When Adam·Malbrand Ser rode his war horse to the outskirts of Flea Bottom, it was almost late at night. However, looking at the dark and silent slum in front of him, he only felt very absurd.
Where are people?
Where are the torches?
He ran all over the city and brought two thousand golden robes and two hundred Lannister Household Guards to surround the place. This was enough force to launch a decent war, and he was planning to carry out the Prime Minister's order to suppress the rebellion!
But what about rebellion?
The entire flea nest was silent... it was like a corpse that had just died.
There is only the whine of the wind as it passes through the narrow alley, as if it is whining for someone.
"Sir, something is wrong."
He Adjutant Ser Osfry lowered his voice, pressed his left hand on the hilt of his sword and frowned, "It's too quiet."
Nonsense!
Adam rolled his eyes at him, thinking that of course I know something is wrong.
He has fought for more than ten years, suppressed bandits in the Western Territory, fought with the Ironborn, and even killed a dozen people with his own hands in Battle of the Blackwater Rush!
But Adam has never seen anything like this.
I am preparing for a big fight!
But... where is the enemy?
Drawing his sword and looking around at a loss, he had no choice but to ask the commander of the blockade force who arrived first, "How is the blockade? Is anyone trying to break out?"
"No, sir." A centurion named Harry shook his head. "Just two hours ago, they were gathering in various streets holding torches."
"Then for some reason, they suddenly started to disperse in a very orderly manner. In less than half an hour, the streets were empty."
"An orderly retreat." Adam murmured and frowned.
The mob will not retreat in an orderly manner, because once these guys are broken up, they will rush and trample each other.
This means there is a chain of command in Flea Bottom, maybe even...
. The troops he brought also have the eyes of the other party.
Maybe the Prime Minister is right, the Vito·Corleone guys are not only still alive, but also firmly in control of the situation.
"Strengthen the blockade." After thinking for a moment, Adam ordered, and his voice sounded particularly loud in the silence, "Add a layer of sentry posts to all exits, reinforce them with sandbags and wooden fences, put archers on the roof, and have people at every commanding height. I want not even a mouse to escape from the flea nest!"
"Yes, sir!"
The order was passed on quickly.
The soldiers began to get busy, carrying sandbags and erecting fences. The crossbowmen climbed up the rickety roof carrying heavy crossbows and quivers.
All weapons were aimed at the flea nest, but there was not even the slightest movement inside.
It was like a punch on cotton, very frustrating.
Adam recalled Lord Tywin's last words before leaving the Red Keep: "Resistance is like the plague. You must cut off the source of infection at the first symptom."
But... the symptoms have disappeared by themselves now.
What to do?
At the same time, in House of Order, Corleone had just finished listening to Rorge's report.
"Golden Robe reinforcements have arrived."
"There is no deviation from the intelligence we received. There are about two thousand people and about two hundred Lannister Household Guards. The leader is Adam Malbrand himself."
Hearing this, Corleone nodded.
Spread before him was a hand-drawn map of Flea Bottom, with alleyways, wells, underground passages and possible defense points marked in charcoal.
[Insight Lv3] allows him to see details that ordinary people ignore on this simple map.
"How did our "friends" react?"
Hearing this, Rorge grinned, showing his uneven yellow teeth, and his eyes were extremely excited. "I have received the signal from Black Hand to reach out. According to your previous list and instructions... none of those who should be cleaned can escape!"
"It turns out you arranged so many things before you left, Ser, now everyone has received the message, Black Hand"
It's already stretched out!"
As soon as these words came out, Corleone also smiled. The smile was very light but very real.
During the few months he served as "Chief Intelligence Officer of the Small Council", he did much more than clean up flea holes and establish order.
With the power given to him by Tywin, Corleone systematically infiltrated the City Guard in the same way as Black Hand Mafia.
He did not try to bribe high-ranking officers on a large scale. Those people were too conspicuous and the prices they asked for were too expensive. Instead, he targeted the middle and lower-level powerful people, such as Squad Leader who was responsible for specific patrol areas, the clerk who managed logistics, the captain of the city gate guard, etc.
These people receive meager salaries and have no hope of promotion, but they can often play a decisive role in actual operations.
If you like gambling, let Old Moss make a "accidental" acquaintance at the gambling table, and then provide him with an "interest-free loan."
If there were patients at home, he would go there in person or send his subordinate the Doctor to diagnose and treat them free of charge.
For those who are purely short of money, Black Hand Mafia provides them with "legal dividends".
For those who are dissatisfied and feel suppressed by their superiors, Corleone can even help them bridge the gap and resolve conflicts!
The most important thing is that he never asks them to betray immediately, but only establishes friendship with them and makes the other party owe him a favor.0
Until now.
Although it seems that Black Hand Mafia has been disbanded now, Corleone had already ordered all core personnel to keep a low profile and "disappear" in a timely manner before leaving King's Landing.
However, after he left, some people on the list chose to defect under pressure or the temptation of interests.
Some of them actively cooperated with the Golden Robes to suppress Flea Bottom and suppress the remnants of Black Hand Mafia; some betrayed civilians or low-level members who had been sheltered; and some chose to remain silent or inform after receiving the recall or test signal from "Black Hand Reaching Out".
These people are no longer "friends".
If he really died at sea, then maybe Black Hand Mafia would really be broken up, and the favors and benefits released could never be recovered.
But now... everyone knows that Vito·Corleone is back.
alive.
Knocking on the table, Corleone saw that the sky was almost dark, so he turned to Rorge and ordered, "Notify them and act according to the plan."
"Ser Adam understands who is in control of the situation on the ground beneath his feet."
"Understood."
With a smile, Rorge turned around and disappeared into House of Order.
After he left, Corleone went downstairs alone and walked into a secret cellar. A set of shining white armor hung on the wall.
The armor was polished and shined brightly in the candlelight.
This once belonged to Marin·Tran Ser.
He stretched out his hand and brushed his fingers against the cold metal surface.
"Soon."
Soon, the time has reached midnight.
Squad Leader "Half Tooth" Hake is a veteran. Two months ago, his son suffered from severe lung disease. It was Corleone who personally saved his son with expensive medicinal materials.
Hake then knelt down in gratitude and vowed to "be at your disposal at any time."
However, after the news of Corleone's "death" came and the Golden Robes took over Flea Bottom, Hake was the first group to jump out to show their loyalty.
Not only did he lead his men to severely suppress any remarks that missed the "old order", he also took the initiative to report three suspected locations of Black Hand Mafia joints.
Hake is in a good mood.
Blocking the flea nest is a hard job, but it is lucrative. In the past few days, he has collected more than twenty Silver Stag "protection fees" from several stores.
He planned to wait for this mission to end, then go to Silk Street to find the red-haired prostitute and have a good time for a few days.
"Cheer up!" Hake shouted to the six soldiers on the checkpoint, "Keep your eyes open! You can't even let a fly pass!"
"Yes, Captain!" the soldiers responded in unison, their voices echoing in the silent streets.
Hake nodded with satisfaction, walked to the base of the wall next to the checkpoint, unfastened his belt and prepared to relieve himself.
But when I was halfway through peeing, I suddenly felt a chill on my neck, like being stung by a bee.
Hake wants to shout, but can't make a sound.
Warm liquid gushed out from his neck and flowed into his collar. His vision began to blur, and a very familiar voice came from his ears.
"The debt has been paid off, Hake."
In the haze, Hake seemed to see his own shadow on the wall. A man stood behind him, his arms wrapped around his neck, and his movements were as intimate as a hug.
Then darkness swallowed everything.
Five minutes later, the soldiers at the checkpoint came down.
Their captain was seen sitting against the wall, his head tilted to one side, his eyes open, but his expression was gone.
On the wall next to it, written in blood - Black Hand Mafia says hello to you.
The handwriting is neat and even a little elegant.
The soldier was not surprised at all. He just chuckled, took out a cold Black Hand Badge from his pocket, and threw it onto Hake's blood-covered chest.
Then, scream loudly...
Not long after, Adam Malbrand received the report and rushed to the scene.
He jumped off his horse, pushed away the onlookers, squatted down and inspected the already cold body, his face was ashen.
"Who discovered it?" He stood up and glanced at the soldiers present.
"Yes... it's me, my lord."
"Did you see the murderer?"
"No, when I came here, the captain was already like this."
"Do you hear anything?"
The soldier shook his head. "Nothing, very quiet, sir.
, Hearing this, Adam looked at the others. "What about you, six of you are here, the captain was killed twenty steps away, you didn't see anything? Didn't you hear anything?"
As soon as these words came out, the six soldiers looked at each other and then shook their heads.
"No, sir.
"I really didn't hear it."
"It was so quiet, we thought the captain was relieving himself..
Such neat answers made Adam frown and stare at their faces, trying to find signs of lying.
But nothing could be seen. They seemed to be just a group of ordinary soldiers who were frightened.
But this doesn't make sense.
Hake is not a newbie, but a veteran who has fought in several battles. Even if he is attacked by a sneak attack, he cannot be killed without saying a word.
Unless the murderer is someone he knows and someone he is defenseless against.
Or... the murderer is among these six soldiers.
Shaking his head, Adam immediately suppressed this terrible thought.
Don't think so.
As an excellent commander, he knew very well that once he began to doubt his soldiers, the battle would have been lost before it was even fought.
"Strengthen vigilance." He took a deep breath and issued the final order, "Double manpower at all checkpoints, no one is allowed to act alone, and any suspicious persons found will be shot without mercy.
"Yes, sir!"
However, less than ten minutes later, Adam received the second assassination report.
The location is a temporary command point.
This was originally the backyard of a cheap tavern, but now it has been transformed into a rest area that can accommodate thirty soldiers.
The centurion in charge here is called Erik, nicknamed "Anvil". He has a square figure and a strong personality, and is famous for his caution and discipline.
But few people know that Erik has a secret hobby... gambling.
A few weeks ago, the debt collector almost skinned him in public, but Corleone's men "accidentally" passed by and settled the debt for him.
But this incident has become a knot in Erik's heart. He is always afraid that one day, his upright self will become Black Hand Mafia's accomplice.
After Corleone left King's Landing, Erik not only had no regrets, but was secretly grateful. He acted more selflessly and worked particularly hard to suppress Flea Bottom, trying to wash away any possible stains.
He thought this would prove his innocence and loyalty.
When the clock struck midnight, Erik stood in the center of the yard and called the roll call.
But just as he was speaking, a soldier behind him who was checking equipment seemed to trip over something and staggered into Erik's back.
Erik felt something hard hit the back of his heart, but it didn't hurt too much.
He was about to get angry, but suddenly his whole body stiffened, and a sense of paralysis instantly spread throughout his body. He wanted to shout, but all he could make was a gurgling sound from his throat.
All the soldiers looked at him, watching the centurion fall forward.
"Captain?!"
At the sudden change, the nearest soldier rushed forward and turned him over.
Turning over, there were no obvious wounds on Erik's neck, but his face was blue and purple and he was dead.
His right hand was tightly clenched into a fist, and the soldier broke it open with great effort.
In the palm of my hand... there is a Black Hand Badge!
Adam When he arrived at the scene again, his face looked uglier than last time.
"Say." He stood next to Erik's body, his voice cold. "Thirty people, in a courtyard, your captain was assassinated in the middle. How did the murderer get in?"
Silence.
A long, breathless silence.
"Sir." A young officer finally spoke, his voice trembling. "We... we really didn't see it."
"The captain was talking when he suddenly collapsed."
"Collapsed suddenly?"
Adam pointed at the body on the ground and asked sternly, "There are thirty of you, and no one saw anyone approaching him?"
"No, my lord."
"Really not."
"I swear, my lord."
Such neat answers, Adam looked at their faces one by one, but no one showed any obvious flaws.
Or... are they all flaws?
This is impossible.
Unless the murderer is among these thirty people, and everyone chooses to remain silent.
The so-called "didn't see" actually means "saw but didn't say".
As soon as he thought of this, Adam felt a chill rising from his spine.
He remembered that one time before, Corleone once half-jokingly said to him, "Ser Adam, do you know how many people in King's Landing owe me favors?"
At that time Adam thought it was a boast.
Now he's not sure.
"Search." He ordered through gritted teeth, his voice a little hoarse. "Everyone, search for me!"
The search lasted for half an hour and found nothing.
Of course you will get nothing.
If the murderer was really among them, he would have been dealt with long ago.
When leaving this yard, Adam staggered a little.
Because he felt that things were starting to become extremely absurd.
How many people did Corleone bribe?
One third?
Half?
Or... more?
Sir?" Seeing something wrong with his expression, Adjutant beside him asked cautiously: "Do you want to search the interior and find out who has had contact with Black Hand Mafia?"
Adam stared at him.
This Adjutant was personally appointed to her by Queen Mother, saying she was her confidant.
But now, looking into Adjutant's eyes, Adam suddenly felt creepy.
Could this guy be one of them?
Will you stick a knife to my throat tonight?
"No." Adam forced himself to calm down and said firmly, "Don't create more suspicion. Now is not the time to clean up internally. We must strengthen external defense."
Watching Adam walk away, an inexplicable smile appeared at the corner of Ser Osfry's mouth.
Touching Black Hand Badge in his arms, he knew very well that the seed of suspicion had been planted, and it would take root in the dark and sprout in silence.
The assassination... lasted all night.
By dawn, eleven officers above Squad Leader were confirmed dead, and three were injured or missing.
Not a single case was witnessed, and not a single murderer was caught.
In the early morning, a ray of light began to appear on the horizon. Adam Malbrand stood at the forefront of the command post, looking at the still dead silence.
Flea Bottom.
From the initial shock and doubt, to the later numbness and fear of sleeping... He had not slept a wink all night.
My eyes were bloodshot, my temples were throbbing and painful, and my mouth was dry and bitter.
To make matters worse, he was hungry.
Last night's dinner was a piece of black bread as hard as a rock and a bowl of thin bean soup.
The bread was mixed with bran and sand that were visible to the naked eye. Adam chipped a back molar while eating it, and the tooth is still aching.
The bean soup was warm and the beans were not cooked. After drinking it, it felt heavy in the stomach, like a bag of stones.
"Why don't the troops have breakfast?"
Seeing Adjutant coming from behind with an ugly face, even Adam's temper was hard to suppress.
Hearing this, Osfryd Kettleblack sighed, "Sir, the logistics department said... we encountered some problems."
"What's the problem?"
"The convoy transporting grain from Rosby City was said to have been attacked by bandits on the King's Road, which delayed its journey and will not arrive until dawn at the earliest."
"Bandits?" As soon as these words came out, Adam's voice rose a few degrees. "Rosby City is only a few dozen leagues away from King's Landing. What kind of fucking bandits dare to attack a convoy transporting military supplies so close to the capital!"
But in the face of his question, Adjutant just lowered his head and continued to answer, "But the logistics officer insisted that they were bandits. He said that the driver and the guard said so."
As soon as these words came out, Adam wanted to continue to get angry, but he was so tired that he didn't even have the strength to get angry.
Or... he was worried that if he pushed too hard, the guy in front of him would...
So fucking fucked!
Sitting down gloomily, Adam just felt that he, the commander of the City Guards, had never been so aggrieved. Vito·Corleone How many people did that guy bribe in King's Landing?
"Let the soldiers save some food."
In the end, he could only sigh, "The morning ration will be cut in half, and we will make up for it when the supplies arrive."
"Yes, sir."
After Adjutant exited, Adam looked at Flea Bottom again. There was still silence. It seemed that the riot had ended. But at this moment, the wind changed.
The early morning breeze blew from the direction of Flea Bottom, penetrated the defense line of the golden robe, and brought a burst of... fragrance?
How come the fragrance comes from the flea nest? Are you kidding me?
Adam shook his head, feeling that he was hallucinating, but the tip of his nose instinctively sniffed hard, and his eyes suddenly widened.
Yes, it's true!
Bread!
How is this possible? Doesn't it mean that Flea Bottom has run out of food?
In shock and doubt, Adam quickly walked up to a higher place, took out Myr Lens and looked at it.
But deep inside the flea nest, smoke was rising faintly from countless places.
Not one or two, but dozens or hundreds!
After a silent night, when the capital garrison was still hungry, the aroma of food wafted out of this damn slum in the early morning!
This is simply more provocative than any riot!
"Where do they get food?" Adam said to himself, unable to believe what he saw. "We have obviously blocked all exits..."
Before he finished speaking, he saw an even more astonishing scene.
At the entrance of an alley less than a hundred meters away from House of Order, an old man walked out slowly, holding a... meatloaf?