Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 4: Useless People Gather in the North
Louis sat cross-legged, adjusted his breathing, and his "tidal breathing technique" naturally began to operate.

"breathe."

Deep, long breaths echoed in his chest, like the ebb and flow of the tide, absorbing and refining the energy brought by the Northern Crystal Cod.

"Tidal Breathing" is a family breathing technique passed down in the Calvin family.

With the core concept of blood surging like the ebb and flow of the tide, it emphasizes cycles and repetitions, unleashing power when the tide rises and returning to stability when the tide recedes.

Under the influence of this gentle yet violent energy, Louis's bloodline seemed to be reshaped.

He could feel the blood flowing faster in his body, his meridians becoming clearer, and even his bones feeling slightly warm, as if he were undergoing a transformation.

Finally, he exhaled slowly, the intense heat within him gradually subsided and returned to calm, and he advanced.

Intermediate-rank official knight.

At such a young age, such strength would make him one in ten thousand among ordinary people.

However, among the Duke of Calvin's sons, he was still considered the worst of the worst.

After all, his elder brother was already a top-tier knight with numerous military achievements, making great contributions to the empire.

In this world, the knight's power originates from the awakening of his bloodline.

Not everyone can become a knight; only those with a sufficiently powerful bloodline can activate the dormant knightly power within them.

Once you embark on the path of a knight, it is divided into six main stages: Apprentice Knight, Formal Knight, Elite Knight, Extraordinary Knight, Peak Knight, and Legendary Knight, with huge gaps between each stage.

Of course, Louis is no longer in a hurry.

With the daily intelligence system at your fingertips, future opportunities will not be lacking.

After fully absorbing the essence of the fish soup, Louis slowly stopped using the Tidal Breathing technique and opened his eyes.

He immediately noticed that the knights around him were looking at him with adoration.

The next second, deafening cheers echoed throughout the camp: "Long live the Lord!"

Hearing the thunderous cheers, Louis finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This means that his prestige has been initially established, and at least for the time being, there is no need to worry about the loyalty of the knights.

After the cheers subsided, Louis looked at Lambert beside him and asked, "How far are we from Frostspear City?"

Lambert replied respectfully, "About two hundred kilometers."

“That will take five or six days.” Louis nodded slightly, then decisively ordered, “Speed ​​up and try to arrive in the afternoon of three days from now.”

Lambert replied respectfully, "Understood!"

Normally, the team would never be able to travel so quickly, especially in this icy wasteland.

But now, the knights' morale is at its peak, and they are more than capable of completing such a marching objective.

Frostspear City is the capital of the Northern Province and the most important military and political center in the North.

Louis's main task on this trip was to select his own territory to expand into; naturally, the earlier he chose, the greater the benefits would be.

But what truly made him eager to rush to Frostspear City were the three pieces of intelligence that the system refreshed today:
[1: Three days later, Will, who possesses the potential to become a top-tier knight, will be taken to the Frostspear City black market by slave traders.]

[2: Three days later, alchemy apprentice Hilko was wanted by the Gold Marrow Guild for stealing the secret formula. Disguised as a slave, he was taken to the Frostspear City black market by slave traders.]

[3: Duke Edmund is furious because the various families are sending their spoiled brats to the North.]

The first piece of intelligence greatly surprised Louis.

In this world, a peak knight is considered a top-tier combat force, though not as rare as a legendary knight.

However, almost every top knight is a military commander or a pillar of the kingdom, and is regarded as a cornerstone by any power.

Weil may not have fully matured yet, but his talent alone, which allows him to reach the pinnacle of knighthood, makes him a worthwhile investment for Louis.

The second piece of information was also extremely valuable.

In this world, "alchemists" are similar to chemists, skilled in processing various magical items and even capable of transforming inexpensive materials into high-value goods. They are rare talents sought after by various powerful factions. Within the Calvin family, there are only three officially recognized alchemists.

Alchemy apprentices, though not yet fully developed, remain extremely rare.

Louis's plan was simple: first, pretend to buy Hilco casually, then observe him secretly.

If he truly has potential and poses no danger, then keep him and nurture him.

After all, the price of a slave shouldn't be too high.

As for the third article...

Even without an intelligence system, Louis could have guessed that this would happen.

The various families vied to send their good-for-nothing sons to the North, which naturally infuriated Duke Edmund, the governor of the province.

But from Louis's perspective, this may not be a bad thing.

If handled properly, it could actually become part of his plan.

Since Frostspear City holds so many opportunities, we must get there as soon as possible!

…………

"Damn it! These parasites who only know how to suck blood! The Empire sent them to guard the northern border, not to send a bunch of good-for-nothings to drag us down!"

In the Governor's office, thick reports were slammed heavily onto the desk.

Papers flew everywhere, reflecting the Duke of Edmund's furious face.

Two years ago, a rebellion nearly caused the entire North to break free from the Empire's control, with the rebels even breaching the outer walls of Frostspear City!

Duke Edmund led his elite troops in a bloody battle for three months before barely managing to suppress the rebels.

But what is the price to pay?
The border fortress was destroyed, the granaries were burned, more than half of the army was lost, and his only son was also killed.

Order has not yet been fully restored in the entire North.

This time, the emperor finally realized that relying solely on the stationing of troops was simply not enough to maintain stability.

So they devised a strategy to send noble sons to the northern border to expand their territory, using their strength to stabilize the frontier.

But this family of idiots!
Are they really willing to send their family elites to fight to the death in the North?
joke!

A bunch of good-for-nothings were sent to the North. Although there were some normal people, they were a minority.

Duke Edmund laughed in fury, grabbed the report and flipped through it casually: "Look at what kind of rubbish they've sent!"

The third son of the Elwin family, rumored to be a compulsive gambler whose gambling debts are enough to buy three mansions in the capital.

The young master of the Grant family, said to be only fifteen years old, is already a guest of honor in the empire's major brothels.

Duke Calvin's eighth son, he idled away his days away, relying on his family's resources to become a low-ranking official knight, a complete waste.

……

"These are a bunch of aristocratic kids? They're just a bunch of johns, gamblers, and good-for-nothings sent to me!"

What a bunch of pampered fools! Their ancestors conquered the country with iron and blood, but now all they know is how to fight for power and scheme against each other.

"They only care about their own family's interests; how could they possibly care about the safety of the empire!"

The Duke of Edmund was furious and slammed his fist on the table, making the thick wooden table groan under the weight.

The atmosphere inside was so oppressive it was hard to breathe; the staff members kept their heads down, not daring to speak.

After a long pause, Edmund took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and sat back down in his chair, his gaze chilling.

"Fine. Since these fools have come all this way, let them fend for themselves. The North still has to rely on itself."

(End of this chapter)