Lord of the Frozen Winter: Starting with Daily Intelligence Reports

A translucent screen appeared before Louis, with several lines of text rapidly scrolling across the panel.

【Daily Intelligence System Update Complete】

【1: The remnants of the Northern old nobility, under the call of Viscount Firth, secretly gathered to jointly resist the new County Governor Louis, with each noble harboring their own ulterior motives.】

【2: Baron Vera, under coercion from the Snowsworn, led thirty-five former subordinates to raid Firth Manor, capturing twelve attending nobles alive.】

【3: Baron Vera was forced to lead thirty-five Snowsworn south, planning to attack Red Tide Territory today, attempting to capture County Governor Louis alive.】

【4: The Han Shan Territory in the north has an epidemic of "White Slumber Fever." If not dealt with promptly, it will rapidly spread throughout Snowpeak, with unimaginable consequences.】

This update from the Daily Intelligence System contained significant information in every entry.

Louis, who had been leaning against the headboard, sat upright immediately upon seeing the first entry.

The Northern old nobility were uniting to resist him. “This is them trying to isolate me, damn it,” he murmured.

Louis had originally thought that since Duke Edmund appointed him as County Governor, he should shoulder the responsibility.

Snowpeak County was now in ruins, and it was a time for lords to exchange resources and overcome difficulties together.

But these people—they secretly conspired to feign compliance and undermine him?

“Truly, the human heart is treacherous.”

He quickly pondered countermeasures, but couldn't help but smile when he saw the second piece of intelligence.

Baron Vera raided Firth Manor, and twelve nobles were captured alive for sacrifice.

“So they’ve all been caged by the Snowsworn already. That saves me some trouble,” Louis chuckled softly.

Thanks to the Snowsworn, thanks to Baron Vera.

However, before he finished smiling, his expression darkened upon seeing the third entry.

Vera led the way, turning their target towards Red Tide Territory, attempting to capture him alive.

“You traitorous dog,” Louis cursed, completely forgetting that he had just thanked this turncoat a second ago.

Thirty-five Snowsworn isn't a large number.

But in the current Snowpeak County, the regular Snowsworn army had withdrawn, with only some remnants struggling to survive. This group, still able to move freely in Snowpeak County, must be the elite forces of the Snowsworn.

If it weren't for the Daily Intelligence System, he might truly have been taken as a “sacrifice” without any preparation.

Eating the Empire's grain, yet wanting to turn around and throw an Imperial noble into an ancient god's pot?

He hated such traitors the most.

Baron Vera has chosen his path to death!

“Too bad for him, I have the Daily Intelligence System,” Louis said, his voice low but with a hint of chill. “So now, the roles of hunter and prey are about to switch.”

Relying on the intelligence system, he quickly devised a countermeasure.

Then Louis looked at the fourth entry, and this time, his smile completely vanished.

The Han Shan Territory in the north has an epidemic of “White Slumber Fever.”

Louis stared at this information, his brow slowly furrowing.

White Slumber Fever is a highly contagious, highly fatal epidemic.

It breaks out every ten-odd years in the North. Its appearance always means death and chaos follow.

Because of its strong sleep-inducing and fatal chilling effects, the common folk prefer to call it: “Snow Spirit Curse.”

Initially, it's just drowsiness and disorientation, like a minor illness from being too tired.

But three days later, the body temperature drops sharply, and patients will keep their eyes open, muttering to themselves.

They will recount scenes from their dreams, speaking vague and strange “future fragments.”

On the fifth day, they begin to fall into a deep sleep, with faint heartbeats, and their tear ducts seep out a liquid like ice water.

On the sixth day, they suddenly develop a high fever, as if a raging fire is burning within them.

On the seventh day, they are usually dead.

If not contained, this disease is enough to cause panic and societal collapse throughout Snowpeak County, and even the entire North.

Louis closed his eyes, rapidly analyzing: This is not a curse; it is a disease.

More specifically, it should be a low-temperature activated fungal disease.

“Spores likely invade through damp, cold winds, entering via the skin or nasal cavity, ultimately colonizing the brain and affecting the nervous system.

Drowsiness, hallucinations, hypothermia symptoms—also consistent with fungal infection characteristics.”

Surprisingly, the solution is actually quite simple.

As long as patients are exposed to a high-temperature heat environment above fifty degrees Celsius for half an hour, the fungus can be effectively killed, preventing the disease from worsening.

Patients will also naturally wake up and be out of danger.

It sounds almost like a joke.

But the problem with this “simple” method is that it must be timely.

Once the opportunity is missed, if the fungus takes root in the brain and the patient sleeps for too long, even high temperatures cannot save them.

The most troublesome aspect is the extremely fast transmission and onset speed.

Many lords only discover the problem when a significant portion of their people have already collapsed.

Another point is how to recreate a sauna-like environment in this godforsaken place in the North.

In a place where even water will soon have to be {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} obtained by smashing ice, how can an entire room be heated to fifty degrees Celsius and maintained for half an hour?

How is that possible?!

Louis quickly thought of a method: steam.

Saunas, steam rooms, and geothermal fumigation are all viable methods.

And Red Tide Territory happens to have hot spring resources.

But the next second, he shook his head: “No.”

Red Tide Territory is the core area of his domain, his granary, his fortress, and the starting point for everything in the future.

He absolutely would not allow even a trace of the virus to be brought in.

Moreover, from Han Shan Territory to Red Tide and back, it would take at least four days, completely insufficient time.

“I can’t bring the people here; I can only send the heat there.”

His mind raced, quickly sifting through all recent intelligence, trying to think of a countermeasure.

Suddenly, he remembered an old piece of intelligence.

The geothermal core of Red Tide Territory, where a group of Fireback Turtles resided.

A glimmer of light flashed in his eyes.

Fireback Turtles are geothermal creatures that inhabit hot springs and lava fissures.

The energy blocks on their backs can store immense amounts of heat.

When the temperature accumulates to its limit, it will erupt as steam.

The instantaneous high temperature and humidity are like a natural sauna room.

“White Slumber Fever—it just so happens to be afraid of this.”

Fireback Turtles are practically tailor-made natural enemies for this epidemic.

High temperature, steam, humid air, and magical heat energy.

Just build a small house, place a turtle inside, and treatment, purification, and isolation can all be achieved.

His original plan was to tame them.

To take it slow, build trust, and let these geothermal turtles become the guardians of Red Tide Territory in winter.

But now—there's no time to “take it slow.”

“I’m sorry, little turtles,” Louis apologized. “For the sake of the entire Han Shan Territory, I can only kill a few first.”

He knew what this meant.

The turtle shells are disposable; after removal, the heat will likely only last for a day or two and will never return.

And Fireback Turtles are rare; hunting one means one less.

But now, he couldn't afford to think about that much.

The turtles could be slowly bred in the future, but dead people couldn't be brought back to life.