Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 121 Sif's Decision

The residual heat of the fire still flickered slightly, casting long, slanted shadows.

Sif curled up in the thick blankets, lying on her side, quietly watching the sleeping man beside her.

Louis's breathing was steady, his brow was relaxed, and his sleeping face was so handsome that it was unlike the nobleman who always had a lot of thoughts hidden in his mind.

His black hair was slightly disheveled, lying on his forehead, and his long eyelashes cast faint shadows in the firelight.

His youthful appearance in his sleep is breathtaking.

Sif stared, somewhat mesmerized, a slight smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with an indescribable sense of satisfaction and tenderness.

She gently rubbed the tip of his nose with her finger, then quickly withdrew it, like a thief.

But her smile didn't last long before her eyes gradually dimmed.

The shadow of my past resurfaced in my mind, like a heavy storm pressing down on my heart on a snowy night.

The bloodline of Hanyue, the tragic deaths of her clansmen, her brother's rearguard action... nothing has changed.

She remains the lone wolf of the North, burdened with the burden of revenge.

"You're still too weak right now." She looked at Louise and whispered to herself, "Should I tell you...?"

Sif brushed her fingertips across his sleeping face, her movements as light as a feather: "Let me tell you, I am the last princess of the Cold Moon tribe, a person who survived with blood debts and hatred?"

She hesitated for a long time, struggling internally.

But in the end, he just sighed and said, "Let's wait until you're even stronger."

She whispered, and a light returned to her eyes.

"I believe that one day you will be strong enough to bear my true name and destiny."

She gently kissed his forehead, as if sealing a secret.

Goodnight, Louis.

Then Sif closed her eyes and leaned against Louis, like a snow wolf that had finally found its habitat.

…………

In the Red Tide Fortress office, the stove was burning brightly, creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere.

Outside the window, the cold wind howled, foreshadowing the first snowfall, while inside, it was as gentle as another world.

Bradley stood straight, his thick boots making a sound on the carpet, and his cloak was covered with a few specks of frost.

He flipped through the briefing in his hand while reporting to Louis, who was seated at the head of the table.

"Reporting to the lord, the fourth batch of winter supplies in the Red Rock Warehouse has been fully sealed by yesterday evening."

His voice was steady and powerful, with a slight southern accent.

"As per your instructions, the distribution of supplies to all residents of the Red Tide Territory has been completed..."

The workers remaining at the workshops and watchtowers have also received double the food rations and heating supplies, including limited quantities of winter clothing and boots...

The first round of harvesting of the fast-growing vegetables in the greenhouse has been completed, totaling 67 baskets, enough to provide nutritional supplements before the snow falls...

In addition, the construction of the winter fishing grounds has been initially completed, and some under-ice fishing nets have been put into use. Fishing tests show that a stable yield of about 30 soft-shelled fish per day can be achieved..."

His tone became increasingly clear and articulate, but he failed to notice that behind the large table, Louis, whose face remained upright and serious, was subtly making small movements with his hands.

Louis's left arm rested naturally on the side of the chair, his fingers casually resting on Sif's leg next to him, his fingertips slowly tracing the warm lines through her tight black pants.

Sif, who had been sitting silently to the side, listening to the report with her head down, suddenly tensed up.

She abruptly turned her head to look at him, her deep blue eyes widening, and her cheeks instantly flushed a bright red. But she didn't look away.

She gently bit her lip and secretly pinched Louis's palm with her finger.

Louis, however, showed no sign of stopping and continued to slowly trace the curves of her outer thigh.

Sif's face showed a mixture of shame and anger, yet also a hint of helplessness, and even... a faint, unspoken pleasure.

She shifted her body slightly, as if trying to escape, or perhaps deliberately letting him touch her more clearly.

"In addition, the last batch of grain purchased from the south has already entered the north..."

Bradley continued reading the summary report in his hands, his expression as calm and experienced as ever.

Although his voice was calm and even, his worldly-wise eyes subtly swept over the two people sitting at the table.

After all, he lived on the third floor of the castle, so how could he not notice the "progress" between the two?

To be honest, in this world, it's normal for young lords to have several concubines by now. Louis has only just warmed up one, which is already slow enough to make people shake their heads.

However, composure and restraint have always been the style of this young lord.

Bradley didn't say anything more, but simply continued to report faithfully.

"In conclusion, the residents of Chichao Territory have enjoyed an unprecedentedly stable and abundant quality of life this winter."

At this point, a rare hint of relief appeared in his voice: "The vast majority of residents not only survived the cold winter, but also lived quite comfortably."

The situation in the other four new territories was slightly worse, although supplies and resources were being continuously allocated.

However, their foundation is still weak, especially in Fir Ridge, where an epidemic had previously occurred.

Bradley looked up at Louis: "However, with the support of the Red Tide Territory and the model you've established, even in the worst-case scenario..."

I expect that at least most residents can survive the winter.

He paused, his tone brimming with undisguised pride: "This is an achievement that other northern territories can hardly match."

You should know that in the North this year... it's very likely that more than half the population will die, and many places can't even afford to save everyone, especially since there was just a war this year; the death toll will only be higher, not lower.

The air suddenly felt heavy.

Louis withdrew his fingers from Sif's thigh from behind the table, his face regaining its calm and serious expression.

He remained silent for a moment, not continuing Bradley's topic. After all, he wasn't a god and couldn't possibly save so many people. All he could do was ensure that fewer people died in his territory.

So he changed the subject and asked, "How large has the greenhouse reached now?"

Bradley immediately flipped through the documents and replied, "The first batch consists of five greenhouses, each with an area of ​​approximately 200 square meters."

After achieving success with the first greenhouse, agricultural official Mick immediately organized people to expand it.

Twelve new ones have been added in the past 30 days, bringing the total to 17, with a total area of ​​approximately 3400 square meters.

“We can build more,” Louis said calmly. “Not only will it supplement our winter vegetable supply, but we can also try cultivating some medicinal herbs…”

Fresh green vegetables can also effectively prevent scurvy, which is especially important in the cold winter.

“Very good.” Bradley nodded. “I will make the arrangements immediately.”

The two exchanged words quickly and efficiently.

While Sif, on the other side of the table, pretended to listen attentively, her eyes kept sneaking glances at Louis.

Her cheeks were still slightly flushed, and her heartbeat seemed not to have completely calmed down.

(End of this chapter)