Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence - Chapter 621 - 365: Frost Halberd City Under Reconstruction (Part 2)

Chapter 621: Chapter 365: Frost Halberd City Under Reconstruction (Part 2)

Fortunately, he has the Daily Intelligence System, an almost bug-like weapon.

Only then could he piece together scattered clues into a complete picture; otherwise, he would never know until his death how ambitious his neighbor truly was.

He really doesn’t have a better method; he certainly can’t just launch an attack.

Given Red Tide’s current military strength and resources, he can’t afford such an action; a direct confrontation would be extremely costly and uncertain in outcome.

So he can only pin his hopes on two things: first, the daily intelligence, as far as possible, identifying the gaps in Raymond’s defenses.

Second, let the development speed of Red Tide’s military catch up with his ambition, quickly deploying tanks and cannons, after all, knights cannot be mass-produced, but tanks can.

The current situation of the Empire gives Louis a sense of urgency, as if watching a timed device, knowing the fuse has been lit but cannot extinguish it immediately.

……

Louis sat in the carriage, gazing at the gray-white sky outside the window.

He had left Frost Dragon Ridge for several days, and his destination now is Frost Halberd City, passing by, he decided to take a look.

In the distance, smoke still rose from the ruins of the old Frost Halberd, the furnace ignited by dismantling the old stones.

The air mixed with the scent of charcoal and moldy wood, the clash of iron echoed in the valleys from time to time.

The outer wall of the new district was still unfinished, the wooden door frames creaking in the wind.

The temporary soldier watchtower constructed from iron plates and permafrost, the snow and wind beat against the flags of the Empire and Frost Halberd.

This city was once the heart of the Northern Territory, it was the nerve center of the North, the military-political hub of the Empire.

And as the capital of the Northern Territory, its location was naturally superb, situated at the fortress area where the frozen rivers and ridges intersect, controlling the trade routes to the south and the western commerce paths, it was the node for all supplies and defenses.

Louis quietly watched the smoking ruins, his expression calm.

He knew why he had to rebuild this city that had been razed.

Firstly to fulfill a vow, Frost Halberd is the symbol of the Edmund Clan, the old duke entrusted the Northern Territory’s name and legion to him on his deathbed.

Rebuilding Frost Halberd is not just a continuation of trust but also a political promise.

If he abandons it, it would not only breach trust but also label him as a usurper in the eyes of the Northern Lords, rather than an heir.

Furthermore, Louis remembers that day, the old duke’s weak voice: “It cannot end with me.”

At that time, he swore an oath to Duke Edmund: “One day, I will rebuild Frost Halberd City. Not as an appendage of Red Tide, but as the true heart of the Northern Territory.”

He must fulfill this promise.

Although Red Tide Territory is strong, it is ultimately not the capital, while Frost Halberd City bears the legitimate banner of the Empire.

If he wishes to unify the Northern Lords, this city is indispensable.

After rebuilding, under his protection, with Isaac’s governance, he can rightfully become the Lord of the North.

Isaac, as the sole heir of Duke Edmund, is destined to be the future Lord of the North, this is part of his pledge to Duke Edmund, though perhaps not many can believe it, he truly thinks this way.

Louis knows that his future inevitably involves expansion and expedition; he may not necessarily take root in the Northern Territory; his ambition is the entire Empire.

Previously, he lacked this ambition because the Empire was still stable, but according to the Intelligence System, the Empire is now precarious, he could seize an opportunity to carve out a dominion, perhaps even become Emperor.

Frost Halberd City is the legacy of old Duke Edmund, also the trial of the new generation Duke Edmund.

Moreover, Frost Halberd’s terrain is the hub of the entire Northern Territory; it can defend, gather, and is indispensable for future wars.

The rebuilt Frost Halberd will become the front-line supply depot, military center, and transportation fortress.

And Red Tide will continue to serve as the brain of the Northern Territory, orchestrating commands and operations.

Additionally, it will serve as an experimental zone for Red Tide’s system implementation.

Frost Halberd is an ideal test site; it has both old nobility and war refugees.

Rebuilding it means embedding the Red Tide system into a larger region; newly joined nobles in the Red Tide system see hope, see the future.

The Northern Lords and populace revere Frost Halberd, viewing it as the soul of their homeland.

If the ruins are never rebuilt, the morale of the Northern Territory will also collapse.

The process of rebuilding Frost Halberd itself is a political and faith revival, making the Northern Territory great again.

The carriage passed through the rebuilding city gate, the knights saluted upright.

Louis lifted the curtain, looking at the construction site where the new and old intersected, feeling calm in his heart.

Two figures stood in front of the city gate.

Viscount Orion Arden and Harold Greer, along with guards and craftsmen, lined up in the snow to welcome him.

Viscount Orion Arden is the overseer of New Frost Halberd, brother of Lady Irina, from the old nobility.

After the war, he was appointed as the acting manager of Frost Halberd, responsible for the entire city’s reconstruction affairs.

Harold Greer, on the other hand, is the deputy director of the Red Tide Craftsmen Bureau and was one of the craftsmen Louis exchanged for with Duke Edmund, considered a veteran craftsman of Red Tide, though it’s not been long, Red Tide has developed too quickly, and even the old craftsmen from a few years ago have risen to prominence.

Orion gave a half bow, his voice carrying some enthusiasm: “Lord Louis, you’ve finally come again.”

With gloves full of coal ash in hand, Harold spoke a bit nervously: “Your timing is perfect, my lord; we have just begun laying the foundation.”

Louis nodded lightly, his gaze passing over the construction site behind them, where bricks, wooden beams, and furnace flames interwove into the outline of a new order.

He stepped into the city that had just begun to be built. The roads were still muddy, mixed with cold wind between the collapsed walls and charred beams. Although there were furnace fires, they couldn’t hide the marks of ruin.

Orion followed behind him, feelings still complex in his heart.

Though he admired Louis’s achievements, he still doubted whether the determination to rebuild Frost Halberd was genuine.

After all, the scene before him resembled a temporary work camp more than a city.

The cost of rebuilding was too high, and it might not be unfeasible to choose a new location to rebuild.

Louis, however, stopped, his gaze falling on the distant ruined tower and the muddy ground beneath his feet, his voice calm yet as if painting a map of the future:

“Three years from now, this muddy road will become the main ring road of the city. On both sides will be domed gray stone houses, warm in winter without the need for coal fires.

Further ahead will be Snowfall Square. The Northern Territory Council will meet there, rather than in Red Tide.”

Orion was taken aback, instinctively looking toward that empty land, as if the outline of the future truly emerged amidst the snow curtain.

Sparks flew under the wooden shelter, the smell of scorched coal mixed with the cold wind. Harold half-bowed and reported: “The furnace ducts are first laid from the command tower, connecting to the first residential area in spring, with valves using Red Tide style pressure distribution, materials coming from Star Forge.”

Louis pointed to the junction of the furnace and the main pipe: “Add another set of pressure relief rings here to avoid thermal expansion cracks at night.”

Several craftsmen exchanged glances, their expressions tense, fearing they had overlooked something. Harold hurried forward to respond: “Understood, my lord! We’ll change it immediately!”

Louis’s tone was calm, without reprimand, only a slight nod: “You have done well, but treat any deviation as an enemy.”

The craftsmen nodded quickly, their hands and feet moving swiftly to take notes, leaving black marks in their trembling coal-dust-covered hands, adding a tense respect to the air.

Orion was again taken aback; the details, this count knew them better than the craftsmen.

During the ensuing site inspection, Louis traversed various reconstruction facilities.

He paused before a temporarily built casting furnace, quietly inquiring about the fuel ratio and wind pressure adjustment, personally inspecting the sealing of the valves and pipelines.

He then moved to the side of a newly built drainage channel, crouched to check the flow rate of the snow water, indicating to leave an extra buffer zone at the corner.

Several local craftsmen unfamiliar with him, seeing his familiarity with the blueprints, all stood in awe, while Harold puffed out his chest proudly.

“The furnace here is too close to the residential area; if the wind direction changes, it’ll push the smoke back. In winter, switch to underground ventilation and remember to insulate it.”

“Yes, my lord.” Harold responded loudly and immediately took note.

They continued onward, passing the newly built rail bed, half-constructed warehouses, and factories piled with stone materials.

At each place, Louis offered adjustments or improvements, missing nothing from structural support to pressure distribution in the pipes.

The craftsmen took notes as they answered, and even Orion began to feel that the work camp was gradually taking on the shape of a city.

Finally, they arrived at the center of the city, where a stone pillar had been erected. The monument stood about two people high, its base chiseled from the stone of the Northern Territory, the surface retaining its rough stone grain.

The emblem of Duke Edmund’s family, an eagle spreading its wings, symbolizing watchfulness and honor, was inlaid on the monument’s face.

As the cold wind swept by, snowflakes struck the monument’s surface, light and shadow revealing faint golden patterns, carrying an ancient majesty.

The inscription had been carved, written personally by Louis:

[Here once burned, here shall be reborn, in memory of those who sacrificed for the Northern Territory.]

Orion looked on silently, his eyes slightly moist.

He finally understood why Duke Edmund would entrust the Northern Territory’s legacy to this young man.

Perhaps only he could bring this ruin back to life.