Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 273 Shitang Town

Robert Baratheon spurred his horse almost instinctively, and when his blurred vision finally caught the outline of the low walls of Stonehall, his last shred of willpower finally gave way to its limit.

The moment his horse's hooves crossed the boundary stone at the town's entrance, his taut body swayed. The severe injuries and blood loss of the past few days, the hunger and thirst, the extreme exhaustion from the desperate journey, and the deep regret and overwhelming anger of watching his loyal and brave subordinates die for him without being able to help—all these heavy burdens, like countless invisible hands, finally dragged down this mighty stag completely.

Robert tried to grip the reins, but his fingers wouldn't obey him; he wanted to shout, but only a metallic taste rose in his throat. The world spun violently before his eyes and dimmed, the walls, the lights, and the blurry figures running towards him with screams all merging into a chaotic darkness.

The next second, his tall body, like a flagpole cut down, fell heavily from his horse, crashing onto the cold streets of Shitang Town, and he lost consciousness completely. The last thing that lingered in his consciousness was not the excruciating pain in his body, but the resolute backs of the knights as they turned to face their deaths at the pass.

Shitang Town, nestled in the heart of the Hejian region and surrounded by thick stone walls, sleeps quietly in the night. It faces Acorn Hall to the north, borders Red Pink City to the east, and Golden Avenue winds through its southern part. Nearby lies the murmuring source of the Blackwater River.

The lord of this place, Ser Wilbert Paxson, is a knight known for his loyalty and pragmatism, and is loyal to the Tully family of Riverrun.

When the gatekeepers discovered a heavily wounded and unconscious giant lying in a pool of blood, the faintly discernible crest of a stag with a crown on his tattered armor horrified them, and they immediately rushed to the lord's residence.

Wilbert Paxson was awakened in the middle of the night and rushed to the scene immediately upon hearing the news.

In the firelight, he recognized the pale yet still dignified face, and his heart trembled. Without hesitation, he directed his trusted men to carefully carry Robert to the safety of the bedroom, while urging sharply, "Quickly! Summon the Maester! Use the best medicine; his life must be saved!"

At the same time, he turned to his captain of the guard and gave another crucial order: "Immediately dispatch our fastest messenger, bearing my personal seal, to Riverrun tonight! Inform Duke Horst and Lord Ed that a stag has entered Stonehall, but is seriously wounded, and pursuers may be nearby. Request immediate reinforcements!"

The messenger quickly disappeared into the night outside the town, while the number of guards patrolling the walls of Shitang Town suddenly doubled.

Jon Clinton's pursuers, like an iron tide surging in the night, quickly overwhelmed the thin defenses of Stonehall.

The low city wall was as fragile as a sandcastle built by a child in front of the royal elite. The town's less than one hundred defenders fought valiantly, with arrows and stones raining down on them, but against overwhelming force, it was all futile.

Before long, with a deafening roar, a section of the city wall collapsed under the concentrated attack, and the city gate was also smashed open.

The soldiers of King's Landing surged into the town like a flood bursting its banks. The clanging of swords, the roars of soldiers, and the terrified screams of the townspeople mingled together, quickly giving way to a deathly silence after being forcibly suppressed by force.

Control of Shitang Town changed hands in an instant.

Walking through streets strewn with gravel and bloodstains, Jon Clinton and Prince Levin Martell of the Kingsguard went straight to the town center.

Before them stood Sir Wilbert Paxson's relatively fortified castle, the last isolated stronghold in this conquered land. The two men reined in their horses, their cold gazes scrutinizing the last fortress, the oppressive atmosphere almost freezing the air around them.

Stonehall Town was ultimately just a small town, and its limited forces had already been deployed entirely on that thin city wall. With the fall of the wall, the defenders were either killed or surrendered. Sir Wilbert's small castle was more of a slightly sturdy mansion than a fortress, and it had almost no real defensive capabilities.

Hearing the deafening battle cries and the rumbling of the crumbling walls outside the city, Ser Wilbert Paxson's face turned grave. He knew in his heart: this place was indefensible; a desperate resistance would only lead to everyone's needless deaths. Just as the King's Landing army was launching a full-scale assault on the outer walls...

Amidst the chaos, he made the most decisive and correct decision.

He quickly summoned his two most trusted and agile men and led them to a secluded inner chamber deep within the castle. Robert Baratheon had just regained some consciousness thanks to the maester's treatment; though still weak, his eyes had regained their sharp gleam.

"My lord, the walls have fallen, and this place will be lost in an instant." Wilbert spoke rapidly, pointing decisively to a hidden back door. "They will lead you away, along the secret path at the source of the Blackwater River, hurry!"

The two henchmen immediately stepped forward and helped Robert up, one on each side. Without time for farewells or hesitation, the three of them vanished swiftly into the narrow, dark passage leading out of town, as if blending into the shadows.

Sir Wilbert straightened his armor, turned to face the castle gates, and prepared to greet Jon Clinton as he stormed in, buying Robert a final bit of time to escape.

Sir Wilbert slowly pushed open the heavy castle gates from the inside, making a harsh scraping sound. Rather than let the King's Landing army easily break in and cause more damage, it was better to open them proactively, at least saving a considerable amount of repair costs later—this pragmatic knight still maintained a degree of shrewdness even at the last moment.

Jon Clinton, mounted on his warhorse, coldly watched Wilbert stand alone in the shadows of the doorway. Without any pleasantries, he cut straight to the point, his voice like cold iron: "Where is Robert Baratheon? Hand him over, and I'll spare your life."

Wilbert met the other man's sharp gaze with composure and calmly replied, "He's gone."

These four simple words ignited a flash of anger in Jon Snow's eyes. Without another word, he abruptly waved his hand: "Search! Every cellar, every secret passage, leave no stone unturned!"

The soldiers, fierce as wolves, immediately surged into the gate. Sir Wilbert stepped aside, watching them rush past him with an air of composure, as if a humble host were welcoming guests rather than facing an invading enemy.

As the soldiers began their search, Jon Clinton's gaze returned to Wilbert. Whether for intelligence or revenge, he was not going to let this man go.

"Tie him up," he ordered.

Two soldiers stepped forward and tightly bound Wilbert's arms with thick ropes. The lord of the Paxson family offered no resistance, surrendering without a second thought, his face even bearing a hint of knowing-it-all indifference. He had completed his most important mission; his personal safety was no longer a concern.

The soldiers stormed into the castle like wolves, quickly turning the not-so-grand building upside down. In one of the inner rooms, they found bloodstained bandages scattered on the floor, and the air was thick with the pungent smell of herbs and blood.

A soldier strode forward and presented Jon Clinton with several pieces of gauze soaked in dark red blood. Another soldier followed closely behind, kneeling on one knee to report, "Sir, the bed is still warm; the person should have been gone no more than fifteen minutes ago."

Just then, another soldier came running from behind the castle, his voice urgent as if he had found a clue: "Commander!"

Intermittent bloodstains were found at the back door, pointing towards the Blackwater River outside the town! They must have escaped from there!

These fragmented pieces of information rapidly pieced together a clear path in Jon Clinton's mind. His gaze sharpened abruptly, sweeping across Ser Wilbert like a hawk, his chilling killing intent almost tangible. Then, he whirled around, pointing in the direction the bloodstains indicated, and roared at his elite troops, "Chase them! They're wounded; they can't have gone far! Follow the bloodstains and find Robert Baratheon!"