Chapter 185: How a Godfather is Forged
Ignoring Egger's suggestion that she rest for a day or two, Nina insisted on accompanying him to the office to work. Having recently experienced the transition from girlhood to womanhood, her movements and posture were slightly stiff and awkward, but the radiant glow of fulfillment and the satisfied joy of being doted on by her lover were impossible to conceal. For a good while, she would sit at her desk and suddenly burst into an inexplicable smile; the office staff, unaware of the truth, watched her and wondered if she had suffered some neurological breakdown.
Fortunately, she did not neglect the heavy responsibilities she shared with Egger. After their total honesty and the formal establishment of their relationship, it was as if the intelligence suppression debuff Nina usually felt around Egger had been dispelled, and her efficiency actually improved significantly.
...
Having lost Arya—an exceptional source of first-hand intelligence—Egger now had to rely on street rumors and the talk of the girls from the Night's Watch brothel to understand the current situation. The only major news currently circulating was that the Westerlands have dispatched troops to attack the Riverlands. If true, it meant Tywin had decided to go head-to-head with Robert.
The situation was shifting with terrifying speed. Although it was once again the Iron Throne leading six kingdoms against one, this war was fundamentally different from the suppression of the Vale. The Vale had been of middling strength, and the Alliance of Righteous Men was merely a coalition of a few noble houses. The Westerlands, however, were formidable, and House Lannister stood as its undisputed hegemon. Without a natural barrier like the Mountains of the Moon, this was destined to be a bloody conflict.
By the time the rumors on the slips of paper had fully matured and evolved, the situation had completely exceeded what a Chief Logistics Officer of the Night's Watch could interfere with. If his previous rash intervention in the royal scandal spread by Littlefinger had merely risked getting him into trouble, then in this celebration of all Westeros ganging up on the West, a minor figure like Egger West couldn't even raise a ripple.
Egger would not repeat the mistake of worrying about things beyond his station and nearly sinking his own ship. He decisively resolved not to meddle in the war and instead look after his own interests. If the West were defeated, the worst-case scenario would be making a personal trip to ensure Tyrion took the black to save his life.
The Night's Watch industries had plenty of their own issues to handle. First and foremost were the bonds: as the war brewed, a new round of redemptions began. Fortunately, thanks to the reputation built by withstanding the previous war and the cash injection from selling patents, Egger easily survived this round, though his capital chain saw a noticeable contraction. To his surprise, however, part of this loss in cash flow was quickly replenished from a completely unexpected source: the Night's Watch Donation Boxes. He had originally set them up as a mere formality with no expectations, yet lately, they were stuffed to the brim every day, bringing in upwards of dozens of gold dragons daily.
Egger initially assumed this was due to the social responsibility and wealth of King's Landing's residents exceeding his estimates. However, after Nina looked into it, she reported a result that left him caught between laughter and tears: less than ten percent of the donations came from regular citizens. The rest came entirely from the soldiers of the City Watch.
To be precise, it came from the half of the Gold Cloaks who were locally recruited in King's Landing with no background or patrons.
...
"The donating guardsmen fall into two categories. One consists of those who were previously exploited and squeezed by Slynt. After that man fell and lost his head, their income doubled now that their pay is no longer being embezzled. They are immensely grateful to you, my lord, so they come to donate voluntarily, often giving ten days or even half a month's wages at a time. Some even asked the staff watching the boxes to convey their gratitude and respect to you," Nina said, staring at Egger with her bright eyes, as if using her gaze to relay the admiration of those Gold Cloaks. Having broken through that final barrier, she no longer shied away from the man's gaze.
"The other category consists of the East Barracks soldiers who originally belonged to Slynt. Their former boss was toppled, and everyone—especially the officers—is living in constant fear of being purged. You had me tell them that 'cooperating with the Hand's investigation into Slynt is their only way out,' and these people followed that advice like it was a life raft."
She paused, seemingly finding it amusing. "Then, by sheer coincidence, a general amnesty was issued on the very day you were released and participated in the trial. Regardless of the actual facts, they believe you were the one who let them off the hook. As for the Hand arresting you and then releasing you... in the eyes of some, it looks like a clumsy attempt to hide the truth, only confirming that the Hand is our secret patron. This money is less a donation and more like protection money or a tribute. They've been hinting at wanting to meet you; they likely want to acknowledge you as their new boss just to find some peace of mind."
"Acknowledge me as their new boss? Ha—they certainly have an imagination." Egger chuckled. Slynt's death sentence hadn't been overturned, and Ned hadn't sent anyone to discuss Egger's refusal to join the expedition. Thinking about it now, the Hand of the King was likely busy to the point of exhaustion; why would he care about the fate of one Janos Slynt? Since he had ordered the amnesty, it must have been genuine.
But those City Watch officers didn't know Lord Stark as well as Egger did. Their recent days had been agonizing—they didn't know if the amnesty was real or just a stalling tactic to pacify them. A person with a guilty conscience, when paralyzed by fear, can hallucinate consequences far beyond what an innocent person could imagine. "What is your suggestion?" Egger asked.
"I think you should choose a time to grant them an audience. Use a mix of intimidation and comfort to take these people into your service. The business of the Night's Watch industries in the city will only grow; if we have the 'cooperation' of the City Watch, things will be much more convenient."
...
Nina's suggestion woke Egger up, and his eyes lit up.
In this primitive era, cities didn't have many administrative departments. Taking King's Landing as an example, the City Watch served as the garrison, the police force, the urban management, and even the fire brigade. Even tax collectors would bring a squad of Gold Cloaks as escorts and bodyguards. Currently, the half of the Gold Cloaks controlled by the Crownlands lords were already allies of the industry. If he could exert influence or even control over the remaining half, it would be like a modern businessman having a say in numerous grassroots government departments. The convenience would be almost unimaginable.
Not to mention Allar Deem—the man who was once Slynt's right hand but ultimately stood up in court to testify against his old boss. Investigations suggested he had a criminal background; at least half of the local thugs and hoodlums in King's Landing listened to him. What could and couldn't be done often depended on his whim. The nobles of this world lived on high and often ignored the existence of the lower classes and social drifters, but Egger, coming from the modern world, knew exactly how important it was to control public opinion and have subordinates who could do the dirty work. The Night's Watch industries had already established interest-based connections with many Crownlands families. If he could also win over Allar Deem along with a portion of the City Watch and the underworld, wouldn't that be like adding wings to a tiger? He would truly be a man with a foot in both the light and the dark—a Godfather of King's Landing.
In the rumors, Egger, the Chief Logistics Officer, had already gained a rather polarized reputation. To the common folk who knew nothing of the inside story, he was an adventurer from across the Sunset Sea, a high-ranking officer of the Night's Watch, a slayer of White Walkers, and a hero who dared to confront the notorious former Commander of the City Watch the moment he arrived in the capital. In the eyes of the Night's Watch staff and soldiers, he was the omnipotent, well-connected, and far-sighted yet approachable big boss. And to those who knew a bit of the truth or were influenced by the industrial and political activities of the Night's Watch, he was a once-in-a-century business genius, a master of combat with incredible skill, a God of Wealth with three heads and six arms, and a rising powerhouse with sophisticated methods and a formidable background—one who was fiercely protective of his own and never let a slight go unpunished!
Whether mythologized or demonized... through the effect of word-of-mouth and increasingly fantastic embellishments, Egger had practically become the most impressive non-noble figure in the Seven Kingdoms. It was no wonder those Gold Cloaks of the East Barracks, having lost their umbrella, wanted to run to him.
Facing this proactive surrender, Egger hesitated. He knew his own weight; he wasn't nearly as powerful as others imagined. This takedown of Slynt was actually his first real taste of power struggle, and he had only barely won by being steady and relying on his teammates. But then again, who is born knowing everything? Of the many legendary organizations and powerful individuals in this world—like the Iron Bank, the Faceless Men, or Tywin Lannister—how many truly lived up to their legends?
Likely none; it was simply a matter of the winner takes all.
Power resides where men believe it resides. Properly using the tactic of bluffing can not only boost one's own morale but also strike fear into enemies and make the fence-sitters submit. As long as he played the part well and continued to proactively increase the real strength behind his mask, what was the harm in playing another role? He had managed to fool the likes of Robert, Ned, and Renly; surely he could handle one Allar Deem?
If he didn't know how to be a boss, he would learn! Only by pushing oneself can a person know the extent of their potential.
Having reached this conclusion, Egger quickly made a decision. Slynt had left him a massive legacy, and such an opportunity would not come twice. Tyrion's departure as a God-tier teammate had created a massive vacuum in management and operations. Part of it Nina could fill with hard work, but for the other part... if he, the boss who had already geared up in legendary equipment, didn't step up to fill it, was he expecting a second Tyrion to drop from the sky?
"Our daily necessities and dragonglass items are about to hit the market, aren't they?" Having made up his mind, Egger spoke. "Arrange a meeting for me with Allar Deem today or tomorrow. Whether I can win him over or not, we can't remain enemies. Making money is the priority; I don't have time to fight people all day. Also, organize the list Tyrion left behind. Over the next few days, I intend to visit our behind-the-scenes investors and supporters one by one."
As the boss of the Night's Watch industries, if he didn't even know what resources he had in his hands, how could he talk about anything else?
Things went much more smoothly than expected. As soon as Nina sent word to the East Barracks that Egger intended to meet with him—originally meaning to set a time for a meal to get acquainted—Allar Deem, the commander of two hundred Gold Cloaks, dropped everything and scurried across the streets to the office without a second thought. While Egger was still pondering how to intimidate him, the man arrived addressing him as "my lord" at every turn and showing total deference. He walked in like a mouse seeing a cat, a lackey greeting a grandmaster, skipping the entire recruitment process and directly asking Egger, "What are your orders?"
Egger was genuinely stunned for a few seconds, exerting great effort to keep his expression neutral. Deterrence is indeed the most powerful weapon... gods only know what image these people have of me.
After instructing Allar Deem to stop having his brothers bring donations to the door and telling him to facilitate the upcoming opening of the industry's new retail branches, the East Barracks officer departed. The world was a strange place—he was clearly working for Egger for free, even spending his own money, yet fueled by the relief and security of being useful to a Great Man, the mid-to-high-ranking officer left with a face full of gratitude and secret joy.
(A true villain, this one.) Watching Allar's departing back, Egger's understanding of Power resides where men believe it resides reached a new level. He inwardly reminded himself that such a creature could be used, but never trusted. Although things went smoothly, he was not complacent. The deterrence he possessed came from a series of coincidences. This strength was like sailing against the current; to maintain it, acting wasn't enough—he actually had to keep getting stronger.
...
The wight escort team had successfully completed its mission. After enjoying several days of hospitality from their brother industry, they finally couldn't delay any longer. Carrying a pile of souvenirs and bonuses, they boarded a ship to return to the Wall, leaving behind only Alliser Thorne, who bore a transfer order.
Realizing he couldn't bypass Egger to get his hands on the Night's Watch industries, the Old Hedgehog finally took the initiative to hand Jeor Mormont's certificate to Egger and requested a position in the logistics department.
Egger arranged it.
The Crownlands army was gathering on both sides of the Goldroad west of King's Landing. Although Robert was unable to lead the expedition due to his wounds, having ridiculously brought Egger along last time, he sent someone again to demand a representative of the Night's Watch to accompany the army. Tyrion was gone, and the industry couldn't afford to lose Egger as its manager, so Alliser Thorne was granted this honor.
The Old Hedgehog was naturally unhappy with Egger's move to send him away, but his influence was inferior and he was being suppressed by military rank. After a few protests, he was forced to accept. Since Egger didn't intend to tear things apart with one of his own too early, he not only provided Alliser with ample living expenses for the trip west but also assigned him two servants—nominally assistants, but in reality, they were there to watch the old man's every word and deed.
Alliser was an unpleasant fellow, but not an outright evil man... that was the consensus among many in the Night's Watch. That said, Egger would never give anyone another chance to stab him in the back.
...
The Night's Watch industries had swayed a few times in the great wave shaking the six kingdoms, but relying on its massive size and the correct judgment of its helmsman, it had stabilized the hull. After a period of turmoil, some good news finally arrived: Eddard Stark had people deliver the wight to the office, ordering the Night's Watch to dispose of it themselves. Egger personally inquired as to the reason and received a reply that left him between laughing and crying:
The King's wound was healing slowly, and the High Septon claimed it was due to an evil aura within the Red Keep. After some deliberation, it was decided: get the wight—the most obvious evil object—out of the castle.
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