Louis closed the intelligence panel, got up, washed, and prepared to head to the war council.He changed into a dark gold embroidered noble formal attire, with his sword belt slung diagonally and his boots polished to a shine.He had to dress appropriately for such an occasion, at least to look like a young hero.He pushed open the tent and walked straight towards the center of the military camp.Along the way, many knights and young officers saw him, their gazes either respectful or curious, and they all bowed in greeting.After all, the news of him slaying a Snowsworn Elite Warrior at last night's banquet had spread throughout the entire Fifth Army Corps.Moments later, Louis arrived at the central tent.Guards stood solemnly outside the tent, flanked by two rows of military banners from Snowpeak County bearing various noble family crests, as familiar and unfamiliar faces continuously entered.The interior of the large tent was spacious, with a circular sand table covered in tactical maps and models in the center, and several circles of high-backed wooden chairs around it were almost full.Because of his excellent performance yesterday, Louis also secured a ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) spot in the innermost circle.At the main seat in the very front, Earl Firth was slumped in his chair, his face flushed, his eyelids half-closed as he dozed off.It seemed he had drunk too much last night.Presiding over the meeting in his stead was a white-haired but vigorous old man.He wore an old-style noble military uniform with black and blue patterns, his build was sturdy, and his hands were clasped behind his back.He was Viscount Webster.The oldest and most powerful vassal of the Fors Family, he was a true Northern noble.He was also the only Extraordinary Knight in Snowpeak County.Although he was now old, he was still much stronger than an Elite Knight.The moment he appeared, the atmosphere of the meeting immediately became much more solemn."Nobles, officers, and esteemed envoys, welcome to this pre-war council of the Fifth Army Corps for the extermination of the Snowsworn."The nobles present were clearly divided into several factions; the old Northern nobles mostly had stern expressions, while the Southern pioneering nobles whispered among themselves.There were also some officials and strategists, whose purpose was unclear, mixed in with the crowd.Louis recognized several envoys from the Governor, who were silently observing.Viscount Webster surveyed the surroundings, his gaze falling on the face of every noble and officer, then he unrolled a scroll and read in a deep voice:"Duke Edmund has specially established a system of military merit rewards for this punitive campaign against the Snowsworn.Whoever slays an enemy leader or annihilates their main force shall be awarded First-Class Military Merit. The reward: five thousand gold coins and a grant of three hundred square kilometers of Northern fiefdom."In an instant, the tent fell silent.Viscount Webster's tone remained unchanged as he continued to read:"Whoever captures an enemy stronghold or slays an important general shall be awarded Second-Class Military Merit. The reward: two thousand gold coins and a grant of one hundred square kilometers of fiefdom."Whoever effectively supports the main battlefield or distinguishes themselves in scout operations shall be awarded Third-Class Military Merit, five hundred gold coins and warhorse armor, and shall enjoy priority in supplies."At this point, his voice grew several shades colder:"However, those who shrink back in battle or act deceptively shall be stripped of all military merit rewards, and may even face accountability and confiscation of their fiefdom."As soon as his voice fell, there was a moment of silence in the tent.Immediately, a rustle of low whispers began to spread around the conference table."Three hundred square kilometers of Northern fiefdom, that's practically a barony.""Five thousand gold coins, enough to sustain a barony for a year.""The Duke is truly willing to shed blood; this time, he's serious."Many nobles' eyes gleamed with greed, clearly already focused on the military merits and fiefdoms that would be available after the war began, as if everything was already within their grasp.Louis sat in his seat, his fingertips gently tapping the armrest, his expression unchanged.But his heart was already stirred.A fiefdom of three hundred square kilometers could double the territory of Red Tide.And if he could succeed in a surprise attack first, and then create a situation where he turned the tide... that would be at least a Second-Class Merit to start with, and if he added in the various battles afterward, securing a First-Class Merit shouldn't be a problem.Viscount Webster put down the scroll and slowly spoke: "Next is the intelligence briefing on the enemy forces."He pointed to the sand table on the table, which depicted a map of Snowpeak County.Three locations on the map were colored red, standing out prominently.Viscount Webster raised his finger and tapped the sand table:"These rats... no, these cockroaches, always operate in the shadows.If you find one, nine times out of ten there's a whole swarm. As soon as you show a little weakness, they'll crawl out of the cracks in the ground and bite you."His tone was unhurried, but the analogy was somewhat nauseating."Currently, three larger enemy activity points have been confirmed within Snowpeak County."He pointed successively to the three red dots on the map, located near the deep mountains to the north, Qingyu Ridge to the northeast, and the northwest mining area:"The first is near Snow Shadow Highlands, in the mountains; the exact location of their mountain hideout is still unclear.The second is in the Qingyu Ridge area, where scouts frequently go missing.The third is near Icefang Mine, where there was an old mine that started showing unusual activity six months ago."At this point, he glanced at everyone in the audience: "That's roughly all the intelligence we have on the Snowsworn.The Snowsworn are not like us, open and aboveboard; they can survive even in caves or tree hollows, and they are like lingering spirits.Although there are currently no clear signs of a large-scale offensive, they are active at night, play dead during the day, and like to use feigned retreats and lures to draw the enemy in.To put it bluntly, they are not numerous, but they specialize in targeting weaknesses.And because they use a desperate special cultivation method, every warrior is much stronger than an Apprentice Knight, and some even approach Extraordinary strength.If it comes down to a fight to the death, it's not clear who would suffer more.He slowly scanned the room, lowering his voice: "If you expect them to line up and fight you honorably, then you'd best prepare your own coffin first."As the Viscount's words fell, there was a moment of silence in the large tent.Several older nobles, who had experienced the Northern turmoil, looked solemn, some nodding slightly as if recalling unpleasant past events.The younger nobles from the South, however, seemed somewhat dismissive."They're just mountain bandits, making such a fuss.""Are they perhaps overly scared? A dignified army corps, could it be intimidated by a few lunatics who pop out at night?"However, this dismissive attitude did not last long.Because Viscount Webster, sitting in the front row, was sweeping his sharp gaze over everyone who spoke.Immediately, the whispers ceased.At this moment, due to the excessive quiet, Earl Firth's eyelids twitched, as if he had been slightly startled awake from a dream.He raised his head, vaguely looking around a few times, and although he still looked half-asleep, he managed to feign an appearance of listening.Louis looked at the second stronghold on the map, recognizing it as the one mentioned in the third intelligence report that morning.A vague plan had already formed in his mind.He could use a hidden mountain path to avoid a frontal assault on the front line, launch a flanking surprise attack on this Snowsworn stronghold, and even ambush the Snowsworn returning to defend it.

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