Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 151 Important Intelligence Before the County Governor's Meeting
It was just another ordinary morning.

The cold wind outside the window swirled with mist, but inside it was warm and cozy, like some kind of relaxing sleeping pill.

Louis woke up early, not because he was startled by the cold, but out of habit.

Since transmigrating to this world, every day of his life has been like a cliff climber walking on a rope, unable to relax or stop.

He turned to the side and glanced at the sleeping girl beside him.

With her silver hair flowing freely and her eyes gentle, Sif, who was originally as cold and fierce as a wolf, was now sleeping like an unsuspecting little fox, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were being haunted by a nightmare.

He quietly pulled the blanket next to him over her and carefully covered her with it, then tucked the corner of the blanket under her shoulders.

"Hmm..." Sif hummed softly, her body shrank slightly, but she did not wake up.

Louis chuckled softly and sat up quietly.

In seven days, there will be the prefectural council that he personally set up.

A collective meeting to determine authority is also an inevitable power struggle.

In recent days, the system seems to have sensed the approaching power struggle, with daily intelligence updates all related to the "Snow Peak Nobles".

Most of them are just trivial household chores and innocuous gossip.

Whose steward eloped with the cook? Whose wine was stolen? Who drank a couple too many cups at the banquet?

While it could be considered "insider information," it fell far short of the threshold of "strategic value" for Louis.

Can you give me some useful information today? This system is useless.

So he sat on the edge of the bed and gently waved his hand: "Come on!"

As always, the translucent screen quietly unfolded before his eyes, the text scrolling down with an icy blue glow:

[Daily intelligence update complete]

[1: Joseph has a secret agreement with the Silver Plate Guild, one of the seven major merchant guilds of the Emerald Federation, in which he sells information about the Karadi family in exchange for long-term material support.]

[2: The first batch of supplies transported by the Silver Plate Guild to Joseph's territory will pass through the northern canyon of Red Tide Territory tonight.]

[3: Baron Grant is currently facing bankruptcy and needs the help of new powers.]

[4: Edward was once provoked by Joseph into believing he was "too cowardly to fight for power," which caused him to waver and feel anxious.]

"Holy crap, system daddy!" Louis almost jumped up in excitement as he looked at the intelligence report.

Even Sif, who was beside her, turned over slightly, her eyelashes fluttering.

"...What happened?" Her voice was low and hoarse, her eyes still closed.

"It's okay, go back to sleep," Louis said in a low voice.
Sif turned over and fell into a deep sleep again.

Louis's gaze had already returned to calm as he slowly looked up at the still-flickering screen.

Joseph had a secret agreement with the Silver Plate Guild, one of the seven major merchant guilds of the Emerald Federation, in exchange for selling information about the Karadi family and securing long-term material support.

His breathing paused slightly as he stared at the line of text twice, then a third time.

"Has he gone mad..." he murmured, his voice filled with barely suppressed shock.

Louis had initially thought Joseph was nothing more than an ambitious young nobleman.

Skilled at forming alliances, probing, and inciting, and ambitious for power, but not so audacious as to be reckless.

But now it seems that I may have underestimated his courage and overestimated his rationality.

They actually dared to collude with the Emerald Federation?!

It's still the Silver Plate Guild!

This is not ordinary border smuggling, nor is it a shady deal; it is a secret treaty signed with one of the seven major chambers of commerce in the Federation!

The Silver Plate Guild is one of the true power cores of the Emerald Federation, a giant force capable of influencing wars and controlling the political situation!
And the Carradi family...

Their territory is located in the southwest, closest to the Federation, serving as a barrier and strategic buffer between the Empire and the Federation.

Selling their information to the Silver Plate Guild is tantamount to opening the gates of the Empire with one's own hands!
“This is no longer collusion, it’s treason…” He lowered his voice, but his eyes gleamed with an increasingly bright light.

Even in corrupt aristocratic circles, such an act can instantly make someone a target of public criticism.

Is this his method?
Selling information on border nobles in exchange for long-term material support from the Federation?
That's really clever. If it's done discreetly enough, it can indeed acquire a lot of resources with nothing.

Seeking fortune in danger is incredibly audacious.

But what's even more exciting is the next piece of intelligence.

The first batch of supplies transported by the Silver Plate Guild to Joseph's territory will pass through the canyon north of Red Tide Territory tonight.

"Hahahaha." The laughter was low, but couldn't hide the joy. "Thanks, this time you've given me a bolt from the blue!"

He had initially worried that Joseph was as cunning as a snake, and that he would have to be as careful as defusing a bomb at every step.

But this combination of intelligence is like the enemy tying a knot in the rope themselves and saying, "Come on."

The key point isn't just suspicion, but concrete evidence, including the transportation route and time!

"Caught red-handed, a golden opportunity!"

“I don’t even need to act anymore!” Louis’s eyes lit up with excitement. “As long as I send people to keep an eye on the northern canyon tonight, once the convoy arrives, we can check the goods, arrest people, and file a case... Joseph’s political life and life will be over.”

"As for how much trouble this case might cause... that's not my concern."

His job was only to detonate it.

The remaining fire was left to the governors, the courts, and the emperor to deal with.

Louis suppressed his excitement and continued scanning for the third piece of information.

[3: Baron Grant is currently facing bankruptcy and is in dire need of new power. His title, inherited by his married daughter, shows a lack of governing ability and is weak, potentially becoming a destabilizing factor.]

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

Sure enough, the baroness finally couldn't hold on any longer.

A daughter who returned from another place came to inherit the territory, and she has no experience in governing it.

In the turbulent North, this was tantamount to building a paper bridge in the snowstorm.

“Weak, helpless, and just when she needs something from others…” Louis gently stroked his chin, a slight smile playing on his lips.

This kind of aristocrat is best suited to be "gently taken over".

No need for military action, no need for threats, just a little food and supplies, a group of Red Tide civil officials, and a letter of appointment for "cooperative governance"...

She would willingly relinquish control, and even be grateful.

He muttered to himself, a calm calculation flashing in his eyes: "It seems that this remnant territory of the old aristocracy will soon become an extension of the Red Tide."

The last piece of information seemed much "lighter" than the first three.

[4: Edward was once provoked by Joseph into believing he was "too cowardly to fight for power," which caused him to waver and feel anxious.]

Louis read this and simply smiled faintly. "Tsk, still the same as always." He leaned back in his chair, his gaze darkening.

Although this message does not provide concrete details, it is enough to confirm two judgments.

Firstly, Joseph was indeed already making plans, and he made no attempt to conceal his intentions to win over and recruit others.

Secondly, Edward... is more like a pawn being used than an enemy.

“Weak, arrogant, indecisive, and easily provoked… Bradley is absolutely right,” Louis murmured. “He even needs someone else to push him to decide whether or not he should take action.”

Such a person, if successfully won over, might be useful.

But if we leave it unattended and wait for it to fall into the hands of others, that would be disastrous.

“It seems it’s time for Edward to make a choice.” He closed the intelligence panel, a glint in his eyes. “Whether he becomes an ally or a pawn is up to him.”

Louis gently waved the intelligence panel aside, let out a long breath, and quickly formulated several countermeasures in his mind.

However, I need to focus on cultivation first, practicing both martial arts and magic power. I'm making pretty fast progress in both of those areas.

It took about four hours to finish my daily practice, but it's only nine o'clock now.

After changing his clothes, Louis first went into the spacious office on the east side of the outer courtyard.

Bradley was checking several lists at the table, while the old butler, as always, was impeccably dressed and focused.

Upon seeing Louis enter, he reported to him, "The Galebird has already sent out twenty-one packages. Only three nobles have yet to confirm their receipt, but according to the schedule, there shouldn't be any surprises."

"What about the banquet venue setup?" Louis walked over to him, his eyes sweeping over the drawings and lists on the table.

“I’ve seen your request and made the arrangements.” Brad Lipton paused, then pushed a sheet of paper over. “This is the draft seating arrangement; you can approve it.”

Louis glanced at him, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Joseph's seat is too close to me, you can move him a bit further away."

"Understood." Bradley didn't understand why, but he still agreed.

“Good. Continue at this pace.” Louis nodded slightly, then turned and left. “I’ll go to the Knights’ Camp first, and we’ll confirm the details of the ingredients and etiquette when I return this afternoon.”

Louis then went straight to the Knights' Camp and found Lambert, who was training there.

"I need you to gather thirty Red Tide Iron Cavalry and set off immediately."

"Target?" Lambert was taken aback and stopped what he was doing.

“The canyon to the north,” Louis said casually. “A group of merchants will be passing through there, and we should give them a warm welcome.”

Lambert was somewhat shocked by the implication in Louis's words and tentatively asked, "Should we... wear masks?"

Louis glanced at him sideways: "What are you talking about? We're just fighting for justice!"

…………

The northern winds were biting cold, and as dusk fell, the Silver Disc Guild's caravan slowly made its way along the canyon paths.

The iron wheels rolled over the snow-covered stone path, making a low, creaking sound.

The caravan appeared ordinary, but it was by no means an ordinary merchant caravan.

Behind more than ten heavy horse-drawn carriages, under a cloth draped with the emblem of the Northern Border Merchant Guild, lay a large number of supply boxes.

The heavy box contained refined gold coins, high-quality flour, cured meat chunks, and a large quantity of medicinal herbs that the empire prohibited from smuggling.

At the very front of the convoy stood a middle-aged man wearing a silver-gray robe, his hair neatly tied back.

He was the commander of this operation, Karan, a senior agent of the Silver Plate Guild.

Karan, 37 years old this year, is one of the senior agents under the Silver Disk Guild, and has long been active in the gray area on the border between the Emerald Federation and the Empire.

He will be in charge of this important task.

In the enclosed carriages at the rear, those huddled in cages were not slaves in the usual sense.

Although they were dressed in uniform coarse cloth clothing, they were neat and clean, sat upright, and made almost no noise or commotion. Instead, they gave people a strange sense of quiet.

These people have been trained.

The Silver Plate Guild is known for its "efficiency first" approach, especially in slave breeding, where it has long established a brutal yet highly efficient process.

From verbal commands to reflexive actions, from task adaptation to psychological obedience, these slaves were "trained" into highly efficient tools long before they even set out.

Craftsmen know how to complete customized tasks within a limited time; doctors know how to coordinate medicines without asking a single extra question; and servants can skillfully execute fiefdom affairs without ever showing off their desires.

Their eyes were calm and empty, without struggle, without pleading, and without even resentment towards their enslavement.

They have been "shaped" to be almost perfect.

Obedient, capable, possessing a skill, and not causing trouble.

These people were the "stepping stones" for Karan's trip.

“They’re all clever, usable pieces of trash.” Karan lifted the curtain of one of the prison cells, looking at the numb craftsmen, doctors, and others.

“Once this group of people gets into Joseph’s hands, they can turn his mess around in less than a year, which is enough to show our sincerity.”

Karan was unlike most Executive Council members who were accustomed to internal strife, nor did he deign to engage in empty rhetoric like a business broker.

He is a pragmatist, the kind of person who is willing to get results even if it means getting his hands dirty.

As a backbone of the Federation, he came from humble beginnings, but rose to his current position through a series of "flawless" missions.

In every operation, he personally laid the net and pulled it in, never relying on others.

“The firsthand information we got from Joseph is indeed valuable,” Karan murmured, flipping through a cloth-covered notebook in his hand.

It contains detailed records of the material needs of the nobles in the southwest of the empire, the size of their garrisons, and the locations where their defenses have weakened.

These materials were merely "trial gifts before the deal."

"The Chamber of Commerce headquarters is very satisfied. As long as we can maintain this channel, the Silver Plate Guild will have the opportunity to become the first federal guild to successfully penetrate the southwest of the Empire." Karan closed his notebook, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

Moreover, if Joseph can be made into a "model", as long as this point is controlled in the future, he can be used to influence the surrounding families and shake the power structure within the empire.

"This truckload of people and supplies... is not cargo, but a stepping stone, a pledge of allegiance, the first nail the Federation has driven into the heart of the Empire."

Only after the nail is driven in can the hammer and the axe be used.

Therefore, this was not a simple smuggling operation; it was a strategic infiltration that could be written into federal history.

To avoid any unforeseen complications, he even abandoned the main official road and chose an extremely secluded side road.

The convoy only operated at dusk each day to avoid being spotted by the knight patrols.

"Just a few more days," he said in a low voice.

"Once the handover of supplies is completed, trust is established, and the docking points are opened, the next step will be the starting point for gradually encroaching on the entire southwest of the empire."

However, he was unaware that his "Twilight Operation" had just encountered the Night Hunters.

(End of this chapter)