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Chapter 496: Savage kneeling
Chapter 496: Savage kneeling
Chapter 496 Savage Kneeling
The tunnels in the Great Wall are narrow and winding, and many wildlings are either too old, sick, or injured, and their progress is very slow.
Ed Stark frowned and looked at the black snake-like team outside the Great Wall, saying:
"Your Majesty, it may take two or three days for all the savages to pass through the Great Wall. We need to set up defenses outside the city to prevent the aliens from attacking again."
"Okay, you can make arrangements. Remember to prepare more firewood and other flammable materials. Ghouls are afraid of fire."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After Ed left, Samwell looked at the savage army for a while, and asked again:
"How much food is left in Castle Black?"
Everyone was silent for a moment, and the final officer Eddie stepped forward and handed a scroll to the king, saying:
"Your Majesty, this is the inventory statistics from three months ago..."
Samwell took it and glanced at it casually, then stared at Eddie for a while, and said:
"Take me to the warehouse."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The two went down the Great Wall through the lifting iron cage. Eddie found a torch and led the king into the underground passage of Castle Black.
This underground space, which the night watchmen call the wormway, is dark and lightless, with twists and turns like a labyrinth.
It is useless in summer, but when the cold winter wind blows, this is the most convenient and safest passage between buildings.
At the same time, here is also the best storage space.
The footsteps of the two echoed in the narrow worm lanes. After walking for a long time, they finally met Vic, the warehouse manager of Castle Black, at the intersection of four worm lanes.
After saluting to the king, Vic took off the key chain hanging on his chest, and opened the solid oak door of the warehouse.
"Your Majesty, here are stored oats, wheat, barley, and barrels of semolina."
Samwell entered the warehouse and took a look, and found that the basketball court-sized room was almost full, and there were strings of onions and garlic hanging from the beams.
Vic led the king to another warehouse:
"Your Majesty, this room is full of vegetables, carrots, dried peas, potatoes, apples and pears.
This room is for meat, beef, pork, lamb, cod, all frozen well, and some ham and smoked sausage.
This one is spices and nuts, and olives..."
Samwell looked over from room to room without saying a word.
This made Eddie and the others quite uneasy. He didn't smile until he had finished reading all the warehouses and said:
"Your Majesty, you see, our Castle Black's food reserves are still very rich."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Vic also chimed in, "The long summer that has just passed has been fruitful, and the lords have been extraordinarily generous. With our current reserves, it is estimated that we can support the Night Watch for three years."
"But what if you add wildlings?" Samwell asked.
"Savages?" Eddie frowned, "But Your Majesty, they don't need us to support them, do they?"
"Most of them don't need it." Samwell said, "I will arrange for the savages who are willing to become citizens of the Seven Kingdoms to go south to the Stormlands. As for the savages who don't want to kneel down, they will all go to the wolf forest and let them find their own way to hunt and gather. live.
However, there will still be some savage warriors, about seven or eight thousand, staying to help defend the Great Wall.
The food of these wildlings needs to be solved by the Night Watchman Legion. "
"Seven or eight thousand?" Eddie opened his mouth wide, "If this is the case, within five months, we will only have radishes and oatmeal to eat, and then we will only be able to drink horse blood."
"Horse blood is also good." Vic tried to ease the atmosphere, "There is nothing better than a cup of hot horse blood on a cold winter night. It would be best to sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on it."
"People will get sick, Your Majesty." Eddie didn't want to pay attention to his companions, "Soldiers must ensure their nutrition in battle, otherwise their gums will bleed and their teeth will loosen.
If you allow, I suggest that the winter food rationing system be implemented immediately. If you are careful, it should last a little longer.
But the best way is to hope that King's Landing can provide support. "
Having said that, he looked at the king expectantly.
The king did not disappoint him either.
"Of course King's Landing will support you." Samwell said, "Before I set off north, I ordered people to prepare food and dragonglass weapons, and they will transport these things to Eastwatch by sea, and you will send people to receive them. "
"Great!" Eddie exclaimed excitedly, "With your support, no matter how many savages come."
"Don't take it lightly." Samwell said, "It's not just the savages, King's Landing will also send troops to support them, and they also want to eat."
"How many troops will you send to the Great Wall?"
"The vanguard army has 7,000 troops. The scale of follow-up support will be adjusted according to the situation on the Great Wall. Therefore, Castle Black's food reserves are the key." Sam Wil paused and asked, "How often do you check the food storage?"
"Usually half a year."
"It's been too long. Change it to once a month in the future. And immediately arrange staff to start counting again."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After that, Samwell left the warehouse and returned to the ground.
At this time, the sun had already slanted to the west, and the dim yellow and dim sunlight stretched out the shadows. The sky was divided by black flowing clouds, like a tattered gray and white flag.
"It's just past noon, and it's almost dark."
"Yes, Your Majesty, since the onset of winter, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. Perhaps one day, the sun will never rise again, and Westeros will usher in A terrible night."
Samwell looked at the dim sunset and remained silent for a long time.
Three days later, the savages finally passed the Great Wall.
During this period of time, neither the White Walkers nor the Ghouls appeared again.
Another group of people came to the Great Wall.
They are Bran Stark and others who went north to the Land of Eternal Winter to look for the "Three-Eyed Raven".
Ed Stark was very excited to see his son who had been separated for a long time. Robb Stark and Jon Snow were also very happy, carrying their younger brother and yelling at the gate of the city.
However, Bran's reaction seemed very flat.
Although he was also laughing, a little attention could tell that it was just a polite smile, not a heartfelt joy.
The three of Ed, father and son were immersed in joy and might not be able to notice it, but Samwell could see it clearly when he was watching coldly.
And he knew that this Bran Stark was the appointed heir of the "Three-Eyed Raven".
Thinking of the intervention of the "Three-Eyed Raven" when he fought "Crow's Eye" Euron Greyjoy last time in Blackwater Bay, he felt that the other party might have a plan.
Waiting for these Starks to continue their old stories and recover from the initial excitement, Samwell stepped forward.
"Your Majesty," Bran said while sitting in the bamboo basket on Hodor's back, "please forgive me for not being able to salute."
"It's okay." Samwell waved his hand indifferently, "Why didn't Brynden River come to the Great Wall with you?"
"Brynden River?" Before Bran could answer, Jon Snow screamed first, "The illegitimate son of Aegon IV? Duke Bloodraven? Is he still alive?"
Both are illegitimate children, Jon once admired the famous illegitimate son of the Seven Kingdoms very much, and even once regarded him as his idol.
"Yes and no." Brand said, "Of course Brynden Rivers can't live for so long, and now he has become a part of the weirwood, at the junction of life and death, so he can't leave the land of eternal winter burrow."
"Why are you going to see Brynden Rivers?" Ed asked.
"This is a long story, father, I will tell you slowly later." After dealing with his father, Bran looked at the king again and said:
"Your Majesty, the Three-Eyed Raven asked me to remind you to pay attention to the Horn of Winter."
Robb immediately echoed:
"Yes, Your Majesty, I also don't think it's a good idea to let the wildlings keep the Horn of Winter. If they blow the horn and make the Great Wall collapse..."
"They won't blow the horn of winter at will." Ed said, "Don't forget, now they are also south of the Great Wall just like us. If the Great Wall collapses, what will they use to stop the White Walkers?"
"But this is still a hidden danger after all." Jon Snow also said.
"If possible, I would also like to get back the Horn of Winter." Samwell shrugged helplessly, "It's a pity that the previous plan went wrong due to the appearance of the White Walker, and the queen of the King Beyond the Wall is very sensitive. Aware of my anomaly, I hid the Horn of Winter.
Now they are on guard, if we want to find the Horn of Winter, it will not be that simple. "
"I can find the Horn of Winter." Bran Stark said firmly.
"You?" Ed looked at his son suspiciously, "How do you know where the Horn of Winter is hidden?"
"The gods opened my eyes, Father, to see what ordinary people cannot see."
Samwell has no doubts about this.
"Three-Eyed Raven" can be said to be a guy who has turned on the clairvoyant, so it is not surprising to know where the Horn of Winter is.
"Then can you bring back the Horn of Winter?" Samwell asked.
In fact, he was not worried about letting the wildman keep the Horn of Winter. Who knows if the other party will suddenly go crazy.
"I am willing to serve you, Your Majesty." Bran put his left hand on his chest and said respectfully.
"Very well, I hope you can surprise me." After Samwell finished speaking, he turned and left, reminiscing about the old days for these father and son brothers.
Ed frowned and asked, "Bran, are you really sure you can get the Horn of Winter back?"
"Of course it's true, Father." Bran's left eye shimmered blood-red, "Although the gods took my legs, they gave me a third eye."
Ed Stark stared blankly at his son, finally feeling a strong sense of strangeness.
For a while, he didn't know whether to be happy about Bran's change, or worried.
The next morning, the sun climbed the horizon later than usual.
When Samwell came to the castle hall, the wildling leaders were confronting the Night Watch officers under the leadership of Mance Rayder.
The atmosphere is colder than the winter wind.
"Caesar! You don't keep your word!" Mance shouted angrily, focusing on the huge horn carried by the king—
The Horn of Winter.
Yes, Bran Stark did find the place where the wildlings hid the Horn of Winter, and stole it and dedicated it to Samwell.
"How can I not keep my word?"
"You promised to let the wildlings keep the Horn of Winter!"
"Yes. I did promise." Samwell said, but then changed the topic, "But you obviously don't have the ability to keep this horn. So, in order to prevent accidents, I can only take it. Destroy it .”
As soon as the last two words were uttered, everyone saw the king's hand was on fire.
There was a whoosh.
Golden flames burst out from around the horn and exploded.
"The Horn of Winter?" said Sam Wells, "No, it should be called the Horn of Darkness. If the Great Wall falls, the long night will follow. Humanity will also face annihilation!
I will never let this happen! "
Mance Rayder was intimidated by Caesar's words, and even saw the horn being swallowed by flames, but he couldn't speak to dissuade him.
Perhaps deep in his heart, he also hopes that this horn will be completely reduced to ashes.
The flames were still churning, like golden silk wrapping the horn of winter, and the mysterious lines carved with gold melted in the fire, and a palpitating breath suddenly permeated.
But everyone unconsciously took a few steps back.
In the end, the horn was completely reduced to ashes in the golden flame.
Samwell stood alone on the ashes, facing everyone in the hall, and turned into a golden-haired and golden-eyed look.
A larger and more magnificent sacred atmosphere circulated in the hall than before, making everyone have the urge to worship from the bottom of their hearts.
"The long night is coming, and the ancient evil is being revived." Samwell said in a tone of indifference and grandeur. "Men and women, old and young, people of the Seven Kingdoms and wildlings beyond the Wall, the fate of all mankind will be tested .
At such a moment, only I can lead you to overcome the long night and usher in the never-ending long summer.
Mance Rayder, and the chiefs and chiefs of the tribes beyond the Great Wall, my previous promise is still valid.
As long as you are willing to bow the knee to me, you can become my people.
I will provide you with food, shelter, and shelter, and only ask you to work for me, pay my taxes, and kneel before me.
Those who don’t want to kneel down, you can temporarily live in the wolf forest. When the long night is over, you can return to the north of the Great Wall and continue to live your unfettered life.
Now, make your choice.
Embrace the light, or retreat to the dark!
Choose me, or, choose death and ignorance! "
As soon as the words fell, golden flames rose up around the king, like golden dragons circling and surrounding them.
The surging heat swelled in the hall, completely dispelling the chill of winter, and for a while, it seemed that midsummer had descended on Castle Black.
This scene made everyone feel awe-inspiring, and they no longer resisted the king's arrogant words just now.
If anyone can lead mankind to defeat the long night, perhaps only the King of the Seven Kingdoms is the most likely.
The first to come forward and kneel before the king was Saigon the chief of the Thenns, next came Rattleshirt in his clanking armor backed by bone and leather, and then the two chieftains of the Hornfoot clans came to the king Kneeling before the king, and then an old hag revered by the wildlings along the Milk River, the chief of the crowhunter tribe, and even a giant, stomping before the king, speaking words that others could not understand, loudly It shook the wooden hall to rumble.
More and more wildling leaders kneel to Caesar.
Whether it is from the heart, or barely kneeling in order to survive, they will all become the people of the Seven Kingdoms.
But there were also many savage leaders who stood aside and did not move.
They tried their best to resist the terrifying coercion emanating from Caesar, stubborn and resolute.
At last, Mance Rayder stepped forward on their behalf, and asked:
"Caesar, what about those who don't want to kneel? You will let them..."
"Go to Wolf Forest." Samwell said, "You are still free. But you must send no less than one-tenth of the tribe's population to participate in guarding the Great Wall."
"good."