"Benerro is also involved in this plan?" Dany frowned.
"The High Priest had no choice. The city's food supply is definitely not enough for everyone to survive the Long Night. Preserving the Black Wall nobility while abandoning the commoners and slaves is cruel, but it is the only practical plan." Old African Xie spoke in defense of his boss and the Red God temple.
Grolei angrily rebuked, "Bullshit about it being the only choice. What are we doing right now?
Volantis has an even better geographical environment than Slaver's Bay. There are swamps outside the city, the Rhoyne River runs through it, and the harbor faces the Summer Sea directly.
We can fish, so why can't you?
I've been to Volantis many times. The Rhoyne's abundant fish stocks are enough to make even the gods jealous. One copper coin can buy a whole basket of bighead fish on Fishmonger's Street."
Old African Xie's lips moved soundlessly several times, but not a single word came out.
"You help the Black Wall nobles deceive the people like this. Did the Triarch allow all Red God priests to enter the Black Wall?" Dany asked suspiciously.
Old African Xie's expression turned pained as he rasped, "Only red-robed monks are allowed to enter the Black Wall."
Just because Melisandre and Moqorro both appear wearing red robes, one should not assume that all followers of R'hllor are qualified to wear them.
Just like the Faith of the Seven has barefoot septons, gray-robed septons, sept leaders, bishops, archbishops, and high septons, the priests of the Red God are also divided into ranks.
The lowest wandering monks wear coarse linen, similar to mendicants like the High Sparrow.
Those affiliated with the temple who, after becoming attendants serving red-robed monks, wear pale yellow robes.
As their rank increases, the color deepens to orange robes.
Finally, only those truly qualified to represent the Red God and preach his doctrine may wear red robes.
For example, Melisandre was trained as a temple courtesan. For a long time, she served red-robed monks as a yellow-robed attendant.
Triarch Malaquo's promise to the Red God priests effectively declared that ninety percent of them were also to be abandoned.
"You're also a red-robed monk. Why didn't you go enjoy comfort inside the Black Wall, and instead led the Tiger Cloaks to die in Slaver's Bay?" Dany asked curiously.
The white-haired Black Lion King said bitterly, "The Tiger Cloaks are all followers of the Red God, and I am the second-highest-ranking priest of the Red God in Volantis.
The Tiger Cloaks are not fools. The moment the sun in the sky went out, asking them to suddenly leave Volantis would not have worked. Without sufficient prestige, I could not have convinced them."
"So you're the second-in-command of the Red God temple." Dany looked surprised.
High Priest Benerro is pale, almost milk-white; the second-in-command, Moqorro, is dark as coal.
This black-and-white pairing is truly bizarre.
"You deceived the Tiger Cloaks into going to sea to die. You betrayed their trust," Grolei scolded.
The dark-skinned White Lion King flipped over and crawled to the Dragon Queen's feet, hoarsely saying, "I hope they can survive. Eight thousand Tiger Cloaks on twenty-four ships. At least fifteen ships are still near the Storm Wall, about twenty kilometers to the south.
Your Majesty, have mercy, please save them."
Dany nodded. "Grolei, head south. Follow the Storm Wall beyond the ruins of Valyria and search for the Tiger Cloaks' ships."
"Your Majesty…" Blackbeard hesitated, but seeing the determination in the queen's eyes, he could only sigh and turn away.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty is merciful!" Moqorro said with great joy.
Dany smiled meaningfully. "By the way, can the red-robed monks of Volantis still sense R'hllor's will?"
"What?" The topic changed too abruptly, and Old African Xie was confused.
"Can you still use the Lord of Light's divine arts? Can you still connect with R'hllor's will through the flames?" Dany asked.
"I should be able to," Moqorro said hesitantly.
"Should?" Dany chuckled. "Have you lost R'hllor's favor?"
"Your Majesty, not every red-robed monk receives a response from the Lord of Light every time they focus on the flames," the dark-skinned Lion King explained.
"Do you know that the faith of R'hllor has completely collapsed in the western continent of Essos?" Dany said with a sly smile.
"Why do you say that?" Moqorro cried out in shock. "We still believe in the great Lord of Light. The Long Night is long, and only the Lord of Light can bring light to the world. The believers' faith will only grow more devout."
"You're quite skilled in prophecy?" the Dragon Queen asked, abruptly changing the subject again.
After a moment of hesitation, Moqorro nodded. "I am relatively good at prophecy."
"Then can you foresee what I'm about to do next?" Dany asked.
"Your Majesty, prophecy is a feeling, a sudden impulse. I am utterly exhausted right now and cannot sense anything about what will happen next," Old African Xie replied honestly.
"Then use your intelligence to think. Why would I save those Tiger Cloaks who believe in the Red God?"
"You are merciful—"
"I am merciful, but not weak." Dany signaled to the second mate, Kul. "Take Master Moqorro to the cabin. Give him meat broth, bread, and strong wine. Let him rest well tonight. We will talk again tomorrow."
The last sentence was directed at Moqorro.
During the Doom of Valyria, the Lands of the Long Summer were like a brittle biscuit, cut in half, leaving a smoking sea in the center. The landmasses below were also shattered into countless fragments by the great explosion.
Some fragments of land were submerged by the sea and became reefs; others rose slightly above the surface, becoming rocks. If large enough, they formed small islands.
At the entrance to the Smoke Sea, there is such an island. It lies in the Sea of Sorrows, about twenty kilometers from the true Smoke Sea that is covered in high-energy radiation magic. The island measures only three to five hundred meters in length and width, roughly the size of Winterfell. Not a blade of grass grows there, only gray-black rocks, uneven and bulging like fleshy tumors.
In the past, no ship dared approach this small island. First, as a remnant of a shattered continent, the surrounding waters are filled with reefs. Second, it lies too close to the Smoke Sea, which, according to legend, is inhabited by many sea monsters and demons.
The reefs are real. The sea monsters are real. Even ocean creatures that resemble demons truly exist. The Dragon Queen named that island "Gate of Hell."
The Smoke Sea is hell, and the island stands at its entrance.
When the Long Night arrives, however, the Gate of Hell reveals immense fishing value.
After the sun goes out, marine life loses both sunlight and warmth, and inevitably moves in large numbers toward the waters near the Smoke Sea, because there are volcanoes within it, making the seabed warmer.
This is also why the fishing fleet has been lingering near the Storm Wall, as fish instinctively swim toward warmer waters.
Dany's "moth-to-flame plan" pushes this instinct toward light and warmth to its limit.
Cut a hole in the frozen surface of a lake, and before long, countless fish will crowd in, filling the opening.
Fish also need oxygen. When a hole is opened in the ice, the oxygen level in that part of the lake rises. Sensing the change in oxygen content, schools of fish gather there.
By suspending a small sun near the surface of the sea, it is like opening a hole in the frozen lake. Fish that are sensitive to light and warmth will naturally swim toward it.
Additionally, skinchangers enter the bodies of their animal companions, constantly monitoring the movements of fish beneath the sea. This allows the fishing fleet to calmly arrange formations and capture the fish that chase the light in a single sweep.
It is cruel, yet highly efficient. The fish in the sea are like moths rushing into a flame, disregarding their lives for the sake of light and warmth.
Of course, only sentimental young women would think of it that way. Moths and fish merely follow instinct and have no such thoughts. As for the saying, "You are not a fish, how can you know what a fish thinks?" the Dragon Queen specifically arranged for skinchangers to enter various sea creatures during the planning of the fishing operation.
I am not a fish, yet I know the joy of fish.
Such is the charm of a fantasy world.
The fleet sent to rescue the Tiger Cloaks did not delay for long. Three small suns clustered together shone like a morning star in the sky, guiding all life within a hundred miles.
Only fourteen ships remained, and more than five thousand Tiger Cloaks survived.
Grolei arranged for sailors to repair the holes in the hulls and provided healers to treat the wounded.
Ships with broken masts were not abandoned. A rope was tied to their bows, and they were towed forward by the great fishing vessels.
By the evening of the second day, a mighty fleet of over thirty ships arrived at the island of the Gate of Hell.
"Seven gods above, what is that?!" As soon as they neared the scorched island, sailors cried out in shock.
"Hiss—!"
"Roar~~~~!"
Under the light of the small suns, everything within ten kilometers was clearly visible. To the west of the island, beneath the vast sea, streaks of red light flickered. The water boiled as if it were a pot of bathwater forgotten on a coal stove.
Amid towering waves, two gigantic beasts could be vaguely seen battling each other.
From the dragonfire and the dragon's roar, everyone could guess that the dark figure entangled by several crimson tentacles was the black dragon.
The tentacles were thicker than a strong man's waist and thirty to forty meters long, covered with suction cups the size of pot lids, each filled with dense, finger-length sharp teeth.
"Ah, it's a sea monster! The dragon is hunting a sea monster!" Grolei exclaimed.
"Captain, the dragon seems to be at a disadvantage. Should we go help?" Suarez asked nervously.
On the surface, the black dragon did look somewhat miserable.
The monster's tentacles had wrapped around its wings, tightened around its neck, and two more lashed its head and spine like whips.
"No need to help. The sea monster is about to die. It's just a death struggle," Grolei shook his head and sighed.
"How can you tell?" Suarez asked in surprise.
"Look at the sea. It's stained dark red with black blood, and that is not dragon blood. Listen to the sounds as well. The dragon's roar is full of strength, like a tyrant roaring in fury, while the creature in the sea sounds like a peasant woman pinned in a straw pile by soldiers, screaming herself hoarse in pain," Grolei analyzed.
Beside him, the spearwife Gisela also marveled. "Think about where the dragonfire has been landing. I'd say the monster's head has already been roasted into mush."
She was not wrong.
As crimson dragonfire continued to erupt beneath the sea, the tentacles striking the dragon slowed and weakened, until they finally slackened like limp mud and slipped off its body.
"Hiss—!" The black dragon thrust its head above the surface, roared at the sky, and tried to soar upward.
But it failed to take off.
Grabbing the monster's tentacles with its claws, it strained to lift, but not only did it fail to raise the corpse, it splashed back into the sea.
After dominating the entire battle, it failed to show off properly at the end. A disappointing finish.
On the bridge, the Dragon Queen pressed her forehead and sighed.
"Moo~~~~" The giant turtle that the Tiger Cloaks had mistaken for an island moved.
With a low bellow, it quickly sank into the sea, swam beneath the sinking corpse of the sea monster, and slowly carried it toward the shore of the Gate of Hell.
"Lord of Light above, what kind of place have we come to? What are these creatures?"
When the mountain-like corpse of the sea monster surfaced, the Tiger Cloaks from Volantis collapsed in terror.
(End of Chapter)
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