Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 256 New Daily Intelligence
It was early morning, and the sky was not yet fully bright.

When Louis opened his eyes, he saw a rough wooden ceiling. The wood was uncarved, simply peeled and polished, and the beams were slightly crooked.

He stared at the sloping beam for a few seconds, then sighed softly.

This is my residence in the Wheatfield Territory.

It wasn't exactly shabby, but it was definitely not comfortable.

The house was built by a team of craftsmen using timber. The walls were windproof and soundproof, and the floor was covered with old wool and geothermal pipes.

Of course, compared to the ebony carved bed in his castle in the Red Tide territory that could accommodate four people, it was like a completely different era.

But he didn't mind. These are special times, how could we build city walls and towers here?

Moreover, even though this dormitory room is rather rough, it is still the best room in Mailangling at present.

He turned his head and found an arm draped over his chest, while the other was casually stretched out to the edge of the blanket.

It was Sif. Her hair had grown a bit longer, and her eyelashes were still long and curled, casting faint shadows on her face like small fans.

She was sleeping very soundly, her body stretched out in a starfish position, her breathing so steady that it was almost inaudible.

Louis glanced at her helplessly, then slowly got up, his movements so quiet that the bed didn't even creak.

He has been staying in the wheat field for almost two months.

I haven't left the valley for almost two months.

From the initial planning and demarcation of fields in the spring to the construction of shantytowns and the initial completion of irrigation canals, he personally experienced almost everything.

Sif and Emily took turns coming from Red Tide Territory to be with him.

Of course, the Red Tide Territory is also at a critical juncture for spring planting, so leaving Emily there to coordinate and make arrangements would be a more reasonable choice.

But now... it's about time to go back.

At this time, the spring plowing system in Mailangling was on track, and he had already considered what needed to be done and what mistakes could be made.

The remaining issue is implementation, which can be left to agricultural officials and administrative officials at all levels.

The Red Tide Territory is the true core of the entire territory.

Thinking about all this, he put on his coat, walked to the rough wooden table in the corner, and casually brushed away a thin layer of dust.

Then, with a flick of his right hand: "Whoosh—"

As a wisp of pale blue light drifted by, a semi-transparent system interface slowly unfolded before his eyes.

[Daily intelligence update complete]

[1: Titus Frostleaf, leading the Frostmoon Barbarians, has launched an attack on the Shattered Axe Barbarians and the Red Rock Barbarians. Originally intending to form an alliance to jointly attack the Southern Empire, they have now turned against each other due to territorial disputes. Although the fighting continues, each of the various barbarian tribes has sent vanguards to secretly probe southwards.]

[2: Shadow Moss has been found distributed in the deepest caves in the northern part of Wheat Wave Territory, but Soul-Eating Lizards are suspected to be lurking deep within the caves.]

[3: The northern veins of Xuefeng County contain a special mineral called "Burning Iron," which is extremely valuable. The terrain surrounding the mine is complex and features high-temperature fissures.]

After reading the first item, Louis smiled faintly, but his expression showed no sign of relief.

It's certainly good news that these barbarians are fighting amongst themselves.

If the various barbarian tribes were to form an alliance, the consequences would be extremely dire.

If another large-scale barbarian invasion were to occur in the south, the already weakened northern border would likely be unable to hold out. However, the fact that they are fighting amongst themselves has made things much easier for the empire.

“However…” Louis tapped the wooden table lightly with his finger, making a dull thud: “These barbarians are not mindless stray dogs.”

That's the troublesome part. Despite the fighting, these barbarians are quite clear-headed.

Just because a wolf doesn't bite doesn't mean it doesn't stalk people.

Every barbarian tribe was sending vanguards to secretly infiltrate and probe the strength of the empire's borders, and some were even considering migrating and settling there.

Their vanguard has quietly bypassed the main battle zone and begun to approach several territories in the north, attempting to find a breakthrough and probe their strength.

Now that they are already a visible elephant, the Red Tide Territory is probably already on their testing list.

"My territory... is really getting bigger and bigger."

Red tides, wheat fields... territories are gradually taking shape, and what were once remote wildernesses have now become battlegrounds for troops and provisions.

"The bigger it is, the harder it is to manage."

Louis knew very well that although the Red Tide Territory was not yet powerful, a place with "food, resources, and people" would attract wild dogs that had "no food, no land, and no brains."

He secretly resolved to update the border outposts as soon as possible, and if necessary, send more knights to monitor the movements of the barbarian vanguard.

As the Red Tide's influence expands, the pressure to defend its territory is also increasing dramatically.

However, there's no need to be too anxious. I estimate that it will take them at least two or three years to determine the outcome of their invasion.

He waved his hand and continued to look at the second piece of intelligence.

That one glance caused his pupils to shrink slightly, and a hint of genuine excitement surfaced in his eyes.

"Shadow Moss..."

He had certainly heard of this extremely rare magical plant.

It only grows in extremely deep underground caves, the shady and decaying layers of ancient forests, or in "dead places" cursed by vengeful spirits, such as the ruins of ancient wars.

Nourished by geothermal energy, magic particles, and trace metal elements, it appears as a deep purple or jet black color, with a faint phosphorescence flowing across its surface. Ordinary people would only feel a chill and unease, but in the eyes of a true aura knight, the light is as hot as mithril.

Because it possesses an extremely rare characteristic: it can directly stimulate the knight's core will, accelerating the purification and transformation of battle qi during cultivation.

It is not a simple tonic, but a "willpower catalyst" that can amplify the sharpness of fighting spirit, strengthen focus, raise perception threshold, and even play a catalytic role in breaking through bottlenecks.

Although high-intensity use may cause temporary hallucinations or nervous fatigue, this cost is not unacceptable for true high-level martial arts practitioners.

"If we can collect them and make them into fumigant or mental pressure chambers... the knight training system of Red Tide Territory can be directly upgraded to the next level."

Louis's eyes gleamed with excitement; this was the kind of resource that could truly strengthen the Red Tide's core combat capabilities.

However, the Soul-Eating Lizard Beast, the guardian of the Shadow Moss, is also a threat not to be underestimated.

It is a kind of demonic creature that dwells in the shadows, locks onto its prey with mental fluctuations, and attacks by tearing apart the mind, creating illusions, and even inducing delusions of fear.

What's more troublesome is that areas where Shadow Moss grows densely often spontaneously form "mental disturbance zones," causing outsiders to fall into states of memory remnants and emotional breakdown.

Without sufficient preparation, even a knight can go mad.

"It is troublesome, indeed a little troublesome, but only a little." Louis showed no annoyance, but instead smiled.

Although the Shadow Moss is dangerous, now that I have the intelligence, as long as I organize a high-intensity cleanup operation to eliminate the lizard beasts and extract the essence of the moss, I can completely bring it under my control.

Louis murmured, "If we can research the artificial domestication environment for Shadow Moss..." That would mean that another exclusive battle aura enhancement system belonging to the "Red Tide System" would be born.

Furthermore, if handled properly, those terrifying Soul-Eating Lizard Beasts are not merely a threat.

Their magic crystals possess extremely unique mental interference properties.

It can induce fear, create hallucinations, interfere with perception and judgment, and even disrupt the target's willpower in a short period of time.

If extracted and purified properly, it may be processed into "psychological shock bombs" or some kind of covert jamming device, used to crush the enemy's morale on the battlefield, or to create key weaknesses in assassinations and covert warfare.

“Even…” Louis’s lips curled up slightly, and he had already conceived another clue in his mind, “it could be used as an auxiliary device during interrogation.”

Instead of letting interrogators waste time and energy trying to extract a confession, it's better to let the suspect personally fall into their most terrifying dreams and reveal the answers themselves amidst the tearing apart of their mental illusions.

It was a collapse that could neither be resisted nor concealed.

A complete set of ideas gradually took shape: Shadow Moss was used to enhance battle aura, and Lizard Beast Magic Crystals were transformed into mental weapons and special techniques.

Although this cave is dangerous, the benefits it brings may be far more valuable than mountains of gold and silver.

“Not bad... We can go and take a look on the way back to Red Tide Territory.”

Louis then looked at the third piece of intelligence with a cheerful expression, his gaze lingering slightly before a slow smile appeared on his lips.

Traces of burnt iron were discovered deep within the northern mines of Xuefeng County.

"Hey! Another piece of good news." Louis's voice couldn't hide his excitement.

Burning Iron is no ordinary ore; it is a miraculous substance found only in the place where ancient fire-type magical beasts perished.

Legend has it that when those magical beasts die, the immense life energy they contain seeps into the surrounding rock layers. Over countless years, the earth's veins melt and mineral gases fuse, eventually solidifying into this molten, scorching mineral that is as hot as lava and difficult to hold.

Its color is deep red, almost like molten gold, and its surface seems to contain flickering sparks. Once infused with battle qi, one can feel the violent, flame-like energy surging back.

It is the perfect mineral for crafting knight's aura weapons.

"If the quality of this batch of ore is stable, then my elite troops can be completely replaced with the true Fire Vanguard Cavalry." Louis quickly conjured up an image of fully armed cavalry in formation, their armor gleaming, their spears like fire, full of vigor and spirit.

Compared to standard weaponry made from ordinary minerals, the Burning Iron not only better suits the aura guiding structure, but also possesses a high-heat interference effect.
In actual combat, it can pierce iron shields and burn through leather armor, greatly improving armor-piercing efficiency, making it the preferred weapon for Bloodline Knights.

Louis looked down at the intelligence report, a calculating glint in his eyes.

"We have the ore, and that vein in the north... should also be included in our territory." He had already made up his mind.

Unlike the grain-granary type of territory like the Wheat Wave Territory, which is centered on "cultivation and farming".

He plans to build a new battlefield stronghold in the mining area north of Xuefeng County, with "mining and casting" as its core.

The project includes the construction of a forging area, a battle aura testing ground, and an ordnance calibration platform, truly forming an integrated Red Tide Armaments System.

That will be the future arsenal of the Red Tide Territory.

Today's intelligence is a string of good news.

Louis closed the floating interface, a faint smile still on his lips.

"This useless system finally did something useful for once," he muttered to himself, then stretched.

"Hmm..." Sif rubbed her eyes and sat up, her hair a mess as if it had just been frizzed. She looked at him sleepily, wrapped in a blanket. "What have you been researching this time? You've been smiling like a shrewd businessman all morning..."

“I am a lord after all, I should think about the next steps.” Louis casually put on his outer robe. “We’re returning to Red Tide today. You should get ready too.”

“Hmm.” Sif nodded, blinked, and finally came to her full senses. “I’ll go arrange the send-off party.”

After saying that, she dressed herself neatly, yawned, and shuffled out.

Louis glanced at her retreating figure, a hint of tenderness in his eyes, then turned and went back to the wooden corner table inside the room.

Next came the daily routine of cultivation.

He sat cross-legged on the carpet, practicing the Tidal Breathing Technique. His internal fighting spirit flowed slowly like ripples on water, while his mental energy accumulated layer by layer in the Primordial Meditation, like a sea breeze brushing against rocks, sometimes slow and sometimes fast.

Cultivating both martial arts and magic has long been a fundamental skill he performs daily.

Even though he was burdened with official duties as a lord, he never slacked off for a single day.

Half an hour later, he opened his eyes, a faint steam rising from his body, his breathing as steady as a pine tree.

“We can set off now,” Sif said as she came to his side.

Louis nodded, put on the Red Tide Knights' standard cloak, and went outside.

There was already someone waiting in the courtyard; it was Knight Green, the acting head of the Wheat Wave Territory, who was currently in charge of internal affairs and security.

Green was calm and reserved, and he handled affairs in the Wheatfield Territory with great efficiency over the past two months, so Louis trusted him quite a bit.

"My lord, the caravan and the knights are ready. Do you have any further instructions?" he asked respectfully.

Louis nodded and handed him a simple diagram and a few pages of paper.

"This is the irrigation canal adjustment plan for the next month. The terrain in the hilly area is complicated, so remember to send someone to keep a close eye on it."

“Yes.” Green quickly wrote it down.

"Also, seed allocation, household registration transfer, and tax and grain statistics all need to be kept in touch with Bradley. And whether it's uneven sowing, blocked irrigation canals, or public unrest, don't act on your own; notify me immediately via the Swiftbird."

“Your subordinate will keep that in mind.” Green immediately became solemn.

After explaining everything clearly, Louis gave him one last look: "Wheat Wave Territory is the foundation of the Red Tide. Spring planting is the lifeblood of the territory, so be very careful and don't let anything go wrong."

Green replied solemnly, "I understand, sir."

Louis patted him on the shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile: "You did a great job, keep it up."

Before his departure, several officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, representatives of the artisans, and other figures came to see him off. Although there were not many ceremonies, everyone looked solemn.

Louis mounted his horse, looked around under the banner, and finally said softly to the crowd, "Gentlemen, take good care of this land. I will return soon to inspect it."

"We will obey your command, sir!" the crowd replied in unison.

The Red Tide Knights then set off, the convoy slowly driving out of the wheat field camp in the morning light, traveling along the gravel path at the edge of the valley, with the still unmelted snow line in the distance shimmering with a cold white light.

They hadn't gone far when Louis whispered to Lambert beside him, "Take a short detour, there's a place I'd like to visit."

"Yes, my lord."

No one objected; if the master of the Red Tide Territory said to take a detour, then so be it.

They all knew that Louis's "want to see" was never just a casual glance.

(End of this chapter)