Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 333 Slaughtering the Fishmen
"Hehehe!" A piercing snicker mingled with the sound of bone spears clashing together.

Several young males were fighting and biting and thrusting in the puddle, their scales flying everywhere.

A merman with algae-covered spines on its back plunged its bone spear into its companion's shoulder, splattering dirty green blood, but was met with screams and cheers from those around it.

On the throne built of decaying rock, the merman chieftain's bone crown on his forehead glowed eerily as he watched the carnage below and chuckled softly.

This was his second favorite form of entertainment; his number one, of course, was slaughtering bipedal apes.

Suddenly, a faint "click" sound came, though it was very faint, it was still caught by the fishman's ear fins.

The leader frowned and was about to turn his head when he saw that the flowing tide in a certain crevice had suddenly become stagnant.

boom! ! !
A mass of muddy, grayish-brown material burst open from deep within the rock crevice, accompanied by muffled thuds and squeezing sounds, and stickily filled the entire passage.

Countless streams of water were instantly blocked, causing the backflow to become turbulent.

At the same time, several locations on the side wall suddenly erupted with a second round of intense heat and light!

The directional magic explosive bomb was ignited.

The rock wall exploded like a volcanic eruption, and mud, phosphorus, bone fragments, and the flesh and blood of the fish-men were all swept into the collapsing torrent!
"Crack!!!"

The chieftain roared in alarm and fury, rushing towards the main passage, only to see rocks constantly falling and the remains of his drowned tribesmen...

He is one of the few individuals in the group who possesses bloodline memories and has intelligence superior to that of ordinary humans. He believes that as long as he gets out, he will have a chance to make a comeback.

So the merman leader, clutching a strange horn, ran wildly toward the cave entrance, trying to escape this hellish scene.
But on the shore at the cave entrance were five Red Tide Knights who had been waiting for a long time.

With a deafening roar, magic explosives and crossbow bolts were fired simultaneously, and flamethrowers swept across the water, burning all the fish that had escaped to ashes.

The moment the merman leader took a step, three slashes of fighting spirit descended in a crisscross pattern through the air.

"puff!"

A string of bloody foam burst from his throat, his crown shattered, and as he fell, the horn in his hand rolled into the tide, where it was kicked away by a knight on the shore.

Elliott stepped forward slowly, twirled his longsword, and severed the head completely.

"ended."

This was a massacre; the remaining fighting after the explosion lasted less than ten minutes.

Outside the cave entrance, a hundred knights had already completed the blockade and mop up the remaining enemies.

The fish-man corpses rose like waves, and the blood spread around the cave entrance, turning into an eerie purplish-black color.

…………

Knights in armor returned by ship, carrying with them the lingering scent of blood and salt.

What they dragged back were the fishman's corpse wrapped in burlap, broken bone armor, and a few remaining magical artifacts.

What's particularly special is a strange bone horn, which is curved like a section of a sea monster's spine, with several circles of unidentified characters at the end, and still trembles slightly with residual warmth.

Inside the main tent at Dawn Ridge, Louis was reviewing the latest project schedule briefing.

Elliott strode in, lightly pounding his chest with his right fist: "Mission accomplished. The merman cave is sealed. The leader has been killed, and over a hundred enemies perished. There were no casualties on our side."

"The supplies have also been brought back." He paused, then waved for two knights behind him to present the spoils of war.

Louis nodded and said calmly, "Well done, clean and efficient."

Everyone's faces lit up with joy.

But Louis showed no sign of triumph: "But this is just the beginning. It's just a small murloc tribe that's the closest one."

He paused for a moment: "But a victory is a victory, and there is a reward."

“Each participant will receive thirty gold coins, distributed according to the roster, and no deductions are permitted.”

The knights were invigorated, their faces beaming with barely suppressed joy.

Thirty gold coins is a huge sum, and it's not just money, but also the lord's affirmation of them.

Hilko, who was standing in the corner, chuckled and leaned in: "I contributed a lot too. If it weren't for the explosives I provided, it wouldn't have been so easy. Lord Louis, I want more money, how about fifty gold coins?"

Louis glanced at him sideways, sighed, and told the knight beside him to give him fifty gold coins.

"Oh my, thank you, my lord!" Hilko immediately beamed and stuffed the bag into his pocket.

Elliott, standing nearby, couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "His monthly salary is much more than that?"

Lambert replied quietly, "More than double, not even counting all the bonuses."

After the bonuses were distributed, the knights returned to their barracks, and the excitement subsided, leaving only Louis and a few guards standing in the command tent.

Louis sat at a makeshift long table made of rough wood, turning something over in his palm.

That was one of the spoils that had just been returned: the Murloc Horn.

It trembled slightly in Louis's palm, as if some untamed wildness still lingered within it.

"It's still moving," Lambert whispered, his hand already unconsciously resting on the hilt of the sword.

“I know,” Louis said casually, but continued toying with the object in his hand.

Louis wasn't afraid that it was some kind of cursed object, because he had learned of its existence in the daily intelligence system a few days ago.

It is a damaged artifact from ancient times used by the fish-men in war rallying ceremonies.

Its function is to strongly attract nearby fish-men in near-shore environments, stimulating their group consciousness and aggression.

Although the fishman tribe was destroyed today, there are still dozens of similar tribes in this sea area.

The real threats are the merfolk royal family in the distant seas, the roaming pirate fleets, and other forces both within and outside the empire.

But this horn is a good thing.

"If we can attract the fishmen to gather, we can lure them ashore. If they do come... they'll be wiped out in the trap we've set."

Louis placed the horn into the sealed box and slowly closed it.

In the short term, he will continue to build a defense system centered on the port.

Taking the initiative? We'll have to wait until the fleet is launched before discussing that.

He stood up, his gaze fixed on the dark coastline: "That day won't be too far off."

…………

Three days after the murloc lair was wiped out, the artisan corps from Red Tide Territory also arrived at Dawn Harbor.

The conference table was placed in the newly renovated makeshift office. The wooden walls were not yet painted, and the wind blowing through the cracks in the walls carried a salty smell.

The room was already full of people.

Louis sat at the top, surrounded by several neatly arranged diagrams.

Without wasting words, he went straight to the point: "With the fishman problem resolved, our port construction should now move to the next stage."

A group of a dozen or so artisans, led by Mike, from Red Tide City, stood to one side.

Louis said, “Dawn Harbor is not just a port. It is to become a node on the sea route and the earliest coastal city in the Red Tide Territory. So from now on, we need to not only dig the harbor basin and build shipyards, but also build warehouses, residential areas, workshops and commercial centers.”

He pointed to several circles on the map on his desk: "The first step is that the storage area and workshop area must take shape within two weeks."

The residential areas must follow suit; first, construct red-tide-style domed structures, and have the first batch of craftsmen move in within half a month.

Mike immediately replied, "The building materials have been transported from Red Tide City, the crane was assembled yesterday, and the track vehicle was tested this morning... If the rain isn't too heavy, we can manage."

"What about manpower?" Louis asked.

“Two hundred and twenty skilled construction workers, plus thirty machinists and seven blacksmiths.” Mike paused for a moment. “They know how to do it, but they still need a clear construction schedule.”

Louis nodded and said, "You have a clear division of labor. The schedule will be posted at the entrance of each work area tomorrow morning. There will be inspections every two days, and rewards and penalties will be issued on time."

He paused, then looked at everyone and emphasized, "This is the first city facing the ocean. Don't build it like a port camp."

Everyone nodded quickly, promising to complete the task.

After the meeting, everyone left, but Louis remained, staring at the port area sketch on the wall as if he were looking at a city that had not yet been built.

…………

The morning mist at the port had not yet completely dissipated, but a group of figures had already gathered on the high ground near the breakwater.

Mike carried a tool bag on his back, held folded blueprints in his left hand, and several flags between his right. He took small steps, but walked quickly.

Behind him were several craftsmen leaders from Red Tide City who had come with him. Each of them carried a measuring rope and a stake hammer, and they talked in hushed tones as they walked.

"This place has a good location, sheltered from the wind."

"The soil is compact, making it easier to lay the foundation."

"A ship unloading point can be set up nearby, and the transshipment route is short."

Reaching the center of the high ground, Mike stopped and waved his hand, saying, "Using this natural rock as a reference point, the western section will be used for storage, and the eastern section will be reserved for a market."

Several craftsmen immediately split up and took action. Some sprinkled stone powder to mark the lines, while others took out flagpoles to measure the distance point by point.

With your feet on the damp soil, rows of zigzag lines gradually outline the region's contours.

Mike looked up towards the harbor basin; the wind was blowing from there, carrying a slightly salty smell.

He casually added, "The warehouse should be as close to the harbor basin as possible for easy unloading. The market should be moved there; it's open and sunny, which will make doing business easier in the future."

The young craftsman standing nearby chuckled: "You've even figured out where their stall will be located?"

“The lord said this isn’t a temporary dock, it’s a city that will stand the test of time.” Mike didn’t even turn his head. “If you’re not smart, go back now.”

After saying that, he stepped into the next plot of land, comparing the slope while muttering to himself, "The drainage here is natural, so we don't need to dig too deep. I'll go back and have the carpentry team prepare the materials according to the red tide warehouse design."

The craftsmen chatted amongst themselves, no longer as reserved as when they first arrived, and even their measurements were accompanied by more relaxed laughter.

…………

In the western section of the port area, the clicking of steam winches echoed continuously.

A thick rock foundation stone was slowly lifted on the sliding rail crane and steadily moved toward the newly designated warehouse foundation.

A bald craftsman sat on the back of the gear transporter, his hands gripping a wooden beam as he slid along the track, a smile unconsciously playing on his lips.

This marks the first time that a sliding rail crane and gear transport vehicle have been used at Shuguang Port, thanks to the new technologies brought by the Chichao Craftsmen Team.

This device was improved by the Red Tide Craftsmen in the main city, and the prototype was based on a sketch drawn by Louis himself.

The rail crane is laid along the ground with rails. The front end of the boom is equipped with a winch and pulley. Driven by a steam rope wheel, it can smoothly send heavy objects dozens of steps away.

The gear transporter is even more ingenious. It uses human power to turn the front axle, which drives the internal gear ratios. With the help of light steam, it can steadily transport the entire rock without the need for dozens of people to pull it together.

“Much lighter than carrying it shoulder to shoulder…” A porter breathed heavily as he watched the crane steadily lower the entire keel-type beam into the marked point. “This thing is a monster.”

“It’s not a monster, it’s technology created by the Red Tide.” The other person smiled and secured the assembly rope hook. “You haven’t seen that monster in the steam workshop. It can turn the hammers of three entire hammer workshops just by burning firewood.”

Around noon, Louis rode his horse to inspect the area.

Just as Mike was about to order the construction of a warehouse wall, he stopped him on the spot.

“This side is too low, too close to the harbor basin.” Louis glanced at the blueprints and spoke slowly. “It must be raised by at least two feet. In winter, the tide flows backward, and with the salt spray, it will at least corrode the wood, and at worst, the bottom will be flooded.”

He opened his notebook and pointed out three problems: "The base should have a double layer of moisture-wicking material, the walls should be made of heat-insulating boards, and the outer layer should be coated with resin. If you don't have the necessary materials, then find Chichao City to make them."

Mike replied in a deep voice, "Understood."

He turned and told people to remove the materials they had just laid, and instructed, "Check everything that has been laid on the foundation, and redo it tonight."

As evening fell, workers replaced the old foundation stones with a new batch and stacked them back in the yard for reorganization.

No one complained; this wasn't a waste of materials and labor, but rather a plan for the future.

On the other side of the eastern section, the reserved area for future residential development has a more relaxed atmosphere than other construction sites.

“This will be a tavern,” Louis said to Mike, standing on a slope. “Next to it will be a bathhouse and a stage. The blueprints will be drawn up by the carpenters, but the location will be decided first.”

To keep people here, you need to provide them with places to eat, drink, bathe, and watch performances.

After nodding, Mike immediately instructed the carpenters to set up markers.

Not far away, a young craftsman, upon hearing that a bathhouse was to be built, grinned and said, "A bathhouse? I thought I'd only ever be able to take hot showers in the main city of Red Tide for the rest of my life."

Someone carved the sun on the warehouse doorposts, and drew two wave patterns below it.

That was the symbol of Dawn Territory, representing the sun and the tides.

Further along the construction fence, several small signs carved from scrap wood were hung, with crookedly written words on them:

"May Gangcheng Anju (a name meaning 'stable and secure')," "May it open soon," "May my family settle here safely"...

These were not part of Louis's arrangements.

It was written by an illiterate worker who had someone else write it and then hung it up. Others saw it and followed suit, writing a few pieces as well.

As time went by, the outline of the residential area became apparent.

Several rudimentary wooden houses were erected one after another, with roofs covered with double-layered moisture-proof wooden shingles, walls coated with resin slurry, and door frames in the style of the Red Tide arch, with dawn patterns carved on the doors.

Mike personally led the craftsmen to inspect the structure, wiping his sweat as he said, "Let's build it according to this standard first, and then build it row by row."

Several young craftsmen carrying wooden planks stopped briefly as they passed by.

They looked at the house with an expression they had never seen before.

"It's somewhat like Red Tide City now..." someone whispered, their tone a little unsteady, as if they couldn't quite believe it.

“I stayed in one of those houses last year; it was warm and cozy in winter,” the other person chuckled.

The pace of construction accelerated significantly afterward, with some people voluntarily staying to work overtime and others sweeping away the sawdust.

As evening fell, a campfire was lit by the harbor. An old craftsman looked up at the nascent dome on the high ground and silently placed a new wooden sign under the fence.

The sign reads, "May the Lord of the Red Tide protect us."

(End of this chapter)