Free Web NovelIt had been exactly half a year since Red Tide took over Grey Rock Province.
The meeting room in Black Iron City was quiet.
Outside the window was the chilly light of an early autumn morning, sliced into a thin line by the heavy curtains, falling upon the long table of dark walnut wood.
The air did not yet have the biting edge of frost, carrying just a hint of coolness. The fireplace was lit symbolically, allowing those in the room to go without coats.
Louis sat at the head of the table, his cloak draped over the back of his chair, a pen held in his hand, twirling gently between his fingers.
"Lord Louis." As Green entered, a hint of the cold from outside clung to his shoulders, and he carried a thick roll of parchment in his arms.
Louis nodded, dispensing with any superfluous pleasantries, and motioned for Green to begin his report: "Let's get straight to it."
Green placed the parchment in the center of the table, pressed down with both hands, and gave it a firm pull.
As the map unfurled, several people in the room instinctively looked up.
This was no longer the old map of the Grey Rock nobles' territories from half a year ago.
There were no mottled color blocks, no dense clusters of heraldry, none of those boundaries that had fragmented the province into pieces.
The entire parchment was now covered only in red lines, crisscrossing, extending from the Governors Mansion towards the mining areas, river valleys, workshops, outposts, and villages.
The lines varied in thickness, with dense nodes, resembling the blood vessels and nerves of a body.
Louis's fingertip moved slowly along the edge of the map, his gaze pausing on each of those red-line nodes.
Green stood straight and reported, "Sir, according to your 'Red Tide System Planning Document,' the restructuring of Grey Rock Province is complete."
He raised a hand and pointed to the center of the map: "A population of seven hundred thousand, forty-eight mining areas, three glacial rivers—all have been integrated into the Red Tide System."
Louis looked up at him, his gaze resting on Green's face for a moment: "Well done."
Then he raised a hand, signaling no need to stop, "Continue."
Green cleared his throat and continued: "Half a year ago, hundreds of petty barons each governed their own fiefs. How taxes were collected, how mines were dug, how people were used—it all depended on their debts and their tempers."
He described the old state of affairs briefly, as if tossing out a piece of rotten flesh: "We abolished the legislative power of all local nobles. Now, Grey Rock has only one voice: the voice of the Red Tide Central Authority."
Green pointed to the three main lines on the map.
"Every directive issued from the main city can reach the most remote mining village through the three-tier vertical system of Stewards, Town Administrators, and Village Heads, without ambiguity or deviation, with a one hundred percent execution rate."
Louis tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice: "The rules must be written clearly. Fear can only maintain order; rules maintain a system."
"Yes." Green nodded. "That's why we posted the regulations at the entrance of every workshop. Even the literacy classes first teach them to recognize Work Points and the rules."
Hearing this, the corner of Louis's mouth twitched slightly, as if in satisfaction.
Green turned to a new page: "In the past half year, the Supervisory Department branch in Grey Rock has filed six hundred and twenty cases. Eight hundred and fifty former retained officials were publicly tried."
"Taking bribes, demanding favors, withholding public grain, falsifying Work Points, privately selling medicine. We let none of it slide."
He recited the numbers without emotion, as if reporting the weight of ore.
"The common folk finally believe that here, there is no forgiveness based on mood, nor privilege based on status."
"Keep a close watch." Louis nodded. "And even if officials from Red Tide commit crimes, they cannot be spared."
Green acknowledged and turned to the population register, continuing his report: "Registered population: seven hundred twenty-four thousand. Among them, four hundred thousand were'shadow people' we dug out from mines, deep mountains, and abandoned villages.
They weren't considered people before. Now they have names, identification numbers, and work point accounts."
Green paused briefly while turning the page: "In the past half year, we promoted over three thousand grassroots officials. Half a year ago, they were slaves, refugees, or miners."
He looked up, a hint of excitement finally seeping into his tone, difficult to completely suppress. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"As long as they are willing to learn, to work hard, to become literate, even a slave can sit in an office. Opening this path of advancement wins more hearts than distributing gold coins."
Louis smiled confidently, as if he had expected this: "Have they gone mad?"
"Mad." Green also smiled. "The people signing up for literacy classes every day are breaking the thresholds."
After a brief silence, someone in the meeting room chuckled softly. Soon, the amusement spread around the table like a spark igniting.
They themselves had once sat on the benches of literacy classes, starting from copying the first character, recording the first work point, step by step to where they were today.
"Regarding supplies," Green brought the topic back, "we replicated Red Tide City's free shelter system. First registration, then distribution of housing, clothing, and food. Plagues and riots have been largely suppressed at the sprouting stage."
He pointed to the southern part of the map: "The Black Valley Basin. Relying on glacial river hydropower and geothermal technology transferred from headquarters, we have completed the first phase of the Greenhouse Zone.
Although we can't ensure everyone eats well yet, there's enough stewed potatoes and mushrooms. Deaths from starvation and freezing have disappeared from the statistics."
Louis let out a soft breath, his gaze still fixed on the map: "Progress is as expected."
Green said, "This is due to your planning, sir..."
He had just begun, already unconsciously veering towards flattery.
Louis raised a hand to cut him ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ off first: "Enough. No need to flatter me."
As these words fell, the meeting room first fell silent, then someone couldn't help but let out a laugh.
Being interrupted like this actually made Green relax a bit. He smiled but still didn't fully hold back.
"Sir, you may not like hearing this, but it must be said." He closed the booklet, as if repackaging his words. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"What impresses me most is the people's hearts. Before, they shouted 'Long live Duke Remont' under coercion. Now they shout 'Long live Lord Louis' because they know their lives are genuinely improving.
They no longer consider themselves people of Grey Rock; they call themselves people of Red Tide to outsiders."
The people in the room exchanged glances. Some smiled at the corners of their mouths, others let out soft sighs.
And Louis's gaze returned to that map crisscrossed with red lines.
When people start willingly placing themselves within this network, they will no longer wish to return to the shadow of the old nobles.
Green closed the population register and picked up a thicker document, its edges already frayed from repeated handling.
"Next, material gains." His tone noticeably shifted gears. "The daily output of various minerals has increased tenfold compared to before the takeover.
It's not that the veins suddenly multiplied, but that the mines are truly operating around the clock for the first time. The hydraulic forging plants on the glacial rivers work day and night. Raw ore is no longer inefficiently piled in open yards but is directly processed through pressing, cutting, and forging, unified into standard steel ingots."
Green paused, as if confirming whether those present could grasp the magnitude of this change, then continued.
"This is the first time Grey Rock has embraced the concept of standardized components. It can be integrated as a whole into Red Tide's industrial system, not just as a source of scattered raw materials."
He tapped on several sections of the glacial rivers on the map: "Furthermore, based on your intelligence, we discovered associated ore—Frost-Pattern Copper—in the deep riverbeds of the glacial rivers.
This metal has excellent ductility and far surpasses ordinary copper in its tolerance to temperature changes. The Artisan Department has confirmed it is highly suitable for key components of steam engines and core structures of urban heating pipelines."
Green turned another page: "Also, the Department of Mining excavated high-density iron ore from abandoned deep mine shafts. Valentine calls it Abyssal Black Iron."
The density of this ore is three times that of ordinary iron, possessing natural anti-magic properties. It is extremely difficult to forge, but once shaped, it becomes exceptionally reliable military material.
"Currently, it's only in the trial production stage." Green reported truthfully. "But it has already attracted attention."
Louis nodded: "Classify these two as strategic materials."
Green continued: "The agricultural data isn't spectacular but is stable.
Grey Rock is unsuitable for wheat. This conclusion we have verified repeatedly. So, instead of forcibly replicating the Northern Frontier model, we directly acknowledged the incompatibility and shifted to alternative solutions."
He tapped on the western side of the map.
"In the deep layers of the Red Soil Slopes, we discovered the associated magical plant, Ember Root.
It grows by absorbing volcanic ash and trace fire elements. It cannot serve as a staple food, but holds high value in the field of knight cultivation.
The refined potion can warm and nourish the Aura bloodline, significantly increasing the success rate of Apprentice Knights breaking through to the official rank. An application to expand the cultivation area has been submitted."
Louis inclined his head: "Expand to the maximum extent possible."
Green nodded and turned to the next page: "For the food safety net, we still rely on Glow Mushrooms. Director Mick completed an improved cultivation version in Grey Rock—high protein, high adaptability, capable of stable yield in mines, greenhouses, and damp environments.
It can't solve the problem of prosperity, but it solves hunger. For the current Grey Rock, that is enough."
In terms of biological husbandry, the local Rock-Scale Boar has been successfully domesticated.
This beast has thick, tough skin, is cold and disease resistant, with firm meat. The strength of its hide approaches that of light armor material.
From breeding, slaughtering, to processing, everything can be completed within the province. This is the first time Grey Rock has formed a complete agricultural-industrial closed loop."
Green paused briefly, naturally advancing the topic.
"Next, the remaining old knights and wandering mercenaries in Grey Rock have all been gathered, totaling eight hundred.
Their original family-based formations have been completely abolished, uniformly disbanded and reorganized, and integrated into Red Tide mixed units. The Political Commissar System was simultaneously deployed, advancing tactics, discipline, and ideology together."
In the first two months, there were many conflicts—some refused to follow orders, others formed secret societies."
Louis asked: "And now?"
Green replied steadily: "Now they know who the sword is for, and where those who disobey will be sent.
Finally, regarding talent, the first batch of Night School graduates have already been assigned to the village and town level.
They may not be highly literate, but they can calculate Work Points, keep accounts, fill out forms. The grassroots operation already depends on them. These people are more loyal than knights.
Another unexpected gain is the return of skilled craftsmen. Blacksmiths, stonemasons, herbalists... originally buried among the common folk, were uniformly graded and awarded medals by the Artisan Department, reintegrated into the system.
Some improved the transmission shaft of the water turbine, increasing efficiency by twenty percent; others improved the structure of mining lamps, reducing accident rates by half.
We gave them medals and houses. The result is that craftsmen across the entire province have begun actively submitting improvement proposals."
Louis wrote a bright red character at the end of the report: Excellent.
Then he closed the 'Grey Rock Province Reconstruction Report,' which was almost flawless.
When he placed the parchment scroll back on the table, there was no deliberate pause, no symbolic sense of ceremony. It was simply put down naturally, like completing a confirmation.
He stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window on one side of the meeting room. Outside was Black Iron City.
The streets were clean, transport tracks straight. The rhythmic sound of steam engines came through the thick window, not jarring, but steady.
Louis summarized: "You have done more than just revive Grey Rock. You have proven one thing: the Red Tide System can take root outside the Northern Frontier."
No one in the meeting room responded. This was not a statement requiring a reply.
Louis turned around, his gaze sweeping over both sides of the long table: "Gentlemen, it's time for me to return."
As these words fell, there was no expected commotion in the room.
"The Northern Frontier is the brain and heart of Red Tide." Louis continued. "There is a more complex chess game waiting for me there."
His gaze rested on Green for a moment, then moved to the others: "And Grey Rock is now a giant that has learned to walk. It no longer needs me holding its hand every moment."
The atmosphere changed at this moment, a kind of joy born from Louis's acknowledgment.
Louis walked back to the head of the long table, placed both hands on the surface, and leaned forward slightly.
At this moment, the air in the meeting room noticeably tightened.
"Before I leave, two things. First, the old nobles will not give up. Having lost openly, they will certainly change tactics. There will be bribes, connections, marriage proposals."
Louis's tone was flat, yet carried an unmistakable chill.
"Tell the Supervisory Department to keep their eyes sharp. Red Tide does not fear steel blades; it fears soft knives.
Whoever dares accept a single gold coin from the old nobles, I will send them to dig coal in the Black Valley for the rest of their lives, no matter who they are, no matter their merits."
"Second, I am leaving." Louis looked at Green. "You are the highest-ranking official here.
But remember, it is not you, Green, who governs Grey Rock; it is the 'red tide code.' Do not let personal likes and dislikes replace the law. The system is an iron cage, but also a talisman."
He straightened up, his tone lowering further: "Seven hundred thousand people can lift you up, or they can tear you apart. The only thing that can keep them from chaos is the system."
Green nodded nervously, indicating he understood.
Louis straightened up, walked to Green, and took out a seal from his chest.
The seal was not large, its edges polished smooth, engraved with the sun pattern of Red Tide.
"Green. The food, clothing, shelter, and transportation of seven hundred thousand people, forty-eight mining areas—it's all in your hands now."
He placed the seal into Green's hand.
Green was the first to stand, followed by Mick, Mick, Serell, Valentine... Chairs slid back simultaneously, the sound as uniform as a drill.
Green held the seal with both hands, his eyes reddening, yet without a trace of wavering.
"Sir, please proceed north with peace of mind. We will guard this southern gate of Grey Rock well. Whether it's the Imperial army or the temptation of decay, as long as the banner of Red Tide flies, Grey Rock Province will never change color."
Everyone saluted. Louis looked at them, said nothing more, put on his coat, turned, and pushed the door open.
The cold wind of early autumn rushed into the room, lifting a corner of the map on the table, then letting it fall again quickly.
The great machine of Grey Rock Province no longer needed him to push it forward. It continued to operate along its set course.
