Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence - Chapter 573 - 344: New Intel and Shadowvale
Chapter 573: Chapter 344: New Intel and Shadowvale
When Louis awoke, the usual quiet was absent by his side.
He turned his head to see Emily, half-asleep and half-awake, coaxing the child beside her pillow.
However, the five-month-old baby was not crying but merely looked at him with moist eyes, silently pondering the three great questions of life.
Louis smiled gently, leaned over, kissed Emily’s forehead, and said softly, “Let me take over, you can sleep a bit more.”
Emily nodded, handed the baby to him, and nestled back into the pillow, quickly drifting back into light slumber.
Louis picked up the baby, who snuggled softly in his arms, with pudgy fingers clenching his lapel, not very strong, yet gripping tightly.
“You’re up earlier than I am,” Louis chuckled softly, hummed a few notes, rocking the baby gently before raising his hand to draw in the air.
A familiar buzzing sound quietly resonated, and a translucent screen unfolded before him.
[Daily intelligence update completed]
[1: Duke Remont is secretly mobilizing his third legion’s forces, unreported to the Imperial Capital.]
[2: Kosa Hanch, possesses potential as a Peak Knight.]
[3: An old team under the North Sea “Mad King of Steel Teeth” is heading to Dawn Port for reconnaissance, arriving in three days.]
Louis sat on the edge of the bed with the baby in his arms, glancing at the first line with a nonchalant expression.
“Another one,” he remarked calmly.
Since the Emperor’s disappearance, he had seen countless intelligence reports regarding the actions of the Empire’s high officials.
Who was mobilizing troops, who was expanding, who was forming alliances—new variables emerged almost daily.
The powder keg of power was already full, just waiting for a spark to ignite and shatter the entire Empire.
However, this time was different.
“Spencer Remont…” he quietly recited the name, taking out a booklet from the bedside table and turning to the page on Duke Remont.
The youngest duke in the Empire, thirty-six years old, current head of the Remont family, whose territory is located between the Northern Territory and Southeast Province, known for his strong and conservative military stance, currently siding with the Fourth Prince.
Louis noted after this paragraph, the secret mobilization of his third legion’s forces, unreported to the Imperial Capital.
“We’ll have to deal with him sooner or later,” he said softly.
He underlined the words “mobilizing without reporting” and closed the booklet, proceeding to review the next piece of intelligence.
The second piece of intelligence caught his attention, and his eyes lit up slightly.
[2: Kosa Hanch, initial assessment indicates potential as a Peak Knight.]
“Kosa Hanch…”
He remembered this name.
This Barbarian youth was one of the outstanding trainees from the first batch that came to Red Tide from the Border Guard Village, whom he had met just four days ago.
With his tall stature and steady aura, he didn’t talk much during training but was nearly always in the top three in every assessment.
Unexpectedly, he was the second one after Weir with potential as a Peak Knight.
Louis gently stroked the baby’s soft hair, contemplating for a moment, “Red Tide finally has a second promising Peak Knight candidate.”
He was not particularly concerned about the Barbarian’s identity, as history had already proven that Red Tide Territory’s system was the strongest tool for assimilation.
“It just takes time,” he said softly, “have Bruch and Halom pay more attention to him. Once he has sufficiently integrated, bring him around like Weir, to feel the warm glow of the Northern Sun.”
Thinking of this, he glanced down at the baby in his arms, who was chewing his small fist, eyes rolling around, clearly fully awake.
“Did you also feel your old father’s glow?” Louis asked him with a smile, “When you’re a bit bigger, I’ll let you try the Blood Stone too.”
Of course, the baby couldn’t understand, raising his small hand and waving it around, evoking a chuckle.
[3: An old team under the “King of Steel Teeth” is heading to Dawn Port for reconnaissance.]
The third piece of intelligence made Louis’s eyes flicker slightly, but just for a moment.
“The Mad King’s old team… they’ve indeed set their sights on us.”
He pondered slightly, his eyes becoming more profound.
Kavier, the one known as the “Mad King of Steel Teeth,” a pirate king of the North Sea, was one of the most troublesome presences along the Northern coast.
Not only was he brutal and violent, but he was also famous for his hundreds of small raiding ships, prowling the North Sea like a wolf pack, yearly plundering countless merchant ships, fishing boats, and isolated ports, with the Imperial Navy failing to successfully intercept them countless times.
Once the Breaking Waves Bay opens to shipping, Dawn Port, as an emerging trade hub, would inevitably become one of this Mad King’s primary targets.
The arrival of his old reconnaissance team does not necessarily mean he’s personally going to act, but it undoubtedly means that Dawn Port’s existence has entered the black sail’s sphere of influence.
Louis was not flustered, although he furrowed his brow slightly.
“But ultimately, it’s just a division. Even if Kavier truly comes with his fleet, there’s no need for fear.
We’ll face soldiers with generals and water with earth. As long as they dare approach, let them understand that Dawn is not their hunting ground.”
He stood up, gently placed the child back in Emily’s arms, and said softly, “Tomorrow, I should go to Dawn Port.”
Emily nodded lightly, as the baby in her arms waved a small hand in the air, as if still yearning for his father’s embrace.
The light outside was already bright; a new day had begun.
……
Before departure, Louis summoned several core operatives.
The first was Bradley.
“The harvest season is coming, and I might not be back,” Louis’s gaze scanned the agricultural report spread before him, “order people to tally the estimated crop yields from each land in advance, especially pay special attention to Mai Lang Territory.”
