Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 11 The Great Master!
The slaves whose names were called hesitated as they stepped forward, their hearts filled with unease.

Louis waited until they were all in place before slowly speaking:
"You have made tremendous efforts for the construction of the Red Tide Territory in the past. So today I will give you the reward you deserve."

Without further ado, Louis reached out and took the slave contracts from Hilko, tossing them into the campfire.

The flames devoured the words that represented slavery.

"From this day forward, you are no longer slaves, but free people!"

Everyone was stunned, and even their breath caught in their throats for a moment.

"free……?!"

The slaves looked at each other in disbelief, their eyes filled with shock, as if they couldn't believe their own eyes and ears.

The next second, the crowd completely erupted!
"Free citizens?! We're free citizens now?!"

"Great Lord!"

"Oh my god... a free man... I... I'm a free man?!"

A middle-aged slave with a weathered face suddenly collapsed to the ground, his forehead repeatedly hitting the hard frozen earth, continuing even as blood seeped out.

His voice was hoarse and broken from overwhelming excitement: "Great lord! Benefactor!"

“Great Lord! You are the savior sent by the gods!” A young female slave covered her face and wept bitterly, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

An elderly slave raised his hands tremblingly, muttering something under his breath.

It was as if they were praying to the Dragon Ancestor, or offering the most sincere gratitude to Louis.

……

The other slaves around them stared wide-eyed in shock at the people kneeling on the ground.

They were filled with remorse, wondering why they hadn't tried harder; perhaps they would be free citizens by now.

Once the scene had quieted down a bit, Louis dropped an even bigger bombshell:

"From today onward, more than ten slaves who have contributed to the Red Tide Territory will become free citizens every month."

As long as you are willing to work hard and contribute to the Red Tide Territory, each of you has the opportunity to become a free citizen, and even own your own land!

All the slaves stared at Louis in disbelief.

If the group of people who were just liberated gave them a glimmer of hope...

So now Louis has given them a real future!

As slaves, they were merely Louis's property, whose life and death could be decided at Louis's discretion.

And their descendants will remain slaves, generation after generation, unable to escape their fate!

But now Louis tells them that if they work hard, they have a chance to escape slavery and become truly free!

For them, this meant stepping from hell into the human world.

Several clever slaves knelt down and shouted, "Great master!"

Soon more people followed, their voices rising and falling, sweeping across the entire square like a tidal wave.

Their voices were hoarse and trembling, filled with an uncontrollable fervor.

“A great master!”

"Great Master!!"

Their voices grew louder and louder, more and more unified, until they finally merged into a deafening chorus.

It was like a cry bursting forth from the depths of the soul, echoing in the night sky, lingering for a long time.

"Great Master!!!"

The knights standing by looked at each other in bewilderment as they watched this scene.

Although they had witnessed many of the lord's miracles, this scene still left them in awe.

How could a man, with just a few words, transform a group of slaves from numb, mindless zombies into fanatical believers?

Some of the younger knights were even somewhat at a loss.

Why do these lowly slaves look at Louis with the eyes of worshippers?

Louis, standing atop the high rock, was filled with emotion.

The mere verbal promise had such power. As the successor, he naturally did not approve of the slave system.

Slavery must be abolished, of course, but it must be done gradually.

He feared that if complete freedom were suddenly granted, it would cause chaos.

By gradually liberating slaves through reward mechanisms, the slaves can be motivated, allowing the entire Red Tide Territory to develop rapidly.

In fact, in the Red Tide Territory, the difference between the status of slaves and free people is not that great.

All the harvests of the free people will have to be handed over to Louis for unified distribution.

The only difference is that by dividing the two classes, it is easier to motivate them if there is room for upward mobility.

“Of course, you’ll be included too.” Louis’s gaze shifted to the soldiers and knights standing in the outer circle.

He raised his hand and waved it, and the servants behind him immediately and swiftly opened several heavy wooden boxes.

The light from the campfire illuminated the thick leather armor and warm boots neatly arranged in the box.

At that moment, almost all the soldiers' eyes were drawn to the supplies in the boxes.

"Each soldier was given a set of animal hide armor and a pair of northern leather boots."

Each member of the Knights will be awarded an additional complete wolf pelt, which can be used as armor padding.

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers rushed toward the box!

This is the North, where cold and poverty make resources exceptionally scarce.

Many soldiers were still wearing worn-out boots, and it was common for their feet to go numb from the cold when patrolling in the snow and ice.

Having a new pair of boots and new leather armor was something they had always dreamed of.

The attendants distributed thick leather armor to the soldiers.

"My God! It's real leather armor!"

"These boots...these are the best leather boots in the North!"

"My lord, are you serious?"

They excitedly accepted the equipment, their eyes filled with excitement and their hearts with gratitude.

Louis, standing atop the high rock, looked down at the soldiers below, who were so excited they were practically out of control, and a slight smile played on his lips.

These armors and boots were purchased in advance in Frostspear City, originally intended to equip the soldiers.

In the North, all resources are scarce.

Even the smallest favor can make someone devoted to you.

Moreover, Louis learned about these rewards from the intelligence system, which is exactly what they need right now.

This was like striking a snake right where it hurts; how could they not be incredibly grateful?
After the items were distributed, the banquet had to continue, and several roasted, golden-brown game animals were brought up.

The scalding gravy dripped into the flames, making a soft sizzling sound.

The rich aroma of meat filled the air, tantalizing everyone's taste buds.

Everyone received a piece, even the lowest-ranking slaves were given a share fairly.

When the first bite of delicious roasted meat enters the mouth, the long-lost warmth and satisfaction bring tears to many people's eyes.

"too delicious……"

"I haven't eaten real meat in years..."

Laughter and cheers echoed across the open space as people danced around the bonfire.

A refugee from the North excitedly played a bone flute, while several Indigenous women held hands and twirled and jumped.

The soldiers were not to be outdone, and they all started humming along, even laughing and competing in dance moves around the campfire.

The children ran around in groups in the open space, their faces filled with the purest joy.

From the highest point of the boulder, Louis silently surveyed the scene.

As their lord, these people had placed their hopes on him.

I must lead them to survive, and even prosper, on this cold land.

(End of this chapter)