Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 162: Another mage dropped?
Joseph Carradi was publicly executed for serious crimes such as treason and aiding the enemy, and his family was also thoroughly purged at the emperor's command.

The sudden downfall of a once-prominent family triggered an earthquake within the empire's aristocratic circles.

However, the one who started all this storm is currently snuggled up in a thick blanket, fast asleep.

It's not his fault; the intense work he's been doing lately, coupled with the days of preparing for the establishment of the parliament, setting up the oversight agency, and investigating and winning over various noble factions...

He was really exhausted.

Thus, Louis Calvin, the youngest sheriff in the North, the founder of the council, the mastermind behind the oversight system, and the designer of the revitalization fund…

He was fast asleep in bed.

“Young Master Louis, it’s time to get up.” Sif’s voice rang in his ear.

The heavy curtains were drawn back, and a beam of sunlight suddenly slanted in, passing through the light gauze curtains and landing on the figure curled up on the bed.

This was his own instruction: no matter how tired he was, he had to be woken up before nine o'clock every morning, in order to prevent himself from completely falling into depravity one day.

Louis felt the sun's rays, frowned, mumbled something, and finally struggled to open his eyes.

He sat up, looking just like an ordinary person who had to get up in the morning, his hair disheveled and his eyes vacant.

"It's been over a year," he murmured, gazing at the dawning light outside the window. "Since I transmigrated, I've truly degenerated into a nobleman..."

But no matter how tired the body is, or how conscious it is, the habit is already deeply ingrained.

The first thing he did after getting up was to instinctively raise his hand and make a light sweeping motion in the air.

Activate the intelligence system.

Sif came in with a towel, handed him water and glanced at him, seeing him staring blankly at the air again so early in the morning, she couldn't help but chuckle.

"You're spacing out again." She walked closer and gently rubbed his face, like she was petting a kitten that hadn't woken up yet.

He didn't care at all and continued to stare intently ahead.

He was never worried that Sif or anyone else would notice anything amiss.

In fact, he had already verified that this "daily intelligence system" was only visible to him.

Whether it's Sif or anyone else, even if they stand in front of him, they will only see his dazed look and will not notice the light screen and words slowly appearing in the air.

The system's existence seemed to be embedded in the deepest part of his consciousness.

The translucent light screen quietly unfolded before Louis's eyes, the characters glowing with an icy blue light, slowly scrolling from top to bottom.

[Daily intelligence update complete]

[1: The wedding date for Louis and Emily has been officially set by both families as July 12th.]

[2: Baron Courtney, dissatisfied with the control exerted by the Inspectorate, has bribed his cousin, Viscount Hamilton, in an attempt to use his connections to accuse Louis of being "arbitrary and domineering" before Governor Edmund.]

[3: Three days later, the three-man Silver-Masked Mage team was attacked by an unknown creature near Firwood Territory. Two were killed and one was injured. The survivor, Lysil, hid in a cave outside Firwood Territory.]

After reading the first piece of intelligence, he blinked, his expression indifferent.

This was not unexpected for him.

The marriage was only a matter of time, and now it was set for July 12th, just before summer truly arrived in the North, and everything was within his expectations.

"More than a month later..." he murmured softly.

He was actually quite satisfied with this marriage.

After all, he had already met Emily, the woman with undeniable beauty.

Unlike Sif, it was a more elegant and dignified style, as if she was born to wear a wedding dress and walk down the aisle.

"That's something to look forward to."

He unconsciously imagined the scene on his wedding day, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

Of course, as it was a marriage alliance between prominent families, he didn't need to personally handle too many arrangements. The procedures, ceremonies, dowry, guest list... everything would be taken care of.

"Hmm... I'll just go there when the time comes," he thought to himself.

With a casual wave of his hand, the pale blue screen swirled, and he switched to the second intelligence report.

He raised an eyebrow when he saw the words "Baron Courtney".

"It's him again."

The baron had long been dissatisfied with his oversight agency, and this wasn't the first time he'd appeared in the system's intelligence reports.

But this time it's even more interesting that he actually wants his future father-in-law to manage him?

"Telling my father-in-law about me?" Louis scoffed, a hint of mockery in his eyes. "This Mr. Courtney certainly has a unique way of thinking."

Of course, he did not intend to pursue the matter immediately.

Courtney's actions were merely a desperate struggle, not worth his time to act.

But he had already silently noted this down in his little notebook.

"It's not too late to take it out when we need it."

The first two points are neither helpful nor useful; they are practically useless.

Looks like today is another day of waste system issues.

Louis pursed his lips and casually switched to the third one.

Then he froze.

The Silver-Masked Mage squad suffered two deaths and one injury? The injured one... was actually hiding in a cave outside Fir Territory?

He sat up abruptly, staring intently at the line of icy blue text, making sure he wasn't mistaken.

"……what?"

His mind seemed to go blank for a moment, and his sleepiness was instantly dispelled.

This is no ordinary squad, it's—the Silver-Masked Mage!
He remembered clearly that the intelligence report mentioned that they were sent to the Northern Territory by the Supreme Mage to investigate the Grand Mage who died in Red Tide Territory.

At that time, he was thinking that he should find an opportunity to contact them, and maybe he could open the door to the magical world through them.

Before they could even make contact, two of them died, and the remaining one was seriously injured and hiding in a cave on the edge of his territory?!

“What a joke… Why do all these mages seem to die near my territory…” Louis muttered to himself, his expression unusually grave.

This can no longer be explained by "coincidence".

This suggests that there may be some unknown and terrifying threat lurking around his territory.

This made his heart sink, and a solemn expression appeared between his brows.

However, he quickly made a decision: the survivor had to be saved.

Not only because the other party might be his breakthrough to magic, but also because he needed to know what exactly attacked them.

If this matter isn't thoroughly investigated, what if one day the target of the attack changes to our own territory?

Moreover, there are several resource leads around Hanshan Territory, which can be retrieved along the way.

"Tsk, what a troublesome time."

He got up to wash up, his expression calm, but his mind was already fully prepared.

After washing up, he summoned Lambert and whispered, "Take the elite knights and regular knights and prepare to set off. We're going to 'patrol' Fir Territory."

Lambert didn't ask any further questions and nodded readily to prepare.

(End of this chapter)