The sight of the steel armada inspired a level of confidence in the northern soldiers and civilians that bordered on religious fervor. They were certain that with this force, Jason would crush the Lannisters and Tyrells and finally unify the continent.
General, standing on the deck of the Easter I, couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the familiar hull. "The Navy must have been in a real hurry to part with a 10,000-ton destroyer," he remarked.
Professor Wang, part of the advisory group, nodded in agreement. "They've watched the Army clear out their old stock for months. They must have been jealous! I'd bet the Air Force is the most anxious group right now".
General smiled, knowing the Air Force was indeed desperate to offload their aging J-7 and J-8 fighters to make room for newer models. However, since there was little demand for air superiority in Westeros, the Air Force was currently the only branch not profiting from Jason's transition.
"There's King Jason! He's on the biggest ship!" Arya shouted excitedly, pointing toward the destroyer. Sir Rodrik watched her with a weary sigh; it seemed no one, not even her parents in the past, could truly tame her wild spirit.
Because the White Harbor docks were too shallow for the destroyer to moor directly at the pier, the ship remained anchored further out. Jason used a portable military bridge—a floating pier—to connect the shore to the fleet, allowing for easy movement.
As the bridge was secured, the modern naval personnel finally stepped onto the decks to take in their first view of this new world.
"So this is White Harbor?" one young sailor asked, looking at the crowds. "They look like people from home, but their clothes are so primitive".
"It's basically the Middle Ages here," another replied. "I'm just curious if the people from the books are real. Is Daenerys as beautiful as they say?".
"What about Margaery Tyrell? Or Queen Sansa?" another chimed in with a grin. "Mr. Liu really has the best life. He's the King of Westeros with the modern world backing him up. He could conquer this whole place without breaking a sweat".
"Why are you all obsessed with the women?" a sailor interrupted. "I want to see the dragons. I want to see how they compare to the TV shows!".
Colonel Nathan listened to his young sailors' banter and decided not to intervene. He understood their excitement; letting them blow off some steam before the campaign began was good for morale.
After a final night of rest, the mobilization began in earnest the following morning. Twenty thousand soldiers, clad in modern camouflage and carrying their automatic rifles, filed onto the forty troop carriers. Each ship carried 500 men, leaving plenty of room for comfort during the voyage.
Jason, his advisors, and the high-ranking lords of the North and Riverlands boarded the Easter I. To make the destroyer suitable for a King, the shipyard had stripped out most of the complex electronic warfare systems and replaced them with dozens of luxury guest rooms. Only the primary naval guns and missile launchers remained on deck.
Jason was stunned when he saw his private quarters. It felt more like a mega-yacht than a warship. Behind the scenes, the Navy and the CSSC shipyard had argued over this. The Navy wanted a pure war machine, but the shipyard insisted that a "big customer" like Jason deserved luxury. In the end, the shipyard won, knowing that a happy customer meant more orders. After all, the shipyard and Navy had pocketed nearly 2 billion yuan in net profit from this single destroyer's renovation.
By midday, the embarkation was complete. Jason stood at the bow of the Easter I, surrounded by his advisors and the lords of Westeros. With a sharp command, the engines roared to life.
The fifty-one steel ships turned their bows south and accelerated to over 20 knots. As they cut through the Narrow Sea, merchant ships from Essos and the Free Cities fled in panic, their crews staring in disbelief at the smoke-belching steel giants. Word began to spread through every port: the invincible fleet of King Jason was coming for the Iron Throne.