Bronn was first stunned, then an uncontrollable burst of laughter erupted from deep within his throat.
"Ha! Ha! Hahahahahahaha!"
The laughter echoed through the empty Riverlands, shrill and wild, making even the surrounding cold, well-trained soldiers show looks of surprise and doubt.
As he laughed, he slapped his thigh: "Good!!! Good!!! Good!!!"
"Tywin Lannister's brother!"
"I f*cking killed Tywin Lannister's brother!"
"My rotten life, it was worth it! A fair trade! Hahahaha!"
He threw his head back, laughing wildly. The ambush tactics he learned from Arthur were truly effective. Gillian Lannister died a shameful death, falling into a deep pit and being crushed by his own warhorse. These great nobles were nothing more than that.
The only pity was that the caravan had absolutely nothing, except for a few damned broken crystals! Nothing! Not even a single gold dragon! And now he's even lost his own life!
The surrounding soldiers held their weapons, looking indifferently at the laughing madman, awaiting Damon Lannister's command.
Finally, Bronn's laughter gradually subsided, replaced by a bone-deep despair. He knew better than anyone that falling into the Lannister Family's hands alive would be a hundred times more painful than death itself.
In the dungeons of Casterly Rock, there were plenty of ways to make people wish for death but be unable to achieve it.
Especially for someone with his crimes, they wouldn't let him die easily. They would torment him continuously until old age brought an end. A glimmer of desperate resolve flashed in his eyes.
He couldn't be captured alive, absolutely not. His hand quietly, slowly reached for his waist, where a small dagger was hidden. He would use it to slit his own throat; it was better than being slowly tortured to death.
In the current situation, death was a better outcome than living. Just as his fingertips were about to touch the dagger's hilt…
Damon Lannister suddenly spoke, his words like a thunderclap, instantly freezing Bronn's tense movements: "Tell me, Bronn."
"Was it Arthur Dreadfort who ordered you to do this?"
Bronn's mind went "whoosh." Arthur? How could he connect this matter to Arthur?
He frantically sifted through his memories, unable to figure out why Arthur would be involved in Gillian Lannister's death. Was the other party holding back his command just to ask such a question?
Could it be because he had once been hired by him? But how did the other party know he had been hired by Arthur?
Damon Lannister looked at his bewildered expression, as if seeing through his thoughts, and continued to press: "Answer me, was he the one who ordered it?"
"The Lannister Family will never let any enemy go. We will make him die a terrible death, a hundred, a thousand times worse than yours."
In his view, how could a mercenary have the guts to do this, even if this mercenary leader acted as if he completely unaware of Arthur's relationship with "Spectacles" and Roderick.
There was only one truth: this small lord from the Riverlands greedily wanted to earn two shares of gold dragons, taking the gold and then hiring mercenaries to snatch the goods back. He just didn't know that control of the convoy had shifted from Tyrell Family to the Lannister Family.
And Bronn was utterly confused; a terrible thought flashed through his mind.
"Could it be… that the other party actually knows that I once served Arthur?" This thought sent shivers down his spine.
This was the intelligence capability of the Lannister Family. Under their lion's gaze, there were no secrets in all of Westeros, not even the deeds of an insignificant mercenary.
At this moment, a voice in his heart screamed wildly: "Say it! Just say he did it! Muddle the waters, and maybe you'll still have a chance to live!"
"Even if you still die in the end, dragging that arrogant brat down with you as a scapegoat wouldn't be a loss!"
This was a perfect, cost-free revenge. According to his usual style, he should be very happy to screw over that arrogant little lord who once threatened him and almost got him killed, before he died.
He loved doing such underhanded things.
However, for some unknown reason, his lips moved a few times, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make a sound.
He didn't know why.
Was it because that kid Arthur, outside Deep Valley City, so generously and unreservedly, with complete trust, threw him a large bag of gold dragons?
Or was it because, even though that kid was arrogant and always seemed to be in control, looking down on others, there was that inexplicable trust when he threw the gold dragons? Anyway, he was going to die, so what if he screwed him over! Yet, he still couldn't utter a single word.
Bronn didn't know why.
He just remained silent, staring intently at Damon Lannister, not saying a word.
Seeing Bronn's silence, Damon Lannister's face actually showed a strange smile.
He patted the dust off his clothes, blown by the river wind: "Very good."
"Silence is also an answer."
"Your silence has given us the answer."
Bronn was stunned, completely misunderstanding his meaning.
Damon Lannister turned around and slowly walked away. His mission was complete, and the Lannister Family's enemy was about to meet his deserved end.
He spoke slowly, as if announcing a verdict that had already been written: "Actually, we don't need you to speak."
"Your answer merely helps me understand the truth of the matter."
"If you wish to keep a secret, then keep it."
"Because, whether he is involved in this matter or not…
His voice suddenly became cold and cruel, every word as biting as the cold wind of the Northern ice plains.
"Lord Tywin has already ordered that…"
"Everyone involved in his brother's death…"
"Must die!!!"
Bronn's heart sank completely. He understood. He had implicated Arthur, digging a pit for himself while also digging one for him.
From his perspective, the Lannister Family didn't care what the truth was. The enraged lion wanted to send everyone connected to him to accompany his brother in death. Arthur was merely an object for them to vent their anger and assert the family's prestige.
And Arthur, this unlucky little lord who had just begun to make a name for himself, was targeted by this enraged lion simply because he had once hired him.
I'm truly sorry, my friend, but it would be nice to have you as company then.
Damon Lannister walked step by step to the back of the group, turned to look at Bronn, his contemptuous gaze like looking at an insect already underfoot.
He slowly raised his hand, preparing to give the final command to capture him alive.
His voice echoed in the cold river wind, carrying undeniable authority and a bloody promise.
"The Lannister Family! All debts must be…"
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