Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 425 Dividing Interests
The stench of blood in the Gray Rock Fortress had not completely dissipated.

Outside the castle, cleanup work is still ongoing.

The monster's remains were dragged away from the plaza, and flamethrowers and high-pressure water guns were used in turn to try to wash away the dark red flesh clinging to the crevices in the rocks.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and sulfur, and when the cold wind blew, it seemed to surge forth from a deep well that had not yet been sealed.

But Louis still decided to hold the meeting to reward merit here.

Grayrock Fortress was once the place where the Raymond family discussed military matters and distributed profits. Now it has been put into use again, but with a different group of people and a different flag.

When the doors to the Platinum Council Chamber were pushed open, the radiator almost hit you head-on.

The fire in the stove was burning brightly, and candlesticks were lined up in a row, their light flowing between the white stone pillars.

Bottles of the Raymond family’s fifty-year-old amber gin were opened one by one, the liquid poured into glasses, revealing a warm and inviting color.

The family crest that used to hang on the wall has been removed and replaced by the Red Tide flag.

A huge sheepskin map was laid out in the center of the long table.

The map almost covered the entire Gray Rock Province, with small flags of different colors densely packed on it, as if it were being recut.

The nobles from the North took their seats one by one.

Their cloaks were not completely dry, and the lingering smell of blood was still present.

But their eyes were already firmly drawn to that map.

Count Abbott held his wine glass, his fingers trembling slightly.

This old nobleman, who had spent over sixty years in the North, stared intently at the large area of ​​land circled in red on the map, his Adam's apple bobbing uncontrollably.

That was Red River Valley, one of the most fertile areas in the Limestone Province, where a year's output was equivalent to three years' worth of his Northern Territory.

Louis had hinted at this privately before the meeting.

The amber-gold wine in the glass swayed gently, almost spilling.

The hall fell silent as the allocation process began.

Louis stood to one side of the long table, holding a baton that resembled a suitably sized dinner knife.

He looked at the map, and at the eager eyes around him.

“Count Abbott,” Louis tapped his baton lightly on the map, “your cavalry charged fiercely; this Red River Valley is yours.”

After a brief pause, Abbott's breathing clearly caught in his throat, and he stood up almost instinctively. His voice trembled slightly, but was very firm: "To die for the Red Tide."

Louis moved his baton again: "Viscount Jon, the Iron Rock Mine Territory in the West is now under your control."

Jorn practically jumped up from his chair, the wine glass wobbling in his hand and nearly spilling.

He swallowed hard, his voice muffled but unusually serious: "Boss... I, I, Jon, am sticking with you."

“Viscount Brom, you shall take over the Port of Bridge on the South Shore.”

"Earl Henderson, the territory of Arabek is under your jurisdiction."

……

After the territories of the Northern nobles were divided, the baton paused for a moment before falling to the other side.

Those seats in that row were not occupied by nobles.

They were all knights wearing the Sun Badge, most of whom had followed Louis since he first arrived in the North.

"Lambert".

Lambert suddenly stood up straight, almost instinctively puffing out his chest.

His breathing quickened noticeably, but his eyes shone with an astonishing light.

"The northern section of the Limestone Province, including the Violet Valley Territory and its associated farmland, will be temporarily under your administration."

There was no title, but it was a whole piece of real land.

Lambert opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just nodded vigorously, his throat tight.

"Remore, the Emerald River Territory is under the jurisdiction of the Defense Bureau, and you are responsible for its garrison."

……

One by one, the knights whose names were called stood up.

What they received was not titles, but duties, territory, and the promises that Louis fulfilled one by one.

Most of these people had nothing when they came to the North with him.

But now they have their own place in the North and in the Grayrock Province.

As for noble titles, those were things that only the emperor could bestow.

No one at the table mentioned it, because they all knew it was only a matter of time.

Each time he pointed, an uncontrollable commotion would erupt in the hall.

It was the sound of swallowing that couldn't be suppressed, and the subtle yet rapid sound of the wine glass clinking together.

These people are very clear about this.

These are not symbolic rewards; they are real land, mineral resources, tax rights, and population.

The parts that were cut off on the spot from the bodies of the Raymond family.

Louis's movements were always unhurried and deliberate; his cuts were precise and impressive.

Once the last area was divided, no one in the Platinum Council Chamber dared to hide their emotions anymore.

He downed the drink in one gulp, his gaze shifting back and forth between the map and Louis.

At this moment, every nobleman and knight sitting here had the same sentence firmly etched in their hearts.

Following Louis means not only survival, but also a windfall.

But everyone knew in their hearts that the truly largest share wasn't on this table. The core tax authority, port system, and final decision-making power over the main mineral veins of the Graystone Province remained firmly in Louis's hands.

Those crucial turning points that could determine the course of the next decade were never discussed from the outset.

Because they all understood that without Louis, this meeting wouldn't even exist today.

Let alone sweeping south across the entire Gray Rock Province, even just capturing Gray Rock Fortress would be unimaginable for any of them.

The wine glasses were raised one after another, and Count Abette was the first to stand up.

The old nobleman held his wine glass, his back ramrod straight, a sense of relief in his eyes: "If it weren't for you, sir, I wouldn't have even dared to dream of reaching the gates of Grayrock Castle in my entire life."

Viscount Yorn stood up immediately afterward. The chubby boy's face turned red, and he practically gulped down his wine glass in one go.

“The place that the Raymond family has guarded for three hundred years has been overturned by you, Boss, in one battle. I, Jon, am convinced.”

Count Brom simply raised his glass, clinked it against Louis's from a distance, and downed the wine in one gulp: "Making it this far is the biggest bet I've ever made in my life. Thank you, Lord Louis."

"We will never forget Lord Louis's kindness." Several knights who had already been allocated fiefdoms also stood up.

Lambert didn't speak, but nodded vigorously, his fists clenching unconsciously at his sides; his excitement at that moment was hard to hide.

As the wine went down their throats, their breathing quickened, and some people repeatedly looked down at the markings on the map, as if to confirm that those names and lands truly belonged to them.

They were all well aware that they were witnessing a new order being nailed to this table.

Louis stood still, his expression remaining calm.

Once the voices subsided and everyone had calmed down, he spoke again: "Regarding the governance of these new territories..."

Before he could finish speaking, Count Abbott raised his glass first. "My lord, please don't leave us to manage this ourselves."

The old nobleman spoke with unusual decisiveness, yet his tone carried a hint of deliberate restraint. He knew very well that if they were allowed to act independently, the proposal itself would never have been approved by Louis.

"Now that those peasants from the Gray Rock Province are under our command, the Red Tide Code must be implemented immediately. Every day we delay will only lead to disaster."

Viscount Brom immediately replied, his expression frank: "To be honest, we certainly want to manage it ourselves as well."

He sighed and then bowed slightly to Louis.

"But if my stupid sons were to manage this territory, the result would be nothing more than corruption and riots, and in the end, you would have to clean up the mess."

"Sir, please be sure to send Red Tide's specialists to the area. We'll take the profits, you manage order, everyone gets what they need, and it'll save you a lot of trouble."

These words immediately put the council chamber at ease, with several nobles whispering their agreement.

It wasn't that they didn't want to hold onto power; everyone present had quickly considered the possibility of taking charge.

Even if this idea were voiced, it would be impossible to get Louis's approval.

What he wanted was stability across the entire province, not to keep trying and making mistakes by replacing the nobles with a new group.

Moreover, managing things yourself is thankless and exhausting. You also have to support knights to suppress riots, and tax revenue shrinks with each layer of exploitation, while all the blame falls on your head.

But handing it over to the Red Tide is a completely different matter.

The Agriculture Department is more professional at farming than them, the Trade Department can sell the same goods at a higher price, and the Defense Department is responsible for security and suppression... All risks are clearly isolated.

The accounts are clear, dividends are fixed, and settlements are timely.

They just need to wait for the results.

Through years of integrity, Red Tide's credit endorsement is harder than gold.

Louis took in all of this and was quite pleased with the reaction of these Northern nobles.

His gaze briefly swept across the map, but his mind was already taking stock of his main gains from this trip.

First, there's the territory and population.

The inclusion of the Limestone Province into the Red Tide system means that the actual area of ​​control of the Red Tide Territory almost doubled overnight.

More importantly, there is that vast plain.

From then on, Red Tide was no longer constrained by the harsh cold of the north and the lack of food supplies; he now held one of the most stable granaries in the western part of the empire.

This is not just a matter of being full.

This is the source of our confidence in fighting a protracted war.

The second is population.

Millions of farmers, artisans, and refugees in the Limestone Province will soon become part of the workforce under the Red Tide regime; people will no longer be the bottleneck of the Red Tide.

Then there are ports of entry and trade routes.

Once the ports of the Limestone Province are connected to the Red Tide system, products from the North and industrial goods from the Red Tide will have a wider market for dumping.

The treasury left by the Raymond family was the most direct source of fuel.

Over hundreds of years, gold, magic crystals, and rare materials have accumulated into mountains.

This wealth is enough to support the Crimson Tide Legion in carrying out the next round of magical industrial upgrades, mass-producing steam-powered war machines, improving cannons, propelling steamships, and even reserving space for more distant plans.

Furthermore, the Daily Intelligence report marked even more hidden resource points for him this morning.

Hidden magic mines yet to be mined, monster nests of special value, and several underground facilities deliberately sealed off by the Raymond family.

Developing these things is now just a matter of time.

Last but not least, the remains of the ancient dragon, which had lost its heart but remained intact.

That is not a power that can be touched at will.

But Louis will not repeat the mistakes of the Raymond family and use it for human experiments.

But such a thing is priceless in itself, and it is intended to be handed over to Merian's alchemy team for development.

This time, the gains were enormous.

Louis appeared calm on the surface, but inside he was overjoyed.

(End of this chapter)