Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence Chapter 673 - 386: Steel Pulse (Part 3)

Bradley ran fingers through his thinning hair, let out a sigh, yet a grin played on his lips.

Lambert had stayed silent the entire time, ignoring the ledger and not sipping any water.

He remained rooted like a statue behind Louis, gaze cast downward, as though still feeling the train's rhythmic jolts.

"It’s not just about cargo."

Lambert spoke in a hushed tone, his words reaching only the handful of people inside.

As a Knight, his focus lay beyond gold coins or loaves of bread.

"If on these four days, the train carried my Knight Order and heavy crossbows... it would mean that just as the Barbarian Race in the north begins to gather, our swords would already be poised at their throats."

He lifted his gaze toward Louis, a chill gleaming in his eyes: "Four days is enough for us to launch a raid in any corner of the Northern Territory, or to support a besieged city."

Their conversation sharpened the vast strategic map unfolding in Louis’s thoughts.

Grain, wealth, war.

These vital supports for the territory now rested on the firmest foundation, forged amid four days and nights of thundering steel.

He rose to his feet and approached the huge Northern Territory map hanging on the wall.

"The internal circulation has been opened, but it’s just the heartbeat starting. Next, we need to let the blood flow to the limbs."

Grabbing a pen, he sketched a twisting dotted line through the gray-shaded ruins zone eastward on the map, close to Frost Halberd City’s former location.

"Phase two, head east. Lay the branch line connecting to the reconstruction area of Frost Halberd.

The survey team has already mapped out the route. We need to avoid those damn, poison gas-filled, insect disaster wastelands, and open a stable new line along the graystone valley."

"The reconstruction of Frost Halberd City requires a massive amount of stone. Hauling it by cart would take until the next century. I intend to speed up the reconstruction with a railway."

Next, he indicated the south: "Phase three, head south."

This drew a sharp intake of breath even from Trade Bureau Head Desland.

"We need to extend the railway to where it joins the trade routes of the Southern Nobles."

Louis stared coldly at the map’s lower section, symbolizing barriers and enmity: "Since someone blocks our trade routes, we’ll crash through their doors with cheaper goods and more efficient logistics.

Let Red Tide’s goods flow south, attracting those unable to survive in the South, and the profit-driven merchants, pulling them all along the tracks."

What Louis described was something the Calvin Clan appeared to have spotted, prompting them to gradually pull away from the Calvin Commerce Association and employ tactics to make certain Nobility shun Red Tide’s products.

Then Louis faced Hamilton, who was bent over his seat, scribbling notes furiously.

"This requires a technological upgrade. Hamilton, currently the Snowfield Iron Vein is too heavy, struggling on long mountain routes."

"Y-yes, my Lord!" Hamilton shoved his goggles up his nose, replying with evident nerves.

"I want the next generation of boilers, lighter, and more fuel-efficient. I’ll order Star Forging Territory to start casting more finely spaced cog rails to adapt to inclines." Louis raised a finger.

"Also, the Artisan Academy should immediately open steam repair courses. I don’t want the trains breaking down halfway and having to wait for you to come all the way from Red Tide City to fix them. I want every future station to have someone who can repair trains."

The young craftsman bobbed his head vigorously, nearly snapping the pen in his hand.

At last, Louis turned toward Lambert: "Lambert, what does this mean for our strategy?"

"It means speed, my Lord." Lambert replied promptly, "Winter supply lines will no longer be nightmares. If we don’t rely on horse carts, our heavily armored infantry can mobilize at ten times the speed."

"Exactly." Louis planted both palms on the map’s edge, his voice dropping with intense pressure, "In the future, when the Empire war bursts out..."

At the mention of "Empire war," the cozy air in the office turned icy in an instant.

Desland’s hand halted midway through turning a page, Bradley’s grin stiffened on his features, and even Lambert’s eyelids flickered subtly.

Yet Louis pressed on without hesitation or retreat.

He spoke steadily, as if chatting about the next day’s forecast:

"...when the Empire war bursts out, while the enemy’s legions are gnawing on hard bread in the snow and waiting for marathon-like supplies, Red Tide Territory can gather a well-equipped, physically strong army within three days."

His pen dashed across the map, connecting Frost Halberd Old City, Silver Pine Ridge, Red Tide City, Mai Lang Territory, Star Forging Territory, and Dawn Port.

It formed a massive web spanning the whole southeast of the Northern Territory.

"This is the long-term objective, a Red Tide internal Northern Territory external line." Louis set down the pen and added after a brief silence.

Gazing at the savage, expansive steel web etched on the map, they grasped that this young Lord’s ambitions stretched far beyond any small patch.

Their breathing deepened.

Louis settled back into his seat, breathed out softly, and shifted to the immediate dangers.

"But the larger this net grows, the more fragile it becomes." He spun around, his eyes landing again on the leader of the grease-smeared machine creation team.

"So besides this fast snake, we also need a beast that can bite. Hamilton!"

The young craftsman, deep in reverie, jolted upright in alarm, nearly flinging his notebook aside, "Ah... yes! My Lord!"

"I heard that thing has already awakened?"

Hamilton paused briefly, then his earlier timidity gave way to the fervent spark of an inventor.

He drew himself up tall: "My Lord, the boiler pressure test passed. Although the drive shaft still overheats a bit under high torque, it... it is already fully combat-ready."

"Good."

Louis straightened his cuffs and glanced at nearby Lambert: "Tomorrow bring everyone from the machine creation group, we’ll also go see."

Lambert looked up puzzled, locking eyes with Louis.

"Go see your new mount, Lambert," Louis murmured, "It’s prepared for you, and for the Red Tide Knight Order... a true war machine."