Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 9 Arrival
After several dozen days of trekking, Louis finally led his convoy to Red Tide Territory.

However, what came into view was a lifeless wasteland.

"What a desolate and impoverished place," a knight from the south muttered as he looked at the scene before him.

Louis did not respond, but instead dismounted and slowly looked around.

Barren, dilapidated, and lifeless, the entire land was deathly silent, with even weeds rarely seen; it was indeed a desolate place.

But Louis, who had access to intelligence, was very certain that this land was a potential goldmine, possessing a wealth of resources.

Geothermal resources, mineral deposits, fisheries, and large tracts of land suitable for cultivation.

As long as someone is willing to develop it, this place will surely become a land of wealth.

"This place will eventually become the richest territory in the North," Louis murmured, as if making a promise to himself.

Without wasting any time, Louis gave the order to begin the exploration.

"We'll set up temporary tents first, and start building houses once we've confirmed the location. We can start by cutting down trees to prepare."

"Go to the river to find a water source and make sure everyone has enough drinking water and food supplies!"

"Clear a space and set up a simple training ground. The soldiers cannot neglect their training!"

As orders were issued, the soldiers and slaves sprang into action.

The sounds of logging and shouts rose and fell, beginning to echo across this long-silent land, injecting the first glimmer of life into it.

As the new lord of the Red Tide Territory, Louis needs to personally assess the current state of this land before formulating any further development plans.

So he spent the next few days carefully inspecting the Red Tide Territory.

When Louis arrived at the southern part of the territory, he found that water vapor was slowly rising from some areas where the snow had melted.

He quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and felt a warmth in his palm.

"It's a geothermal vent?!" Louis's eyes flashed with surprise.

The intelligence system had previously indicated the presence of geothermal resources in the area, and it turned out to be true.

In the environment of the North, the existence of geothermal energy is undoubtedly an extremely valuable asset.

If developed properly, it can not only provide warmth for residents, but also facilitate the upcoming spring planting season.

To his even greater surprise, he also discovered several hot springs nearby!

Hot springs and the North.

Putting these two words together feels a bit unbelievable.

The thought of himself soaking in a hot spring in the snow and ice while other lords shivered in the cold wind made Louis's lips curl into a smile; it was double the joy.

So he decided to put his estate near the hot springs.

Next, he came to the riverbank. By then, cracks had appeared in the ice, and the river was flowing slowly. Several birds perched on the riverbank, occasionally swooping down into the water to snatch small fish that had not yet woken up.

The number of fish in the river is not large at present, but according to the intelligence system, when spring comes, it will become a breeding ground for fish and provide a stable food source for the territory.

Just as he was pondering how to make the most of this resource, a scout team of knights dispatched by Louis hurriedly returned, bringing exciting intelligence.

They discovered rich mineral deposits deep in the mountains.

"My lord, we have discovered a vein of cold iron ore deep in the mountains to the northwest!"

"Furthermore, we discovered a mineral that emits a dark red light deeper inside, which is suspected to be magic marrow ore."

Lambert gasped: "Magic Marrow Mine?! If it's real, that's a gold mine!"

“Hmm.” Louis nodded calmly.

He already knew of the existence of this mine through the intelligence system, so he wasn't too surprised. The value of the magic marrow ore goes without saying, but under the current conditions, mining it would be too difficult.

But as long as this land can develop steadily, this mine will one day become the most important foundation of the Red Tide Territory.

After circling around the territory, Louis and his knights felt even more confident in their land.

The intelligence system is right; this is indeed a land full of hope.

However, compared to the potential value of this land, the current reality is quite harsh.

When they stepped into the indigenous settlement, they were greeted by a scene of utter devastation.

The stagnant water on the ground was mixed with the putrid mud, and the air was filled with a damp and decaying smell.

The simple wooden houses and mud-brick houses stood crookedly, as if they could collapse at any moment.

The residents here are mostly elderly people, women and children dressed in rags.

They were thin and weak, wrapped in clothes pieced together from old strips of cloth, which clearly did little to keep out the chill of the North.

“Was this place ever managed before?” Louis frowned as he looked at everything before him.

“The original administrator ran away a long time ago,” an indigenous person replied.

Several thin children huddled behind the door, their cheeks red from the cold, hiding their frail bodies in the shadows as they sized up Louis and his group.

Their eyes were timid, filled with wariness and fear of strangers.

Louis felt terrible watching this scene. Having received compulsory education himself, he simply couldn't bear to see his child suffer like this.

He dismounted, took some dry rations from his pocket, knelt down, and handed the food over: "Here, have some."

The children just watched him warily, none of them daring to move, as if afraid it was some kind of trap.

But the aroma of the dry rations was particularly enticing in the air, and the children swallowed hard.

“Eat,” Louis said softly.

The children finally couldn't resist any longer. They grabbed the food from Louis's hand and wolfed it down, as if afraid the food would disappear in the next second.

But Louis soon noticed that one little boy didn't wolf down his food like the other children.

Instead, he secretly hid his share inside his worn-out clothes.

"Why aren't you eating?" Louis asked, squatting down.

The little boy looked up, his dirty face showing some fear.

He answered timidly in his childish voice, "I...I want to save it to eat with my mother."

Louis was stunned.

He suddenly remembered that the nobles in the south fed their dogs the best meat.

The children here, however, have to carefully hide even a single piece of dry food.

This is ridiculous.

He suddenly felt a sense of responsibility and wanted to do something for the people of this land.

Louis then surveyed the hungry and cold natives around him and announced loudly, "Anyone willing to work can come to my camp. I will give you food and shelter, and you will survive!"

The indigenous people looked at each other, their eyes filled with numbness.

They had endured so much suffering that they no longer trusted anyone, but looking at these children who had just received their food, they finally nodded.

Let's give it a try; things can't get any worse anyway.

(End of this chapter)