Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 372 Dawn Fleet Arrives
The sea was shrouded in a thin layer of mist in the early morning, and the mist shimmered with golden light in the sunlight.

The nine warships, like nine silent steel behemoths, moved slowly forward on the waves.

The Dawn-class escort ships led the way, with the Morning Star and Tide Star flanking them on either side, and the rest of the Dawn-class escort ships following closely behind, forming a formation so tight it resembled a moving city wall.

The gilded Red Tide emblem on the bow gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting a dazzling light like a burning sun.

On deck, the sailors moved about with measured steps, holding the ropes in their hands.

They wore windproof coats in the style of the Red Tide, the brass buttons on their chests gleaming in the sea fog.

Some were adjusting signal flags at the masthead, while others were wiping the railings on the deck. They laughed and passed each other water, discussing whether their lunch bread would have a little more butter.

An apprentice in the kitchen was carrying a bucket of food when someone teased him, "Kid, don't make the soup too bland today."

The apprentice scratched his head and smiled, replying, "No problem."

The sailors would take turns resting; some would doze off against the barrels, some would gather together to roll dice, and others would hum old songs from the North.

Even at sea, they still followed the rules, patrolling at midnight, changing sails twice a day, and reporting wind direction and currents daily.

No one was lazy, and no one complained.

“This ship is truly reassuring,” an old sailor chuckled. “Back in the days on Imperial ships, whether we survived to reach the next port was a matter of fate.”

"Thank you, Lord Louis," the old sailor next to him grinned.

Both of them were veteran sailors recruited by Dawn Harbor. They originally thought that ships in the North would be unreliable, but they never expected that it would be the most reassuring ship they had ever been on.

The wooden planks of the deck creaked softly beneath their feet, weaving a gentle yet reassuring symphony of sailing with the sounds of the wind and waves.

On the other side, Arwin Set stood on the observation platform, wearing a long trench coat in the style of the Red Tide, with metal shoulder guards gleaming in the light.

He was the commander-in-chief of the Dawn Fleet. Born in the southeastern province of the empire, he served on the ships of the Calvin family in his early years. Later, after offending powerful figures, he became a knight under Louis and was one of the first Red Tide Knights.

Arriving in the North, I thought it was a dead end, but I never expected to live a life of luxury under Louis's command.

Even after rising from a regular knight to a high-ranking elite knight over the years, he has now volunteered to serve as the overall commander of the fleet for this long voyage.

For him, this voyage was almost a triumphant return home.

Alwin squinted, his gaze passing through the thin mist, fixed on the distant, awakening figure on the land.

The sea breeze brushed against his face, carrying a faint salty and warm scent.

"That's the spire of Port Veroo!" the lookout suddenly shouted.

After a moment of silence, the entire ship erupted in cheers.

"We've arrived in the Southeast Province!" "We can see the port!"

The crew members rushed onto the deck, gazing at the city that was gradually coming into focus.

In the distance, towers stand tall in the morning light, flags flutter in the wind, and the port lighthouse twinkles like stars.

"It only took us a little over two months to get from the North... We really did it!" A helmsman shouted excitedly, almost hoarse.

A round of applause erupted on the deck, and someone blew a horn. The sound, like a victory proclamation, traveled across the sea breeze to every warship in the fleet.

The Dawn responded by sounding its horn, followed by a deep echo from the Tide.

The horns of the nine warships rose and fell in succession, creating a magnificent naval symphony.

The waves rolled beneath the ships, yet the convoy maintained perfect formation and moved forward at full speed.

Arwen looked down at all of this, a slight smile playing on his lips, a smile that held a sigh of relief at surviving a catastrophe.

Along the way, I have survived several near-death experiences, and looking back now, I still feel lingering fear.

It was the twelfth day of the voyage, a stormy night. The wind was like tearing apart, and the waves were so high they could overturn the sky.

The Dawn rose and fell in the raging waves, its deck battered by the rain like the ice of the North.

The sailors could barely see each other's faces, yet they still acted according to the rules—a scene they had rehearsed in the North.

The storm raged for three nights and three days, and they survived by relying on every rule of the "Twelve Laws of Navigation".

When the storm passed, the sea was deathly still. Alwin looked at the fleet breaking through the waves and murmured, "If it were an ordinary Imperial ship, it would probably have been completely wiped out tonight."

The second thrill was in the sea of ​​dense fog.

That night, the sea was as still as a tomb, the fog was so thick that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, the fleet was scattered, and a cargo ship veered off course.

The signal lights on the masthead of the Dawn ship lit up, and the alchemical siren hummed in the darkness. This was a new technology from Red Tide that allowed ships to respond in the fog as if they had a heartbeat.

Guided by sound waves, Alwin gradually approached, listening to the echoes.

When the lost ship reappeared, the entire ship erupted in cheers that had been suppressed for a long time.

The third close call was the sudden pirate attack.

That afternoon, the sky was deathly pale, and a group of speedboats flying black flags burst out from the sea fog on the side, like a group of sharks smelling blood.

Before Alwin could even speak, the Dawn's secondary guns had already changed direction.

The cannons roared, the deck shook, and flames and smoke exploded in an instant.

The Red Tide's warships were like cold iron walls, their cannon fire drawing neat arcs, tearing the pirate ships into pieces.

The Dawn and Tide quickly surrounded the enemy with such precision that it was like a drill. In less than half a quarter of an hour, only floating wreckage remained on the sea.

Alwin remembered the terrified cries of the pirates, who had thought they were going to hunt merchant ships, but instead encountered a naval legion.

The Red Tide Fleet swept through the area with overwhelming force, completely disregarding these small-time sea pirates.

As Alwin gazed at the white smoke rising from the cannon muzzle, a surge of respect welled up within him.

The North has never had a port not only because of the lack of suitable terrain, but also because of its strange seas and rampant piracy. Now, thanks to the weapons designed and the systems established by that lord, they have managed to get through this safely.

The other peaceful days, seemingly uneventful, best illustrate the power of the red tide.

The ship strictly adhered to the "Red Tide Voyage Guide," with third-class cabin duty shifts, food and ration distribution, and nighttime prayers for safety—everything was in perfect order.

The sea breeze was biting cold at night, but the sailors could still drink their soup with smiles.

There was no theft, no fighting, and even the sick could take turns doing light work.

An old sailor leaned against the gunwale and sighed, "On Red Tide's ship, you can sleep peacefully."

Arwen felt a tightness in his chest as he recalled these fragments.

As he gazed at the Dawn's steady progress, he understood that this was not a matter of luck, but rather that the lord had been protecting them all along.

And they lived up to expectations and completed their mission.

Alvin looked towards the distant port, raised his hand, and loudly ordered: "Order all ships to form ranks and advance, prepare to dock!"

The rudder turned slowly, the giant ship remained as steady as a mountain, cutting through the waves.

The metal armor plating of the nine warships reflected a dazzling light, like nine spears that had set out from the north and were piercing the coast of the southeastern province.

…………

The morning sea fog had not yet dissipated, but the sea outside Vero Harbour was already boiling.

The lighthouse keeper, Knight Darlin, squinted as he saw a golden glint appear on the distant horizon.

The light initially resembled an illusion reflected in the fog, but gradually transformed into neat metallic outlines under the sunlight.

The waves were churned up by the bow of the ship, and layer upon layer of rolling white waves seemed to be pressing in like a snowfield.

"Is that a fleet?" Darlin murmured. As sunlight finally pierced through the fog, the outlines of nine warships became visible.

They stood in formation like nine giant beasts, their hulls inlaid with gold, and their flags blazing with crimson tidal patterns.

Darlin's breath hitched: "This...this is the Imperial fleet? No, I've never seen that flag before."

The signalman beside him asked in a trembling voice, "Sir, should we sound the defense bell?"

Darling gritted his teeth and shouted, "Light up the red signal! All of Hong Kong on alert!"

The red light of the port lighthouse flickered in the fog, the frigates sounded their horns, and the whistles of the docks rose and fell.

Workers were ordered to evacuate, and all cargo operations at the port came to an instant halt.

People looked up at the sea and saw nine warships steadily approaching, their masts towering high and their hulls as heavy as mountains.

"Too many... a full nine capital ships!" someone exclaimed.

Darlin spurred his horse down the steps of the lighthouse, barely having time to put on his armor properly, and headed straight for the port authority, covered in fog.

"Lord Hermann! A full fleet has arrived at sea, at least nine capital ships! We haven't received any notification!"

Herman Kelvin, the head of the port authority, was processing documents when he heard the voice. He looked up, his brows furrowing: "Nine ships? Are you kidding me? Even the capital's fleet doesn't have that many ships..."

Hermann stood up, went out onto the balcony, and looked out at the distant horizon.

At that moment, he almost forgot to breathe. Nine warships with crimson flags were lined up in perfect formation, their metal insignia on the bows shining in the sunlight like nine burning suns.

“That’s…the Red Tide flag?” Herman murmured, then suddenly realized, “Louis Calvin…that’s the Eighth Young Master, no, it’s Earl Calvin’s fleet!”

He immediately ordered: "Open the port passage! Everyone, welcome the ship! Prepare to receive the Red Tide Mission!"

…………

The port bells echoed in the sea breeze.

The dockworkers and merchants all put down what they were doing and looked up at the torrent of steel.

The Dawn-class escort ships led the way, with the Morning Light and Tide on either side, followed closely by the rest of the Dawn-class escort ships.

Nine giant ships entered the port side by side, the wooden breakwater groaned as it was battered by the waves, the metallic luster reflected on the sea, and the port seemed to be shrouded in a layer of crimson light.

The Dawn was the first to dock, its anchor chain falling into the water with a deafening roar that echoed throughout the entire wharf.

On the deck, the Crimson Tide Knights stood in formation, their armor gleaming, their expressions calm.

"My God...that's not an Imperial ship, it's from the North!"

"The North? That frozen land? They actually built a fleet like that?"

Hermann personally led a team to greet them.

Wearing the Crimson Tide Cloak, Arwen slowly stepped off the Dawn's gangplank. His boots made a crisp metallic sound as they hit the dock, and his entourage followed in unison.

Hermann bowed first: "Welcome to Port Veroo."

Arwin smiled and returned the greeting: "On behalf of Lord Louis, we bring greetings and goods from the North."

As crates of goods were hoisted and placed steadily on the dock, sunlight shone on the red tide seals and numbers on the crates.

The port recorder hurriedly went to the front and used a crowbar to open the box.

Herman stood frozen in place, almost unable to believe the sight of the goods and minerals piled up before him.

The box was filled with rare minerals from the North.

Qi vein stone, demon marrow ore, flint marrow oil, and burnt iron.

Each one radiated a dazzling brilliance; these resources, extremely precious in the South, were now laid out before them.

Then came a variety of weapons and fabrics, as well as neatly stacked monster pelts, piled up like mountains, which was astonishing.

"These...all of them were transported from the North?" The port recorder's hands trembled slightly as he looked at the wealth before him in disbelief.

He quickly calculated on his fingers, his voice low but undeniable: "This is worth... at least half the trade volume of a province!"

A low gasp of surprise erupted from the crowd; the air in the harbor seemed to be compressed into a heavy weight, hanging heavily on everyone's hearts.

Herman stood there, his face a mixture of longing and unease.

Since the North had no ports before and could only be transported by land, they had never seen so many rare resources from the North.

Moreover, this is not just about the resources of the North, but also represents the rise of the Red Tide forces.

The fleet that Louis Calvin brought was far larger and stronger than he had anticipated.

After arranging everything, he turned and went back to the port authority, quickly walking to his desk.

Hermann picked up a quill pen, his handwriting trembling slightly, and quickly wrote a letter to the Duke.

…………

As night fell over the harbor, the bonfires on the dock reflected on the water, their flickering light illuminating the busy figures.

The workers were still moving boxes of cargo in an orderly fashion, the crew was cleaning the deck, and the night breeze carried the scent of salt.

"Arwen?! You...you are Arwen?"

A surprised shout reached Alwin's ears. He turned around and saw that familiar face, a smile appearing on his face.

It was Toran, his cousin, who was also a knight. It was Toran who had taken him aboard the ship.

Alwin stepped forward and gently patted Toran's shoulder: "It's me, Brother Toran."

A complex look appeared in Toran's eyes as he suddenly recalled the past.

"You were on the Calvin family's ship at the time, and you offended a lot of people. You were originally going to be executed."

It was me... it was me who pleaded for you, using connections from old acquaintances, that finally allowed you to go to the North with Lord Louis.

"I never expected my old friend to return with such a large fleet."

A look of gratitude appeared on Alwin's face, and he nodded slightly: "Yes, thank you, Lord Louis, for your help."

Then he bent down and took out a bag of gold coins from his pouch, and gently handed it to Toran: "I can't forget your help back then. Without your pleading, I would probably have disappeared long ago."

Toran paused for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, and quickly waved his hand: "It's too valuable, Alwin, I can't accept it."

Alwin smiled and insisted, "Without your pleading for me, I might be a corpse in the sea right now."

Toran reluctantly accepted the gold coins, a complex look in his eyes: "Alright, since you insist, I won't refuse anymore."

Then he said, half-jokingly, "If I had known, I would have gone to the North with you back then."

Alwin raised an eyebrow and replied with a smile, "It's not too late to go now. Come with me, there's room for you."

Toran thought for a moment, then shook his head: "Never mind, the storms in the North are too strong. I'll stay here."

He suddenly moved closer, lowered his voice, and whispered a joke in Alwin's ear: "However, if Lord Louis becomes the head of the Calvin family in the future, then we can work side by side again."

The two looked at each other for a moment, then burst out laughing at the same time.

Toran took this as a casual remark.

Alwin smiled, but silently memorized the words in his heart, thinking that this joke might actually come true one day.

(End of this chapter)