Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 23 Identity Exposed
"Sigh, if only someone in our territory knew how to use magic soil."

Louis sat behind his desk, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the surface, his tone sounding like a casual complaint.

But his gaze kept sweeping over Hilko, who was sitting at the small desk next to him.

Hilco was writing furiously, tallying the catch and the production of smoked fish. His dark circles were even more pronounced than the night before.

Hearing Louis's complaint, he abruptly stopped writing, pressed his temples with his fingers, and tried to clear his head.

Misheard?
No, it's definitely not a hallucination.

This was the fifth time he had heard Louis say that today.

Even if he's sleep-deprived, he shouldn't have heard hallucinations five times, right?
Hilko paused slightly, finally realizing something.

This is clearly a deliberate hint at himself!

Creating magic soil is a basic skill for every alchemist.

And he, being an alchemical genius, naturally understood it.

The problem is that he has not revealed this identity to anyone, at least not in the Red Tide Territory.

So... how did Louis know that?
His mind raced, trying to recall if he had accidentally let something slip.

Or is it that he simply cannot conceal his aura as an alchemical genius?
While he was thinking, Louis spoke again, his tone still full of helplessness: "If only I could make my own magic soil."

This is the sixth time!

Louis kept chanting like a monk, until Hilco finally couldn't take it anymore.

He took a deep breath and said casually, "I know a little bit; I learned a little at a church school before."

As soon as he finished speaking, Hilko wanted to slap himself.

That's a lie! How could a church school teach how to make magic soil?
However, Louis seemed to believe this statement wholeheartedly, even appearing to have a sudden realization.

He asked with considerable interest, "Oh? Is that so? Then can you help me?"

A subtle silence fell over the office.

Did he really believe it?!

Hilco glanced at Louis without making a sound.

Louis's expression didn't suggest he'd been fooled at all.

It's more like you've finally admitted it, and you're looking at me with expectant eyes, eager to get the magic soil ready.

Hilco: “…”

Louis knew, of course, that Hilco was an alchemy apprentice.

The Frostblood Redberry plant must grow in highly acidic soil.

Only then can nutrients be absorbed efficiently, resulting in plump, bright red fruits that have a better effect on enhancing fighting spirit.

If the soil is neutral or alkaline, nutrients will be locked in, leading to poor plant development, yellowing leaves, and even failure to bear fruit.

The problem is that Louis only has a general understanding of how to prepare acidic soil; he doesn't know the specific proportions or treatment methods.

But he knew who it was: Hilko, the guy who was hiding his identity as an alchemy apprentice.

Louis had intended to wait for the other party to speak up, but the current situation was special, and the cultivation of Frostblood Redberries could not be delayed.

Unfortunately, he has to be exposed today.

Silence spread between the two, the firewood crackling in the fireplace.

Hilko looked down at the ledger on his desk, weighing the pros and cons.

Finally, he sighed slowly, as if he had finally resigned himself to his fate: "Okay, but I have one condition: let me rest one day a week."

This time, it was Louis's turn to remain silent.

For the Red Tide Territory, which is currently facing a severe shortage of manpower, this does feel like a waste of talent; he hasn't had a single day off in a month. But then again, if Hilko continues working at this intensity, he might just collapse and die one day.

Louis sighed. "Alright, deal."

Then Hilko copied a list of equipment for the Magic Earth and gave it to Louis.

Most materials can be purchased at the market in Frostspear City.

But one name caught Louis's eye for a moment.

The Demonic Essence.

“You really dare to ask for that,” Louis chuckled, looking up at Hilco.

“I just listed the most standard proportions,” Hilko shrugged. “Of course, you can use substitutes, but the results might be…”

"Without magic essence, the effects of magic soil will be greatly reduced, right?" Louis bluntly pointed out.

Hilko shrugged and didn't say anything.

Louis rubbed his temples; magic marrow was indeed a bit pricey.

This stuff does exist in the Red Tide Territory, specifically in the mining area to the northwest.

However, there are some minor difficulties in mining it.

In terms of mining technology, it's not too difficult. Even with the crudest method, if the people take iron picks and tap the vein, they can always dig out some to make magic soil.

However, the real problem lies elsewhere.

Instead, based on intelligence reports, several frost giants had been frequently roaming near the mining area since the beginning of spring.

Frost giants are among the most troublesome monsters in the North!

They typically inhabit extremely cold regions, are enormous in size, possess immense strength, and have skin as hard as ice, making them difficult to harm effectively with ordinary weapons.

Even more troublesome is that they can manipulate cold air, creating extreme cold storms that cover the battlefield, slowing down enemies or even freezing them to death.

Louis did not rush to deal with the matter.

One reason is that the Chichao Territory was previously in a development stage, focusing on agriculture and production, and had no time to attend to mining matters.

On the other hand, the mining area was far from residential areas, and the giants did not pose a real threat to the territory.

Furthermore, given the limited understanding of the Frost Giants at the time, taking any rash action would have been extremely risky.

Therefore, he only arranged for a few knights to lie in wait and observe, in order to gather more intelligence.

But things are different now.

Over the past month, the intelligence system has provided some information about the weaknesses of the Frost Giants.

The territory's development has entered a stable phase, and it's time to proactively address this potential threat.

Since we must mine the magic marrow, let's also clear out the mining area and bring this resource under the complete control of the Crimson Tide Territory!

Louis pondered for a moment, then immediately began to act.

He first summoned two knights and handed them Hilko's list: "Go to Frostspear City and purchase alchemical materials according to the list above, the sooner the better."

"Yes!" The knights took the list and hurried away.

Then he summoned the knight captain Lambert and said to him, "Lambert, gather all the knights and prepare for battle."

Lambert was slightly taken aback, but did not ask any further questions. He immediately replied in a deep voice, "Yes, sir."

"Target: Northwest Mountains, to defeat the Frost Giants." Louis said firmly, continuing, "Everyone must be assembled without fail."

"Yes!" Lambert answered readily, then stood up and strode away.

Soon the knights of the Crimson Tide Territory quickly assembled, their warhorses neighing, and galloped in a mighty procession toward the mining area in the northwest of the Crimson Tide Territory.

(End of this chapter)