After the combatants paid their respects before the King, they turned and parted ways.
Gregor Clegane’s current reputation isn’t just due to his naturally gifted physique.
As he guided his horse to the designated position in the tournament, Lann could see this guy’s riding skills belonged to the elite tier as well.
Compared to the infamous "Demon Mountain," Sir Shuofu seemed like a monkey riding a dog.
No one held an optimistic view of his performance in the match.
Yet no one anticipated that the accident on the battlefield would happen so abruptly.
The horses neighed as the two vastly different figures charged toward each other.
The pounding hooves of the warhorses kicked up mud and grass from the ground, the sound resonating like the beating of hearts within chests.
The tips of their lances trembled in rhythm with the horses’ strides, making it difficult for opponents to discern their target.
For knights in a lance charge, the interplay of lance targeting and shield defense is a crucial skill.
At the instant they passed each other, Gregor’s warhorse happened to have its front hooves on the ground, with its center of gravity descending.
Shuofu instinctively tilted his shield downward to protect his upper chest.
That area is the largest and seemed the most suitable position for attack, given Gregor’s posture.
But Lann, observing from the sidelines, couldn’t help but frown with his acute athletic instincts.
"The horse’s center of gravity is descending, but his personal center of gravity is leaning back on the saddle... the lance’s target is up there!"
Just as Lann predicted, the dark-coated wooden lance struck like a snake lurking out of its hole!
In the process of Shuofu shifting his shield downward, it narrowly missed and aimed straight for the throat!
The throat armor plate is a weak spot because it must accommodate the neck’s pivoting motions.
The tournament-used special lances are basically fragile wooden products, no doubt. But typically, they are meant to break upon impact with the knight’s sturdy body armor, dispersing the shock force.
In this situation, the throat armor was directly pierced through!
A moment after they crossed, "Demon Mountain’s" warhorse didn’t halt and charged all the way to the track’s end.
While Shuofu fell to the ground right in front of the King’s elevated platform.
His armor-clad body hit the dirt road heavily with a palm-length wooden splinter embedded in his throat.
Blood vessels in the throat began to leak blood out through the opening made by the wooden splinter.
Shuofu lay on the ground, staring blankly, his arm seemingly trying to reach his throat to pull out the splinter.
But before his hand could reach his neck, it had already lost its strength, flailing helplessly in the air.
On the platform, Sansa screamed and hid in Edd’s arms.
Alia looked upset, but after spending a night at the tavern in Vizima, she was more shocked than scared or uncomfortable.
The nun accompanying Sansa was the most dramatic, wailing and shrieking.
Edd, wide-eyed, tried to accept the sudden bloodshed in front of him while comforting his eldest daughter and glancing below the stage.
After making eye contact with Lann, he saw the young man frown slightly and nod.
Murder and silencing.
And it’s bold murder and silencing without leaving grounds for reproach.
The family to which "Demon Mountain" belongs, alongside his current composed demeanor, clearly indicated this fact.
Their actions were blatantly arrogant in the eyes of the informed.
But facing a powerful opponent, one must prepare for the inherent high tolerance level of their adversary.
Even if the Lannister family had been recognized, they had a ready narrative.
"I committed murder and silencing, but you don’t know why I did it."
What if it was just over a trivial matter?
A knight offending the Lannister over a small matter and ending up dead isn’t implausible, right?
Should the Prime Minister retaliate over such a thing? Everyone is nobility; let’s keep things civil!
If we start a noble conflict, what will happen to the kingdom’s stability?
Thus, even though Edd was furious enough to look as dark as coal, he had to stay on this platform, watching the tournament proceed.
After the bloodshed in the ring, the crowd’s enthusiasm surged even higher.
Several knights in a row determined winners and losers, until "Demon Mountain" took the stage again against a person called the "Knight of the Hundred Flowers."
His horse was draped with a floral woven saddle blanket, his armor featuring openwork and floral designs.
Aside from being stylish and beautiful, they invested heavily to enhance its defensive capabilities.
Despite his wealthy family background, he was also sharp-minded.
He rode a mare in heat and successfully disrupted "Demon Mountain’s" stallion with the mare’s scent during the lance charge.
The tall black horse’s steps became chaotic for a moment, providing the mare with an advantage due to its well-executed stride despite its inherent disadvantage in basic traits.
His riding skills enabled him to successfully overthrow the tower-like Gregor Clegane.
A wave of triumphant cheers echoed as the dazzling knight won, which always excited people more than "Demon Mountain’s" victory.
Then the towering giant boldly removed his helmet and drew his sword, chopping almost half through his mounted horse’s thick neck as if cutting firewood!
As the horse fell, only a layer of flesh remained attached below.
Not satisfied, he furiously swung toward the already triumphant Knight of the Hundred Flowers.
If the Hound Knight by the Prince hadn’t intervened and battled him, likely the knight would’ve ended up here.
Eventually, after the King yelled in anger, the farce ceased. The day’s tournament agenda concluded.
The tournament arena started a bonfire, preparing for the feast.
The adults intending to return inside King’s Landing readied their carriages to take family members back.
Every time Edd closed his eyes, the image of Shuofu being pierced by the wooden splinter haunted him.
He’s seen real battlefields, unfazed by this scene. But his daughters were here, and he didn’t want them lingering even a minute more.
"They’re committing murder and silencing. Should we inspect Shuofu’s corpse? Sir Balistan is keeping vigil for him; no one can tamper with it under his watch."
Edd inquired softly to Lann while on horseback.
Sir Balistan is this world’s legendary figure, known as "Fearless."
Years ago, he charged solo into enemy lines at the battle named ’Nine Copper Coin King,’ struck down the enemy commander, and ended the war.
His bravery and integrity have echoed across the continent for decades, even with his older, more relaxed face.
If asked within Westeros who the strongest knight is, likely the answer would be "Fearless" Balistan.
He’s practically become the benchmark and symbol for "Knight."
"It has nothing to do with tampering; Shuofu was already worthless. His most valuable asset was in his mind, and that information has long been extracted by us."
Lann brushed aside his silver hair and spoke plainly.
"In contrast, his death may make the enemy feel the trail has gone cold, allowing them to relax. Their relaxation time is when we gain the advantage."
"Now, you should find out if the former Prime Minister displayed any unusual behavior before his death; the resistance will be much lesser."
After pondering, Edd seemed to identify a target.