The Ghoyan Drohe region has always been considered by Braavos as fish on their chopping board—theirs for the taking.
The many wars with Pentos in the past were all sparked because Pentos tried to dip a finger into Ghoyan Drohe.
Simply put: whoever touches Ghoyan Drohe gets hit by Braavos. Reach out a hand, lose a hand. Reach out a foot, lose a foot!
Braavos is just that domineering. Their peerless naval fleet represents absolute force, and the Iron Bank represents limitless wealth. That is the foundation of Braavosi arrogance.
"They say Viserys's army is quite skilled in battle, fighting without fear of death. Some cowards even claim his soldiers can come back from the dead. Heh, that is the funniest joke I have ever heard—more absurd than the tales spun by drunken singers."
The Sealord of Braavos, Ferrego Antaryon, paced slowly, with his protector Qarro following closely behind.
"Qarro." Ferrego turned to look at his most trusted guard.
"I am here."
Qarro stood with his hands at his sides, awaiting orders.
"Although we must punish His Grace of the Dragon House for his ambition toward Essos, every citizen of Braavos is a treasure. We cannot spend their lives lightly.
Send someone to Lorath immediately. Tell the three Princes of Lorath that I will persuade the Iron Bank to grant them a substantial loan. But the price is that they must dispatch at least four thousand soldiers to join us in punishing the Targaryen."
Sealord Ferrego's voice was weak. It seemed that speaking at such length was taking a toll on his failing health.
Lorath was the smallest, poorest, least populated, and most backward of the Nine Free Cities. It also relied heavily on trade with Braavos.
Sealord Ferrego was convinced that the three Princes of Lorath would never refuse the olive branch of an Iron Bank loan.
"It will be done!"
Qarro never wasted words after receiving an order. He nodded and withdrew.
---
"Are you sure you heard him correctly?"
Outside the Sealord's Palace, two servants were whispering in the shadows.
"Absolutely. The Sealord said it himself. He's sending an envoy to Lorath to demand at least four thousand soldiers," the shorter servant replied.
"And how many men will Braavos send?" asked the taller servant.
"I don't know. The Sealord didn't say. But I assume it will be a lot." The short servant shook his head.
"Take this. It's yours. I hope to get more information from you in the future." The tall servant wasted no more words. He looked around to ensure no one was watching, then pulled a coin purse from his tunic and handed it over.
The short servant took the purse, peeked inside, and a smile broke across his nervous face. He nodded, turned, and scurried away.
The tall servant quickly disappeared from the spot as well.
In a narrow alleyway somewhere in Braavos.
The tall servant had already changed his clothes. As soon as he entered the alley, he saw the person waiting for him.
"Well? Is it important intel?" the man asked eagerly.
"Bro, we hit the jackpot!"
The tall servant pulled back his hood. The player ID Wheel-King shone brightly above his head in the other player's vision.
Their identities were self-evident: they were players, the so-called "Fourth Scourge."
"Big intel?" The player with the ID Jiang-Gan-Steals-Xiao-Qiao lit up with joy.
Although pioneers like Moon-Fang and Iron-Pumping Superman had opened the door to a new world across the sea, there were still groups of players who weren't interested in assassination or frontline combat. The Intelligence Division of the Secret Police was one such group.
Caramel-Cotton-Candy, the head of the Intelligence Division, believed that following in others' footsteps wouldn't prove the value of the Secret Police.
So, after most players withdrew from the conquered Ghoyan Drohe region, the players of the Intelligence Division chose not to leave. Instead, they pushed further north and established an intelligence station in Braavos.
Sure, everything the players knew about spycraft came from TV shows, and they had zero professional training. But they managed to set up a network that looked the part.
Viserys, after receiving a report from Duck-Pointer, had generously provided them with operational funds to see if they could gather any intelligence on Braavos.
To everyone's surprise, the Intelligence Division actually delivered. Using the funds, they managed to cultivate an informant right inside the Sealord's Palace—the center of power in Braavos.
And today, it paid off.
After Wheel-King recounted the intelligence in detail, Jiang-Gan punched his palm in excitement.
"That's fantastic!"
"Alright, you report this to the Section Chief immediately!" Jiang-Gan lowered his voice.
"Okay. What about you, bro?" Wheel-King nodded and asked.
"Me? I'm going to do something big!" Jiang-Gan's eyes glittered with gold, as if he were looking at a naked supermodel in his imagination.
"Something big? What kind of big?" Wheel-King was confused. Isn't getting this firsthand intel big enough for our bureau?
"I... ah, never mind. You wouldn't get it. Just go report to the Chief. If you're late, it won't be 'breaking news' anymore. I'm taking off first!"
Jiang-Gan hesitated, but seeing his partner's clueless expression, he decided not to elaborate. After dropping a few more instructions, he turned and vanished into the darkness.
Once Jiang-Gan left, Wheel-King checked that the coast was clear, leaned against a wall, and logged off.
---
Earth.
Wheel-King: Big Bro, you there? Buying intel? Reply if you see this!
Xu Shan saw the notification flash on his phone and opened it.
His father had fallen ill today, so he was at the hospital keeping him company. It was a rare day off from the game for him.
Seeing the message was from a player in the Secret Police, Xu Shan replied quickly:
"What kind of intel, brother?"
Wheel-King: [Audio File Attached]
Xu Shan clicked play. As he listened, his expression shifted rapidly.
Nine-Thousand-Years: Brother, I want this intel. How much are you selling it for?
Wheel-King: Big Bro, I'm an honest seller. Is 3,000 okay?
Li Dao's hands trembled as he held his phone. This was the first time he had made real money from a game. Remembering his wife's constant nagging about him playing games at night, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Hmph. Stinky woman, just wait. Once this goes through, let's see if you still yell at me! Calling me a loser? You're the loser!
The screen lit up quickly.
Li Dao instinctively rolled over in bed, afraid of waking the "tigress" sleeping next to him.
Nine-Thousand-Years: Deal.
Nine-Thousand-Years: [Red Packet Sent]
Li Dao was stunned. That fast? Then realization hit him: Damn it! I asked for too little!
Although he realized his mistake, he couldn't go back on his word now. He wanted to do more business with this guy in the future. Don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
He accepted the red packet. The buyer sent a message saying, "If you have more intel, the price is negotiable," and then went silent.
On the other side, Xu Shan was practically vibrating with excitement. He tiptoed onto the spare bed in the hospital room and put on his VR helmet.