What a Genius

"We're playing with him like we're playing with a dog!"

On a hillside offering a panoramic view of most of the battlefield, with withered yellow grass beneath one's feet and bustling figures and battle flags in the distance, one could see a wide field of vision.

Jon looked at the Iron Islands army, who had once again fallen into an ambush in the distance, and spoke with a hint of mockery.

The surrounding officers also burst into laughter.

In fact, Jon could feel the pressure from the Iron Islands army, which also used Skinchanging creatures for reconnaissance.

However, because the battlefield was confined to a relatively small area by the mountains, which could be completely covered by the map, and because Euron's troops were of varying quality, although the intelligence was timely, the execution of orders was always inadequate. Therefore, Jon's intelligence was always able to reach the army before Euron's ravens, which is why he was able to succeed time and time again.

In fact, even some of the officers around Jon couldn't understand Jon actions. In their eyes, Jon was simply commanding the army based on intuition.

Especially the lazy "Leo Lefford," after months of fighting, his short beard had covered half of his face.

If you didn't know him, you would never associate him with the image of a scholar; he looks exactly like a seasoned military officer.

He simply couldn't understand Jon's actions. For example, how did Jon know that an enemy force was quietly approaching from the back of a certain mountain? How did Jon know that a certain enemy army was in extremely poor condition? How did Jon Snow know which direction the enemy had hidden their elite troops?

"Sir, do you have a map in your head?" Leo Lefford asked.

The other officers, including the second sons and illegitimate sons who had received military training, also glared at him resentfully.

"I feel the same way. It's like I was born with this ability. Any place I've seen, like mountains and rivers, will be imprinted in my mind. As for military maps, it seems like I was born with the ability to read them. When I was in Winterfell, I was actually more obsessed with Swordsmanship. I was too lazy to learn the knowledge of marching and fighting that my father, Eddard, taught me."

He picked up a map and showed it to me, saying that in the future I would be helping Robb in his military campaigns, not charging into battle. When I looked at the map, I thought, "This isn't a map! All the mountains and rivers are clearly visible!" My father told me not to be arrogant and asked me to point out the details. I pointed randomly, and it was all correct!

Jon watched as the officers began to fabricate stories for them, believing that in a place like the military where strength reigned supreme, they would respect him more if he portrayed himself as formidable.

Anyway, Golden Finger is your own talent, there's nothing to be ashamed of.

Guess what my father said?

Everyone's attention was drawn to Jon's story, and they subconsciously shook their heads.

He said, "Hey! You're a genius!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd burst into laughter, as if in a show of support.

Although Jon's tone sounded like he was bragging, his achievements were undeniable and left everyone with no choice but to believe him.

Meanwhile, the clever ones among them have realized the importance of map reading for military campaigns and have decided to strengthen their training in this area whenever they have the opportunity.

Jon looked at Galleott Flowers Highgarden and said, "Galleott, I estimate the plantation mobilization is nearly complete, and it will soon be our turn to attack. Rickard and Sandor are at the front lines. I need you to lead a group to raid the House Goodbrother army. The next time we meet, Tyrell will be standing before me."

"Yes, sir!" Galleott said excitedly.

Being able to use one's father's surname is every bastard's dream. Although Jon had already bestowed more than fifty knighthoods and corresponding fiefs upon his son, this was the first time he had made a promise regarding the surname.

In contrast to the relatively relaxed atmosphere on Jon's side, Euron's situation was less optimistic.

Mountain warfare is extremely physically demanding, and some older Iron Islands soldiers would occasionally slip and fall. Such non-combat casualties were very damaging to morale.

Furthermore, among the Iron Islands army that besieged Jon were many children as young as twelve or thirteen, who instinctively felt fear upon seeing the enemy's gleaming armor.

Jon also brought over a thousand tribal warriors with him, making the battlefield a piece of cake for them.

Euron could see it but couldn't catch it, so he could only watch helplessly.

Furthermore, the fleet patrolling near Harlaw Island also greatly distracted him.

Euron, in particular, witnessed a scene where the United Fleet, bearing the banner of the Iron Throne, would send shallow-draft longships and fishing boats that hardly needed to be moored in dedicated ports to approach the coastline, while the serfs would graze towards those longships.

A longship could carry away thirty to fifty serfs at a time, and fishing boats could also carry some away. In less than half a day, thousands of serfs were taken away.

Upon learning this news, Rodrik became restless.

If the army is bogged down here, what will Jon do if he takes all the serfs off the island? So he asked Euron to launch a general offensive as soon as possible.

Euron had no choice. With the other lords in the army urging him on, and considering that his side still had an absolute numerical advantage, he thought he should go all in. The worst outcome would be a retreat.

So he used ravens to issue orders for a full-scale attack to the various lords.

Immediately, it was a pure clash of flesh and steel; on the narrow, broken battlefield, everyone could only fight for their lives, with no possibility of taking shortcuts.

However, Jon did not give direct orders to the serfs who had been mobilized and were ready to fight. He wanted to use the upcoming battle to Euron's army tied down here.

After all, it would take time for the mobilized serf army to assemble and arrive.

And so, the most brutal part of the battle soon began.

Jon's army, mostly equipped with armor, high morale, and well-organized, was able to maintain considerable fighting strength.

As for the Iron Islands, this was because Balon was personally overseeing the situation, and Aeron also seized the opportunity to chant the Drowned God's Oracle, giving them a buff.

The two sides clashed, steel blades against iron armor, spears against sharp swords, the sounds of battle echoing through the valley, flesh and blood intertwined.

Although Jon's soldiers were well-equipped, Euron was no slouch either. He used the Ravens to command the Iron Islands ' army, forcing them into a war of attrition.

The exhaustion caused Jon's soldiers to be tackled from time to time, their visors removed, and they were stabbed to death with daggers.

Even Sandor, who had been the most eager to fight since arriving on the island, had to lead his men in a continuous retreat.

Seeing this, Euron felt a sense of relief from his pent-up frustration.

"Jon, what other tricks do you have up your sleeve?"

Euron thought of the Battle of the Bay of Severed Heads, where his soldiers ran from the Stony Shore to Winterfell and then rushed back from Winterfell to the bay where their ships were anchored.

With an encirclement in front and pursuers behind, morale was low, which led to Jon's defeat.

In addition, in the battles between the two armies in Westeros, it was rare to kill enemy soldiers who surrendered, and some soldiers chose to surrender due to low morale.

At the Bay of the Cape, more than 5,000 Iron Islands soldiers ultimately chose to surrender.

But all of these soldiers were executed by Jon.

This time they were fighting on home soil, and he had informed the soldiers of the consequences of surrendering. With Balon watching them, everyone fought with their lives on the line.

Jon's soldiers were highly skilled and well-equipped, but their stamina was limited.

He believed that with such attrition, he would eventually be able to annihilate Jon's entire army.

Euron believes that Jon's only chance now is to hold back those currently fighting on the front lines and use his monstrous strength and martial skills to carve a bloody path for the army.

However, Euron was already prepared; he had secretly hidden a troop of spearmen, who were there to serve Jon once he appeared.

The battle continues, and the sun seems to set rather quickly today, as if it cannot bear to witness this battlefield littered with blood and flesh.

As he withdrew the last ray of sunlight, Euron decided to launch his final attack.

But just then, Derman, who had mocked Euron not long ago, sent someone to tell him that a group of serfs had gone mad and were attacking their army, so he requested Balon to spare troops to drive them back.

Euron sensed something was amiss upon hearing this news. Some of his ravens were on the battlefield relaying orders and coordinating soldiers, while others were monitoring Jon's fleet off the coast of Harlaw Island. As for the rest of the island, it was inhabited by serfs, Euron paid no attention to.

He quickly dispatched several crows to investigate, only to discover that it was not a group of mad serfs as Derman had described, but tens of thousands of serfs rushing towards the battlefield.

Their faces were horribly grim, and their eyes burned with a bloodthirsty murderous intent and the flames of revenge.

Although they were expressionless, their anger could be felt from a distance.

Because of these damned pirates, they were separated from their families, and these pirates would even rape their wives, daughters, and sisters in front of them.

Today is the day for revenge!

Euron felt a chill run down his spine as he watched the serfs surging in from all directions like an endless wave.

These serfs, whom they regarded as livestock, as weeds, as talking tools, suddenly unleashed such terrifying power.

No! That's not right!

Euron suddenly realized something and turned to look in Jon's direction.

It turns out that Jon's real trump card wasn't his well-equipped army or the warships patrolling the coastal waters, but these serfs!

Euron felt dizzy thinking about this.

He had imagined that one day he might be able to do what the Harren the Black did, driving countless people to build unparalleled castles.

He also wanted to build a statue of himself.

But now he suddenly realized that if ordinary people could build castles and statues, they could also destroy them.

Now, these ordinary people have charged at him with weapons.

Moreover, their weapons were not rudimentary; although they lacked armor, almost every person carried a long spear that gleamed with a cold light!