The Mountain of Ice and Fire

The brothers were in disbelief.

They were Clegane soldiers, the elite force of the Mountain, earning a gold dragon each month. Even the gold cloaks in the royal palace earned only fifteen silver stags, half of what they made.

Clegane's elite soldiers, 'one man is worth ten' was their motto and clear objective. They underwent comprehensive combat training, including intensive practice with javelins and lances. This near-cruel training had a terrible side effect: it made these warriors blindly confident and extremely proud after their training.

Bernie asked his brothers to take out money, preparing to pay to settle the matter, he suddenly realized that what they were doing here should not be publicized, had to be low-key, but his brothers looked at him differently, no one cooperated with his orders.

"Bernie, Captain Denson told us that there are only Clegane soldiers who die in battle, no Clegane soldiers who beg for mercy," one soldier said, glaring coldly at Bernie before stepping out with a loaded short crossbow.

Bernie opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His brothers all looked at him coldly, their eyes unfamiliar and frightening. These guys weren't Bernie's men, and Bernie had never led them. These guys respected Bernie because they respected the Mountain, but they couldn't accept Bernie's order just now.

Their arrogance wouldn't allow it, and Bernie's own weight wasn't heavy enough!

Nine brothers went out with short crossbows and short swords.

They didn't use armor, helmets, shields, or longswords.

The brothers also knew that being fully armed would be overkill and not in line with the identity of orphanage staff.

Bernie watched them leave helplessly. He had a lot to say, a lot of big and small reasons, but he didn't say a word. The look in those guys' eyes told him that no matter what Bernie said, they were going to fight.

They were brave and proud, but of course, people like that die quickly.

Bernie sidled behind the curtain, using a small hand to lift the corner of the curtain, while holding a short crossbow in his other hand.

The first brother to go out was named Bit, who in Bernie's eyes was always a fool of a warrior. He didn't know what fear was, just like his captain, Denson Clegane, was stupid. No one can be invincible, but they think they are invincible, afraid of nothing. Bernie thought that was definitely not bravery, but stupidity.

"Which of you is the boss? Our Director Bernie wants to talk to him," Bit said, standing on the steps with a rapid-firing short crossbow, facing the seventeen gang leaders with arrogance. Bit was a thug from the Westerlands, and the Westerlands thugs have always had a strange mentality of looking down on the thugs of King's Landing, thinking they are not ruthless enough, nor vicious enough, just like timid women, only worthy of bullying children.

Rapid-firing short crossbows are also very powerful weapons, like longswords, not something street thugs can easily possess.

Bit faced the seventeen gang leaders alone, without even blinking an eye, his tone as calm as if he were facing a flock of lambs. He knew whoever dared to step forward would die! At such close range, an arrow to the throat, this was definitely not bragging!

"Call Bernie out!" one boss glared fiercely at Bit. "Do you think you can kill all of us with one short crossbow?"

"Brother, give me your short crossbow, and I'll spare your life," another boss said, his eyes gleaming. He licked his lips, really wanting to get this seemingly good short crossbow.

"Hey, do you want us to set fire to the orphanage? Kid, put down the crossbow!"

"Damn it, Bernie doesn't dare to come out, brothers, get ready to fight," another boss with a scar on his face shouted, drawing his knife.

These bosses had no idea what kind of background and confidence they were facing. Drawing their knives was often a dangerous prelude to igniting a battle.

Pfft!

A cruel sound of flesh echoed as a short arrow shaft appeared on the scarred face. He seemed to be hit by a giant hammer, and he almost flew up, crashing backward.

Bit pulled the trigger, not aiming for the throat. He liked to nail arrows into people's faces, which looked more aesthetically pleasing. Scarface looked very fierce and was the first to draw his knife, Bit couldn't stand his arrogance.

Don't think I won't touch you just because you have a scar on your face!

The street bosses didn't expect the other side to suddenly attack, and they were immediately shocked. No one's face could withstand a short crossbow arrow. After a brief moment of panic, anger and fighting spirit were quickly ignited, and more than a dozen bosses drew their knives and shouted, "Brothers, kill him!"

Hundreds of knives were drawn, and the leaders rushed towards Bit with their knives.

Pfft pfft pfft pfft!

Bit's short crossbow arrows were instantly fired. There were too many people, all rushing over ferociously, and his short crossbow lost its accuracy when it shot down the third person.

Bit dropped the short crossbow and drew his short sword.

At least three knives slashed at Bit!

Bit's best option was to retreat, but he didn't. He chose to attack head-on. It's hard to judge this suicidal melee as bravery or stupidity. Anyway, Bernie would definitely turn around and run, but Bit wouldn't.

Just as several knives were about to stab into his body, pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft! The sound of dense short crossbow arrows piercing into bodies suddenly rang out, and the gang leaders rushing up the steps fell one after another. Nine more short crossbows suddenly appeared beside Bit.

In just a moment, a large number of people fell on the steps and in front of Bit, and miserable cries echoed over the orphanage. Residents watching this battle from the surrounding residential buildings were terrified. In just a few heartbeats, the seventeen gang leaders of Flea Bottom were all hit by the rapid-firing short arrows of ten short crossbows and fell to the ground.

The short arrows of the short crossbows were powerful and could even break through plate armor. Being nailed into vital points such as the throat and eye sockets, even the Seven Gods could not save them.

The stench of blood permeated the orphanage, and blood-red blood flowed on the ground.

No one would have thought that ten short crossbows could suddenly emerge from an orphanage, and no one would have thought that the ten short crossbows were rapid-firing and amazingly accurate.

These ten orphanage staff members in gray cloth robes standing on the steps formed three rows, just like an infantry square, but these gangsters couldn't see it.

Just as the timid gangsters' legs went weak and their footsteps moved towards the outside of the courtyard, a small dwarf with a helmet on his head, a short sword on his waist, and a short crossbow in his hand drilled out from beside But and stood on the steps, shouting with a full voice: "Brothers, I am Bernie, the new deputy director of the orphanage. Are there any brothers willing to turn enemies into friends with me and then get rich together?"

The gangsters looked at each other!

"Brothers, I, Bernie, like these brothers, grew up as orphans, with worthless lives. But I want to announce something today: from now on, the brothers of Flea Bottom, whether it's cheating, swindling, abducting, gambling, robbing, stealing, or collecting protection money, must uniformly listen to the orders of the orphanage." He lowered his short crossbow, "Otherwise, these people will be your fate."

A crisp click sounded, the short arrow shot out, hitting the forehead of a boss who was groaning in pain. The boss's head suddenly tilted back, his eyes widened, and he died instantly!

"Brothers who listen to my orders, if you commit a crime, come to me, and I will get people out of the hands of the gold cloaks; the underground arena of Rolger, if you want to take over and run it, come to me, and I can give you the capital to get it going; from now on, even if Fangtooth Rolger comes out of prison, you don't have to be afraid of him, everything is up to me." Bernie put down his short crossbow and took out a large handful of gold coins from his pocket. "Those who are willing to be brothers, we will have money to spend! Let me ask, who used to be in charge of Brown Soup Street?"

"...Big brother...the one in charge of Brown Soup Street was Mad Dog...Aidan..." Someone pointed to the corpse of the man Bernie had just shot to death.

"Oh, Aidan has returned to the embrace of the Stranger, so, who is willing to follow me? I'll let him be in charge of Brown Soup Street," Bernie said, "These three gold dragons are my greeting gift as the big brother. Who has the guts to take the money? Damn it, are there only cowardly good-for-nothings in Flea Bottom?"

"Me!" A wild-looking teenager with glowing eyes stood out.

In the orphanage's big and small rooms, behind those doors, by those windows, were crowded children, staff, teachers, and others who were peeking and eavesdropping. Their expressions were becoming more and more strange. The corners of some children's mouths gradually rippled with smiles, and the corners of some staff members' mouths also slowly turned up, their expressions revealing their inner lightness.

From now on, entering and exiting Flea Bottom, adults and children in the orphanage, I'm afraid no gangster will dare to provoke them again.

Bernie was climbing the mountain of Flea Bottom gangster bosses, and was about to reach the peak soon. The children, teachers, and staff were all abandoned children of fate, orphans without support. Varys found them, gave them food, gave them a place to live, trained them, restrained them, punished them... It was a relationship between a mysterious boss and a lowly servant, while Bernie was the true good brother sent by the Seven Gods to protect them.

××××××

The Red Keep, the Throne Room, today's political affairs meeting has ended, and Prime Minister Eddard has already left.

Two people remained in the hall.

Littlefinger gathered up the ledgers, held them in his arms, stood up gracefully, glanced at the tall Iron Throne on the seven-story steps, and left.

Varys, the Spider, followed like a ghost, his hands clasped in his wide white robe.

"Lord Petyr, have you not heard of the Flea Bottom massacre?"

Littlefinger stopped, his back straight, the right corner of his mouth raised in a teasing smile: "I've heard of it. A bunch of gangsters broke into an orphanage to cause trouble, were fought back by the people in the orphanage, and killed several gangsters. What's wrong, Lord Varys? Why are you so concerned about an orphanage? A few gangsters died, what day does Flea Bottom not have a few people die? Either starve to death or die of illness, or be beaten to death in a fight. There's nothing strange about that, is there?"

"Bernie is in the orphanage, he is the Mountain's man."

"So what?"

"If my guess is correct, you are the Mountain's best friend."

"Yes, so what?"

"If Bernie was killed that day... and he is the Mountain's man..." Varys's smiling eyes glanced at Littlefinger's expression.

"If he's killed, he's killed, what does it have to do with me?" Littlefinger's smile was even 'sweeter', "Lord Varys, you are so concerned about Bernie's life and death, but you don't want to take action yourself. You told me the news, wanting me to take action to help Bernie, I understand your intention. But, there is one thing you don't understand, I don't care about Bernie's life or death at all, and it has nothing to do with me."

Littlefinger smiled amiably, but there was no smile in his eyes at all. He looked at Varys's also smiling fat face and raised his eyebrows: "Is there a secret of yours inside the orphanage? Otherwise, why are you so concerned? At best, it's just one of the Mountain's dogs that died, what are you nervous about? Don't refute me, I don't want to know your secret, and I don't want to know why Bernie is in the orphanage."

"Lady Jeyne's donation work has not ended yet. After the roof of the orphanage is renovated, the walls and floors have to be repainted. Bernie may be the supervisor."

Littlefinger looked at Varys with a fake smile: "Lord Varys, the official in charge of the orphanage massacre is Commander of the City Watch Janos Slynt. His greatest advantage is greed, and his greatest weakness is also greed. Dealing with such an official, preventing him from reporting the orphanage massacre to Prime Minister Eddard, is no difficulty for you! I assure you, although I know this secret, I will not tell Prime Minister Eddard." Littlefinger smiled fakely, looked deeply at Varys, and strode away.

Varys looked at Littlefinger's straight back, his smile gradually stiffening.

He felt that Littlefinger's last glance was like a whip lashing his face.

××××××

The Tower of the Hand.

The Prime Minister's study.

Eddard Stark looked at Janos Slynt, the Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing, standing in front of his desk. This guy's pair of goldfish eyes flickered with cunning and falsehood. Since Eddard took the position of Prime Minister on the second day, he had received complaints from junior officers about him. This guy's round belly was full of greed.

"Lord Janos, I heard that a very terrible massacre occurred in Flea Bottom, with more than twenty people dead. What exactly is the situation? I have never heard you mention it at the political affairs meeting in the Throne Room."

"Prime Minister, the matter has been exaggerated by people with ulterior motives. It's just that a few small gangsters went to the orphanage to try to get some benefits and were accidentally killed by the staff in the orphanage."

"How many people died?"

"Three people, Prime Minister. And I have already handled all the funeral arrangements. Only two families had victims, and I have sent a hundred silver stags in the name of the King and Prime Minister. Those guys are all treacherous and cunning commoners. When they saw the money, they smiled. They told me that they were grateful to the King and Prime Minister."

Falsehood flickered in Janos's eyes. Eddard knew at a glance that this guy's words were absolutely unbelievable.

Since Eddard took the position of Prime Minister again, he felt himself more and more miserable day by day. Inside the royal palace, almost everyone wore a mask, and everywhere was full of falsehood, deception, cunning, calculation, betrayal, and exchange of interests.

This gave Eddard a feeling of suffocation.

However, he couldn't resign yet. King Robert had gone hunting in the Kingswood, and he had to wait for the King to return and report the Queen's incestuous acts to him. In these past few days, he had repeatedly studied the 'Genealogy of the Noble Houses of the Seven Kingdoms' that Jon Arryn had been reading before his death, and he had finally discovered the secret within. Robert's children, every single one of them, did not have black hair and black eyes, while the Baratheon bloodline, in all previous descendants, always resulted in black hair and black eyes. No matter what bloodline encountered the Baratheon family, it would always yield to the Baratheon family's black-haired bloodline.

But Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen's bloodline did not possess any of the Baratheon family's characteristics. Instead, they possessed all the characteristics of the Lannister family.

The riddle was solved by Eddard, and he decided to take action before King Robert returned. Cersei and Jaime deserved to die, but the three children were innocent!

Eddard waved his hand, signaling Janos Slynt to leave. He felt very uncomfortable whenever he saw Janos. Eddard had more important matters to attend to; he had to meet with Cersei.

Thank you to [Your Nickname] for the reward, thank you, and Happy New Year!