280 AC
King's Landing, The Red Keep
Viserys Targaryen's Bedchamber
The young Targaryen prince was struggling violently in his dream.
His arms were bound by two barbarians, and he knelt before a pot of molten gold.
A tall barbarian watched him with a cruel grin.
Then he raised the pot, pouring its contents over Viserys's head, saying, "This is the crown you wanted."
Viserys felt his throat being choked by an invisible hand, letting out a hoarse gasp, as if he could still feel the scorching, viscous, horrifyingly golden liquid metal burning his scalp, melting his flesh, and devouring his skull.
The strong smell of scorching and the nauseating odor of his own burning flesh seemed to linger deep in his nasal cavity. The moment before he lost consciousness, a cold whisper echoed in his ear.
"True Dragons... do not fear fire..."
The instant the words fell, he jolted awake from his dream, his body springing up like a fish out of water, then falling heavily back onto the sweat-soaked silk sheets.
In the darkness, he gasped violently, his chest heaving, each inhale accompanied by the trembling of someone who had narrowly escaped death.
The agonizing pain of molten gold being poured over him was so real that his fingers instinctively, convulsively, clawed at his face, only daring to confirm it was just a dream when he felt warm, intact skin.
However, before he could recover, another completely different tremor, originating from the depths of his soul, suddenly struck him!
"Boom—!"
It was as if something had exploded in his mind. Countless chaotic, fragmented images, knowledge, and emotions, like a breached dam, surged violently into his young mind.
On one side were the memories of "Viserys Targaryen," the king's second son, a five-year-old boy with the blood of True Dragons flowing through his veins.
On the other side was the entire life experience of an adult man named "Lin Feng" from a distant, alien world.
Two distinct souls, two vastly different sets of memories, were now frantically intertwining, colliding, and merging deep within his consciousness... Viserys Targaryen... that tragic minor character known as the 'Beggar King'... I, of all people, have transmigrated into him.
This change could hardly be called good or bad, after all, the original protagonist of this world was Jon Snow, the bastard son of the Dragon and Wolf families, and 'a song of ice and fire' precisely represented his bloodline.
He was also a major cheat, able to resurrect even after death, and Daenerys fell in love with him at first sight.
It was truly baffling, and he was also a major hypocrite.
Daenerys had helped him so much, yet Jon still stabbed her to death. The key was that Cersei was clearly being inhumane at the time, and Daenerys was merely venting her long-suppressed anger.
Moreover, Daenerys had already finished venting when she was stabbed. If they truly couldn't stand her, they could have just sent her back to Essos.
After all, she loved him so much, everything could have been negotiated, it's truly baffling. And in the end, Bran Stark became king, which was even more perplexing.
What good was he besides rolling his eyes? The Riddle Lord was infuriating.
But since he had transmigrated, Viserys would certainly not die such a humiliating death as in the original story.
What's more, the Roberts Rebellion hasn't even broken out yet. But he also doesn't want to change the original plot right now, because he has no cheat abilities, nothing but knowledge of the original plot.
If Viserys were to tell Aerys or Rhaegar that he had awakened the Dreamer talent and knew a war would happen in the future, urging them to strike first.
First, it's questionable whether his 'Mad King' father Aerys II and elder brother Rhaegar would believe a 5-year-old kid. More importantly, there are no dragons now, and the Targaryen Family's ruling power isn't that strong; they might not necessarily win.
And the nickname 'The Mad King' isn't for nothing; any one of his outrageous actions could lead to an even more unpredictable future.
Therefore, the most important thing Viserys should do now is to prepare for more than a decade of exile in Essos.
Having a second chance at life, he certainly wouldn't wander aimlessly after Ser Darry's death, as in the original story. And his good sister, Daenerys, since he has transmigrated, he definitely won't let her marry Khal Drogo in the future.
He would rather follow the Targaryen Family tradition and take her for himself, and the other beauties as well.
Hehe. There was another important reason for not wanting to change the original story: those characters in the original story wouldn't be born for several more years.
If the plot were changed, and Lyanna Stark wasn't abducted by Rhaegar, then Robert Baratheon wouldn't marry Cersei Lannister.
He doesn't want Cersei, because she is too foolish and crazy, and anyone can get into her bed. But he definitely wouldn't let go of her daughter, Myrcella Baratheon.
Also, if Viserys's cheap old man, The Mad King Aerys Targaryen II, hadn't burned Brandon Stark, then Catelyn Tully wouldn't have married Eddard Stark, and then "Sansa" Sansa Stark and "Arya" Arya Stark wouldn't exist, and he would truly cry himself to death.
After all, how could this crumbling, dilapidated dynasty, his cheap old man, and his foolish elder brother be as important as them? He was originally just a loser, having lived for more than twenty years for nothing, achieving nothing, and drifting aimlessly every day.
What's more, the current Viserys isn't familiar with them; he won't be like other transmigrators from other worlds who were orphans, recognizing the original owner's family as their father and elder brother, as if they had never experienced familial affection, constantly fluctuating in mood.
Talking about 'reverse scales' and the like, as if their affection was as deep as the sea. He originally had a happy family; although he himself had no great abilities, the family was harmonious.
It's just that he doesn't know what will happen after transmigrating. But he still has his elder brother, so everything should be fine.
He can only think this way for now, after all, who could have predicted that living in a rented room on the second floor would lead to being hit by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and sent to another world?
Therefore, these few members of the Targaryen Family are just strangers to him; sacrificing them is irrelevant, and he wouldn't feel any guilt about acting against Daenerys.
Because he is not the real Viserys. Moreover, their existence is simply a stumbling block on his path forward; without them, Viserys would ascend the throne even more legitimately and compliantly.
Outside the window, dawn was breaking over King's Landing. The young prince sat on the edge of the bed, beginning to calculate seriously.
He needed to use his foresight advantage while avoiding alerting anyone; he needed to preserve his life while ensuring those beautiful "historical figures" were born as scheduled.
This crumbling dynasty, these unfamiliar "family members," were less important in his eyes than his own ambition and desires.
After all, in this cruel world, to survive to the end and live comfortably is the true victory.
"True Dragons do not fear fire..."
The first light of dawn entered the bedchamber, casting Viserys's small shadow long.
A carefully planned survival game had just begun.