Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 663: Chapter 384: Results of the Red Tide System

Red Tide City, Grand Council Hall.

The morning light spills down from the dome’s crevice, illuminating the entire hall supported by Cold Iron beams.

On the walls, one after another, the Red Tide flags hang down, the flag corners gently swaying, as if rising and falling with each breath.

Unlike any past year, this place has become the heart of the entire Northern Territory.

On the main seat, Louis sits quietly; his daughter was born only a few days ago, yet on the third morning, he still stands before this long table without any hesitation.

His gaze falls on the giant map of the Northern Territory behind him, the latest surveyed version.

On the map, the red of Red Tide has spread from the Southeast like ink bleeding, nearly making the entire Northern Territory the same color.

Those once scattered territories are now tightly clasped by this piece of red.

The tiered seats in the hall are already fully occupied.

These people are not mere civil servants of Red Tide but the real backbone of the Northern Territory now.

The heads of departments, deputies, coordinators, all are pillars capable of independently managing territories.

A few years ago, some of them were only serfs, workshop apprentices, or even slaves sold into the Northern Territory.

But now they wear the deep red cloak of Red Tide, with emblems of various departments of Red Tide engraved on their shoulder badges.

They were all handpicked by Louis himself, forming the new power echelon of the Northern Territory.

Today they are not here to discuss minor matters; they are here to confirm whether the Red Tide system has achieved its first-year goals.

To truly make the Northern Territory the hinterland of Red Tide, rather than a bunch of old territories barely held together.

The hall is so quiet that even the sound of the secretary turning pages seems abrupt, and when everyone is present, the meeting officially begins.

Bradley stands up first, his actions steady as he reports: "Red Tide system, first-year integration report, presented to the Lord today."

He opens the thick book and softly declares: "First item, the operation of centralized authority."

"The Red Tide system is fully operational, and all seven departments have completed the first phase of joint office work. Local regions have no legislative power; decrees are issued uniformly by the central authority. Local resident officials report quarterly, with three rounds completed this year, each without absence.

The central authority of Red Tide issued a total of three hundred and twenty-seven decrees, all executed without delay or unauthorized alteration."

As the words fall, everyone in the hall seems to shift their posture simultaneously.

The officials from the old Nobility domains are particularly silent, having witnessed firsthand the eradication of those so-called local methods and old practices within a year.

Bradley closes the book: "From an administrative efficiency perspective, Red Tide has now become the only central authority in the Northern Territory."

His tone doesn’t emphasize it, but everyone in the hall understands; this is an established fact, not a future plan.

"There are approximately one hundred and sixty territories large and small in the Northern Territory," Bradley taps the corner of the book, and the corresponding secretary writes down the number almost simultaneously.

"This year, fifty-four territories are fully incorporated into the Red Tide system, around one-third."

Upon hearing the number fifty-four, a few officials from newly merged territories inhale softly.

Being seated here itself signifies their territory’s complete integration into the Red Tide system; hearing the scale firsthand still inevitably stirs them.

Bradley raises his eyes to look at the main seat: "There are three categories of new integration methods."

He reads one by one: "Eighteen territories actively seek inclusion, mostly forest lands after disaster; these areas, after the winter disaster, can hardly support themselves, lacking both grain and labor. Without relying on Red Tide, it’s tough for them to survive this winter.

And last year through disaster relief, twenty-one territories entered managed consolidation."

Several of the officials who organized the disaster relief maintain a composed expression, fully aware that so-called management actually means that the lifeline of those lands is firmly held by Red Tide.

"Fifteen territories naturally integrated within a year due to commercial route binding."

Desland softly exhales beside him; this is the result of his six-month efforts.

Bradley flips to the next page, adding: "Additionally, most of the territories that announced participation in the Red Tide Collaboration Circle during last year’s Northern Territory reconstruction meeting have transitioned from mere cooperation to complete integration in the past year."

A few secretaries immediately record the words "reconstruction meeting."

That was the first consensus meeting after the Northern Territory’s chaos, marking the true rise of Red Tide.

Bradley closes the book, his voice steady yet heavier: "Currently, the assessment is that the bones of the Northern Territory are still hard, but only the twenty or so old noble families can truly reject the Red Tide system."

This statement brings some subtle laughter in the room; those present are the planners of Northern Territory policy, hence aware of the consequences for the nobles who have yet to join the Red Tide system.

Bradley finally concludes: "Most territories... Lord, their reliance on Red Tide, during this year’s integration, has already far surpassed their dependence on the Imperial Capital."

Louis speaks, his voice low yet commanding the entire room: "Everyone, well done."

His words carry no emotion yet seem to seal this heavy integration report with an official stamp.

No one has yet relaxed as Bradley unfolds the next volume beside the map, waiting for the Lord’s expression.

Louis slightly nods, not as praise, but as confirmation.

That gesture makes the shoulders and backs of the seven department heads straighter.

He raises his hand to signal: "Continue."

Bradley moves to the map beside Louis, marking another point outside the Red Tide red area on the map, his tone steady without pause: "Secondly, the planning direction for territories fully integrated into the Red Tide system."