and I don't want to be entangled in any web."
He refused.
Because he knew that cooperating with someone like Varys was akin to playing with fire.
He was never loyal to a specific person, but to the "kingdom" itself.
Once his actions touched upon what he considered "kingdom interests," he would not hesitate to betray him.
Upon hearing this reply, a hint of imperceptible disappointment flashed in Varys's eyes, but the smile on his face remained gentle.
"What a cautious young man." He nodded, "Very well. However, I still want to offer you a piece of advice — the waters of King's Landing are far deeper than Blackwater Bay. Beware of the tentacles beneath the surface; they will drag people into the endless abyss."
With that, he turned and silently melted into the shadows of the corridor.
Watching his disappearing back, Lin Hao's back was already covered in a fine layer of cold sweat.
Dealing with such a top-tier schemer was truly exhausting.
But at the same time, he also confirmed one thing — Varys would not be his enemy, for now.
In fact, when it came to dealing with Littlefinger, he would become an unwitting ally.
"So, next…"
Lin Hao's gaze turned towards his room.
"It's time to welcome the birth of the first dragon!"
Chapter 19: Blood of the Dragon King, Baptism of Fire
Upon returning to his room, Lin Hao immediately locked the door and wedged a chair against it.
He knew that within the Red Keep, there were no such things as'secrets'.
Varys's little birds were everywhere.
But he couldn't afford to worry about that now.
The energy of wildfire was extremely unstable; every moment it remained, there was a greater risk of exposure and danger.
From a highly concealed wall compartment, he retrieved a small, lead-wrapped ceramic jar.
This was the sole trophy he had risked his life to retrieve from the fire last night—a small jar of wildfire!
After throwing the first jar to create chaos, he used the cover of thick smoke to swiftly hide this small jar in his specially made pocket.
The entire process was seamless; even the bronze-masked assassin failed to notice.
He placed the lead-wrapped jar on the ground and then retrieved the dark gray fossilized Dragon egg from under his bed.
"System, what are the steps required to begin the incubation?" Lin Hao asked in his mind.
[Warning: wildfire energy is extremely volatile. Direct contact incubation has a success rate of less than 10% and carries a significant risk of causing permanent harm to the host!]
[Recommended solution: Use the host's "Dragon King's Blood" as a medium to guide the wildfire energy for controlled incubation.]
[Specific steps:]
[1. Prick fingertip, drip host's blood onto the Dragon egg's surface to establish a deep bloodline connection.]
[2. Pour wildfire around the Dragon egg (do not make direct contact) to form an energy field.]
[3. Host holds the Dragon egg and uses willpower to guide the flame energy into the Dragon egg.]
"Guide with willpower..." Lin Hao took a deep breath, his eyes becoming incredibly resolute.
This was undoubtedly a huge gamble!
If he won, he would possess the world's most formidable strategic weapon; if he lost, he might be burned to ashes by the terrifying energy of wildfire!
He no longer hesitated.
He took out the sharp Valyrian steel dagger and, without hesitation, cut a gash on his left index finger.
Crimson blood immediately welled up.
He pressed his finger onto the cold surface of the Dragon egg, and the blood slowly seeped in along the patterns of the scales.
The moment his blood touched the Dragon egg, a strange resonance, originating from the depths of their bloodlines, was instantly established between him and the Dragon egg!
He seemed to clearly "see" the core of the Dragon egg, where the flame of life, dormant for a thousand years, gently pulsed due to the infusion of his blood!
It's working!
Lin Hao's heart filled with joy, and he immediately proceeded to the next step.
He cautiously opened the seal of the lead-wrapped jar and slowly poured the viscous wildfire, emitting an eerie green glow, onto the ground around the Dragon egg, forming a green ring approximately one foot in diameter.
"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..."
The wildfire immediately emitted a faint corrosive sound upon contact with the stone floor, and an astonishing heat began to spread.
Lin Hao dared not delay. He immediately embraced the Dragon egg, with which he had established a deep connection, and sat cross-legged in the center of the wildfire ring!
He closed his eyes, concentrated all his mental energy, and began to try to communicate with and guide the violent flame energy around him using his willpower.
"Come!"
He shouted in his mind!
The next second, something terrifying happened!
The wildfire ring on the ground, as if summoned, suddenly burst into flames!
"Boom!"
A green wall of flames, nearly half a meter high, instantly engulfed Lin Hao and the Dragon egg!
The terrifying high temperature was enough to melt steel in an instant!
Lin Hao felt as if he were in the core of the sun; his skin, flesh, and bones all groaned in agony under this terrifying temperature!
Excruciating pain!
Unimaginable agony, like a tidal wave, swept through every inch of his nerves!
He nearly fainted on the spot!
"Hold on! I must hold on!"
Lin Hao clenched his teeth, blood seeping from his gums.
He focused all his willpower on guiding the flame energy.
His "Dragon King's Blood" was completely activated at this moment!
A cool yet powerful force surged from the depths of his bloodline, protecting his heart and brain, preventing him from dying directly from the intense pain.
His skin cracked inch by inch in the flames, yet it was painstakingly repairing itself at a visible rate under the power of the "Dragon King's Blood."
Destruction and rebirth played out the most cruel cycle on his body!
And in his arms, the black Dragon egg was frantically absorbing this vast flame energy!
The surface of the eggshell began to glow with faint dark red light, and the ancient scale patterns, like illuminated magma veins, became clearer and brighter!
"Crack..."
An extremely faint cracking sound came from inside the eggshell.
Immediately after, there was a second sound, a third... cracks, like a spiderweb, quickly covered the entire eggshell!
A majestic aura of life, from the primordial age, burst forth from the cracks!
Lin Hao's spirit suddenly trembled!
He could feel a powerful young life, connected to his bloodline, about to be reborn in the raging fire!
"Now!"
He used his last ounce of strength, pouring all his willpower and bloodline power into the Dragon egg!
"Roar—!!!"
A tender yet supremely majestic dragon's roar exploded deep within Lin Hao's soul!
At this moment, the green flames, as if commanded by an emperor, suddenly contracted inward, all surging into the soon-to-be-shattered eggshell!
The temperature in the room plummeted.
When the flames subsided, Lin Hao looked down.
In his arms, a palm-sized hatchling, entirely black as ink, with wing membranes and spinal spikes that were a dark, lava-like red, was breaking out of its shell!
It lay wet on the broken eggshell, its bright, obsidian-like eyes, full of wisdom and spirituality, curiously surveying the world and also the 'father' who had awakened it and was connected to its bloodline.
It worked!
Lin Hao looked at the extraordinarily magnificent little creature before him, an indescribable excitement and joy welling up in his heart.
He extended his somewhat charred finger and gently touched the hatchling's head.
Not only did the hatchling not shy away, but it affectionately rubbed its head, covered in tiny scales, against his finger, emitting a satisfied purring sound like a kitten from its throat.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully incubating the first ancient dragon!]
[dragon king system authority upgraded, new functions unlocked: Dragon Contract, Dragon Growth.]
[Your bloodline, "Dragon King's Blood," has been tempered in the fiery baptism, and its level has been upgraded to (Intermediate)!]
[Effect 1: Your strength, speed, and recovery ability have received a moderate increase.]
[Effect 2: You have gained the "Flame Immunity" (Elementary) talent, which allows you to be immune to most mundane fire damage.]
[Effect 3: You can establish a mental link with your dragon through the "Dragon Contract" and issue commands.]
A series of system prompts, like heavenly music.
Lin Hao felt the power surging within his body, several times stronger than before, and the rapidly healing burns on his skin, a genuine smile of relief after escaping death spread across his face.
From today onwards, in this game of thrones of ice and fire, he finally possessed his first, and most powerful, trump card!
Chapter 20 The Black Dragon "Night Fury" and the Prime Minister's Troubles
After the initial joy of its birth, Lin Hao immediately faced a practical problem—how to accommodate this Crying for food little fellow.
He looked at the young dragon, which was curiously gnawing on his finger with its tiny, not-yet-fully-grown milk teeth, and a wry smile touched his lips.
He couldn't keep it hidden in his room forever, nor could he let it be seen by anyone in the Red Keep.
"System, is there any way to hide it?"
"[Dragon Contract function unlocked. The host can issue'Stealth' or 'Hibernation' commands to the young dragon via mental link.]"
"[Additionally, the System Shop has been updated with new items: Portable Dragon Nest Space (Initial) (Price: 2000 Reputation Points)]"
"[Portable Dragon Nest Space: A 1 cubic meter sub-space, usable for storing young dragons and providing basic living conditions.]"
"2000 Reputation Points? Why don't you just rob me!" Lin Hao felt a pang of heartache as he looked at the little over a thousand reputation points he had painstakingly accumulated in his account from previous missions and upgrades.
However, this "Dragon Nest Space" was indeed the perfect solution for now.
"I'll owe you for now."
Lin Hao issued his first mental command to the young dragon: "From now on, I'll call you 'Night Fury.' Without my command, you are not to make any sound, nor are you to be discovered by anyone."
The young dragon's obsidian-like eyes blinked, then a low purr of understanding rumbled in its throat.
A faint black glow shimmered across its body, and then, its previously clear form seemed to merge with the surrounding shadows, becoming blurry and hard to detect.
"This stealth ability is simply that of a born assassin!" Lin Hao exclaimed in wonder.
He named this completely black little dragon "Night Fury," partly as a tribute to an animation from his previous life, and partly hoping it would become the sharpest and most secret blade in his hand.
After dealing with Night Fury's issue, Lin Hao finally had time to attend to himself.
He looked at himself in the mirror, somewhat disheveled from the fire but with bright, piercing eyes and a body that seemed to hold explosive power beneath the skin, and nodded with satisfaction.
After the Dragon King's Blood advanced to intermediate level, his physical conditioning had completely surpassed that of the top knights in this world; perhaps only a monster like "The Mountain" Gregor Clegane could contend with him in pure strength.
Moreover, the basic "Fire Immunity" meant he no longer feared ordinary flames, which undoubtedly added another trump card for survival.
Just as he was cleaning up the traces left by the Dragon egg's hatching, a knock came from the door.
"Lord Hodor, the Lord Hand requests your presence." It was the voice of Eddard's captain of the guard.
Lin Hao quickly restored everything to its original state, hid Night Fury in a shadowy corner of the room, then opened the door and followed the guard to the Tower of the Hand... In the study of the Tower of the Hand, Eddard Stark sat at his desk, rubbing his temples with a tired expression.
The table was piled high with various parchment scrolls and ledgers.
"My Lord, you called for me?" Lin Hao bowed respectfully.
"Hodor, you're here." Eddard looked up, motioned for him to sit down, "Take a look at this."
He pushed a thick ledger across the table.
Lin Hao took it and opened it, seeing dense records of the kingdom's financial expenditures over the past few years.
The more he read, the tighter his brows furrowed.
"This..."
"You see it now, don't you?" Eddard's face showed a bitter expression, "The royal treasury has been empty for a long time. Our great King owes House Lannister of Casterly Rock three million gold dragons, the Iron Bank of Braavosnearly two million, and even owes House Tyrell and some wealthy merchants from Lys a considerable amount. The entire kingdom is just an empty shell!"
"And Robert is still thinking about hosting the grandest Hand's Tourney Westeros has ever seen!" Eddardslammed his fist on the table in anger, "Just the prize money and expenses for this tourney will be over a hundred thousand gold dragons! He's going to completely empty the entire kingdom!"
Lin Hao was not surprised by this; in the original story, it was precisely this tourney that completely intensified the conflict between Eddard and King Robert, laying the groundwork for the subsequent tragedy.
"My Lord, what do you plan to do?" Lin Hao asked.
"What can I do?" Eddard looked frustrated, "I've advised him, but he simply won't listen! His mind is only on fighting, hunting, and drinking!"
This was Eddard Stark's dilemma.
He was an excellent warrior and lord, but not a competent politician.
He didn't understand subtlety, didn't understand compromise, and only dealt with problems in the straightforward Northern way, which naturally led to constant setbacks.
"My Lord, perhaps... we can try a different approach." Lin Hao pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.
"What approach?" A glimmer of hope flashed in Eddard's eyes.
"Since we cannot stop the King from spending money, then we must find a way for the kingdom to earn money." Lin Hao's eyes gleamed with the wisdom of modern commercial society.
"Earn money?" Eddard was stunned, "How? By increasing taxes on merchants? The taxes in King's Landing are already heavy enough; any more would likely incite rebellion."
"No, of course not by increasing taxes." Lin Hao shook his head, "Exorbitant taxes are the lowest and most foolish way to accumulate wealth. What we need to do is create wealth."
He stood up, walked to Eddard's desk, dipped his finger in ink, and began drawing on the parchment.
"My Lord, look. What is King's Landing's greatest advantage?"
"It's... the port?" Eddard replied somewhat uncertainly.
"Exactly! It's the port!" Lin Hao's eyes shone brightly, "King's Landing is the most important trade hub in all of Westeros! Hundreds of merchant ships dock and trade here every day. This holds immense wealth!"
"But the port's taxes have always been managed by the Master of Coin..." Eddard mentioned a key figure.
"Littlefinger Petyr Baelish, I know." A cold smile played on Lin Hao's lips, "But his management style is too outdated. He only knows how to collect taxes, but not how to guide and create commercial value."
"We can establish a 'King's Landing Port Authority,' personally managed by you, Lord Hand. We can uniformly plan the docks, set up cargo storage areas, introduce an 'auction house' mechanism for public bidding on rare goods. We can even issue 'Kingdom Bonds,' borrowing money from wealthy merchants and nobles, promising them higher interest than the Iron Bank..."
One after another, advanced terms that could overturn the commercial understanding of this era continuously flowed from Lin Hao's mouth.
Eddard Stark and Maester Luwin, who was standing nearby, listened in dumbfounded amazement; they felt as if they were listening to a heavenly scripture.
What was a "Port Authority"? And what were "Auction Houses" and "Kingdom Bonds"?
These terms were completely new to them, yet for some reason, they felt an indescribable, Midas-touch-like magic contained within them!
Lin Hao looked at their shocked expressions, knowing he had achieved his goal.
What he wanted to do was not just solve the immediate financial crisis.
What he wanted to do was to tear off a significant piece of the fattest and most central interest in King's Landing—the financial authority!
And this would inevitably lead to the most direct and intense conflict between him and "Littlefinger," who had managed the kingdom's purse strings for many years!