Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 470 Dragon

Deep within the underground palace, the air was so still it felt almost heavy.

A blood pool, hundreds of meters in diameter, lies at the very core of the earth, its surface gleaming with a morbid yet sacred dark golden luster.

Around the blood pool, five thousand burly figures knelt on one knee.

They once belonged to the three most core and untouchable forces of the empire—the First Legion of the Imperial Capital, the Dragonblood Legion symbolizing the soul of the empire, and the Emperor's own Royal Guard.

But at this moment, they no longer possess a complete human outline.

The heavy armor was no longer protective gear; the exposed skin was rough, dark gray, covered with strange scales, beneath which faint dark red veins flowed, like magma slowly crawling under the cooled earth's crust.

Unnatural bony protrusions appear on the neck and back, some of which have broken through the skin and transformed into bony wing roots that have not yet fully unfolded.

Some have grown broken wings, and some have had their arms transformed into claws covered in scales, but without exception, they all maintain the same posture, kneeling silently and motionless.

Like five thousand living stone sculptures.

In this inhuman hell, Lin Ze seemed out of place.

He was still wearing that perfectly tailored black and white steward's uniform, the hem of which was spotless. He stood at the edge of the blood pool and calmly glanced down at the pocket watch in his hand.

The pointer ticked gently, and with that almost inaudible "click," the air in the entire underground palace seemed to be suddenly gripped by an invisible hand.

In the center of the blood pool, the dark gold liquid that had been flowing slowly suddenly stopped.

The ripples exploded in the next instant.

Ripples of dark gold suddenly spread outwards, slamming against the edge of the blood pool and splashing waves several meters high.

A dull, loud bang followed.

"Boom--!"

Each pulse is transmitted to the earth's surface through the earth's veins.

Immediately afterwards, the blood began to recede, slowly clearing a space from the center of the blood pool outwards.

Some enormous creature is rising from it.

The first thing to appear was the spine, a vertebra stretching for tens of meters, each bone covered with dark golden glass scales, with crimson light flowing slowly within, like magma that had not yet fully cooled.

Then came the limbs, the torso, and the outstretched wing bones...

A colossal beast, nearly a hundred meters long, slowly stood upright.

It is not one of the bloated and ugly alchemical pseudo-dragons of the Federation, but a truly ancient form.

The lines are simple yet powerful, the structure is rigorous to the point of being cruel, and every muscle and every bone seems to be born for destruction.

At that moment, all five thousand half-dragon guards lowered their heads.

The enormous dragon head slowly lowered, and its dragon eyes finally focused on the tiny yet upright figure at the edge of the blood pool.

Lin Ze did not back down. He closed his pocket watch, raised his head, and calmly met the gaze of those dragon eyes.

"Lin Ze..." The giant beast's voice was low and slow, as if it were readjusting to this world, "Now, how is it outside...?"

Lin Ze put away his pocket watch, stepped forward, and gave a perfect bow.

His movements were meticulous, as if he were reporting a pre-written annual account rather than announcing the death of an empire.

"Your Majesty, times have changed, and the empire exists in name only."

He raised his head, not meeting the gaze of those dragon eyes burning with dark golden light, but instead focusing his gaze on a point in the void, as if reciting a predetermined fact.

"The Second Prince, Karen, led twenty legions in the final battle against the Emerald Federation... and was completely annihilated. He himself has been confirmed dead."

Furthermore, the fifth prince, Lampard, has been personally executed by Louis Calvin, a rising power in the north.

He paused for a moment, as if giving the other person time to process the information.

“In other words,” Lin Ze added softly, “your descendants have all perished. And the empire you built with your own hands… is now ravaged and exists in name only.”

The dark golden dragon eyes narrowed slightly.

Then, a breath full of disdain and annoyance burst from the Dragon Emperor's nostrils, and crimson sparks exploded in the air, melting mottled marks on the nearby rock walls.

"……waste."

The enormous dragon head slowly lowered, casting a shadow that completely enveloped Lin Ze.

In those golden vertical pupils, there was not a trace of sorrow for the severance of their bloodline, only a kind of weariness as if they were seeing rotting flesh.

"I have only been gone for less than ten years, and your inferior bloodline can't even protect your home?"

It let out a barely audible sneer.

"Of course, the empire is gone and gone. It was just a stepping stone for me to stop occasionally on the road to eternity."

It looked down over the entire underground palace, its voice filled with a denial of all worldly prosperity.

"In this world, apart from this one and only supreme power, all order, civilization, and glory are illusory."

The moment the words left his mouth, the Dragon Emperor spread its wings that blotted out the sky.

A deafening roar came from the dome. The heavy rocks could no longer withstand the immense force, and countless cracks appeared, allowing the cold wind to rush in through the gaps.

"It doesn't matter. I will return tonight and make all the ants on this continent understand that their so-called lifelong pursuit is as fragile as a piece of paper in front of a true dragon."

Despite this soul-shattering declaration, Lin Ze remained standing ramrod straight.

He did not kneel like the five thousand half-dragon guards, nor did he tremble because of the dragon's might.

Instead of his usual calm demeanor, a meaningful smile appeared on his face.

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” Lin Ze said, his voice still restrained. “The five thousand Dragonblood Guards have been thirsting for blood for far too long.”

Your triumphant return will be the end of this world.

The old emperor raised his dragon head.

The next moment, a dragon's roar that pierced the sky erupted from the depths of the underground palace.

The sound echoed from the ground, and all the magical beasts simultaneously prostrated themselves on the ground, trembling in fear.

A chill ran down my spine, coming from the top of the food chain.

It was as if something ancient had finally opened its eyes from a long slumber.

"Entertainment for ordinary people..."

In the aftershocks of the dragon's roar, the final whispers echoed.

That's the end of it.

…………

Calvin Castle, Southeast Province.

Sunlight streams through the ancient stained-glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the stone surface.

Louis slowly awoke on the spacious bed.

The Southeast Province had just been pacified, and a new order was still being established. He himself was forced to remain in this castle, a symbol of the old Calvin's power, waiting for the next move to take shape.

Emily was already on her way, and at that moment, he was the only true master of Calvin Castle.

The sun shines brightly outside the window, and even the flags in the courtyard are fluttering in the breeze, as if the world has returned to peace.

But a chill suddenly rose in Louis's heart.

Without hesitation, he raised his hand, and a pale blue light screen quietly unfolded in front of his retina.

[Daily intelligence system update complete]

[1: The Emerald Federation's pseudo-dragon Mammon has finished feeding in the Crystal Basin. Ten thousand knights under Karen's command have been confirmed to have been completely devoured. A high-intensity metallic attraction field with a radius of approximately 500 meters has been confirmed.]

Louis's breath hitched for a beat.

Ten thousand knights were not defeated, but devoured.

This is no longer a matter of war.

Louis slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard, his gaze fixed on the cold, hard text. The core of the Red Tide Legion is steel and steam.

Tanks, artillery, armored trains, heavy engineering machinery—this entire system is built on an absolute reliance on metal.

If that pseudo-dragon named Mammon really could forcibly pull on all metal within a 500-meter range...

In its presence, the Red Tide's heavily armed forces would no longer be an army, but rather a bunch of snacks that would fly towards the dragon's mouth on their own.

“Specifically targeting the natural enemy of industrial civilization…” Louis concluded in his mind.

It's a very troublesome problem, the kind that absolutely needs to be solved.

But he didn't let his thoughts linger on that point for too long, instead forcing himself to keep looking down.

A second piece of intelligence has emerged.

[2: The old emperor, Ernst August, who had been missing for ten years, awoke in an ancient tomb outside the capital. He confirmed that he had absorbed high-purity dragon blood essence, completed his rebirth, and become a true dragon.]

This time, Louis's brows were noticeably furrowed.

When others mention dragons, they may only think of legends, poems, or exaggerated silhouettes in murals.

But Louis was different; he knew all too well what those fragmented memories, which did not belong to this era, meant.

That was a walking natural disaster.

A true dragon, possessing a complete structure of intelligence and power, is capable of reshaping the power structure of a world single-handedly.

Louis quickly calmed down and began to conduct geopolitical analysis.

The closest place to the capital is not Gray Rock, Southeast, or North, but the Emerald Federation.

“A greedy stomach, an arrogant tyrant…” Louis calmly assessed in his mind.

If these two really do collide first, it would be best if they could fight to the point of mutual destruction.

He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, "Is this a spiritual revival? Why are all the monsters starting to awaken?"

Despite this, he felt no relief whatsoever.

Crises do not occur in isolated incidents, but rather emerge systematically.

His time for farming was over.

He continued looking down, and the third piece of information quietly floated at the bottom of the interface.

[3: The Sorcerer Supreme will arrive at Calvin Castle within twenty-four hours to guide Louis to the Wizarding Grove to complete the rite of inheriting primordial magic.]

Louis's gaze lingered on that line of text for a longer time.

Finally, it's not so bad news.

He slowly closed his eyes, then quickly opened them again.

The first two pieces of intelligence are clear enough to illustrate one fact...

Given Red Tide's current level of technology and military equipment, it may not be able to confront those two levels of existence head-on.

Whether it's a false dragon that devours steel or a true dragon emperor who has completed his rebirth.

He needs a higher level of power.

And the Forest of Masters is very likely the path to self-completion.

Whether from the resonance reaction of the original heart or from the long-term intelligence of the intelligence system on the Mage Forest, it is a camp that leans towards good order and has a natural compatibility with him.

Risks are inevitable.

However, under the current circumstances, it is already a manageable risk.

…………

Lambert had thought Louis was going to celebrate a partial victory in taking over the Southeast Province, but the moment he opened the door, he was stunned into place by the cold, oppressive aura emanating from Louis.

Louis didn't exchange pleasantries or even offer him a seat: "I have some instructions. All frontline legions and heavy knights, immediately remove your full plate armor and put on thickened beast hide armor. Execute this immediately without delay."

For a moment, Lambert even thought he had misheard.

For a knight, plate armor is a second life; losing it means being naked in the face of arrows, shrapnel, and explosives.

This is common sense that even the most reckless recruits understand.

His pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively wanted to speak, but in the end, he couldn't utter a single word.

Because there was no hesitation in Louis's eyes, and he couldn't possibly be wrong.

Louis spread a densely marked map on the table and slowly traced the border of the Emerald Federation with his fingertip.

"The second thing is to transfer all the low-purity iron filings and waste rust powder in the warehouse to the alchemy team to make new weapons, and then pack them all up and distribute them to the troops."

Lambert finally couldn't hold back any longer and lowered his voice, "Sir... what can these things do?"

“A decoy,” Louis said. “The Emerald Federation has confirmed the emergence of an anomalous entity. It’s enormous, so be careful, and it will forcibly pull metal on the battlefield.”

Lambert's breath hitched.

"Armor and weapons will be forcibly removed if they are within a certain range, so remember..."

Louis tapped the map lightly.

"If any abnormal vibrations or irresistible suction occur at the front line, do not try to stabilize the formation. Immediately, throw all iron filings in the opposite direction."

Louis's tone carried a hint of cold mockery: "Don't think those iron filings are just scrap. I've already ordered the alchemy workshop to add a high concentration of magnetic storm dust and directional disintegration crystals to them."

Since that monster likes to devour steel, let's give it a dessert big enough to burn its stomach. The faster it sucks, the more intense the alchemical reaction within its body will be.

"The alchemy team is still conducting experiments. I want to turn this pile of iron filings into a poisoned bait that the behemoth cannot refuse, yet is deadly enough."

After giving the order, Louis walked around the long table and stood in front of Lambert.

He reached out and placed his hand on the other man's shoulder armor. The pressure wasn't heavy, but it made Lambert instinctively tense up.

“I need to leave for a while,” Louis said in a low voice.

"In the days to come, you may see things you've never seen before in your life. You will have full command of the army, and Gray will be responsible for tactical coordination."

"Remember one thing: don't hold your ground. If that thing appears, lead your men and retreat into the mountains until I return."

Lambert's chest tightened, and he pounded his chest, giving a standard knightly salute: "Yes, sir."

Louis nodded and let him leave.

Then people came and went in the office, and administrative orders were issued like a flowing stream.

People within 30 kilometers of the border were systematically relocated inland.

All large metal processing workshops were shut down, and wartime controls took effect immediately.

Under the pressure of Lord Calvin's prestige, the unrest was quickly quelled.

The entire administrative system of the Southeast Province was twisted into a taut rope, ready to be deployed at any time.

…………

As night falls, a cold wind sweeps across the stone railings of Calvin Castle's terrace.

Louis was standing in the night when Will hurried over: "Reporting, sir, the Sorcerer Supreme has arrived."

The air vibrated slightly the next moment.

An old man in a magic robe walked through the void, runes slowly flowing around him.

When he saw that Louis was all packed and ready to go, without even any extra luggage, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

All the explanations and preparations he had prepared were stuck in his throat.

Louis didn't give him a chance to speak: "Let's go, Your Excellency Mage, time is not on our side."

　We're entering the final chapter of the story, brothers.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)