Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 270 Steam Engines and Knight Special Forces
After the meeting on the new weapons concluded, Louis did not immediately leave the workshop area.

Guided by Mike, he quietly bypassed the crowd outside, passed through a rusty corridor, and entered a secret workshop hidden behind the Red Tide Forge.

In the center of the workshop stands a uniquely shaped device.

A cylindrical iron can, about two meters tall, occupies the central space of the room.

The outer shell is cast from a metal alloy of cold iron and alchemical copper, and is coated with black heat-resistant paint. It does not look refined, and even the seams are covered with a thick layer of alchemical putty to prevent leaks. It is rough but full of a primitive industrial power.

“This is the ‘steam-powered machine’ you mentioned before.” Mike patted the tin can with a hint of pride. “We call it ‘Tin Can Number One’.”

Louis looked at it, a flash of realization crossing his eyes.

That was a casual conversation several months ago.

He casually mentioned the steam engine from Earth's memory, but he didn't know the specific structure of the steam engine; he was just talking off the cuff.

But to everyone's surprise, Mike actually turned it from a concept into reality.

Even though this thing in front of us is just a strange jar, it already symbolizes a completely different path of development for this world.

Louis smiled and nodded: "...Let's give it a try."

Mike immediately called over several craftsmen.

The two first opened the bottom furnace door and used an iron shovel to remove the remaining ash.

Then, carefully stuff the fuel bricks refined from the Qi vein stone into the bottom of the furnace, lay down dry firewood and ventilation straw, and finally sprinkle a pinch of red phosphorus powder on top.

"Whoosh—!" Flames with blue edges shot up instantly, and the furnace temperature rose rapidly.

Another craftsman brought over a bucket of clean water and poured it into the water storage tank on the side of the iron can.

At the same time, the young apprentice stepped on the blower, and hot air was poured into the furnace. With a "boom", the flames surged like a dragon.

While checking the equipment status with a handwritten list, Mike called out instructions: "Main valve locked, lubricating oil normal, flywheel clips are fine, piston guide rails have no cracks!"

He also personally walked around "Iron Can No. 1" to confirm that there were no abnormal vibrations.

With his command, a burst of high-pressure white steam hissed out.

The craftsmen worked together to turn the flywheel, and the piston began to slowly reciprocate, driving the flywheel.
“Boom…Boom…Boom”

The pace gradually quickened, like a steel heart awakening.

The main control valve slowly opened to the second mark, followed by a muffled "bang!"

The piston thrust forward suddenly, steam rushed in, and the whole machine began to operate regularly.

"Click, click, hiss—" Amidst the metallic clanging sound, the belt slowly raised and lowered the connecting heavy hammer arm, and the air was filled with the smell of coal coke and metallic steam.

As sunlight streamed through the gaps in the workshop, the wisp of white vapor seemed to drape the entire room in a light veil.

People stared at the roaring machine, their faces showing surprise and curiosity.

It didn't shimmer with magical light, nor did it display arrays of runes or echoing spells; only the clanging of metal and the roar of steam filled the air. But it was precisely this composure, this pure power, that gave them a strange and wondrous sense of awe.

However, this "magic" only goes as far as it can go.

In this world where magic abounds and miracles happen frequently, heat-powered machines alone are not enough to amaze people to the point of disbelief.

After all, compared to those flying magical beasts and magical floating towers, this thing is at most just a "moving iron bucket".

For a moment, the craftsmen looked at each other, unsure of how to comment.

Finally, an older blacksmith mustered up his courage and asked, "My lord... what is this thing for?"

Louis looked around, raised his hand and lightly tapped the heavy metal shell of the tin can. The sound was deep and resonant, as if setting the tone for the declaration that was about to begin.

“What you’re seeing is more than just this machine,” he said calmly. “Today, it’s just turning a flywheel.”

But tomorrow, it will be able to drive the hammer, push the axle, and pull an entire freight train. And it will not tire, will not fear wind and snow, will not need feeding, and will not rely on magic.

As he spoke, he pointed to a pile of old wooden wheels in the corner of the workshop:
"One day, you will see that the vehicles running on the roads will no longer be horse-drawn convoys, but 'iron beasts' that roll on them. Future armored vehicles and transport convoys will all be driven by built-in steam engines."

Before he could finish speaking, Bradley, his eyes gleaming, continued, "If we could mass-produce it... even if it's only used in the workshop, the production capacity could increase several times over!"

A blacksmith hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Then... can we attach it to the forging hammer? Wouldn't that mean we wouldn't have to hammer it with our arms anymore?"

Louis smiled slightly and nodded: "This is exactly the first step I intend to take, to make the steam engine the power core of the workshop."

The moment the words left his mouth, the craftsmen erupted in chaos.

"If we could power the loom, the weavers wouldn't have to pedal all day!"

"From now on, I won't have to exert myself so much when forging iron!"

"If we could equip the wooden cart with this... wouldn't that allow us to create a war chariot that can move on its own?"

A crowd gathered around the tin can, excitedly watching the flywheel spin, as if they were looking at a timeless artifact.

Even in a world with magic, they were still deeply attracted by this "magic-free" power.

Even the usually aloof Hilko showed a rare look of surprise, and whispered, "Strange... This is completely driven by heat energy, without any flow of magic. This kind of mechanical method... is truly rare."

He bent down and carefully observed the details of the iron can's flywheel turning, as if he were looking at an unfathomable otherworldly artifact.

In this extraordinary world, various magical devices do indeed exist.

Powered by magical cores and combining alchemy with rune arrays, they are incredibly powerful and versatile. However, their fatal flaws are their high cost, scarcity, and difficulty in maintenance.

These magical artifacts are often made by high-level mages, the core materials are extremely scarce, and maintenance requires professional mages. Each one is a "custom-made" item and is difficult to replicate on a large scale.

Even a simple magic-powered machine can stop working due to insufficient mana supply.

The steam engine, however, is different.

It doesn't need magic; it only needs to burn ordinary fuels like charcoal and coal to release enormous amounts of heat to power the machine.

The structure is made of iron, copper, and wood, and any blacksmith workshop can build and mass-produce it according to the design.

As long as there is enough water and fuel, it can operate day and night, undeterred by the cold winter and tireless.

More importantly, it belongs to ordinary people. Any craftsman who can read and write can operate and repair it with simple training, without relying on sorcerers or being suppressed by nobles.

Furthermore, a single steam engine can replace dozens of laborers; it can pull forging hammers, drive wheels, propel water pumps, and power looms.

Even in the future, they will build an entire industrial metropolis that can function without magic.

Looking at the increasingly enthusiastic gazes in the workshop, Louis already had his answer: the steam engine wasn't more "magical" than magic, but it was more replicable and more suitable for this territory. This would be the true starting point for Red Tide Territory's technological independence, even if it wasn't yet fully mature.

He turned his gaze to Mike, a satisfied smile spreading across his face: "You've done a great job. Keep working on making it complete."

“Yes!” Mike immediately agreed, then chuckled, “This isn’t my doing.”

He shoved a boy of about ten years old from behind him forward.

“It was him, Hamilton. This kid is smarter than any of us; he was the one who first sketched out many of the actuarial structures.”

Louis looked down and saw that it was the genius mentioned by the intelligence system.

Hamilton blushed and whispered, "It was just... a small contribution."

Louis smiled and nodded: "No, it's already quite remarkable to have such talent at such a young age."

As he spoke, he turned to Hilko and said, "I think this child has quite a bit of talent. If you don't mind, would you like to take him on as a half-apprentice?"

Hilko blinked, a little taken aback.

"Me? Alchemy?... Ah... Of course. But whether he can learn it or not depends on whether his brain is sharp enough."

Louis turned to Hamilton, leaned down, and asked, "Would you like to learn?"

Hamilton glanced at Mike.

Mike slapped him on the back of the head: "What are you standing there for? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, quickly thank the lord and Lord Hilko!"

"Thank you, Lord Louis! Thank you, Lord Hillco!" Hamilton bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly.

…………

After leaving the artisan district, Louis went straight to the Red Tide Territory's administrative building. He had more important matters to attend to.

At the appointed time, he entered the War Affairs Hall. The Red Tide Knights' insignia and battle record were displayed on the walls. The atmosphere inside was solemn, and Lambert and the commanders of the various divisions had been waiting for some time.

Upon seeing Louis and Bradley arrive together, everyone immediately stood up and bowed, their eyes filled with respect and tension.

“Three months have passed, and I’d like to hear about your new achievements.” Louis stopped, his tone calm.

Lambert stepped forward, standing ramrod straight, his tone calm: "Reporting to the Lord, the three branches of the Crimson Tide Knights have been fully reorganized, and each currently maintains a strength of four hundred to four hundred and fifty people."

The Red Tide headquarters battle group has maintained a stable strength of over five hundred members and has established a coordinated combat mechanism. All knights undergo daily tactical drills and rotation assessments, resulting in a significant improvement in combat teamwork and adaptability.

He paused for a moment, then continued, "In addition, the merit list system has been implemented throughout the regiment. Every mission and every victory is recorded and evaluated, with clear rewards and punishments. Morale in the battalion is at an all-time high, and the number of people volunteering for battle has increased significantly."

As soon as he finished speaking, Louis nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

Lambert continued his report at a slow pace: "In accordance with your strategic plan, the Red Tide Knights have begun to establish multiple special combat units to carry out key missions such as reconnaissance, raids, and fire suppression."

He first revealed the first scroll blueprint: "Frostfield Wolf Riders, now incorporated into the 'Frost Howl Group'. Their mounts are giant snowfield wolves tamed in the territory, faster than warhorses, capable of traversing snow-covered forests and mountain paths."

Equipped with light carbines and folding wooden and iron barricades, they possess highly mobile blocking and counter-insurgency capabilities. Their primary missions are rapid raids on enemy camps and decapitation strikes against command posts.

Those giant snow wolves were cubs that Louis had personally captured.

Today, they have grown into fierce beasts with menacing fangs, and through domestication and breeding, they have even spawned new wolf packs.

Louis did not tame the largest and fiercest wolf, "Cold Front," as his personal mount.

It's not because I can't handle it, but... it's just too uncomfortable.

The back of a wolf lacks the support and stability of a horse's back, and the bumpy ride while running is so bad it almost ruins your buttocks.

He simply appointed Leng Feng as the wolf leader of the entire wolf rider battle group, leading his offspring to charge and kill the enemy, which proved to be more effective.

After all, speed, lethality, and obedience are what the battlefield truly needs.

Lambert unfolded the second set of blueprints: "Flame Breath Group. Flamethrower Knights, using a modified backpack alchemical flamethrower, fueled by flint oil and fire scale paste, capable of creating a continuous wall of fire over short distances."

Originally designed to counter the Mother Nest, these weapons have now been adapted for human-to-human tactics, specifically for breaking through enemy shield formations, clearing obstacles, and burning barbarian siege weapons.

And the Crimson Frost Group. The Magic Bomb Knights are equipped with shoulder-mounted short-range launchers that fire magic bombs with both penetrating and explosive effects, making them particularly effective against large enemy formations and monster hordes.

Initial deployment has been completed, and mass production is on track, addressing the Red Tide Army's biggest weakness in firepower support.

He looked up at Louis: "The above three groups are the current special combat formations, and two other groups are still under training."

Louis nodded repeatedly, his eyes clearly showing great satisfaction.

These special forces units are the core of the tactical reforms he conceived and promoted, and they are now beginning to show results.

Lambert then reported on the key achievements of the reforms: "Special forces and main combat units have completed multiple rounds of live-fire exercises."

In the simulation of barbarian charge formations, the average time to complete the defeat mission is only half that of the original time, and the efficiency of coordinated combat is significantly improved.

The battle merit ranking and reward system have sparked a strong sense of internal competition. Currently, thirteen knights have qualified to guard border fortresses and are willing to stay and support themselves.

Regarding new equipment, there is a sufficient supply of Cold Iron weapons, flamethrowers have been adapted for use by knight units, and the production of magic explosives is currently stable at thirty per week, entering practical use.

After listening, Louis said with certainty, "Very good. The Knights of Red Tide Territory are becoming the sharpest blade in the North."

The knights were immediately struck by these words, their expressions filled with excitement and pride.

Some people unconsciously straightened their backs, while others clenched their fists, their boots clicking softly on the ground.

This is not just a simple compliment, but a recognition, an affirmation from the great lord himself. Their efforts, training, wounds and sweat have not been in vain.

A young knight murmured, "The sharpest blade in the North..."

Some people had burning eyes, as if they could already foresee the day when they would be charging into battle and achieving great feats.

Louis leaned forward slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room: "Next step—"

His tone was deep and steady yet full of power: "We will work with the Craftsmen's Department to advance the practical deployment of the Ironclad Beast combat vehicle, as well as the formation plan for the Archer Knights with crossbows and magic arrows."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over Lambert and several officers: "In addition, send a small cavalry squad to Wheatfield Territory to capture the Iron Bull. It is the ideal power core for our 'Ironclad Beasts'."

A slight commotion arose in the hall. Everyone present had heard of that ferocious beast, yet no one flinched.

"Finally, prepare for a realistic border clearing exercise. Next quarter, I want to see your new tactics, special operations units, and armed reforms all implemented on a real battlefield. Can you do that?!"

The knights and generals roared in unison, "Yes, sir!!!"

(End of this chapter)