Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence Chapter 874 - 469: Dragon_2

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Lin Ze spoke, his voice still restrained, "The five thousand Dragon Blood Guards have long thirsted for blood.

Your triumphant return will mark the end of this world."

The old Emperor raised his dragon head.

The next moment, a dragon’s roar pierced through the sky, erupting from the depths of the catacombs.

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

A chill from the top of the food chain.

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

"A mortal’s sideshow..."

In the aftermath of the dragon’s roar, the last whispers echoed.

"It ends here."

......

Southeast Province, Calvin Castle.

Sunlight streamed through the ancient stained glass windows, casting mottled shadows on the stone floor.

Louis slowly awakened on the broad bed.

The Southeast Province had just been pacified, new order still in the making, and he was forced to stay in this castle, a symbol of old Calvin power, waiting for the next move to take shape.

Emily was already on her way, and at this moment, the entire Calvin Castle had only one true master, him.

The sun was bright outside, even the flags in the courtyard unfurled in the breeze, as if the world had resumed its peace.

But a sudden ill-timed chill rose in Louis’s chest.

Without hesitation, he lifted his hand, and a pale blue screen quietly unfurled before his retina.

[Daily Intelligence System Update Complete]

[1: The pseudo-dragon Mammon of the Jade Federation has completed feeding in the Crystal Rock Basin. Ten thousand knights under Kaelin’s command have been confirmed entirely devoured, with confirmation of a high-intensity metal attractive field within a radius of about five hundred meters.]

Louis paused mid-breath.

Ten thousand knights, not defeated, but eaten.

This was no longer within the scope of warfare.

Louis slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard, his gaze fixed on the cold text.

The core of the Red Tide Legion is steel and steam.

Tanks, artillery, armored trains, heavy engineering machinery, the whole system, built on absolute reliance on metal.

If that pseudo-dragon named Mammon can truly forcefully attract all metals within five hundred meters...

Then, before it, the heavy units of Red Tide would no longer be an army, but instead, a pile of snacks actively flying into the dragon’s mouth.

"A natural enemy specifically against industrial civilization..." Louis concluded inwardly.

A troublesome issue, one that must be resolved.

But he didn’t allow his thoughts to linger long on this point, forcing himself to continue reading.

The second piece of intelligence appeared.

[2: The old Emperor, Ernst August, missing for ten years, awakened in an ancient tomb outside the Imperial Capital, confirmed to have absorbed high-purity dragon blood, completing a rebirth and becoming a true dragon.]

This time, Louis’s eyebrows furrowed noticeably.

When others mention dragons, perhaps only legends, poems, or exaggerated silhouettes on murals come to mind.

But not for Louis; he knew too well, from those fragmented memories not belonging to this era, what that meant.

It was a walking cataclysm.

A true dragon, in the complete sense, possessing a full structure of wisdom and power, was enough to reshape the world’s power structure on its own.

Louis quickly calmed himself, beginning to conduct geopolitical deductions.

The nearest to the Imperial Capital wasn’t Gray Rock, Southeast, or the Northern Territory, but the Jade Federation.

"A greedy stomach, an arrogant tyrant..." Louis coolly assessed within himself.

If these two entities truly collide first, it would be best if they could fight to mutual ruin.

He couldn’t help but mock himself inwardly: "Is this the resurgence of spiritual energy? Why are monsters all starting to awaken one after another?"

Despite saying so, he felt no relief.

The crisis wasn’t emerging at a single point but was systematically surfacing.

His time for leisurely farming had ended.

He continued to read further; the third piece of intelligence quietly hovered at the bottom of the interface.

[3: The Supreme Mage will arrive at Calvin Castle within twenty-four hours, to guide Louis to the Mage Forest, completing the Primordial Magical Power inheritance ceremony.]

Louis’s gaze lingered longer on this line of text.

Finally, it’s a piece of not-so-bad news.

He slowly closed his eyes, then quickly opened them.

The first two pieces of intelligence were already clear enough to indicate a fact...

With the current level of technology and armament of the Red Tide, it might not be able to confront those two levels of existence head-on.

Whether it’s the fake dragon that devours steel, or the true dragon emperor that has completed nirvana.

He needs a higher level of power.

And the Mage Forest may very well be the path to completing himself.

Whether from the resonance reaction of the Primordial Heart or from the long-term intelligence from the Intelligence System about the Mage Forest, it’s a faction inclined towards good order and naturally compatible with him.

Risk is certainly present.

But in the current situation, it is a controlled risk.

......

Lambert originally thought Louis was going to celebrate their phased victory in the Southeast Province, but when he pushed the door, he was stunned by the cold oppressive aura emanating from Louis’s body.

Louis did not exchange pleasantries, nor did he invite him to sit: "I’m giving some orders. All front-line legions, heavy knights, immediately remove their full plate armor and change to thickened magical beast leather armor. Execute immediately, no delays."

At that moment, Lambert even thought he misheard.

For a knight, plate armor is a second life, losing it means being exposed in the face of arrow rain, shrapnel, and explosive bullets.

This is common sense even the most reckless recruits understand.

His pupils contracted violently, instinctively wanting to speak, but ultimately not saying a word.

Because in Louis’s eyes, there was not a hint of hesitation, and he couldn’t be wrong.

Louis spread a densely marked map on the table, his fingertip slowly sliding along the border line of the Jade Federation.

"Second thing, transport all low-purity iron scraps and waste rust powder from the warehouse, cooperate with the alchemy team to make new weapons, and then bag them all up to be distributed with the army."

Lambert finally couldn’t hold it in, his voice lowered a bit: "My lord... what can these things do?"

"Bait," Louis said, "over on the Jade Federation side, it’s already confirmed that an abnormal individual has appeared. It’s large—you all need to be careful—and it forcibly pulls metal on the battlefield."

Lambert’s breath suddenly halted.

"Armor and weapons, as long as they’re within a certain range, will be forcibly pulled away, so remember..."

Louis lightly tapped on the map.

"Once there’s an abnormal tremor on the front line, or an irresistible pull, do not try to hold the formation. Immediately scatter all iron scraps in the opposite direction."

Louis’s tone carried a hint of cold irony: "Don’t think those iron scraps are just waste. I’ve already ordered the Alchemy Workshop to mix high concentrations of magnetic storm dust and directional collapsing crystals into them.

Since that monster likes to devour steel, we’ll give it a dessert potent enough to burn its stomach. The faster it absorbs, the more intense the alchemical reaction inside it."

"The alchemy team is still experimenting. I want these iron scraps to become a fatal bait that the beast cannot resist."

After issuing the orders, Louis walked around the long table, coming to stand before Lambert.

He reached out and placed his hand on the other’s shoulder armor, the strength was light, yet it made Lambert instinctively tense his body.

"I need to leave for a while," Louis said softly.

"In the coming days, you might see things you’ve never seen in your life. The army will be under your full command, with Gray in charge of tactical coordination.

"Remember one thing, do not stubbornly hold your ground. If that thing appears, take your people and retreat into the deep mountains. Wait for me to return."

Lambert’s chest shook, he pounded his chest heavily, making a proper knight’s salute: "As you command."

Louis nodded and let him go.

Afterwards, the office was abuzz with activity as administrative orders were issued like a stream.

The populace within thirty kilometers of the border was orderly moved inland.

All large metal processing workshops were closed, wartime control took immediate effect.

Under the prestige suppression of Lord Calvin, the unrest was quickly quelled.

The entire administrative system of the Southeast Province was twisted into a taut rope, ready at any moment.

......

Night fell, on the terrace of Calvin’s castle, cold winds swept past the stone railings.

Louis was standing in the darkness when Weir came quickly: "Reporting, my lord, the Supreme Mage has arrived."

The next moment, the air gently vibrated.

An elderly man in a magic robe walked through the void, runes gently swirling around him.

When he saw Louis already fully prepared, with not even any extra luggage, his eyes clearly showed a hint of surprise.

The explanation and prelude he had prepared were all stuck in his throat.

Louis didn’t give him the chance to speak: "Let’s go, Mage, time is not on our side."