Chapter 451: Closing the Net

"Bloody whore dares to conspire against me!"

"The Titan's Bastard" Mero roared in rage, heaving heavily, his body covered in blood.

He was no fool, and by now, he had realized that Daenerys might have detected the danger long ago, having foreknowledge of the rebellion.

Thus, she deliberately set a trap, waiting for them to fall into it, to sweep them all away in one fell swoop.

"Die!"

"Die!"

A big man with red-golden beard, broad shoulders, and round waist, covered in blood, swung his axe wildly, attempting to hack his way through.

But he had underestimated the Unsullied; he was surrounded by several of them, holding firm shields.

"Ha!"

"Ha!"

Thump, thump—

Mero's axe struck only the shields, like a wild beast trapped in a cage.

"Take him alive!"

Then he was turned into a bloody mess by the Unsullied, falling to the ground, captured alive, dragged away like a slaughtered pig.

The leader of the Second Sons fell, and the rest of the mercenaries were like ants shaking a tree; the Unsullied were far more elite than this rabble, especially in large-scale combat.

The world's foremost legion against these scattered mercenaries was a one-sided affair; the mercenaries either died or fled.

The ancient nobles of Pentos and the remnants of the Governor's family who organized this action were terrified at the sight.

However, as they were preparing to flee, they were caught by the commander of the Interior Department, Ramsay Snow.

Draped entirely in black robes, Little Flayer smiled coldly at the ordinary inn in front of him, then removed his hood to reveal his pale and shadowy face.

Beside him stood several soldiers, similarly cloaked in black robes and wearing masks, daggers at their waists, and crossbows in hand, their sharp bolts aimed at the inn's door.

The Interior Department is one of the few forces in Pentos authorized to use crossbows.

Woof, woof—

Ramsay's trained hounds had scented the enemy and were barking madly at the door.

They showed their sharp fangs and ferocious faces, saliva dripping down.

To train the viciousness of these hounds, Ramsay often secretly used Interior Department criminals as bait, honing their ferocity and hunting ability; those that failed were executed.

Hearing the barking outside, the people trapped in the inn felt cold sweat on their foreheads; they did not doubt that these hounds were meant for them.

"Have we been discovered?"

"What shall we do?"

One of the white-haired old men, dressed in fine clothing, stammered.

He was a member of an ancient noble family of Pentos, having escaped the crisis of the Red Night by being away at sea near Braavos, leading a merchant fleet. He survived but swore to end Viserys's tyranny and reclaim his home.

But he did not expect that this time, the operation in Pentos would be anticipated and a trap set, waiting for them to take the bait. The Beggar Prince was even stabbed to death on the street the moment he stepped out the door.

"What shall we do?"

A young and spirited noble remnant with golden hair spoke, his chest bearing an old family emblem, a long sword at his waist.

"What can we do now?"

"Viserys is cruel and ruthless; he showed no mercy during the Red Night."

"Even if we surrender, they won't spare us; better to fight them to the death!"

The young Pentos noble's idea gained some approval, but more conservative nobles disagreed.

At this point, they should negotiate for their interests; rash bravery was not befitting of nobles with high lineage.

Sadly, the young nobles of Pentos would not heed their advice.

Outside, Ramsay's cold countdown continued, claiming that if they did not surrender in a quarter of an hour, he would burn down the inn.

The city's garrison soldiers, responsible for maintaining order, were startled by Ramsay's words; arson was a serious crime in the city.

But as they approached to persuade Ramsay, his subordinates flashed a metal badge and rebuffed them.

"Interior Department business; our master is greater than yours."

The shiny badge bore the Targaryen three-headed dragon emblem and Viserys's hand command.

The city's garrison soldiers swallowed their words, looking at the badge.

This badge was once bestowed by Viserys to Ramsay, mainly to empower the Interior Department to oversee internal affairs; otherwise, any official would outrank Ramsay, rendering the department null.

Pentos's defensive commander was Jon Clinton, while the Interior Department answered directly to the king; who had the stronger backing was clear.

The garrison soldiers retreated, sulking, and before Ramsay's quarter-hour was up, the people in the inn could not help but rush out.

The young man with black curly hair and a shadowy face showed a cruel smile.

The next second, the sound of crossbows firing rang out.

Thump, thump, thump—

Sharp bolts pierced the noble remnants, and the famished hounds pounced, biting their throats, tearing and swallowing their flesh.

Woof, woof—

The sound of barking hounds filled the air, blood staining the streets, bodies littering the ground. These noble remnants were like moths to a flame, falling without even a second of resistance.

The scene was too brutal; the onlooking city garrison soldiers could not bear to watch, lowering their heads or turning away, some even vomiting on the spot.

But Ramsay and his subordinates were all accustomed, feeling no discomfort.

When all the bodies were devoured, those who had not come out of the inn finally emerged, trembling, some even having wet themselves.

"Welcome."

"Welcome to Pentos."

Ramsay, looking at these trembling, pants-wetting noble remnants, smiled brightly, frightening them further.

But they were not executed by Ramsay; they were detained for interrogation.

Ramsay hoped to pry open their mouths to learn how much wealth they had hidden outside.