Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 199 Intelligence about the Mother Nest

Takalin is one of the few veterans among the Snowsworn, and he is almost forty years old this year.

In this turbulent era, it is a luxury for a Snowsworn to have lived to this age.

Moreover, he has a thirteen-year-old son, Ike, who is his only remaining concern in life.

These are enough to make him happy.

These Snowsworn are now hiding in a village in northern Snowpeak County that has long been erased from the map.

Since the Empire launched its purge against the Snowsworn last year, this place has become one of the few remaining strongholds within the Empire.

Day after day, they wait here for their leader's orders to capture lone imperial nobles and knights, and then sacrifice them to the "Ancient God of the Cold Abyss".

The sacrificial ceremony was not their responsibility.

That was the responsibility of a priest wearing a bone mask and a black feather robe.

No one has ever seen his face, nor has anyone ever heard his voice other than when he chants incantations.

At first, everything was normal.

It's true that there are fewer people, but morale remains high, at least that's what Takalin thinks.

But in the last few days, he started to notice something was wrong.

First, Herrick, the talkative young warrior who was usually annoying, suddenly became taciturn and spent his days staring blankly at the campfire.

His lips were always twitching unconsciously, as if he were whispering to someone.

Then there's Ula, oh, that old guy who used to love drinking, he's actually gone for a while without a drop of alcohol.
At first, Takalin just frowned, thinking that these people might have been affected by the "whispers" of the Old Gods.

Late that night, he started talking in his sleep.

He had no idea what he was saying.

He was woken up by his son, Ike.

"Father... what were you saying just now? You said it for a long, long time, do you remember?"

Takalin's forehead was covered in cold sweat. How could he possibly remember?

Even more frightening, this sleep-talking began to spread throughout the camp.

Many people are saying meaningless things. Their eyes are empty when they say these things, and their voices sound like they're coming from a deep well.

He discovered that the people in the camp were starting to "change".

Those brothers who were once close have gradually become strangers.

Looking at their faces, Takalin even had a fleeting thought: "Is this person... really someone I know?"

He looked down at Ike beside him, who was quietly curled up in the blanket, fast asleep.

But the firelight shone on his face as if it were shining on a block of ice. There was no warmth at all.

The firelight was bright and hot, but he felt colder and colder.

An indescribable premonition, like a needle slowly pricking my heart.

He finally realized that something was wrong with this place.

But Ike... hasn't changed yet, he still has a chance.

Takalin began to prepare, secretly hiding several short blades and dry rations, and repeatedly pondering the way out on the map.

The path back through the valley is the most difficult to traverse, but also the most secluded.

But as long as they can get through that frozen forest, they can escape, anywhere is fine, as long as they get away from here.

That night, all around was so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

Takalin took Ike's hand and silently stepped into the wasteland of the back valley.

They walked very slowly, each step feeling like they were treading on thin ice.

But they didn't get far.

The pursuers appeared behind us at some unknown time.

They neither shouted nor gave orders.

I simply followed in silence, like a shadow clinging to my back.

Takalin turned around and recognized those faces.

They were his comrades-in-arms, the people he drank, laughed, and fought alongside.

"Blo? It's me, it's me! Takalin!"

He shouted, trying to bring them to their senses.

"Sim! Sim! Wake up! We're brothers!"

But they didn't speak, they just slowly approached, their eyes empty.

At that moment, Takalin truly felt fear.

It wasn't the fear of death, but the inexplicable fear of "they are still alive but no longer themselves."

He grabbed Ike and ran for his life.

The footsteps behind me were like maggots clinging to my bones, slow but never ceasing.

Finally, he stopped by a flowing river.

“Ike,” he knelt down, grasped his son’s shoulders, his eyes filled with pain, “run south, as far as possible, don’t look back.”

Ike's eyes widened. "Father? What are you going to do?"

"Run!" Takalin roared, drawing his longsword.

He turned around and faced those familiar yet unfamiliar figures.

Behind him lies everything he is meant to protect.

Ike ran for his life.

The cold wind cut like a rusty knife past his ears, and he could hear his own rapid breathing.

And there were the heavy, slow sounds of hacking and slashing behind him.

The collision of metal and flesh.

Each sound, like a bell, strikes my heart.

Ike didn't dare turn around.

There was no snow, but the sky was so cold it felt like it was about to crack.

The ground was frozen solid, and each step brought a bone-chilling tremor.

His boots were already torn, and his feet were numb, yet he still ran. His father's voice still echoed in his ears.

"Ike, run south! Don't look back!"

He didn't turn around; he didn't dare to turn around.

He just kept running, carrying his father's short sword and that cold badge, as if he were carrying the whole world as he fled to the end of the night.

Until he could no longer lift his legs.

The sound behind me finally stopped.

He huddled behind a frozen rock, hiding in the wind and in the silence.

He initially tried to stop trembling, but later even opening his eyes became difficult.

It was a cold night.

It was a chill that the wind blew straight into your bones.

He didn’t know how long he had slept, but he remembered that in his dream his father stood in front of the firelight, his shadow was very long, almost swallowing the entire valley.

When I woke up again, it was already daylight and the wind had stopped.

He clutched the badge and the short sword, as if he were still keeping some unfulfilled vow.

His face was pale, and his lips were bluish, but he showed no fear or panic.

It simply remained quietly... in that morning when no one was there anymore.

…………

The brief summer in the North has quietly slipped away, and the morning breeze brings back the chill.

Fortunately, the hot spring circulation system in Akashio Castle has been restarted.

The entire castle seemed to be gently enveloped in warmth, and the room was cozy and inviting, making one reluctant to get up. Louis opened his eyes to a soft blue light.

That was Emily's hair, quietly spread across the snow-white pillow, like ripples spreading across a lake in spring.

Her face was serene and beautiful, with long eyelashes, a slightly red nose, and a smile that still lingered from the previous night.

One hand was still resting on his chest, like a kitten.

Louis looked at her quietly, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, a look in his eyes that was hard to tell whether it was satisfaction or emotion.

He has indeed been trying to "sow seeds" since getting married, but... he has not yet reaped the harvest.

Of course, it's not that there's anything wrong with his health.

However, in this world, it seems that it is not so easy for knights with extraordinary powers to have offspring.

The flow of battle qi interferes with the birth of life; the stronger the being, the longer the wait.

His father, the renowned Duke Calvin, having over twenty children was nothing short of a miracle.

Of course, this is also the result of his day-to-day "cultivation".

In contrast, Louis, though young and impetuous, was not impatient.

He prefers to let things take their course and wait for fate to bring him that gift.

Emily, however, was more enthusiastic than him.

Due to concerns about the continuation of the family line, Emily has recently been taking the initiative more often.

Even though she maintained the composure of a noble lady, her eyes increasingly conveyed the message, "Shall we try our best today?"

Thinking of this, Louis couldn't help but smile with a mixture of helplessness and indulgence.

He gently reached out and brushed a strand of hair that had fallen across Emily's cheek, his fingertips gliding across her forehead.

Emily rolled over, snuggled into his arms like a cat, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Louis did not succumb to the allure of comfort; he gently lifted the covers and got out of bed.

The hot spring steam rose around my feet, and I didn't feel cold when I stepped on the warm jade floor tiles.

He put on his robe, walked to the window, and opened it to reveal a view of the scenery.

Looking at the distant mountains shrouded in white mist, he raised his hand and lightly tapped the air with his fingertips.

A semi-transparent light screen quietly unfolded before him, a stream of pale blue light flowing upwards, accompanied by a soft hum. The familiar interface finished loading, and a line of text appeared before his eyes:
[Daily intelligence update complete]

[1: Duchess Elena is pregnant. She is expected to give birth to a son for the Duke of Edmund in ten months.]

[2: The grain crops in the Red Tide Territory are ripe, and the peak of the autumn harvest is expected in four days.]

[3: Three days ago, Snowsworn warrior Takalin attempted to escape with his son to break free from the control of the Mother Nest. He died in battle protecting his son in a valley.]

[4: His son, "Ike," was unable to escape and froze to death outside Winterdawn Ridge this morning.]

Louis froze after seeing the first few words of the first item, and his lips twitched.

"……what?"

He stared at the intelligence report for a long time, then finally sighed softly, sat down in a chair, and rubbed his temples.

"I was young and strong, and I worked hard day after day, but the one who bore fruit first was... actually my father-in-law?"

But I have to admit, I'm still quite happy for them.

After all, given the Duke of Edmund's current age, this is probably his only and last son.

He is the future Duke Edmund, the nominal Lord of the North, and the focus of all the nobles of the North.

Louis, of course, did have thoughts of "replacing" his father-in-law.

But now is not the time; he estimates it will take at least several decades, or until his son can do it.

"There are still many games to play in the future... Let this child warm up the atmosphere by being a 'little duke' first."

He snapped his fingers lightly and continued scrolling down.

The grain crops in the Red Tide Territory are ripe and the autumn harvest is approaching.

The text on the screen was brief, but in Louis's eyes, it was gilded good news.

The geothermal system in the Red Tide Territory is no mere decoration. Ever since the hot spring circulation system was fully integrated into agricultural irrigation, he knew that this year's harvest would be good.

Moreover, the number of people moving in this year has increased, and the amount of newly reclaimed land has multiplied several times.

If all goes well, this year's grain output will be at least four to five times that of last year.

He couldn't help but recall Mick's excited report a few days earlier: "Sir, we're going to have a bumper harvest this year! The granaries are probably going to be almost full!"

His smile was even brighter than when he heard that his wife had given birth to triplets.

And now it is indeed time to deliver on that promise.

Louis knew perfectly well that this was not just a matter of food.

Winter in the North has always been one of the toughest enemies, and this year, the Mother Hive and the Zerg swarm have been added to the mix...

This winter is definitely going to be tough in the North.

“All of this requires food for defense.” Louis sighed softly and rubbed his temples.

Food is not only for surviving the winter, but also a second weapon in war.

Soldiers' rations, civilians' food supplies, warhorse feed, logistical reserves...

These are no less impactful than Iron Man and Knight.

"What wins a war is never just weapons. It's also the rye bread that you can bite into. I must go and see it for myself on harvest day."

Then he caught a glimpse of the third one out of the corner of his eye, followed by the fourth.

This caused him to suddenly sit up straight, his body originally leaning back in the chair.

Since the last battle to destroy the "Experimental Nest".

The mother nest seemed to have completely disappeared beneath the ice, and no new clues surfaced.

Not only have they failed to gather any intelligence daily, but even the powerful investigative agencies of the Mage Forest and the Governor's Mansion have returned empty-handed these days, finding nothing.

This can only mean one thing: it was hidden so well and deeply that it exceeded almost all of their expectations.

But now, a piece of intelligence has suddenly appeared that is directly related to the mother nest.

Although it is just a brief record of a soldier's escape, there are huge possibilities hidden behind the information.

“Takalin…” he murmured the name, his brow furrowed. “The Mother Nest can control living people? How did he break free from control? Did his will return? Or… is the Mother Nest’s power not enough to control a human brain?”

More importantly, there's the fourth piece of intelligence.

“That kid, Ike,” he murmured to himself.

He died, in the wasteland outside Dongxi Ridge.

Based on the description, the child likely escaped from a Snowsworn stronghold with a mother hive.

This means that he knows where the mother nest is.

Even though he is dead, but...

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Louis; he instantly remembered someone.

“Eduardo,” he murmured, saying his third brother’s name.

Eduardo had shown him a rare ability: to recall the memories of the dead.

It allows one to glimpse the last fragments of a deceased person's memories before their soul has completely dissipated.

Once the thought takes hold, it can no longer be suppressed.

What was originally insignificant has now become a crucial clue that can "turn the tide of the battle".

He immediately picked up his pen and quickly wrote a secret letter.

After finishing writing, he walked to a tall metal birdcage next to the bookshelf, where a black-feathered swiftbird stood quietly.

This bird doesn't belong to him; it was left behind by Eduardo when he left the Red Tide Territory, specifically to contact him.

Louis opened the cage door, and the Gale Bird, as if sensing something, flapped its wings and leaped out, landing on his shoulder.

He slipped the secret letter into a small tube beside its leg and whispered, "Go find your master."

As if it understood, the Black-feathered Gale Bird suddenly flapped its wings and took flight, leaving behind a whistling sound that tore through the air.

Louis looked up as the dark figure receded into the distance until it disappeared into the sky.

(End of this chapter)