Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 214 The Crown of the Sea Skeletons

The Iron Islands fleet captured Blackrock Island with astonishing speed overnight, and the resistance on the island quickly crumbled under the Ironborn's fierce offensive.

There were no children on the island, but many women huddled in corners—some were prostitutes who made a living there, and many more were poor souls who had been abducted by pirates.

Euron surveyed the spoils, his voice clearly audible in the sea breeze: "We are not those disorganized pirates."

If you are pleased with them, you may take them as concubines, but you must never mistreat them.

He pointed specifically to the widow of the Green Pavilion merchant, the red-haired widow whom Glenn Gubler had described as having "breasts whiter than salt from a salt pan." "She," Euron said to Glenn, "is in your care."

Glenn Gubler grinned, his gold-plated canines gleaming in the morning light. He roughly, yet with barely concealed delight, pulled up the trembling red-haired woman, his movements surprisingly gentle. The sea breeze ruffled the woman's fiery red hair, creating a stark contrast with Glenn's bronze skin, painting a strange picture on the blood-soaked battlefield.

Euron's face showed none of the leniency he had shown earlier when dealing with the captured pirates. In this sea soaked in blood and fire, he knew all too well that mercy was the most useless quality.

"Interrogation is superfluous." He coldly glanced at the prisoners kneeling in a row and said, "On this sea, these little bastards don't know more than we do."

The sea needs no weakness, only the rule of iron and blood; it needs no sympathy, only fear and deterrence; it needs no debate, only absolute submission.

This is the unchanging law of the Stone Steps Archipelago.

Euron's method was simple and cruel: for those who were already dead, he would simply cut off their heads and throw the headless bodies into the sea: "To reward our hardworking friends on the sea." His voice was eerily calm.

Euron showed no pity for those still panting, or even those who had thrown down their weapons and knelt begging for mercy. They were forcibly dragged to the shore and forced to kneel in rows. The executioner stood behind them, a blood-stained axe in hand, awaiting the order.

"Remember this in your next life: this is the consequence of being an enemy of the Iron Islands."

As the axe fell, the cries of seagulls mingled with the roar of the waves, as if the sea itself trembled at the carnage.

Of all the pirates executed, only one dark-skinned boy with thick lips survived. He knelt on the blood-stained beach, his eyes unusually clear and resolute, a stark contrast to the fierce pirates around him.

The boy had originally hidden among the kidnapped women. His mother had long since been brutally murdered by pirates, her body mercilessly thrown into the vast sea. During his captivity, he had never participated in any killings or atrocities. His thin back was covered with crisscrossing whip marks, and the wound on his neck, caused by the iron chains, was still bleeding from the torn flesh.

Just as the executioner's axe was about to fall, the women suddenly knelt down, vouching for him with their lives: "He's a good boy! He's not a pirate!" they cried, "He always secretly saved his food to share with us!"

'

Euron's gaze lingered on the boy for a moment, noticing the unwavering determination in his eyes that belied his age, and the obvious signs of abuse on his body.

"Leave him." Euron finally gave the order, his voice still cold, but it gave the boy, who was teetering on the brink of death, a new lease on life.

All the severed heads were piled up on the coastline of Blackrock Island under Euron's orders, forming a grotesque "jingguan" (a mound of severed heads).

Those empty heads stared at the sea, their frozen expressions still holding the terror and pain of their impending death. The salty sea breeze carried a heavy stench of blood through the air.

Baron stood to the side, unusually scrutinizing his younger brother with a complex look, his eyes flashing with an indescribable expression.

Youlun seemed to notice his brother's gaze, and a half-smile appeared on his lips: "What? Do you think I'm too cruel?"

'

"No," Baron slowly shook his head, a hint of almost admiration appearing on his rough face, "I just didn't expect you to do something like this." He kicked a pirate's head at his feet, "I always thought you preferred playing those scheming tricks."

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The waves crashed against the rocks on the shore, and the splashes occasionally swept over the two terrifying monuments made of human heads, as if the sea itself trembled at this cruel threat.

Euron stood before the mound of skulls, the sea wind whipping his dark robes. "On the Stone Steps Islands," his voice was as cold as iron, "fear is more useful than mercy, and killing more effective than conspiracy."

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The practice of building a mound of human heads—a chilling act never before seen in Westeros.

Euron gave this terrifying creation made of skulls a bizarre yet poetic name—"Crown of the Sea Corpses".

To ensure that the illiterate pirates and merchants of the Stone Steps Islands could remember the name, he specially ordered that these four distorted characters be written on a rough wooden board using tar soaked in blood.

The wooden plaque was driven deep into the highest point of the mound of skulls, creaking menacingly in the sea breeze. The charred characters stood out starkly against the pale skull, each stroke like a struggling ghost, proclaiming the Iron Islands' horrific rule to all who witnessed it. Whenever a ship dared approach, the first thing it saw was this wooden plaque swaying in the wind, and behind it, the crown built of death.

Without any explanation, everyone who sees this scene will instantly understand that this sea area has changed hands.

Two terrifying monuments made of stacked heads stand on either side of the coastline of Black Rock Island, and all ships that sail into this area can see these hideous "crowns" from afar.

Hollow eye sockets stare at every passerby; the rotting face looks particularly horrifying in the moonlight; and the salty sea breeze is forever stained with the aura of death.

This is the bloodiest declaration and the most direct deterrent to the Iron Islands—they're coming!

It must be said that this deterrent is very effective.

In just one day, news of the Iron Islands' arrival spread like wildfire throughout every corner of the Stone Steps Archipelago.

Ravens flapped their wings across the salty sea breeze, merchant ships whispered among themselves in the harbor, and the murmurs in the taverns turned into waves of fear. Everyone knew of the fall of Blackrock Island and of the "Crown of the Sea Corpses" built from heads.

The mother used this story to frighten the crying child, the pirates' hands holding wine glasses froze in mid-air, and even the fiercest mercenary leader looked serious.

As the sun set and the last merchant ships entered the harbor, the entire Steps Archipelago was shrouded in the shadow of the Iron Islands. Everyone who heard the news couldn't help but look towards Blackrock Island, as if they could see those empty eye sockets staring at them from the darkness.

Fear, like the thickest sea fog, completely enveloped this once lawless sea area.

When news of the Iron Islands reached Skull Island, its lord, "Skull King" Mor Bonewhistle, was gulping down rum. Upon hearing the report, he slammed his glass down on the rough wooden table, the amber liquid splattering like blood.

"The corpses of those Ironborn?" he roared, his scarred face contorted with rage. "I have no idea which idiot did this!" His fingers clenched the map. "Maybe someone framed us!"

But upon hearing the description of the "Crown of the Sea Bones," his rage gradually transformed into a chilling killing intent. The island lord stood up, walked to the window, and looked towards Blackrock Island, the sea breeze carrying a faint, lingering scent of blood.

"Come on then," he suddenly sneered, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the curved sword at his waist. "Let them come and die." A bloodthirsty glint flashed in his eyes. "I'll let those Iron People know whose territory this really is."

The pirates in the tavern raised their weapons and roared wildly, as if they could already see the bloody battle that was about to begin.