Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 258 The Booming Production in the Red Tide Territory
When I returned to Red Tide Territory, the sun was already setting, and a sliver of crimson light fell on the layers of stone bricks, warm and familiar.

As Louis stepped through the gates of the lord's castle, the weariness in his heart quietly vanished.

Before he could say anything, Emily rushed up and hugged him tightly.

"...Welcome home."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undisguised joy and a hint of pent-up grievance.

Louis paused for a moment, then chuckled and hugged her back, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "I'm back."

Before he finished speaking, he swiftly and decisively picked her up and carried her horizontally.

"Ah—" Emily gasped softly, instinctively reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck.

A slight blush rose on her cheeks, but she didn't struggle. Instead, she buried her head in his shoulder, breathing softly.

The two returned to their familiar bedroom, and the next few hours were naturally filled with the intense production process.

The curtains were gently fluttering in the evening breeze, and that familiar blue-haired figure rose and fell in the dim light, breathing like a harp, its rhythm like the tide.

There was no affected small talk or pretentious reminiscing between them.

Only that unspoken trust and tacit understanding, like a perfectly lit ember in the dead of night, ignites easily without being irritating.

As night deepened, the curtains were drawn and the firelight dimmed.

Emily leaned against Louis's thigh, lazily munching on a piece of dried fruit to replenish her energy. Her hair was loose, and her posture was as languid as a well-fed cat.

"Have you finished dealing with things over there?" Emily asked softly, her tone steady but tinged with weariness.

She was referring to the matter of the Wheatfield Pass.

Louis responded softly, running his fingers through her hair and playing with it a couple of times: "Spring planting and the granary are all done, now we're just waiting for the harvest, and there were some unexpected gains on this trip..."

"Oh?"

“We discovered an ancient tomb at Crack Hill in the northern part of Mailang Territory.”

Emily's eyes widened immediately, and she was about to look up when Louis gently pressed her back down with one hand.

"Let me finish," he continued with a smile. "That tomb should be some kind of sacrificial relic from the early days of the Snow Kingdom. Its interior has been disturbed by magic for a long time, forming a natural growth area for Shadow Moss, and there are also... more than sixty Soul-Eating Lizard Beasts."

Emily stared at him for a few seconds, then finally burst out laughing, leaning her head against him again, her eyes full of doting affection: "Really... you're not just a lord, you're also a part-time tomb raider?"

"You haven't heard the important point yet."

"The key point is...?"

"Shadow Moss."

Louis briefly explained the properties of Shadowmoss to her, from its catalytic effect on fighting spirit to its potential as a mental interference device and breakthrough aid.

He spoke very concisely, but every sentence was enough to make any nobleman's blood boil.

And Emily is certainly no ordinary person either.

She stared at him, her eyes wide, and exclaimed, "You mean... you've unearthed a treasure trove that can enhance a knight's fighting spirit?"

"That's pretty much what it means."

"You actually said it so casually." She gave him a reproachful look. "This is a key material for a knight to break through! So many people would kill for it! If it were any other lord, this kind of thing would be kept as a secret within their fiefdom for at least ten or twenty years."

Louis curled his lips into a confident smile and said, "And this thing is nothing to me."

"Hmph, you get all cocky after I just compliment you... How about I reward you?" Emily smiled ambiguously, her fingers sneakily sliding down his abs.

The atmosphere suddenly became ambiguous again.

But Louis immediately pressed her hand down and sighed helplessly, "Let me rest for a while."

"Pfft." Emily was amused, her eyes curving into crescents as she leaned back on his lap. "Then we'll wait for you to recover slowly."

She rubbed her face, gently patted his thigh, and her tone changed, becoming serious: "Let's get down to business. While you were away, things have been relatively stable in the Crimson Tide Territory."

"Is spring planting going smoothly?" Louis asked, stroking her hair as he reverted to his lordly mindset.

“Everything went smoothly.” Emily nodded, hugging her pillow. “All the fields here have been divided up, and there haven’t been any major problems with the irrigation canals, drainage system, or temperature control methods.”

The plots of land in the geothermal area were also converted into greenhouses. Although it was a bit troublesome at first, the experienced farmers in Chichao Territory had enough time to save time.

She paused, a hint of pride in her eyes: "The second planting has already begun, and some plots from the first batch have already sprouted. If the temperature remains stable, we can harvest two weeks earlier."

Bradley said, "As long as this year's autumn harvest is normal, we will become the top grain-producing territory in the North."

Emily shifted her body slightly, finding a more comfortable position, her head still resting on his lap.

"...However, there's another troublesome matter while you're away."

"Ok?"

"Regarding the population," she said softly, "although most of the refugees have been dispersed and resettled in the Wheat Wave Territory, some are still stranded in the Red Tide Territory."

Louis didn't speak, but gently traced her hair with his fingertips, gesturing for her to continue.

"Most of these people fled from the insect-infested areas and the areas severely affected by freezing in the north. They brought the elderly and children with them and had no skills... In the early stages, we opened our granaries to provide relief, and they were indeed very grateful. But as time went on, problems began to surface."

"Are the indigenous people starting to complain?"

“It’s not an open conflict,” Emily said calmly. “It’s just some rumors, like the relief efforts have been going on for too long, the land has been squeezed, and there’s been a habitual thief infiltrating the recruitment center… These things are still being kept under wraps, but they are spreading.”

“I understand.” Louis’s tone was not reproachful; he simply said it and then lowered his head to kiss her forehead, as if to soothe her worries.

“These refugees are only temporarily gathered. Next, I will continue to establish two or three more densely populated territories outside the Red Tide Territory, specifically for ‘absorbing’ the post-disaster migrant population.”

He spoke calmly and clearly: "We are not taking them in, but reintegrating them into the order."

Therefore, I plan to establish an 'Immigration Control Agency' to handle population migration, registration, and resettlement matters.

"Have you already thought of a name?"

"of course."

“You…” Emily chuckled helplessly, raising her hand to poke his chin, “Are you planning to create yet another government agency that can control everything?”

“Absolutely.” Louis sat up a little, his eyes becoming serious: “Our Red Tide’s current grassroots structure is still stuck in the old model of small villages and towns.”

But what will we be like in another year? Besides the Red Tide stronghold, several other territories will be established. Add to that port development, the arrival of southern caravans… this is destined to become a true hub city.”

Emily listened thoughtfully: "You plan to transform Red Tide into a city?"

“A city in the true sense of the word.” Louis nodded. “Village settlements should retire from the historical stage.”

Our Red Tide Territory will become the true governing center of the southeastern part of the North.

Emily looked at the burning ambition in his eyes and her gaze softened.

She knew that although the person in front of her seemed to be lazily staying by her side, he was already planning the next round of land development and the reconstruction of order.

"...You have indeed already gone ahead."

"And what about you?" Louis leaned down, his forehead almost touching her hair, his voice low and husky, like flames licking her ear in the night, "Would you like to keep following?"

Emily looked up at him.

Under the dim dormitory light, those eyes revealed a familiar weariness, yet also concealed a reassuring obsession. She had seen him sit coldly in a corner of the council hall, toying with all sorts of old foxes; she had seen him stand on the burning snowfield, commanding the Crimson Tide Knights to surround the Mother Nest; and she had seen him, cloaked, inspecting the granaries in the valley rain at midnight…

But it was only at this moment, when his eyes held an undeniable sincerity and dependence, that this man was at his most beautiful.

Emily smiled.

It wasn't the standard smile of a noble lady, but rather a cunning, fox-like grin.

"Your expression... is rather cunning." Her hand gently caressed his waist, then slowly slid down, her fingertips tracing his most vulnerable spot. "Of course I'm willing... but you'll have to recover first, Your Excellency?"

Louis's previously tired gaze suddenly sharpened, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

Four hours of intense production had already left him exhausted, and he had intended to take a break for the day. But this woman struck when he was most relaxed, hitting his weak spot.

However, he is not someone who gives up easily.

Louis chuckled softly, his eyes sharpening again, like a fire that had been rekindled: "It seems my rest will have to be postponed for a while longer."

As dawn breaks outside the window, a new day is quietly beginning.

…………

The morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom through the half-open curtains, casting dappled shadows on the bed.

Under the thick down comforter, Louis, unusually, did not get up immediately.

He lay half-reclined on the bed, one hand casually resting on his forehead, staring blankly at the ceiling, or rather, in a rare moment of mental blankness.

This was a long-awaited time for Louis to stay in bed; he was actually a little reluctant to get up.

He turned his head, and there was Emily, fast asleep, nestled against his chest.

Her hair was disheveled, and beads of sweat still clung to her eyelashes. Her breathing was shallow, and she looked extremely tired.

She really gave it her all in last night's battle.

Louis glanced down at her, a smile playing on his lips.

But he didn't make a sound, afraid of waking her; he simply raised his other hand and waved it gently.

The daily intelligence system has been activated, but the few pieces of intelligence updated today are all irrelevant.

"Today is peaceful." Louis glanced around, found nothing worth marking, and casually closed the interface.

He didn't rush to get up, but instead sat quietly cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes and began his daily routine of "dual cultivation of battle qi and magic power".

The Tidal Breathing Technique was slowly activated, and the airflow in the body flowed through the meridians, washing over the internal organs and periosteum wave after wave like tides, gradually clearing away the fatigue left over from last night.

About two hours later, he slowly opened his eyes.

"It's about time to get up," he said, turning his head and gently kissing Emily's forehead.

Emily was still fast asleep, but she stirred slightly and instinctively nuzzled his arm, as if to make sure Louis was still there.

"...Go to sleep, you've had a hard time," Louis said softly.

Sunlight shone on his strong shoulders and back, revealing smooth muscle lines, and his mental state had returned to normal.

…………

Outside Red Tide Castle, the wind still carried a chilly edge.

Although it was springtime, spring always comes slowly in the North. The sky was still somewhat gray, the snow on the mountains had not completely melted, and there were occasional frost reflections on the ground.

Louis walked out of the main building wearing a cloak, holding gloves in his hand but not putting them on.

He took a deep breath, letting the earthy air fill his chest: "...It's still cold."

After taking a short stroll through the Red Tide Territory, he discovered that it had undergone a complete transformation compared to two months ago.

Even though I was absent for a period of time, the overall process was not disrupted at all.

But he knew that the larger the red tide became, the less likely he was to let go and manage it.

Ultimately, he still needs to personally set the direction and make the final decision on many matters, especially those future plans.

Louis pondered for a moment where to begin his work for the day, and finally decided to prioritize the "Shadow Moss and Lizard Beast Project".

This kind of strategic resource is not suitable to be kept for too long, and even less suitable to be handed over to others to handle.

So he walked toward Hillco's laboratory.

The place was still a mess. As soon as you entered, there were metal shells scattered all over the floor, dried-out crucibles, and some twisted pipes with unknown functions.

A half-burnt iron bird doll hung in the corner, hissing and emitting smoke.

"It's been a long time, my lord." Hilko leaned against the lab bench, holding a stirring rod in one hand and twirling a small black crystal between his fingertips in the other.

He had messy short hair, wore a white alchemical robe, and the graffiti-covered scarf around his neck was said to have never been washed.

Louis chuckled, ignoring his disrespect, and casually pulled up a chair to sit down, placing a bag of moss specimens on the table.

"I have a new job?" Hilko's expression immediately turned serious. "What's this?"

“Shadow Moss.” Louis tapped the package. “If you can manage to cultivate it semi-artificially, I’ll build you an alchemy tower.”

“Deal.” Hilko grinned, but his eyes were already fixed on the moss specimen.

Louis then took out a thick little box from the inside of his cloak, opened it, and revealed a deep purple crystal core about the size of a thumb.

The outer shell of the magic crystal is as smooth as glass, while the inside faintly exudes vortex-like mental fluctuations, as if countless whispers are entangled within it.

He gently placed the crystal core in front of Hilko, his tone calm yet sharp: "This is a magic crystal extracted from the body of the Soul-Eating Lizard Beast."

"How to use this?"

He held up two fingers, looking into Hilko's eyes as he spoke:

"First, the shock bomb, after exploding, can create a strong 'field of fear' in a local area, disrupting the enemy's command system and psychological defenses."

Second, the interrogation device utilizes the hallucinatory properties of illusions to immerse the suspect in their most feared hallucinations. This breaks down their psychological defenses, eliminating the need for torture.

After saying that, Louis said calmly, "This is just the basic use I've come up with. I'll leave the subsequent derivative designs to you."

The bomb-crazed maniac, Hilko, seemed somewhat excited. He licked his lips and looked down at the magic crystal again: "Understood, my lord. Give me a month, and I'll let the entire Northern Territory know what a Red Tide-style terror strike is."

“Research on this is certainly important,” Louis said, changing his tone, “but even more crucial is breeding.”

Hilko was taken aback: "You mean...?"

“I want a sustainable supply of resources.” Louis walked to the window, hands behind his back. “One-off spoils are not the goal of the red tide. What we need is a system.”

"The Shadow Moss and the Soul-Eating Lizard Beast are, respectively, a natural catalyst for mental battle energy and a controllable weapon for mental interference. Originally, they were just a threat."

Now, it must be transformed into a Red Tide territory asset. It must be domesticable, collectable, trainable, and standardized for standardized use.

He turned to look at Hilko: "I want you to assemble a team, bring along alchemists, apothecaries, breeders, and beast tamers who know a bit about mental training, and move to that cave in the northern part of Wheatfield Territory."

“That’s a natural greenhouse, a closed ecosystem with a stable mental environment, and it can even generate its own magical energy fluctuations. It’s currently the most ideal ‘symbiotic magical plant-magical beast research field’ in the Northern Territory.” Louis said expressionlessly. “When you’re renovating the laboratory, you can also turn it into a breeding farm.”

“…Alright then.” Hilko sighed. “Although I don’t like moving, since you specifically asked for it… I’ll treat it as a vacation.”

(End of this chapter)