Four days earlier, in a worm tunnel 50 meters beneath the southern part of Meereen.
"The sun has completely gone out." Jeni looked at "Leo," the big-nosed man beneath her, her expression somewhat dejected.
"Didn't it go out long ago?" Tyrion focused all his attention on Jeni's flushed, pretty face.
"It's like firewood in a bonfire. Even after the flames die out, embers in the ashes continue to burn for a while."
"So the sky is completely dark?" Tyrion was stunned for a moment, then sighed. "Come to think of it, I haven't been to the surface for a long time."
"Tomorrow we'll leave Slaver's Bay and return to the Land of Eternal Summer to rebuild Oros!" Jeni stroked his chubby face as if making a promise.
"Tomorrow?" Tyrion practically sprang up from his dying state, making Jeni let out an involuntary moan.
"Don't worry. The Long Night won't affect the Land of Eternal Summer. Maybe the coast of the Smoking Sea has become even more pleasant," Jeni said dreamily.
Feeling something like a tentacle, a scorching red worm, Tyrion shuddered, lay back down, and asked urgently, "Have you given up your plan to take revenge on Slaver's Bay?"
"I didn't expect the sun to go out so quickly. It's already snowing in Slaver's Bay. If the dragon worms go to the surface, they'll just be seeking death.
"In fact, over the past few days, those dragon worms have already become sluggish due to the dropping temperature. Staying in Slaver's Bay won't help, so we might as well leave," Jeni said helplessly.
"What about the remaining elephant troops and war elephants?" Tyrion asked.
"Hmph. I failed my last few raids on villages. What does that tell you?" Jeni said coldly.
"Didn't we catch the mole already? If you're still worried, then carry out another purge," Tyrion said through gritted teeth.
He himself was very enthusiastic about rooting out traitors. In the half month since the Dragon Queen left Slaver's Bay, more than a dozen officers he deemed impossible to win over had been labeled as spies and fed to the dragon worms.
If the purge continued, he could firmly bring all the elephant troops under his control. Perhaps he could even overthrow Jeni without the Dragon Queen's help and escape alive.
"There's no point in continuing the purge. Anyone with a functioning brain knows the allied forces are finished. Even fools should realize that following me further will lead nowhere good.
"They fear me now but no longer respect me. Their loyalty can't be guaranteed at all.
"Before leaving, I'll have the dragon worms devour them all. That way no spies will survive," Jeni said grimly.
"Devour them all…" Tyrion became excited.
Jeni frowned, displeased, wriggling a few times before relaxing again.
Tyrion felt like a piece of sugarcane being chewed over and over, its juice completely extracted, leaving only dry, tasteless fibers.
"Actually, we can still make use of them…" Just before his mind felt completely drained, he came up with a good idea.
Four days later, three hours after the Dragon Queen entered the underground tunnels.
"I didn't expect you to come personally." Jeni was overjoyed.
On a long slope four meters wide, two groups faced each other from twenty meters apart.
The Dragon Queen stood at the bottom, preparing to ascend, when Jeni suddenly appeared halfway up the slope with a group of elephant soldiers.
It wasn't that the Dragon Queen hadn't sent ravens to scout. Rather, the dragon worms had burrowed a new tunnel through the soil wall, allowing the elephant troops to ambush them midway.
The Dragon Queen sat on her small silver horse without retreating. Sixty armored knights immediately dismounted, forming a shield formation around her.
"Hahaha! We originally planned to capture the Shattered Chains Count, but didn't expect the Dragon Queen herself to show up. The Battle of Meereen isn't over yet. Now I can turn defeat into victory!" The big-nosed, short general rode atop an elephant, raising his crossbow and laughing excitedly.
His nose flushed red with genuine excitement and joy.
"You were planning to ambush me?" The Shattered Chains Count was both furious and shaken.
Previously, Jorah had been in charge of scouting the tunnels. After the Long Night arrived, he followed the Dragon Queen to Westeros. The task then fell to the Shattered Chains Count, who escorted prisoners to map the tunnels around Meereen.
If the Dragon Queen hadn't returned, he would indeed have come here to investigate in a few days.
Jeni glanced back at Prince Leo on the elephant and said excitedly, "Good thing I listened to you and didn't leave immediately.
"I only wanted to kill a few high-ranking officers in Slaver's Bay to vent my anger. I never expected fate to favor me so much and deliver such a big catch right to my door. Hahaha!
"You're right. The Battle of Meereen isn't over. We will be the final victors!"
"A big catch? Maybe a shark." Seeing the elephants behind Jeni and the long crossbows in the soldiers' hands, Daenerys smiled meaningfully.
"Even a shark can be turned into shark fin soup," Leo shouted, waving his crossbow.
"What's shark fin soup?" Jeni was momentarily confused.
"A specialty of Slaver's Bay. I invented it. Your man can eat three bowls in one sitting!" Daenerys laughed loudly.
Amid her laughter, five consecutive soul attacks struck, targeting Jeni alone.
As Jeni concentrated on resisting the soul assault, the elephant commander shouted, "All troops, charge!"
This wasn't the agreed tactic. What is Leo doing? Why is he acting on his own?
Jeni felt uneasy.
In the next instant, Leo skillfully raised his crossbow and pulled the trigger.
Whoosh!
A steel bolt glowing with an eerie blue light shot out like lightning.
Before the Dragon Queen's calm gaze and everyone else's stunned eyes, the pencil-thick arrow pierced the back of Jeni's head.
The powerful force made her stagger forward.
Bang!
The bolt pierced straight through her skull, protruding from her upper lip.
The poison on the arrowhead turned her blood a dark green as it flowed over her red lips and pale chin.
This poison had been prepared by Jeni herself at Leo's request.
"Daenerys is a powerful transcendent with strong recovery. Ordinary bolts won't affect her.
"Do you have any poison specifically for fire mages?
"Prepare some for me. I want to kill that woman myself!" Leo had said through clenched teeth at the time.
Leo betrayed me. He was the spy.
Coldness and numbness froze Jeni's thoughts.
"Roar!" The giant elephant raised its front legs and stomped down heavily on Jeni's struggling body.
Like a two-hundred-pound man in new shoes stepping on fresh filth.
Splat!
Fluids splashed, bones shattered.
"Make way! I'm one of you, an undercover agent!" After trampling Jeni, the elephant charged downhill as Prince Leo shouted toward the Dragon Queen's group.
"Drogon," Daenerys murmured softly.
A red light appeared before the shield wall and expanded into a crimson mirror.
The elephant riders and Tyrion were stunned as the scenery suddenly changed. The cramped tunnel became a vast snowy field.
The wind carried snowflakes through the mirror, cold against their faces.
It was real.
The elephant rushed into the mirror.
Tyrion looked around in confusion. Snow covered the fields, stretching endlessly white. On a nearby hill stood a ferocious giant beast.
"Drogon? What's going on?"
The elephant troops followed, entering the mirror world.
Not long after, the Dragon Queen and her knights eliminated the remaining enemies and returned to Jeni's remains.
Daenerys covered her nose and looked at the mangled corpse. "I had prepared a trump card for you, but it seems unnecessary now."
Suddenly, small dragon worms crawled out from the remains.
The knights immediately cut them down, and Daenerys burned everything to ashes, absorbing a vast amount of essence and divinity.
She smiled in satisfaction.
At that moment, Tyrion collapsed in the snowy field, screaming in agony.
"Your Majesty, save me! It's coming out!"
Daenerys watched through Drogon but did not return immediately. She first dealt with the remaining dragon worms, erasing their master's mark and imprinting her own.
Only after half an hour did she return to the surface.
By then, Tyrion was exhausted and barely able to speak.
"Save me…" he croaked when he saw her approaching.
"You fool. Jeni's will is trying to take over your body. Why not use the Paladin's Mark and drive her out with divine power?" Daenerys said irritably.
"Divine…" Tyrion muttered weakly.
"Wait." Suddenly, Daenerys had an idea. She touched his forehead, cutting off his connection to the gods.
His screams grew even more desperate.
"Don't panic. I won't harm you. In fact, you're about to receive a great opportunity," Daenerys said with a smile.
(End of Chapter)
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