Dozens of black Ironborn longships were not in the river; they lay like beached giants on the muddy bank, hundreds of Ironborn roaring crude shanties, using huge rollers and pulleys to drag these longships across the land.
These Ironborn had actually bypassed the defenses and brought their ships overland; Bronn was deeply shocked.
Roderick Greyjoy stood at the bow of the largest longship, waving his freshly bloodied axe, his eyes like fire: "Hurry up! You weaklings!"
"When Commander Victarion attacks Seaguard from the sea, and we suddenly appear from behind Seaguard to capture it, the entire Riverlands will be the world of the Ironborn!"
First Mate Wulfric, the bearded man, also cursed angrily: "Hurry up! You idiots!!"
"We must arrive immediately after the Commander's fleet attacks Seaguard! The Riverlands cowards will line up like sheep to be slaughtered!"
"The greenlander women! The wine! They will all be yours!"
Bronn gritted his teeth on the side; no, if they turned back now to rendezvous with the fleet, his identity would immediately be exposed, and his fate then would be no different from dying at the hands of the Lannisters.
No, absolutely not.
Bronn suddenly rushed forward, interrupting Roderick and Wulfric's angry shouts: "Chief!"
The surrounding Ironborn were stunned; Roderick's face instantly darkened, like the sea before a storm.
He turned his head and roared: "Hadwyn! You dare interrupt me? Are you looking for death?!"
Bronn immediately put on a humble and eager expression, bowing deeply: "Chief, this subordinate deserves to die."
"But this subordinate has an idea that could earn you great merit!"
Roderick's anger was hooked by the mention of great merit.
Though extremely impatient, he waved his hand: "Speak clearly! If you dare play tricks, I'll tie you to the bottom of the ship and drag you into the Trident River to feed the fish!"
Wulfric also narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Bronn like a hunter scrutinizing prey.
Bronn took a deep breath; having fought alongside Arthur, he began to articulate the mad plan in his mind:
"Chief, if we rendezvous with the Commander, we will only be trapped in a bitter siege alongside him. Now that we have already entered the Blue Fork River."
He pointed to the rushing river.
"The waterways here crisscross, and both banks are full of rich villages and towns."
"If we proceed along the river like this, burning everything and killing everyone along the way, we can throw those Riverlands cowards into complete disarray!"
Roderick frowned: "I only have over six hundred men and ten longships."
"This is the limit for us to cross the defenses undetected."
Wulfric also shook his head, looking at him with cold eyes: "Too few men; the greenlanders won't be scared, and the effect you speak of won't be achieved."
Bronn sneered inwardly; this was exactly the effect he wanted; he recalled the deceptive tactics Arthur had used against the wildlings.
The ruse outside Deep Valley.
He lowered his voice, sounding mysterious and confident: "My lord, we can create an illusion."
"Each time we capture a village or town, we don't kill everyone; we leave some alive. At night, we let two groups of brothers sneak out of town and then back in, moving in and out before the firelight. These survivors will believe that our forces are endless and will spread these rumors widely."
"This way, the Riverlands nobles will believe that a large Ironborn army is rampaging through their heartland; they will inevitably withdraw their troops to protect themselves and even suspect each other, no one daring to fully support Seaguard."
Bronn spoke more and more smoothly, mimicking Arthur.
"As long as we create enough killing and false information, those cowardly nobles will surely not dare to send troops to resist; they will watch us plunder the coast, and even pray that we quickly burn to their neighbors' doorsteps. The fear and chaos in the rear will break the defenders of Seaguard!"
"By then, the greenlander farmers outside Seaguard will be demoralized! Their hearts will yearn for home! They will have only two choices! Send a large army to pursue us, leaving Seaguard's defenses vulnerable! Or sit idly by!"
"Whichever it is! When the Commander's fleet attacks Seaguard! Those weak and incompetent soldiers will flee in droves! Even surrender to us!"
The suspicion in Roderick's eyes gradually gave way to a greedy glint; this bastard was right, the cowards of Seaguard would flee in fear because of their actions, and when his uncle's fleet suddenly arrived outside Seaguard a few days later, the weak and incompetent greenlanders would be routed; this was far more meaningful than the previous mission of suddenly encircling Seaguard from the rear.
He licked his chapped lips, a hint of admiration in his voice: "If you can truly earn me this merit, I will reward you with a longship of your own!"
Bronn let out a long sigh of relief inwardly; what did the lives of the Riverlands people have to do with him? As long as he could survive, he would agree to anything.
On the surface, he feigned a look of flattered loyalty, but in his heart, he was already plotting his next escape plan, bowing deeply to conceal the cold smile on his lips: "For the Chief's longship!"
Roderick Greyjoy turned around, satisfied, raised his battle-axe, and let out a beastly roar: "Depart!"
"Down the Blue Fork River! Kill until the drowned god is satisfied!"
Sailing on dry land, one longship after another, slowly glided through the mud.
The Ironborn erupted in earth-shattering roars, leaping onto the longships.
Finally merging into the rushing river.
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