King's Landing was about 500 kilometers from Dragonstone, situated at the end of Blackwater Bay. It was another port city.
As Zhuogeng crossed Blackwater Bay, he spotted the massive city from afar. As the political, cultural, and power center of the Seven Kingdoms, King's Landing boasted a population of nearly one million.
The entire city was encircled by towering walls, with seven gates serving as entry and exit points. As he approached, Zhuogeng's gaze was drawn to two imposing structures built atop high hills.
The first was a castle made entirely of red brick, complete with walls, battlements, and arrow towers—a city within a city.
The second structure was dominated by seven crystalline towers, one of which housed a colossal bell. A massive statue stood in the central plaza.
Zhuogeng guessed this might be the Great Sept of Baelor, later destroyed by Cersei.
After circling the city from the sky to get a full view, he descended to find a place to land.
King's Landing was often frequented by messenger ravens. At his size, he was most likely to be mistaken for one as long as he kept his distance. However, his oversized backpack was conspicuous, so he decided to find a place to store it first.
The Red Keep was clearly unsuitable. With its tight security, placing anything there would be unsafe, even if the items inside weren't valuable. After all, they were crucial to Zhuogeng's survival.
He spotted a target and was about to fly toward it when he suddenly saw two figures emerge from the Red Keep's gate—one stout, the other slender. He couldn't make out their features clearly.
After exiting the gate, they went their separate ways, one heading south, the other north. Zhuogeng swooped over the stout man's head, getting a clear look at his face.
The man had a bald, round face and wore a light yellow silk robe, his hands tucked in his sleeves as he walked slowly forward.
Seeing the man's signature bald head and mannerisms, and knowing he'd come from the Red Keep, Zhuogeng guessed he might be Varys the Spider, the Master of Whisperers for King's Landing. Having roughly confirmed his identity, Zhuogeng followed him from high above.
Varys walked leisurely, occasionally glancing around as if wary of being followed—perhaps just a professional habit.
Zhuogeng expected him to continue straight ahead, but the man suddenly ducked into a small shop. Judging by the storefronts lining the street, it was likely a silk and fabric merchant.
Zhuogeng had no choice but to land on the roof of a building across the street to observe quietly.
After ten minutes passed without Varys emerging, Zhuogeng grew anxious. He began to suspect this might be one of Varys's safehouses, where he was currently studying intelligence.
At that moment, Zhuogeng suddenly recalled a rumor about Varys: that he was not only skilled in all manner of thievery but also a master of disguise. Could that plump woman who had just left the shop be him?
After briefly considering the direction she had taken, Zhuogeng hurried after her. He soon spotted the same stout woman, waddling down the street with her feet turned outward. She paused at stalls along the way, picking through trinkets and clothing, and occasionally entered shops frequented by ordinary women and noble ladies.
After following her for over an hour, seeing her continue to wander aimlessly like any ordinary woman, Zhuogeng began to doubt if he had the right target. He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.
His reason for following her was clear: in this world of underdeveloped transportation and limited information, the Dragon Mother lacked capable allies. Jorah and Barristan were useful in battle, but otherwise unreliable. Missandei was essentially a secretary.
Figures like Varys and the Little Demon were even rarer. Zhuogeng knew Varys would eventually join the Dragon Mother, and likely bring the Little Demon with him, but he didn't know when that might happen.
The Dragon Mother had already secured Astapor, but her ultimate goal was to conquer the three cities of Slaver's Bay. Once taken, managing them would prove a major challenge. Though Zhuogeng didn't know the specifics, he knew she would face numerous difficulties later, leaving her overwhelmed.
One of his primary reasons for coming to Westeros was to recruit talented individuals and help the Dragon Mother's territories become established. By chance, he'd spotted Varys, but had likely lost him.
*Lost him, so be it! He can't run forever,* he told himself, trying to reassure himself. Just as he was about to give up, he saw the stout woman turn into a narrow alley at the end of the street. Her pace quickened noticeably, and her body seemed lighter.
Still unwilling to give up, Zhuogeng followed. The woman stopped in front of a small, independent courtyard, glanced around, and unlocked the gate.
Seeing the familiar gesture, Zhuogeng's heart leaped. *This is it!*
The woman entered the courtyard, and Zhuogeng carefully climbed over the wall.
The courtyard was small and sparsely furnished, containing only two houses. The woman entered the one on the north side.
Zhuogeng flew to the windowsill and heard faint sounds and the gurgle of water from inside. He cautiously peered in and saw the woman standing by another window, removing her makeup in front of a tarnished bronze mirror.
Removing his hairpiece, revealing a completely bald head, Varys was wiping off his makeup with a silk cloth, dampening it with water as he worked.
*It's indeed Varys,* Zhuogeng thought with satisfaction. *I chose the right person.*
Varys remained completely unaware, continuing to remove his makeup and change clothes. In less than ten minutes, he had regained his usual calm and composed demeanor.
He walked to the table, pulled open a drawer, and retrieved a nail hammer. Crouching down, he used the hammer to pry up the iron nails holding the cellar's floorboards in place. With a slight tilt of his head, he lifted the cover.
"Starving, aren't you? I've brought you some brown broth today. It's quite good—I've even grown nostalgic for its taste."
Varys opened the cloth bag he had brought from outside, took out a brown earthenware pot, and grabbed a thick, finger-thick straw from beside the cellar. He inserted the straw into the cellar and placed a funnel on top.
"Aim carefully. Drink slowly so you don't choke." As he spoke, he slowly poured the thick, foul-smelling broth from the pot into the funnel, his expression gentle, as if feeding a gravely ill patient.
"This is..."
Hearing muffled grunts from the cellar, Zhuogeng, perched on the windowsill, felt a jolt of alarm. *Could that be the Male Warlock Varys is feeding? That bastard!*
After the Male Warlock had persecuted him, he had abandoned Varys to fend for himself. Varys had barely survived by begging and stealing.
He later discovered that stolen letters and notes were far more valuable than gold. He recruited clever and resourceful children, teaching them to scale walls, sneak into buildings, climb through chimneys, read, and write. Slowly, he built a small intelligence network, collecting and selling information.
As his wealth and influence grew, his reputation reached the ears of Mad King Aerys, who appointed him Master of Whisperers. Varys was tasked with uncovering plots against the king and identifying ministers with treasonous intentions.
Varys's fame spread, making him a figure both feared and hated by the ministers and nobles of King's Landing.
When his "little birds" had spread across two continents, he easily located the male warlock who had once tormented him, *******, and kept close tabs on his health.
*What a ruthless man!*
Watching Varys patiently feed the warlock, Zhuogeng couldn't help but marvel.
*It's hard to imagine someone like him dedicating himself to serving the people. Could this be the result of great hatred breeding great love?*
Zhuogeng stood outside the window, pondering Varys's nature. Inside, the feeding was complete. Without haste, Varys secured the cellar lid, hammered in iron nails, and placed the hammer in a drawer. He then sat by the window, motionless, gazing out at the world, lost in thought.
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