Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 345 New Intelligence and Shadow Valley

When Louis woke up, the usual quiet was not beside him.

He turned his head and saw Emily half asleep, soothing the child against the pillows.

The five-month-old baby didn't cry; instead, it stared at him quietly with its wet eyes, as if contemplating the three great questions of life.

Louis chuckled softly, bent down and kissed Emily's forehead, whispering, "I'll take care of it, you sleep a little longer."

Emily nodded, handed the child to him, snuggled back into her pillow, and quickly drifted back into a light sleep.

Louis picked up the baby, whose tiny body nestled softly in his arms, its chubby fingers clutching his shirt collar with little force but a tight grip.

“You got up even earlier than me.” Louis chuckled softly, held the child, hummed softly, and rocked him to soothe him before raising his hand and making a gesture in the air.

A familiar buzzing sound rang out almost inaudibly, and a semi-transparent light screen unfolded in front of him.

[Daily intelligence update complete]

[1: Duke Raymond is secretly mobilizing his Third Legion without reporting to the capital.]

[2: Kosa Coldtooth, possesses the potential to become a top-tier knight.]

[3: The veteran squad under the "Steel Teeth Mad King" of Beihai is heading to Dawn Harbor to plunder ships and will arrive in fifteen days.]

Louis sat on the edge of the bed, holding the child, and glanced at the first item, his expression calm and unperturbed.

"Another one has arrived," he said casually.

Since the emperor's disappearance, he has read countless intelligence reports on the movements of the imperial high command.

Who will deploy troops, who will expand their forces, and who will form alliances with whom? There are new variables almost every day.

The powder keg of power was already full, just waiting for a spark to fall so it could blow the entire empire to pieces.

However, this time is different.

“Spencer Raymond…” he murmured the name, took out a booklet from the bedside table, and turned to the page about the Duke of Raymond.

The youngest duke in the empire, aged thirty-six, is the current patriarch of the Raymond family. His territory is located between the northern and southeastern provinces. He has a tough and conservative military reputation and is currently aligned with the fourth prince.

Louis then noted at the end of this passage that he had secretly mobilized the forces of his Third Army Corps without reporting to the capital.

"We'll have to deal with each other sooner or later," he said softly.

He underlined the words "troop deployment not reported" with his pen, then closed his notebook and continued reading the next intelligence report.

The second piece of information made him raise an eyebrow and his eyes brighten.

[2: Kosa Coldtooth, preliminary testing indicates he possesses the potential to become a peak knight.]

"Kosa Cold Tooth..."

He remembered the name.

This barbarian boy was one of the first outstanding trainees from the border village to come to Chichao. I had met him just four days ago.

He is tall and has a calm demeanor. He doesn't talk much during training, but he is almost always in the top three in every assessment.

Unexpectedly, he is the second Cavalier with peak potential after Will.

Louis stroked the child's soft hair and pondered for a moment: "Red Tide has finally produced its second peak seedling."

However, he was not too worried about the other party's barbarian identity. Facts had already proven that the Red Tide Territory's system was the most powerful assimilation tool.

“It just takes time,” he said softly. “Let Bruch and Harrom put in more effort, and once he’s integrated, bring him to our side like Wel did, so he can feel the warm glow of the Northern sun.”

Thinking of this, he looked down at the baby in his arms. The little guy was biting his little fist, his eyes rolling around, clearly already fully awake.

"You also felt your father's radiance?" Louis asked him with a smile. "If you were a little older, I would let you try the Bloodstone too."

The baby, of course, couldn't understand, and waved its little hands high, which was quite amusing.

[3: The veteran squad under the "Iron Teeth King" of Beihai is heading to Dawn Harbor to plunder ships and will arrive in fifteen days.]

The third piece of information caused Louis's expression to change slightly, but only for a moment.

"Steel Fang Mad King's veteran squad... has indeed set its sights on us."

He paused for a moment, his gaze becoming deep.

Iron-Toothed King Cavill, the North Sea pirate king known as the "Steel-Toothed Mad King," is one of the most troublesome figures along the northern coast.

Not only were they ferocious and tyrannical, but they were also known for their hundreds of small harassing ships, which roamed the North Sea like a pack of wolves, plundering countless caravans, fishing boats, and isolated ports every year for decades. The Imperial Navy had tried to encircle and suppress them many times, but each time they returned empty-handed.

Once Broken Wave Bay opens to navigation, Dawn Port, as an emerging trade hub, will inevitably become one of the Mad King's top targets.

This time, it was a veteran reconnaissance team under his command that came. Although it may not necessarily mean that he himself is about to take action, it undoubtedly means that the existence of Dawn Harbor has come into the sights of the Black Sail forces.

Louis remained calm, only slightly furrowing his brow.

"But it's just a squadron after all. Even if Cavill really brings the entire fleet to attack, there's no need to be afraid."

"When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it. If they dare to approach, we'll make them understand that Dawn is not their hunting ground."

He stood up and placed the child back in Emily's arms, saying softly, "Tomorrow, I must go to Dawn Harbor."

Emily nodded gently, the baby's little hand still waving in the air, as if still longing for its father's embrace.

The light from outside the window is already bright; a new day has begun.

…………

Before setting off, Louis summoned several core operators separately.

First up is Bradley.

“The autumn harvest season is coming up, and I may not be back. Be careful.” Louis’s gaze swept over the agricultural report spread out on his hand. “Have someone take stock of the yield estimates for farmland in various places in advance, and pay special attention to Wheat Wave Territory.”

Bradley stood to the side, quickly taking notes: "Yes, sir."

“We must start stockpiling winter supplies now,” Louis continued. “Grain, salt, fuel, winter cloth… we’ll prepare the Red Tide supplies in advance. As for supplies for the other territories in the North, we’ll decide when I return.”

Bradley nodded and replied in a deep voice, "Understood, I will personally oversee it."

After explaining everything, Louis then summoned Hamilton.

The young craftsman wore an oil-stained leather apron, and his hair was pressed against his forehead by sweat.

Upon seeing Louis, he nervously rubbed his hands together and said in a low voice, "Sir, that...steam loom...we've already started mass production."

“Very good.” Louis nodded, his eyes showing approval. “You did a good job, Hamilton.”

Hamilton lowered his head shyly: "Actually... actually, Mr. Mike helped me a lot. I... I just modified the drawings..."

Louis smiled and said, "Next, I want you to keep an eye on the direction of power propulsion."

The boy looked up, somewhat hesitantly: "Does it mean... the steamships on land?"

Louis nodded: "But I heard you've encountered a bottleneck with marine steam engines?"

Hamilton scratched his head: "Yes... for ships, the heat output is not enough to drive the propeller, and it will be even harder to push when there is a lot of cargo."

“Then let’s try a ground-first steam car,” Louis suggested. “No need to rush, start with the easy one.” Hamilton’s eyes lit up immediately: “I understand, I… I’ll try to draw up a new plan in the next few days.”

"Don't rush, take it slow. But don't let your train of thought stop."

"Understood, sir!"

Next up is Bruch, who is now in charge of training trainee knights and was recruited by Louis.

The burly Bruch stood ramrod straight as soon as he entered: "Sir, did you summon me for something?"

“From now on, the management of the training camp will be upgraded by one level,” Louis said in a deep voice. “We will focus on three types of people: those who show signs of breaking through, those who are undisciplined, and those who are of barbarian origin.”

“Especially that Sakho.” Louis nodded. “I think he has potential and explosive power. You need to keep an eye on him.”

Bruch frowned: "Sakho? Of barbarian origin."

“So you have to keep an eye on him.” Louis softened his tone. “If a person of barbarian origin is isolated before being accepted, he will instinctively retreat into his tribe’s shell, and then we will never be able to keep him.”

Bruch took a deep breath and nodded emphatically: "I understand, sir. I will arrange for Harrom to assist."

“Hmm,” Louis responded.

Bruch bowed slightly, then turned and withdrew.

Finally, Louis put on his cloak and walked out of the main hall, where the elite entourage waiting outside was already fully prepared.

This team consists of eighteen carefully selected members from the Crimson Tide Knights, fifteen of whom are high-ranking elite knights and three are extraordinary.

Each person is equipped with full combat gear and battlefield magic explosive bombs, moving in unison with the enemy.

A small squad of knights like this could practically roam the entire North.

Louis walked to the door, glanced at them, and nodded slightly: "Let's go."

…………

In the early morning, before the fog had completely dissipated, the outline of Shadow Valley was already faintly visible in front of the knights.

A group of more than ten riders walked slowly along the roadside, with rough stone posts and simple wooden fences along the edge. In the distance, the mountains still retained the old appearance of weathered tombs.

However, the outer sentry posts, traps, and beacons had already transformed it into a secret stronghold of the Red Tide Territory.

Louis stopped his horse and looked down from the high point of the hillside.

The valley entrance is guarded by three lines of defense. Although the exterior is deliberately kept simple, it actually conceals hidden mechanisms.

The outermost area features barricades disguised as old wooden stakes and alarm devices with trigger wires. The middle area conceals multiple underground magic explosive traps, capable of targeting large numbers of enemies.

Two carefully selected patrol knights are stationed in the inner circle. They take turns frequently and their routes intersect, making them able to detect any unusual activity immediately.

"It's a bit more organized than before," he commented in a low voice. Before his attendants could announce his arrival, light footsteps could be heard at the entrance of the Shadow Valley camp.

Arlian arrived quickly, cloaked and travel-worn, but his face was full of excitement.

The head of Shadow Valley and one of the earliest loyal followers of Crimson Tide Territory bowed respectfully: "Lord Louis, I did not expect you to come in person today."

“Just passing by.” Louis dismounted and tucked his gloves into his belt. “How are your recent promotions going?”

"The report is as follows." Arian pulled out a brief booklet from his cloak. "In the past three weeks, three people have broken through to become extraordinary knights, and seventeen people have broken through to become elite knights."

One of them had suffered a mental breakdown during the low-temperature sensing trial, but after we adjusted the pace and potion ratio, he participated again and successfully advanced.

He spoke slowly, but his words carried a certain confidence, clearly indicating that he was very satisfied with the current process.

Louis flipped through the roster and nodded in satisfaction.

Breaking through to the extraordinary level is no easy feat; most elite knights, even if they spend their entire lives, fail to cross that threshold.

But in this Shadow Valley, three people have succeeded in just one month, a feat that is unique in the entire empire.

Not to mention the many certificates awarded for successful promotion to elite positions, each representing future potential.

Among these people, there will always be a few who will truly grow into the backbone of the red tide, and they will surely remember who gave them this opportunity.

True loyalty is not won through oaths, but through faith and gratitude for changing one's destiny.

And these knights, forged in the fire, will one day repay this loyalty, even with their lives.

Louis thought to himself, "It seems that this spiritual forge is indeed worth investing so many resources and manpower in."

Arlian tentatively suggested, "If you have time, I suggest you take a look at the latest round of training at the altar yourself... The procedures have been adjusted again since your last visit."

Louis laughed and said, "I have this plan, and it just so happens that Will is also trying to break through this time."

“Will?” Arian was taken aback, then looked at the silent young guard in surprise. “Has he reached the breaking point?”

"Almost." Will scratched his head a little embarrassedly. "Actually... it was just a little bit short, but I was too embarrassed to say it."

“That’s really…” Arian rarely showed a surprised expression. “To be so young and already stepping into the extraordinary realm, you are the first among the Red Tide group to do so.”

Louis patted Will on the shoulder: "He's no worse than anyone else. Let's take this opportunity to see the actual results of the mental forge."

“Understood.” Arian’s smile turned serious. “I will take you there now.”

Arlian personally led the way, and Louis and his party entered several core areas one by one.

First is the Shadow Moss Cultivation Room.

In a semi-enclosed greenhouse, three types of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum* were meticulously planted in separate zones.

The catalytic type is used for breakthrough drug purification, the anti-hallucinogenic type is used for fumigation protection, and the focus type is the key raw material for "psychic shock bombs".

Several pharmacists are sealing the extracted viscous liquid into transparent medicine bottles and then packing them into wooden boxes labeled with batch numbers.

Louis approached to observe, picked up a bottle of medicine, and shook it lightly in the light.

The color is deep and the concentration is uniform, indicating that it is of excellent quality.

“Very good.” He nodded softly, his expression amiable. “This batch of catalysts turned out quite well.”

Arian replied with a smile, "After we adjusted the formula to a more stable range, the yield rate increased by nearly 10%."

They then entered the lizard-controlled area.

Inside the spacious cave, two Soul-Eating Lizard Beasts, each equipped with a control device, were undergoing mind control training.

One of them growled and released a shockwave, while several knight cadets observed the interference range and waveform distribution from behind.

Finally, they arrived at the central altar area, the Willpower Breakthrough Training Room.

In the center of the stone-structured domed rotunda, a low-temperature crystal platform stood silently, surrounded by magical energy conduits and protective runes, where several auxiliary knights were conducting preliminary checks.

Louis stood by the threshold, looked around for a moment, and sighed softly, "It's really not easy to transform a pile of wasteland into what it is now."

He turned to look at Arlian and smiled, "The overall process is very mature. You've done a great job."

"Thank you for your trust, sir." Arian softened his tone and bowed slightly.

Louis patted Will on the shoulder, his tone gentle yet expectant: "Go in, we all have high hopes for you."

(End of this chapter)