Free Web NovelLouis slowly raised his other hand and gently swiped it through the air.
A translucent light screen quietly appeared before his eyes, unfolding silently.
【Daily Intelligence System Update Complete】
【1: A species of'Spine-Splitter Snow Scorpion' has appeared in the shallow valley north of Winter Dawn Ridge.】
【2: The Dragon Throne Council in the Imperial Capital has officially passed a proposal to appoint Sixth Prince Asta August as the 'Northern Royal Reconstruction Envoy'.】
【3: Signs of Murloc activity have appeared near'Sunken Tide Reef' outside Breaking Wave Bay, with the number still unclear.】
Louis's brow slightly arched, and his gaze first fell on the first item.
"The Spine-Splitter Snow Scorpion is another resource-type creature," Louis murmured to himself, already accustomed to categorizing intelligence.
These valuable magical beasts, appearing in remote cold regions, often carried something that could be refined.
According to the description, the snow scorpion's gallbladder was rich in highly toxic glandular fluid, but its poison was not purely lethal; instead, it acted as a catalytic factor that could stimulate blood qi and battle qi fluctuations. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
After cooking or refining, it had a significant enhancing effect on the cultivation of the knight class.
Louis pulled out the small notebook from his bedside, making a note: "Winter Dawn Ridge · Spine-Splitter Snow Scorpion · Gallbladder · Battle Qi Catalyst · Priority Hunt," and circled it in red at the end.
Upon returning to Red Tide City, the Beast Hunting Knights would need to mobilize. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Over the years, supported by the Daily Intelligence System, Red Tide Territory had secretly accumulated an astonishing amount of battle qi enhancement materials.
Magic beast meat, fortified mead, combat meditation incense, blood-stimulating herbs—
There was even the Shadow Trial Ground, a bug-level battle qi cultivation chamber.
Cultivation resources that outsiders considered precious and hard to come by had almost become commonplace here.
Louis even joked once, "Being a knight in Red Tide, the biggest headache is not having enough stomach space for this week's supplies."
If knights from other territories heard such words, they would probably find them absurd.
But under Louis's command, this was a very real daily occurrence.
Those knights, from their initial cautious observation to their current unwavering loyalty, were not swayed by empty slogans, but by the gradual fulfillment of resources.
These resources were cohesion and combat power.
Unlike knights in other noble families who had to queue for a year and even draw lots just to get a bite of magic beast meat,
the knights of Red Tide knew full well that as long as they followed Louis, there would always be rewards to look forward to, and their cultivation would naturally rise.
"Ah, the Lord's kindness is endless!"
Louis looked at the intelligence, a smile appearing on his lips: "Snow Scorpion gallbladder—another dish to add to everyone's menu."
Then the second piece of intelligence slowly slid into view.
【2: The Dragon Throne Council in the Imperial Capital has officially passed a proposal to appoint Sixth Prince Asta August as the 'Northern Royal Reconstruction Envoy'.】
Louis did not seem surprised, merely frowning slightly, as if confirming a result he had anticipated days ago.
"It's finally here—" he murmured softly.
This was not a sudden storm, but the ancient pot in the Imperial Capital finally starting to boil again.
With the Emperor missing for half a year, the empire's power center was in turmoil.
He had long known that neither the Royal Family nor other nobles could stand by and watch the Calvin Family control the two vast territories of the North and the Southeast Province.
Even if the North was ravaged and resource-poor, it still possessed a considerable number of mines and cold-region magical beast resources.
Louis chuckled self-deprecatingly, his eyes as calm as ice.
As for the Sixth Prince... Asta August.
A forgotten pawn, now brought onto the chessboard, given the title of "Reconstruction Envoy," clearly not for management, but for checks and balances.
"But then again—it's better than directly appointing the Sixth Prince as governor."
This indicated that there had already been a struggle and compromise within the Dragon Throne Council. The Calvin Family had temporarily blunted the attack, and the title of Reconstruction Envoy was essentially a transitional fig leaf.
At least formally, the North remained vacant.
That was enough, because as long as the "Governor's Chair" remained empty, Louis would still be the de facto sole ruler of the North.
"However," Louis straightened up, a hint of wariness in his eyes, "the Sixth Prince—after all, he is of the Royal Family."
He would not be naive enough to believe that a weak prince was truly harmless.
Even a semi-exiled pawn, as long as the halo of golden bloodline above his head remained, even the most incompetent prince could attract a swarm of sycophantic flies.
Especially those southern pioneering nobles who knew little about the situation in the North but considered themselves clever.
But Louis was not afraid, a mocking smile even playing on his lips.
"Am I, as I am now, afraid of a prince who can't bring supplies or raise a knight order?"
The entire North, from Frost Halberd City to Red Tide Territory, from the Southeast granary to the coastal projects, was already a political machine he had single-handedly built.
He controlled resources, public sentiment, geographical advantages, and the unique golden finger of the Daily Intelligence System.
Even if enemies secretly plotted, he could always be one step ahead of them, turning over the back of the card to see the whole situation clearly.
"The intelligence isn't enough—I can only wait and see."
Of course, Louis did not relax his vigilance, but since there was no more detailed intelligence, he could only wait, so he continued to read.
【3: Signs of Murloc activity have appeared near'Sunken Tide Reef' outside Breaking Wave Bay, with the number still unclear.】
Louis's gaze drifted slightly.
This third piece of intelligence was a danger warning, but for him, "bad news is not necessarily a bad thing."
If Murlocs were only discovered when they came ashore and gnawed through the masts of grain ships, it would no longer be a warning, but a disaster.
Louis opened his notebook and recorded this item on the priority intelligence page marked with a red line.
South of You Teng Slope, on the west bank of Breaking Wave Bay, lay an uninhabited mudflat named "Sunken Sand Beach."
He had been repeatedly planning for this coastline over the past three months.
This place was backed by undulating hills and formed a natural arc bay on the sea side, free from storms year-round, making it a natural, blessed harbor structure.
As early as last winter, Louis had quietly ascertained that this beach nominally belonged to an old Imperial Navy noble who had long since moved south.
This person had not set foot in the North for decades, and the land deeds had long since yellowed and molded, leaving only a nominal claim.
So he simply sent people to take a detour south, personally offering a thousand gold coins to acquire this future core of the port.
The day the transaction was completed, he wrote a few words in his notebook: "Sunken Sand Beach → Dawn Port City."
To other minor nobles, it was just a dilapidated mudflat.
To Louis, it was the first waterway trade choke point for Red Tide Territory to emerge from the North and connect with the Southeast Province.
In the past, every month he had to transport various mineral resources refined in Red Tide by land to the Calvin Family's southern port for storage and exchange for other resources.
This was time-consuming, expensive, and the transport teams were vulnerable to attacks. Once winter snow blocked the roads, supplies were almost cut off.
But if Dawn Port could be built, water transport would solve all of this once and for all:
Supply ships could sail south, reaching the Calvin Family's Southeast Port warehouse in just over a week.
It could open up a northern sea trade route, attracting displaced people and foreign merchants.
It could also connect to the ports of other southern nobles, serving as a bargaining chip and link for political negotiations.
Of course, ideals were ideals, but reality was like the coastal mudflats, full of traps.
The ideal was rich, but reality was like Sunken Sand Beach; one step down, and traps were everywhere.
Although the new port's location was excellent, it was difficult to build. The mudflats were soft, requiring the construction of sand dikes first to stabilize the foundation.
There was a shortage of wood, nails, and ropes, and even lifting magic tools had to be transferred from the South. Not to mention artisans, there were very few people in the entire North who understood port construction.
If it were anyone else, they would probably have been discouraged long ago.
But Louis was well prepared; after all, the Calvin Family controlled most of the empire's ports, so all of this was simple.
He had quietly transferred personnel and materials over the past six months, just waiting for this moment.
In just a few more days, everything could begin.
But the real problems came from external factors, such as the Murlocs mentioned in the intelligence.
Murlocs were once intelligent sea creatures that had engaged in shallow trade with humans. For unknown reasons a thousand years ago, they degenerated into semi-beasts,
becoming greedy, insane, and almost impossible to deal with.
They could come ashore at night, assassinating sentries, tearing at civilians, and secreting corrosive acid to melt wooden ships.
And Murlocs were not the biggest problem.
The biggest problem was that the lair of Cavil Ironfang, one of the Seven Pirate Emperors, was located at the northern end of this sea area.
This legendary "Steel-Tooth Mad King" was not only cruel and tyrannical, but also commanded nearly a hundred small raiding ships, plundering countless coastal merchant fleets every year.
Once Breaking Wave Bay opened to navigation, Red Tide Port could potentially become his top priority target.
However, these objective factors could not stop him from building the port; he was prepared for battle.
He flipped to the first page of his notebook, circling "Murloc activity area," "Cavil's sphere of influence," and "new port coordinates" together.
Just then, Emily slowly opened her eyes and saw Louis sitting by the bed, head bowed, organizing his documents.
"Awake?" Louis's voice was gentle, and he looked up at her, "We're returning to Red Tide today."
Emily nodded lightly, but a hint of reluctance flashed in her eyes.
Louis smiled slightly, reaching out to hold her hand: "Lady Elena and Little Isaac will also return with us. We aren't leaving,
just moving to a different place to continue living. In the future, we'll have the chance to come back."
"I know." Emily's voice was still a bit low. "I'll go get ready."
In the afternoon, the convoy had already assembled outside Frost Halberd Keep.
Louis, clad in a Red Tide cape, stood with the Frost Iron Knights arrayed behind him.
He glanced at the broken yet still standing castle, then finally waved his hand, leading the team to depart.
As for Frost Halberd City, he had entrusted its governance to the Silverfang Knights and selected several elder officials to form a provisional council.
Louis required them to report the situation monthly, waiting for Little Isaac to come of age and inherit, at which point the rightful lord would take over everything.
Inside the carriage, Lady Elena gently pulled back a corner of the curtain, gazing at the gradually receding silhouette of Frost Halberd City, a faint mist clouding her eyes.
She said nothing, merely clutching the handkerchief embroidered with the Edmund Family crest, as if using this small gesture to carefully put away her memories.
This city held her happy years with her husband and also buried the lonely figure of a Duke of the North.
In her arms, Little Isaac, just over a year old, giggled, patting the carriage window panel, his wide eyes full of curiosity for the distant scenery.
He did not yet understand what farewell meant, only feeling the carriage moving, with snow, wind, and novelty on the road—everything was so much fun.
A cold wind stirred, and the distant snowline undulated like sleeping veins.
And the wheels of the carriage had once again set off for Red Tide City.
In a remote territory of the North, wind and snow howled, and the reconstructed mansion still let in the cold wind.
In the temporarily set up study, by the brazier, Sixth Prince Asta August, wrapped in a blanket, was reviewing the post-disaster reconstruction ledger presented by officials.
Urgent footsteps sounded outside the door; a servant pushed the door open, clutching a letter adorned with golden threads.
"Imperial Capital swift-bird letter, Your Highness, it's—from the Dragon Throne Council."
Asta paused, his expression shifting.
He slowly took the letter, his fingers trembling slightly as he broke the seal.
"By special decree, His Highness Asta August is granted the position of Northern Royal Reconstruction Envoy, temporarily overseeing Northern reconstruction and administrative coordination."
He stood stunned as if struck by lightning, his fingertips repeatedly tracing the words until he confirmed it wasn't an illusion.
"Finally, finally it's my turn—" he murmured, then abruptly stood up, stirring a gust of cold wind.
"The North, this forgotten snowy land, will be the starting point of my achievements, Asta August!"
He then, like a victorious general returning from battle, sketched out grand blueprints on the old map.
However, just as he was brimming with excitement, even wanting to order the troops to be reorganized and a government office established, the steady footsteps outside the door brought his fantasies to an abrupt halt.
"Calm down, Your Highness." It was his mentor, Seifer, who entered. "I advise you not to be too quick to revel in this appointment."
Asta frowned: "Why? This is an official order from the Imperial Capital! I have the Royal Family's name, I have the duty of supervision, can I still not interfere in Northern affairs?"
Seifer said in a deep voice: "In the past six months, the Imperial Capital has not sent a single soldier, a single grain, or a single horse to the North. Now, suddenly appointing you is merely sending you out to test the waters.
If you can keep Louis Calvin in check, it is the Royal Family's good fortune. If you cannot—then they will abandon you immediately."
"They have never cared whether you succeed or not." His tone was devoid ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) of warmth. "Your Highness, you should understand that the true power of the North is already in someone else's hands.
Don't rush to make decisions; at least wait until the Imperial Capital's envoy and resources arrive, then we'll see."
Asta lowered his head in silence.
The fire in his eyes seemed to be extinguished by cold water; his body trembled slightly, and his hands slowly relaxed.
His gaze fell upon the vividly marked map, speechless for a moment.
At night, the study's firelight was dim, and the wind and snow wailed outside the window.
Asta sat alone in the dilapidated hall, gazing out at the boundless, silent snowfield.
"This is the last chance; there won't be another one—once Louis has assimilated the Edmund Family's resources, I'll have no opportunity left." Asta murmured softly, his fingers slowly tightening.
But beneath the firelight, there was still a flicker of unextinguished light in his eyes.
He thought of Louis Calvin.
This young noble, who was previously unknown, had accumulated prestige, power, an army, and public support at an astonishing speed. Even Duke Edmund had entrusted a portion of the North to him.
"If it were him, what would he do—" Asta whispered, his tone containing both self-questioning and unwillingness.
He might not be incapable of achieving it, given time, given space.
So, on the surface, he sheathed all his ambition, feigning a composed demeanor.
But privately, unbeknownst to Seifer, he had quietly summoned several pioneering noble small lords who had migrated from the South, and even taken in several Imperialized barbarian tribes willing to submit.
Under the guise of post-disaster autonomy, he distributed some land rights, grain rations, and armed permits.
Not because he was benevolent, but so that one day, he could reveal his true intentions.
He believed that day would come.
