Days later, in the middle of the Narrow Sea, the port of Lys.
The fleet slowly sailed into the city's harbor, famous for its perfumes, slave trade, and hedonistic pleasures.
Unlike the grand and bustling trade port of Volantis, the air in Lys harbor was filled with a peculiar scent, a sweet mixture of floral fragrance, cosmetics, and seawater.
Most of the ships docked at the pier were ornately decorated, with vibrant patterns painted on their sails, and the sailors' attire was more flamboyant and showy than elsewhere.
Choosing to stop in Lys for resupply was a planned decision.
From Volantis to the Stepstones, directly crossing the central Narrow Sea, though the shortest route, carried the highest risk.
That sea area was riddled with reefs, rampant with pirates, and prone to unpredictable weather.
The Mercenary Luke, no, now he should be Luke of the Bloodsworn, showed an unexpected side of himself when planning the route.
"Your Highness," Luke explained respectfully before the nautical chart, his finger tracing the map, "My father was a captain from Braavos. I often followed him on his voyages when I was little, so I'm quite familiar with route planning."
"From Volantis, head diagonally west to Lys first to replenish fresh water and food."
"Lys is one of the Free Cities, making resupply convenient. Also, sailing north from Lys to the Stepstones, we can follow a relatively familiar trade route, avoiding several notorious dangerous reef areas and storm-prone zones."
"Although it adds a day or two, it's safer."
Only then did Aegon realize that Luke and his sister were not native to Volantis.
They were originally the children of a reputable captain from Braavos. Several years ago, their father encountered a natural disaster during a voyage; his ship was destroyed, he died, and their family fortunes declined, with creditors pressing them.
Their mother had died early, and out of desperation, Luke had no choice but to leave Braavos with his young sister to seek refuge with a distant cousin in Volantis who was rumored to have become wealthy.
However, they didn't find the cousin. Instead, they were targeted by the Iron Jaw Gang, tricked into an unpayable debt, and with no other option, they gritted their teeth and signed the Mercenary contract to Valyria, which was practically a death sentence.
Now, the hideous scar on his body had long healed, but the mark of the Bloodsworn was deeply etched into his heart.
The route was thus decided. At this moment, the fleet anchored at the docks of Lys.
Inside The Quiet's captain's cabin, Aegon watched Ghidorah, who was curled up on a specially made soft cushion, now the size of a small pony, its three heads gently rising and falling in sleep.
The pale golden scales remained the base color, but they subtly emitted a restrained, heart-stopping energy fluctuation.
Through their mental connection, Aegon could sense a chaotic satisfaction and a slow yet steady growth.
He had previously tried to inquire and received some vague feedback.
It seemed that in the Valyrian Ruins, Ghidorah instinctively devoured or absorbed some kind of 'essence' remaining after the Dead Dragon, formed by Blood Magic and vengeful spirits, was annihilated.
For Ghidorah, an entity from another universe that grows by 'absorbing radiation' and other high-energy forms.
The 'magical energy, magical creations' or the remains of certain powerful beings in this world, after being transformed by its own unique rules, could actually become 'nutrients' to promote its growth and accelerate its 'decompression' and adaptation to this world.
It was as if it originally needed to consume nuclear radiation, but now it could digest magic power.
This was undoubtedly good news, though it was a rare opportunity.
"Watch over it carefully. No one is allowed near this room, and no curious actions are permitted," Aegon sternly ordered the two Bloodsworn warriors guarding the door.
These two warriors were carefully selected, with steady temperaments, few words, and absolute loyalty to Aegon.
They nodded heavily, hands on their sword hilts, like two guardian deities.
Having arranged the guards, Aegon then disembarked with Henry and two other alert Bloodsworn soldiers.
Karl was on duty this time, responsible for the fleet's safety and managing the brothers resting ashore.
Following the rules established in Volantis, they rotated in shifts, maintaining vigilance.
"Your Highness, where are we going?" Henry asked, somewhat uncomfortably, looking at the distinct architecture and the scantily clad, languid pedestrians on the streets of Lys.
The two accompanying soldiers also perked up their ears.
"Perfume Garden," Aegon stated the destination, his steps unwavering.
"Perfume Gar..." Henry was stunned for a moment, then his plump face flushed crimson, like a cooked lobster. His eyes darted around, and he mumbled, "Going to... going to that kind of place..."
The other two soldiers were initially startled, then exchanged glances, a knowing, ambiguous smile that all men understood playing at the corners of their mouths.
They quickly composed themselves, maintaining their vigilant posture, though their eyes held a hint of eager anticipation.
Aegon's face showed little emotion, but his mind was rapidly sifting through the true purpose of this trip.
After the system was 'regularized' in the Valyrian Ruins, its functions indeed became much clearer.
In addition to the status bar and map guidance, the lottery system was also divided into two types:
Myriad Realms Lottery: Bound to check-ins at high-difficulty, high-risk, and usually extremely important or special locations.
Rewards come from all the myriad realms, with an extremely high upper limit, but also great risks. Moreover, the refresh of check-in locations seems to have no fixed pattern, making them rare opportunities.
The check-in deep within the Valyrian Ruins, which rewarded 'MonsterVerse - King Ghidorah,' belonged to this category.
Now, that check-in location had refreshed, and looking at the cold yet tempting text on the system panel:
[Myriad Realms Lottery: Check-in Location: Westeros, King's Landing, Red Keep, iron throne]
Aegon's eyes grew slightly cold.
This check-in would likely have to wait until he truly fought his way back to Westeros and sat on that damned chair.
Native World Lottery: These check-in locations seem to refresh randomly, usually triggered when he arrives at or approaches a region with specific significance.
The difficulty is relatively lower, but the rewards are completely random, potentially coming from any corner of this world. They could be knowledge, items, skills, or even things of unknown use, all depending on luck.
This time, as the fleet approached Lys harbor, a new golden light spot quietly lit up on the system map, marked precisely as [Perfume Garden].
This was Aegon's true purpose for coming here.
Resupply was secondary; this check-in opportunity could not be missed.
As for the reputation of the Perfume Garden itself... he was not an innocent youth, but at this moment, he had no romantic inclinations.
Along the way, the open, even indulgent, atmosphere of Lys assailed them.
Lightly dressed, brightly adorned men and women openly flirted on the streets; embracing and kissing were common sights. Even in the shadows of some alleys, intertwined figures and suppressed gasps could be glimpsed.
The red on Henry's face barely faded. He tried not to look directly but couldn't help but steal glances from the corner of his eye, then quickly averted his gaze as if burned.
The two soldiers, however, watched with great interest, marveling, but discipline kept them in formation, not allowing them to be lax.
After passing through a bustling street, a large square appeared ahead.
In the center of the square stood a white marble statue of a goddess, three or four people tall.
The goddess had a plump and graceful figure, a charming face, and long flowing hair. Most importantly, she was completely nude, in a languid and seductive pose, one hand gently resting on her chest, the other reaching downwards, inviting endless imagination.
This was the 'Goddess of Lust' worshipped by the people of Lys.
Beneath the statue, some devotees or tourists piously or casually stroked the statue's base, even placing flowers and coins there.
The two Bloodsworn soldiers couldn't help but whistle, while Henry almost choked on his own saliva, coughing violently several times, his ear tips turning completely red.
Aegon merely glanced indifferently, then walked around the statue towards the other side of the square.
There was a magnificent complex of buildings surrounded by high walls and lush greenery. The carved iron gate stood open, guarded by sentries in light armor holding spears.
The men and women entering and exiting were all sumptuously dressed, many with silver or golden hair and exquisite features, clearly indicating their wealth and nobility.
Aegon's pure silver hair, in this place, actually seemed less conspicuous.
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