Free Web NovelEarly in the morning, the sky was not yet fully bright.
When Louis opened his eyes, he saw a rough wooden ceiling, the timber unadorned, merely peeled and polished, with some beams still slightly askew.
He stared at the slanted beam for a few seconds, then sighed softly.
This was his residence in Wheat Wave Territory.
It couldn't be called crude, but it certainly wasn't comfortable.
The house was built by the artisan team using wood, with walls that blocked wind and sound, and old sheep wool and heating pipes laid beneath the floor.
Of course, compared to his four-person ebony carved bed in the Red Tide Territory's castle, it felt like a different era.
But he didn't mind; it was a special period, how could they build city walls and towers here?
Moreover, even though this bedroom was rather crude, it was already the best room currently available in Wheat Wave Territory.
He turned his head and found an arm resting on his chest, while the other stretched casually towards the edge of the quilt—it was Sif. Her hair had grown longer, and her eyelashes were still long and curled, casting faint shadows on her face like tiny fans.
She was in a deep sleep, sprawled out in a wide 'big character' pose, her breathing so steady it was almost inaudible.
Louis gave her a helpless look, then slowly got up, moving so lightly that the bed board didn't even creak.
He had been in Wheat Wave Territory for almost two months.
During these two months, he had barely left the valley.
From the initial spring preparations and field boundary demarcation to the construction of temporary shelters and the preliminary opening of irrigation canals, he had personally overseen almost everything.
And Sif and Emily took turns coming from the Red Tide Territory to accompany him.
Of course, the Red Tide Territory was also at a critical juncture for spring plowing, so leaving Emily there to coordinate arrangements was a more reasonable choice.
But now—it was almost time to return.
At this point, Wheat Wave Territory's spring plowing system was on track; he had already considered all the tasks that needed to be done and the potential mistakes that could be made.
The rest was just a matter of execution, which could be left to the Agricultural Affairs Officer and various levels of administrative officials.
And the Red Tide Territory was the true core of the entire domain.
Thinking about this, he put on his outer coat and walked to the crude wooden table in the corner, casually brushing away a thin layer of dust.
Then, with a wave of his right hand: “—”
Accompanied by a scattering of light blue points, a translucent system interface slowly unfolded before his eyes.
【Daily Intelligence Update Complete】
【1: Titus Frostblade has led the Frostmoon Barbarians in attacks against the Shattered Axe Barbarians and Red Rock Barbarians, two tribes. Originally intending to ally and invade the Southern Empire together, they have now turned against each other over territorial disputes. Although fighting continues, all major barbarian tribes have sent out vanguards to secretly probe south.】
【2: Shadow Moss has been discovered in a very deep cavern north of Wheat Wave Territory, but Soul-Devouring Lizard Beasts are suspected to be lurking in the depths of the cavern.】
【3: Special mineral “Blaze-Ember Sunk-Iron” is hidden in the deep layers of the northern mine of Snowpeak County, of extremely high value. The terrain guarding the mine is complex, accompanied by high-heat fissures.】
After reading the first item, Louis's lips curved into a faint smile, but his expression showed no sign of relaxation.
It was indeed good news that these barbarians were fighting among themselves.
If the major barbarian tribes truly allied, the consequences would be extremely dire.
Another large-scale barbarian invasion would likely be too much for the now severely weakened Northern Realm to defend, but now that they were fighting among themselves, it made things much easier for the Empire.
“However—” Louis tapped his finger lightly on the wooden table, making dull thudding sounds: “These barbarians aren't brainless wild dogs.”
This was the troublesome part; while they were fighting, these barbarians' minds were very clear.
A wolf not biting doesn't mean it's not watching.
Every barbarian tribe was secretly sending vanguards to probe the Empire's border for weaknesses, and even considering migration and settlement.
Their vanguard teams had already quietly bypassed the main combat zones and were beginning to approach several territories in the Northern Realm, attempting to find weak points and probe for vulnerabilities.
And now that he was a visible elephant, the Red Tide Territory was probably already on their list for probing.
“My territory—it really is getting bigger and bigger.”
The Red Tide and Mai Lang territories were gradually forming a continuous expanse, and what was once the desolate borderland was now a strategic area for troops and grain. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
“The bigger it gets, the harder it is to manage.”
Louis knew very well that although the current Red Tide Territory was not yet powerful, a place with “grain, resources, and population” would attract “grainless, landless, and brainless” wild dogs.
He secretly noted that he needed to update the border outpost deployments as soon as possible, and if necessary, send more Red Tide Knights to monitor the movements of those barbarian vanguards.
Now that the Red Tide's sphere of influence was expanding, the pressure to defend its territory was also beginning to surge.
However, there was no need to be overly anxious; he estimated that it would take at least two or three years for them to determine a decisive outcome and launch a major invasion.
He waved his hand, continuing to browse the second piece of intelligence.
This glance made his pupils contract slightly, and a flicker of genuine excitement appeared in his eyes.
“Shadow Moss—”
He had, of course, heard of this extremely rare magical plant.
It only grew in extremely deep caverns, the decaying layers of ancient forests, or “dead lands” cursed by vengeful spirits, such as ancient war ruins.
It fed on geothermal heat, magic particles, and trace metal elements, appearing deep purple or inky black, with a faint phosphorescence flowing across its surface. Ordinary people would only feel a chilling unease, but in the eyes of true Aura Knights, its glow was as Hot as mithril.
Because it possessed an extremely rare characteristic: it could directly stimulate the core will of an Aura Knight, accelerating the purification and transformation of Aura during cultivation.
It wasn't a simple tonic, but a “will catalyst” that could amplify the sensitivity of Aura circulation, strengthen concentration, raise perception thresholds, and even act as a breakthrough catalyst when nearing a bottleneck.
Although high-intensity use could cause temporary hallucinations or neural fatigue, for true high-level Aura practitioners, this cost was not unacceptable.
“If it can be collected and made into an inhalant or a mental pressure chamber, the Red Tide Territory's Knight training system can directly advance a level.”
Louis's eyes gleamed with excitement; this kind of resource was a strategic resource that could truly strengthen the Red Tide's core combat power.
However, the Soul-Devouring Lizard Beasts, the guardians of the Shadow ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Moss, were also a threat not to be underestimated.
They were a type of demonic creature, dwelling in darkness, locking onto prey with mental fluctuations. Their attack methods included mental tearing, creating illusions, and even inducing fearful delusions.
What was more troublesome was that areas with dense Shadow Moss growth would often spontaneously form “mental disturbance zones,” causing outsiders to fall into states of memory afterimages and emotional collapse.
Without sufficient preparation, even a Knight could go mad.
“Troublesome, it is a bit troublesome, but only a little bit.” Louis showed no irritation, instead, he smiled.
Although Shadow Moss was dangerous, with the intelligence he now possessed, as long as a high-intensity clearing operation was organized to eliminate the Lizard Beasts and extract the moss essence, it could be brought completely under control.
Louis murmured softly, “If I can research an artificial cultivation environment for Shadow Moss—”
That would mean the birth of another exclusive Aura enhancement system belonging to the “Red Tide System.”
And if handled properly, those terrifying Soul-Devouring Lizard Beasts themselves were not merely threats.
Their magic crystals possessed extremely unique mental interference properties.
They could induce fear, create illusions, interfere with perception and judgment, and even disrupt the target's willpower for a short period.
If extracted and purified properly, they might be processed into “mental shock bombs” or some kind of covert interference device, used on the battlefield to shatter enemy morale, or to create crucial openings in assassinations and covert operations.
“Even,” Louis's lips curved slightly, and he was already conceiving another idea in his mind, “it could be used as an auxiliary device during interrogations.”
Rather than having interrogators spend time and effort repeatedly forcing confessions, it would be better to let suspects fall into their most terrifying nightmares, and in the tearing of mental illusions, have them reveal the answers themselves.
That was a breakdown that could not be resisted or concealed.
A complete line of thought gradually took shape: Shadow Moss for Aura enhancement, and Lizard Beast magic crystals for mental weapons and special means.
Although this cavern was dangerous, the benefits it brought might be far more valuable than mountains of gold and silver.
“Not bad—I can go take a look on the way back to the Red Tide Territory.”
Louis then cheerfully looked at the third piece of intelligence, his gaze pausing slightly, but his lips slowly curved upwards again—traces of Blaze-Ember Sunk-Iron discovered deep within the northern mine of Snowpeak County.
“Hey! Another piece of good news.” Louis's excitement was barely contained in his tone.
Blaze-Ember Sunk-Iron was no ordinary ore, but a miraculous substance found only in places where ancient fire-element magical beasts had fallen.
Legend had it that when these magical beasts died, their immense vital heat would seep into the surrounding rock layers, and after countless years of geothermal melting and mineral gas fusion, it would finally condense into this ore, as scorching as magma and difficult to grasp.
Its color was deep red, almost like molten gold, with its surface appearing to seal flickering sparks. Once Aura was infused, one could feel a violent, flame-like energy surging back.
It was the most suitable mineral for forging Aura Knight weapons.
“If the quality of this batch of ore is stable, then my elite troops can all be equipped with true Fire-Edged Iron Cavalry.” Louis's mind quickly conjured the image of fully armored cavalry arrayed, their armor gleaming, lances like fire, full of vigor.
Compared to standard armaments made from ordinary minerals, Blaze-Ember Sunk-Iron not only better fit Aura conduction structures but also possessed a high-heat interference effect. In actual combat, it could sever iron shields and burn through leather armor, greatly improving armor-piercing efficiency, making it the preferred choice for bloodline Knight weapons.
Louis looked down at the intelligence, his eyes glinting with calculating light.
“With the ore found, that northern mine—it should also be incorporated into the territory.” He had already made his decision.
Unlike Wheat Wave Territory, which was a granary-type territory centered on “cultivation,”
he intended to build a new battlefield-type stronghold centered on “mining and forging” in the northern mine of Snowpeak County.
It would include Packages construction of forging areas, Aura training grounds, and ordnance calibration stands, truly forming an integrated Red Tide armament system.
That would be the Red Tide Territory's future arsenal.
Today's intelligence was truly a string of good news.
Louis closed the floating interface, a faint smile still on his lips.
“Useless system, you finally pulled your weight for once.” He muttered softly, then stretched.
“Hmm—” Sif rubbed her eyes and sat up, her hair a mess as if it had just exploded, draped in the quilt and looking at him sleepily, “What are you researching now? Smiling like a profiteer so early in the morning—”
“Alright, I'm also a Lord, I should think about the next plans.” Louis casually put on his outer robe, “We're returning to the Red Tide Territory today. You should prepare too.”
“Mm.” Sif nodded, blinked, and finally woke up completely, “I'll arrange the farewell party.”
With that, she dressed neatly and trotted out, yawning.
Louis glanced at her retreating figure, a hint of tenderness in his eyes, then turned back to the wooden corner table in the room.
Next, it was time for his daily routine cultivation.
He sat cross-legged on the carpet, performing the Tidal Breathing Technique. The Aura within his body flowed gently like water waves, while his mental power accumulated layer by layer in primal meditation, like a sea breeze brushing against reefs, sometimes slow, sometimes rapid.
Dual cultivation of Aura and magic had long been his daily fundamental practice.
Even as a Lord burdened with official duties, he had never neglected it for a single day.
Half an hour later, he opened his eyes, a faint mist rising from his body, his aura as steady as a pine.
“We can depart now,” Sif said, coming to his side.
Louis nodded, put on the Red Tide Knights' standard cloak, and walked out of the house.
One person was already waiting in the courtyard; it was Knight Green, the acting head now responsible for Wheat Wave Territory's internal affairs and security.
Green was steady and introverted, handling affairs in Wheat Wave Territory methodically during these two months, and Louis felt quite assured with him.
“My Lord, the carriage and the Knight's order are ready. Do you have any other instructions?” he respectfully asked.
Louis nodded, handing him a simple diagram and a few pages of paper.
“This is the irrigation canal adjustment plan for the next month. The hilly area has complex terrain, remember to keep a close watch on it.”
“Yes,” Green quickly noted.
“Also, seed distribution, household registration transfers, and grain tax statistics, all must maintain contact with Bradley. And whether it's planting imbalance, irrigation blockage, or civil unrest, do not act on your own initiative; notify me immediately with a Swiftwind Bird.”
“Your subordinate will remember,” Green immediately said solemnly.
After giving all the instructions, Louis looked at him one last time: “Wheat Wave Territory is the foundation of the Red Tide. Spring plowing is the lifeblood of the territory, so be extremely careful and don't let anything go wrong.”
Green said earnestly: “I understand, My Lord.”
Louis patted his shoulder, showing a comforting smile: “You've done very well, keep it up.”
At the time of departure, several internal affairs officials, artisan representatives, and others came to bid farewell. Although there wasn't much ceremony, everyone's expressions were solemn.
Louis mounted his horse, surveyed the surroundings under the banner, and finally said softly to everyone: “Gentlemen, take good care of this land. I will return soon to inspect.”
“As My Lord commands!” everyone responded in unison.
The Red Tide Knights then set off, the convoy slowly driving out of the Mai Lang camp in the morning light, proceeding along the gravel path at the edge of the valley, with the distant, still unmelted snowline gleaming with cold white light.
Not long after they set out, Louis quietly said to Lambert beside him: “Take a slight detour, there's a place I want to see.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
No one raised an objection; if the master of the Red Tide Territory said he wanted to take a detour, then they would.
They all knew that Louis's “wanting to see” was never just a casual look.
