Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 41 The New Life of Slaves
Groups of slaves, bound by chains and ropes, entered the land of Red Tide Territory under the guidance of slave traders.

Their eyes were filled with unease, as they pondered their impending fate.

However, they were stunned when they entered the territory.

Clean houses, tidy roads, and the smell of cooking smoke filling the air...

This was completely different from what they had imagined slave camps to be.

There were no filthy, muddy tents, nor any rotten food that emitted a foul stench.

Even the soldiers guarding them did not show the usual disdain and contempt, but simply calmly maintained order.

They couldn't help but feel even more apprehensive, because the more different they were, the more uneasy they felt.

But this was only a preliminary impression. What truly shocked them was the lord's words in the square the following day...

Early in the morning, the square in Chichao Territory was bustling with people.

Fifteen hundred newly arrived slaves were neatly assembled here.

Louis's voice echoed across the square: "Welcome to Red Tide Territory."

One sentence left many people stunned. They were sold here, yet they were "welcomed"?
Louis continued, “You can treat this place as it always has been, but I hope it can be a place of new beginnings for you.”

The slaves looked at each other, their eyes still wary.

“I will not let you work for nothing. Red Tide will provide stable food, shelter and work. Your labor will not be wasted. Every drop of sweat will have meaning.”

“More importantly,” he paused for a moment, then slowly uttered a sentence:

“Here, as long as you work hard enough, you can get rid of slavery.”

boom--!
The slaves' hearts skipped a beat, and an uproar erupted in the square!
"……What?!"

What did he just say?

"How is this possible...!?"

free?

Do they still have a chance to gain their freedom?
Is there really a master in this world who would be willing to give up a slave?
They were bought and sold, driven around, and had long been accustomed to the constraints of chains, no longer daring to hope to change their fate.

This is a promise that is too good to be true, even absurd.

The whispers in the square grew louder; some were excited, others were bewildered...

But most people scoffed, their eyes filled with suspicion; they had heard far too many lies.

Louis witnessed all of this, but he believed that time would tell.

…………

After a few days, the slaves gradually adapted to their new environment.

The morning sun shone on the streets of Red Tide Territory, bringing a warmth rarely seen in the North.

A young slave stood outside the wooden hut, holding a steaming bowl of wheat porridge, slightly bewildered.

This was his breakfast, a generous portion, more than his usual daily rations.

Not far away, other slaves also came out of the house one after another, gathering in twos and threes around the fire pit to keep warm.

“The beds here are more comfortable than the straw mats I used to sleep on,” an old slave murmured.

“Yes,” another person echoed, their expression complex.

There was no endless beatings and insults here, there was an ample supply of food every day, and it was a place that was like paradise compared to their previous slave camp.

What shocked them most was that they saw the free people with their own eyes.

"Hey, are you a slave?" a young slave asked timidly to a craftsman who was repairing the road.

The man stopped hammering, wiped the sweat from his brow, and smiled: "It used to be."

The young slave's eyes widened: "But...but now you..." The craftsman grinned: "Because I work hard, the lord has given me the status of a free man."

"Really?" His voice trembled.

“Of course.” The craftsman patted him on the shoulder. “As long as you do a good job, the lord will not treat anyone unfairly.”

Such examples are becoming increasingly common.

They met free men in the fields, they met free men in the blacksmith's shop...

Those former slaves now live with their heads held high, dressed in decent clothes.

The slaves' doubts were shaken at this moment.

They began to believe that perhaps... freedom was not a false promise.

As time went by, the slaves' fear gradually subsided, replaced by adaptation to the Red Tide Territory and a desire for the future.

"As long as we are willing to work hard, we can do it too!"

This idea quietly spread among the slave community, igniting a spark of hope.

They stopped passively obeying and began to truly engage in their work.

They began to feel genuine gratitude towards the person who had given them the opportunity, the young lord.

Whenever he inspected the mines or workshops, the slaves would unconsciously stop what they were doing.

As they watched him leave, their eyes no longer held only awe, but also a kind of indescribable trust and respect.

Of course, the influx of a large population brings not only labor but also challenges that cannot be ignored.

Food was not a major problem; previous reserves and family support ensured a sufficient food supply. However, housing proved to be a thorny issue.

The Red Tide Territory originally had a small population, and housing construction was based on demand.

Now, with the sudden addition of 1,500 slaves, the previously spacious living quarters have instantly become cramped.

But if we squeeze in a little, we can always find a place to stay.

The slaves were moved into the existing semi-subterranean longhouses and temporarily shared their living quarters with the original inhabitants.

In other places, this situation would likely have sparked discontent or even conflict, but the situation in the Red Tide Territory is surprisingly stable.

Because everyone believed that the lord had promised to speed up the construction of the new house.

Moreover, the craftsmen have already begun laying foundations in the outer areas, and new housing is under construction, progressing faster than anyone expected.

But Louis said, "Just be patient, there will be more houses soon."

Therefore, even though the living conditions were somewhat cramped, the slaves rarely complained in private.

The housing shortage is just the immediate problem; what truly worries Louis is the sanitation issue.

One afternoon, Louis took some time to inspect the newly built residential area.

The houses here were recently built; the wooden beams still smelled of fresh sawdust, and the ground was a newly paved dirt road.
From a distance, the rows of houses are neatly arranged, which can be considered one of the greatest achievements of the Red Tide Territory in recent times.

But as Louis ventured deeper into the path, he sensed something was amiss.

Along the sides of the path, you can occasionally see piles of garbage, and the air is filled with a musty smell.

In particular, the sight of that oily, brownish-yellow puddle at the street corner, glistening in the sunlight, made Louis's Adam's apple bob involuntarily.

Such an environment may not cause trouble in the short term.

However, with population growth, issues such as drinking water, sewage, and environmental sanitation will inevitably become hidden dangers sooner or later.

If left unchecked, the Red Tide Territory will not have enough doctors to cope with the spread of the disease.

(End of this chapter)