Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 343 A Promising Knight
An hour later, the training session ended.

Bruch walked past each of the squads, leaving brief comments.

When he approached Kosa, he simply said, "You are very talented."

Kosa remembered this one sentence perfectly.

That night, he sat on his bed in the dormitory, his wrist still aching slightly, but he didn't frown anymore.

Red Tide didn't treat him differently just because he was a barbarian. They taught him real skills, trained him in real fighting techniques, and even their punishments were genuine.

This is a place that truly respects the rules.

And he actually started... wanting to become a part of these rules.

Kosa took out the book "Red Tide Knight Promotion Regulations" from the cloth bag beside the bed.

They were given out during their first discipline class, one copy for each person. He didn't take it seriously at first, thinking it was just the clichés and regulations of the Empire.

He turned to the first page, where each rule was clearly numbered, with no superfluous words or ambiguity.

All sons of military households can apply for promotion based on their actual combat merits.

Those who complete the two-year training camp course and pass the final assessment will be considered qualified and may be included in the Red Tide Knights list.

Those with outstanding performance may be recommended to enter the command system and serve as junior officers, assistant civil servants, or special envoys stationed abroad.

Under the Red Tide Law, all registered individuals enjoy the same legal protection, regardless of their origin, tribe, or place of origin.

Kosa read very slowly, line by line, as if confirming some kind of answer.

He remembered his father's words before he left: "Forget the past, and you will be a Chichao person."

At the time, he didn't think much of it, believing it was just a compromise made by an old man who had given up his tribal pride.

But now... if the rules are real, if promotions are public, if hard work can really make him a real officer.

Then he is not a hostage stripped of everything, but rather taking the first step on a completely new path.

“Regardless of background,” he murmured, almost unconsciously, “then I have a chance too…”

Even starting from scratch, even with barbarian blood, one can become a member of this city.

He suddenly realized that his father was not surrendering, but pushing him to another battlefield where there was a chance.

Training begins at six o'clock every morning.

Even the warm houses and geothermal heating in Red Tide City couldn't change the chill of this snowy land.

Especially on the training ground, where frost forms on the frozen ground, the echoes of weapons striking each other are particularly clear in the morning air.

Kosa was always the first to arrive, never late, and never perfunctory.

He swung his sword more frequently than others, ran laps faster than others, and refused to stop prematurely even when his arms trembled while practicing his fighting spirit.

He was neither the only intelligent person nor the only barbarian boy on whom hopes were pinned.

But he didn't want to simply blend in with the Red Tide.

He wanted to become the strongest, not by relying on anyone's favoritism or his father's instructions, but by climbing the city's ladder step by step on his own.

Kosa doesn't make harsh statements or like to show off, but in every combat skills test, his performance has never fallen out of the top three.

In the first live-fire exercise, he led his team to a complete victory. In the second combat assessment, he single-handedly defeated two Imperial teenagers who joined forces. By the third time, even all the instructors remembered his name.

On a rest day, Kosa and four other outstanding trainees from the border guard villages were taken to the Red Tide government office.

This was the first time they had been allowed inside the high-rise building, which was made of gray stone and dark gold.

The spotless floor tiles and the wooden doors with copper rivets exude a sense of oppression, yet it's hard to pinpoint where that pressure comes from.

They stood in a line, with Khosa at the very end.

He had expected an official to offer some encouragement or a lecture, but to his surprise, the legendary Red Tide Lord actually appeared before them in person.

Louis was dressed in a gray casual suit with a Red Tide badge pinned to his chest.

He didn't stand on the platform, but simply stood quietly in front of them: "Thank you for your hard work."

How have you been these past few days? Is the house warm enough? Have you been eating enough?

He didn't immediately talk about ideals or systems, nor did he first ask about their loyalty.

Instead, they care about the most basic things.

The teenagers in the audience looked at each other, some shy, some grinning, some with their heads down and not saying a word.

After a moment, a barbarian boy answered in a low voice, "It's very warm."

"The food was... quite delicious."

Another person nodded in agreement, their voice even softer: "It's just that the instructors are too fierce."

Bruch's face darkened, while everyone else laughed, knowing it was a joke.

Louis smiled and said, "That's just his face. Even I don't dare to mess with him when he's not smiling."

The atmosphere gradually relaxed, and several teenagers chuckled softly. Even those who had been standing ramrod straight at first unconsciously relaxed a little.

Louis slowly suppressed his smile, and his tone became more serious: "I know that some people came voluntarily, and some were persuaded to come."

Perhaps you're still wondering whether you've come here as hostages or to exchange for food.

He looked around and said seriously:

"But I want to tell you, no, you came here not for anyone, not for the tribe, and not to please the Empire."

It's for yourselves, for a better future for yourselves, and so that your families won't go hungry in the winter.

In the Red Tide, regardless of origin or surname, only one thing determines your status: hard work.

Whoever trains the hardest and gets the best grades will go the furthest.

You can return to your villages in three years, bringing with you knowledge and power, and become overseers, or you can stay and become members of the Red Tide, becoming knights, craftsmen, or civil officials.

Every path is open, there are no limits, but how far you go is up to you.

He paused for a moment before finally saying, "Red Tide doesn't support lazy people, but it never lets down someone who is willing to work hard."

The boys looked at each other, seemingly understanding but not quite, and remained silent for a while.

Some people were pointing to their toes with their heads down, while others' lips twitched as if they wanted to say something but held back.

The youngest one reacted most directly, whispering, "I... I will try my best."

Immediately afterward, another older boy next to him nodded: "We won't let the adults down."

They spoke clumsily, even with some stuttering, but compared to the wary and reserved look they had when they first entered the city, their eyes now held a certain light.

Kosa stood at the back of the crowd, looking at the short figure in front of him, and felt a slight warmth in his heart.

If you really put in the effort to practice, you can truly live a different life.

Kosa wasn't sure how far he could go, but he was certain he wanted to give it a try.

Just then, a gentle female voice rang in Kosa's ear.

The boys instinctively turned their heads to look.

She was a young woman, standing tall and elegant on one side of the government building, dressed in distinctive attire. Her long dress, in the style of the Crimson Tide, was faintly embroidered with barbarian totem patterns, and she wore a silver feather amulet at her waist.

His long, silvery-white hair and high nose made him instantly recognizable to almost every boy from the snowy plains.

Sif, the princess of the Cold Moon tribe.

The names from the tribal legends of yesteryear now stand in the government hall, looking at them with gentle expressions.

Her gaze swept over everyone, her tone gentle: "I was once one of you, born into a tribe, and never imagined I would be standing here one day."

I know that when you first arrived in this city, you must have felt a lot of anxiety, confusion, and perhaps even resentment.

But you don't need to rush to change anything. As long as you're willing to learn and keep going, there will always be a place for you here.

She paused for a moment, her eyes serious: "The Red Tide will not look down on you just because you are a barbarian, nor will it deprive you of the future you deserve just because you are of tribal origin."

If you encounter any unfair treatment in Red Tide, you can come directly to me.

No one should be inherently inferior here.

These words, though seemingly insignificant, were like a pebble dropped into a lake, stirring the emotions of every young person.

Kosa stood in the crowd, looking at that familiar yet unfamiliar figure, and suddenly found himself speechless.

He didn't shout slogans or make any loud statements.

He simply lowered his head slowly, tapped his heart with his right hand, and placed his left hand on his chest, performing an old salute belonging to the barbarians.

Several boys followed suit, as this was the highest form of respect shown to the barbarian princess.

After the boys left, the room fell into a brief silence.

Louis stood by the window, watching the departing figures: "What do you think of those people?"

“He has potential.” Bruch put his hands behind his back. “Especially that Kosa, his training record is the most stable, his combat skills are corrected quickly, and his battle aura runs the most steadily. He has the potential to advance to the extraordinary level.”

Harom nodded in agreement: "They basically get up on their own, tidy up their belongings, and follow the schedule. I had them try mentoring the new trainees, and they did quite well."

Louis gave a soft "hmm," then turned around to look at the two of them:

"Select a few key individuals for focused training and provide them with targeted guidance. Add a basic course on government affairs to their curriculum and give them an opportunity to conduct on-site patrols during their training."

If they persevere, they could become captains, instructors, or even the next Harom.

Bruch raised an eyebrow: "...Are you planning to put them in the government office?"

“I’d like to give it a try,” Louis said, looking at him. “But only if they are loyal to the Red Tide. Not just in words, but in the kind of loyalty that they won’t hesitate or waver when it comes to the crucial moment.”

Sif, who had been silent until now, walked over and added softly, "Then you have to let them know that the Red Tide will accept them, not just as tools or experimental subjects."

Her tone was calm, yet it seemed to fill in the gaps that Louis hadn't said aloud.

Harrom and Bruch quickly replied, "Yes, sir."

Louis casually picked up a booklet recording training camp attendance and asked, "Bruch, besides these barbarian trainees, what about the overall training of the other apprentice knights?"

Bruch was prepared. He took out a list from his pouch and respectfully handed it over: "Just compiled, sir."

"According to the Bloodstone test, as of this month this year, a total of 139 eligible teenagers in the entire Red Tide territory, including newly joined knight descendants and some refugee children, have been confirmed to have knight blood."

"Of them, thirty-four have successfully entered the beginner level of battle aura and have been listed as junior apprentice knights. The rest are undergoing basic training."

Louis nodded: "...Steady progress, without forcing things, right?"

“No,” Bruch answered crisply. “All training is tiered according to progress. For those who are progressing slowly, we have arranged intensive accommodation and evening classes.”

Harrom added from the side, "There are also several children from knightly families who have performed well... but they don't receive any preferential treatment. They are treated the same as commoners and vagrants."

Upon hearing this, Louis raised his eyes and looked at him: "Let them know that advancement depends on ability, not surname."

Sif glanced at him, but didn't say anything, only nodded slightly.

Bruch clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Understood."

Louis closed the roster in his hand and said calmly, "Keep it up."

After Bruch and Harrom took their leave, the study fell silent for a moment.

Louis sat at the table and reopened the training camp roster. He drew a red line under two names in the roster; these two were the talents with extraordinary potential identified by the daily intelligence system.

He raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly and tapped the pages lightly with his fingertips.

From the day he stepped into the North, he knew that he could not change the situation by himself alone.

Continuously train trainee knights and promote new forces who are truly loyal to the Red Tide.

This is the most basic and indispensable bargaining chip in this era.

After all, knights are the ones who truly decide the fate of the battlefield in this world.

Even though the Red Tide now possesses new weapons such as the Magic Bomb, those weapons are ultimately just means to an end.

Ultimately, it is humans who can operate them.

In this world dominated by fighting spirit and the extraordinary, knights are the most skilled weapon users.

No matter how calm the North may appear, the skies above the Empire have begun to darken.

Over the past two months, the daily intelligence system has been reporting increasingly frequent "keywords" related to the capital: military factions, church funding flows, princes secretly summoning knights, unusual motions in the council...

These things are happening, and they will likely end in a cataclysmic upheaval even larger than that in the North.

"If I can remain unscathed, that would be best," he muttered to himself, "but if I can't..."

Therefore, red tides must also have the right to protect themselves.

His gaze swept over the list, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

In recent years, there has been more than one exceptional talent like this who has been selected for the roster.

Even though it's just in its early stages, it already represents that the red tide is gradually developing its own "foundation".

Suddenly, he thought of something and turned to look at his personal bodyguard, Wel, who was standing to the side. Wel was the only potential peak knight.

"What state are you in now?"

Will seemed not to have reacted yet, and hesitated for a moment: "Are you asking me, sir?"

"Ah."

Will looked a little awkward and whispered, "High-level Elite Knight, almost at the limit... It feels like one more step and I'll be at the extraordinary level."

“You should have said so sooner.” Louis raised an eyebrow.

"I...you've been so busy lately, so I was thinking of waiting a bit."

“You’re really too honest.” Louis shook his head with a chuckle.

"But let's not delay any longer, come with me to the Shadow Trial Grounds."

Will was taken aback: "Sir, are you going?"

"Yes, on the way to Dawn Harbor, I'll stop by and check on the results."

Will straightened up: "Yes, sir."

(End of this chapter)