Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 39 Demon Mine

Two days later, Louis, along with Bradley, master craftsman Valentine, and other professional miners, ventured deep into the heart of Red Tide Territory along the mountain path.

Bradley remained skeptical, believing that there shouldn't be a large-scale magic marrow mine in this area and that Louis was exaggerating.

After passing through the forest, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a huge mining area before everyone's eyes.

Outside the mining area, several knights stood ready.

They were clad in heavy armor and scanned their surroundings warily.

Upon seeing Louis and Bradley's group arrive, the knight immediately bowed and said, "My lord, everything is normal at the mine."

Louis nodded and continued leading his men inside.

When they actually stepped into the mining area, everyone couldn't help but gasp.

The reserves of magic marrow ore here are truly astonishing!

Stepping into the mine, the temperature here is slightly higher than outside, and the surface of the ore is slightly warm.

The rock walls of the mineral vein were an eerie dark purple, shimmering with a faint magical luster, and weak energy fluctuations floated in the air.

Valentine, an experienced master miner, almost instinctively reached out and gently stroked the rock face.

His fingers trembled slightly, and his eyes were filled with fervor.

“My God…” He turned to Bradley, his voice trembling with excitement, “This… this mine is at least in the top twenty of all the magic marrow mines in the entire Ironblood Empire!”

The other craftsmen around were also shocked by the sight before them and began to whisper among themselves.

"This reserve is outrageous!"

"The purity of the magic marrow looks very high. If we mine deeper, we might even find high-grade crystal magic marrow!"

"My lord... this is a treasure bestowed by heaven!"

Several experienced craftsmen had burning eyes, and their hands couldn't help but caress the mine wall as if they were stroking the skin of a socialite in the capital.

Bradley frowned and said in a stern voice, "Quiet down! Don't treat this like a market!"

The craftsmen quickly fell silent, but their excitement was still hard to hide.

When Bradley saw such a magical marrow mine, his heart was also filled with turmoil.

There really were so many magic marrow ores; Louis wasn't lying.

He began to reassess the value of the territory.

Magic marrow is not just a raw material for making magical explosives.

Magic powder can also be incorporated into weapons to enchant blades, making them capable of cutting through iron like mud.

Alchemists need magic marrow to create potent potions.

The core material of the magic circle also requires high-purity magic essence.

……

Its value far exceeds that of ordinary magical minerals; it is a strategic mineral capable of influencing the entire landscape of the North!

The size and value of this mine far exceeded his and Duke Calvin's imagination!

Bradley rode closer to Louis, lowering his voice slightly: "Young Master, it's best not to let too many people know about this mine."

Louis watched Bradley quietly, waiting for him to continue.

“Although the Calvin family is one of the eight great families of the empire, ordinary villains wouldn’t dare to mess with you.” Brad Lidley paused, his gaze sharpening.

“But this is the Northern Territory, too far from the family. The family’s influence may not be able to reach here. It’s inevitable that some people will take the risk, and this magic marrow mine is worth it for them.” As he said this, he looked at Louis’s expression, wanting to see the young master’s attitude towards the matter.

However, Louis remained calm throughout, even displaying a composed smile.

“I understand.” He nodded gently, his tone calm. “Aside from mentioning it to my father in a letter, I haven’t told anyone else about it.”

After listening, Bradley carefully observed Louis's expression and realized that he was not lying, but was genuinely sensible.

He nodded slowly, secretly making up his mind: he must report the situation here to the Duke and ask him to send more knights.

This mine is worth doing.

On the other side, Valentine said to Louis, "Sir, according to the current survey results, the reserves of this mine are indeed amazing, but it is also much more dangerous than ordinary mines."

I suggest first surveying the boundaries of the entire mining area to identify the most stable zone as the initial mining point.

“Okay, then I’ll leave it to you,” Louis nodded.

Valentine led the craftsmen into the mine, holding mining hammers and carefully striking the rock walls, listening to the echoes from different areas.

"The ore here is a deep purple color, which means it has a very high content of magic marrow," Valentine said, crouching down and pointing to a piece of ore on the rock wall that faintly shimmered with a dark purple luster.

"Especially these crystallized areas indicate that this is a high-purity mineral vein. However, it also means that it is too fragile and will break easily if not handled carefully."

He then tapped on a nearby rock stratum, the sound coming through deep and resonant. "The structure here is stable, suitable for excavation."

After walking a few more steps, they moved to a different spot and tapped again. The sound that came out was slightly hollow. "But this place won't work. The geology is too fragile. If we start mining rashly, there's a high chance of a landslide."

The craftsmen nodded and made marks on the mine wall.

Louis stood to the side with his arms crossed, observing quietly.

Although he was not an expert in mining, it was clear that Valentine was exceptionally skilled.

“It seems the craftsmen the family sent this time are all experts,” Louis said with a hint of admiration. “Your expertise has truly broadened my horizons.”

The craftsmen were taken aback upon hearing this, then revealed a hint of pride.

This is their area of ​​expertise, and to be praised by the lord himself is indeed a source of pride.

Bradley nodded slightly, his face remaining calm, but inwardly he sighed.

This young master is indeed not incompetent; he knows how to win people's hearts.

Valentine continued his analysis: "Because the magic marrow mine releases magical fluctuations, miners who stay here for a long time may suffer from magic poisoning."

A ventilation plan must be developed to prevent the accumulation of magical energy within the mine.

“Then what should we do?” Louis asked.

"We need to open ventilation shafts in different areas to allow air convection. We also need to set up isolation passages inside the mine to prevent harmful gases from accumulating."

As Valentine spoke, he drew a simple diagram on the parchment he carried with him: “The support frame is made of black birch wood, with a support point every five meters to ensure that the mine tunnel will not collapse.”

The main mine tunnel is three meters wide, and the secondary mine tunnel is one and a half meters wide, so that transportation will not be congested.

“It’s clear you’re very professional in this area,” Louis praised.

Upon hearing this, Valentine immediately puffed out his chest, his tone tinged with pride: "Of course, I'm an old craftsman who's spent my whole life mining! I can walk through a mine with my eyes closed and still not get lost!"

Louis smiled and patted Valentine on the shoulder: "Then the mining plan for this vein is entrusted to you."

Valentine grinned: "Then I thank you for your kind words, sir."

(End of this chapter)