Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 686: Chapter 390: The Terrifying Red Tide City (Part 3)

But even so, he still felt something was off. Once the lower strata embraced the new order, the old aristocracy would become superfluous, which might not be beneficial for Louis.

Yet the problem lay here; Sorel’s understanding only scratched the surface.

As for the deeper logic—why change the class dynamics, why make the knights more moderate, and why make the populace embrace this order voluntarily—he still couldn’t grasp it.

To Sorel, this approach was too complex, too risky, not adhering to any common sense of the Imperial Nobility.

He racked his brains but couldn’t figure it out, so he kept it to himself for now.

On the fourth day, he was allowed, with Bradley’s permission, to visit the peripheral area of the Red Tide City Council Hall.

The building lacked gold, lacked reliefs, and even lacked the stained glass windows that the Imperial Capital loved to flaunt.

Cold Iron beams held up the dome of the hall, and the Red Tide banner fell like a waterfall from high above, creating a strong sense of oppression against the cold iron structure.

The outer hall was very noisy, with citizens of Red Tide constantly coming to handle affairs, people coming and going amidst ongoing clamor.

Inside, however, it was surprisingly quiet. Clerks held folders in red, yellow, and gray, moved briskly, without whispering or chaos.

Everyone’s actions were simple and precise, like gears polished over and over again.

A merchant ahead submitted his application; from taking a number, submitting, reviewing, to stamping and leaving, the whole process took less than fifteen minutes.

This scene stunned Sorel; in the Imperial Capital, such procedures would take at least three days and require three rounds of bribes.

He slowly exhaled: "No layers of exploitation, no petty officials, no middlemen taking cuts... Louis’s will can reach the lowest level without any loss."

This was strong centralization, a highly efficient administrative machine, the way the new order operated.

But here, he was stuck again; if the Empire implemented this, it would immediately provoke backlash from all the nobility. How did Louis do it? Why hadn’t the Northern Territory explode?

He couldn’t comprehend it at all.

In fact, the reason why Red Tide’s administrative system could operate efficiently was because Louis reformed the interest structure rather than the power structure.

The interest chain of the old aristocratic stratification was severed, replaced by an integrated interest loop of "infrastructure, industry, taxes".

The fewer the intermediary links, the higher the efficiency, and Red Tide Territory’s resource growth would allow most people to profit, with officials earning very high salaries, complemented by a transparent promotion system, making them naturally compliant with this system.

Sorel certainly couldn’t see these.

He could only see the surface order, completely unable to understand the underlying logic. He suddenly realized why the Northern Territory lord would be so fearful of Red Tide.

This wasn’t establishing a fief; it was building a nation, a rapidly expanding giant machine.

A machine with its own military, industry, energy, administrative system that didn’t rely on the Empire’s resources.

Sorel stood at the edge of the administration area’s high platform, gazing up at the enormous red flag, suddenly feeling swallowed whole by the machine’s shadow.

And his gaze crossed the city walls, seeing the distant place constantly shrouded in light mist.

There were no lights of bustling districts nor the soft glow of magic stone lamps, only a massive complex looming like ridges.

The lines were straight, the surface harsh, lacking the patterns and decorations favored by the nobility.

More like an entire barrier piled from iron and stone, rising from the permafrost.

When Sorel first saw it, he thought it was some kind of military fortress.

No flags, no bugles, no sound of soldiers’ drills, increasingly oppressive and unfamiliar.

Bradley previously mentioned "military controlled area", so Sorel assumed this place was one of them.

But the more he looked, the more he felt something was wrong.

This place was abnormally quiet, unlike a military camp, nor like a workshop; he couldn’t tell what it was.

Sorel squinted his eyes, staring at the cluster of dark buildings, itching with curiosity.

"What exactly is Louis keeping in there?"

He found no answer and grew increasingly uneasy.

So Sorel whispered to the two High-tier Elite Knights accompanying him: "Don’t alert anyone. Just get close and see what they’re making in those dark houses."

The knights donned gray cloaks, quietly leaving through a side door in the darkness.

Sorel lit the candle on the stand, sitting by the window waiting.

Snow fell densely, the candlelight flickered, his heart skipped with it.

Before long, heavy footsteps approached.

The two knights kneeled together: "Sir, no way in, absolutely no way in."

Sorel’s brow furrowed: "Many guards?"

"Not many." The knight spoke with difficulty, "Strong."

He looked up, expression complex as if seeing something beyond comprehension: "There are at least three... no, maybe five Transcendent Knights patrolling there."

Sorel nearly lost his footing.

In the Empire, one Transcendent Knight was enough to command a 500-person legion and become a baron’s honored guest. They were the nuclear force on the battlefield, the symbol of noble power.

And in Red Tide?

Louis actually used five Transcendent Knights to watch a workshop door?

Sorel felt a chill: "What is that smoking place... hiding?"

The next day, he personally observed from a distance outside the main road in the East District.

The snow grew heavier, yet the road leading to the industrial district remained unclogged, with transport teams advancing along the moist pavement.

Sorel didn’t get close, just stood at a safe distance.