Lord of Winter: Beginning with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 580: Chapter 347: Hunting Pirates

The night deepened, and the firelight in the conference hall gradually extinguished.

Everyone left the hall with documents and orders in hand, Eliot was about to follow them out.

“Eliot, stay here.” came Louis’s voice from behind.

Eliot paused, then promptly turned back to close the door, leaving only the two of them in the room.

Louis looked up, smiled slightly: “Don’t stand like that, we’re not in an interrogation, sit down.”

Eliot hesitated for a moment before taking a seat, sitting straight and appearing somewhat reserved.

Despite their long acquaintance, he still held a genuine respect for Louis from the bottom of his heart.

“What’s the status of the fleet’s armament?” Louis asked in a calm tone, as though inquiring about daily matters.

“All Dawn-class main ships are fully armed, six vessels, and one light cruiser,” Eliot reported clearly.

“Each Dawn-class ship is equipped as a warship, with twelve main cannons in two rows, eight secondary cannons, and fitted with rotating crossbow cannons and magic energy blast cannons.

Each ship has eighty crew members, forty sailors, twenty gunners, and another sixty knights organized into groups, responsible for boarding and defense.

The ammunition and Magic Explosion Bullets are sufficient for three rounds of full fleet salvos, the shore cannons and crossbows positions have been calibrated, ready to support any sea engagement at any time.”

Louis nodded slightly, mentally calculating.

Everything was nearly as he envisioned, even slightly better than expected; the fleet’s configuration finally had the credibility it needed.

“Very good.” Louis moved to the window, pushed open a pane; the cold wind carrying salt brushed in.

He then turned to Eliot and said, “Last night, a merchant convoy came to me seeking help, saying they were attacked by pirates in the Northern Bay, several ships were raided, including one carrying the merchant’s family.

After plundering the goods, those pirates fled southward, eventually our reconnaissance ship spotted their tracks at the edge of the fog, appearing to head in this direction.”

Louis sounded as if discussing something trivial: “They probably think we’re their next catch.”

He paused, his gaze falling on the port lights outside the window, where the defense system he personally helped design at Dawn Port appeared faint in the night.

This defense system focused on practicality, with chain crossbow towers, stone throwing platforms, and boiling oil traps set on the outer dam’s edge, and the inner port built with thick wooden and stone walls with fire protection trenches; some fortresses even equipped with Magic Explosion Bullet chutes.

While it doesn’t compare to the magical defense of the Imperial Capital, it’s sufficient to resist non-large-scale Fishman and pirate assaults.

While everything seemed flawless on paper, Eliot still felt a touch of anxiety.

This would be Dawn Port’s first real encounter, rather than a drill.

He promptly stood up, expression stern: “Sir, should I order a stand-by?”

“Of course we need to stand by,” Louis smiled, gesturing for him to sit down, “But don’t be too tense. It’s not that serious.”

He returned to the table, tapping the tip of the pen lightly on the desk: “This time, we may as well treat it as an experiment. The firepower, steering speed, communication, boarding coordination of the Dawn-class… It’s time to see if our ships can hold up against the waves.”

“It sounds like a battle, yet you speak so calmly.”

“Because we’re prepared.” Louis answered with a smile, “Just proceed at the regular pace, no need to be nervous, this is an opportunity, not a threat.

Other ships can use Magic Explosion Bullets directly to destroy enemy vessels, but that main ship must be preserved, no one is allowed to mistakenly harm it.

Its structural integrity is crucial for the Test Knight’s boarding and jump coordination, more importantly, the captives on that ship, I want them alive. Anyway, those pirates can’t escape our firing net.”

Eliot nodded, his voice filled with respect: “Understood, I will arrange the fleet’s rhythm well, ensuring not to let you down.”

“Good.” Louis stood up, patted his shoulder, “Relax, if it really comes to action, I’ll be on board too.”

Eliot’s face changed slightly, hesitated for a moment, then spoke: “Sir, forgive my presumptuousness. You shouldn’t board the ship yourself, no matter how small the risk, you shouldn’t expose yourself on the sea.”

Louis stunned for a moment, then waved with a smile: “I’m not that fragile, Eliot. If I don’t see it with my own eyes, how could I know how your efforts have paid off?”

Eliot was silent for a while, eventually lowered his head: “Understood, Sir. Just… please make sure to stay safe.”

“I assure you, I won’t take any risks, just want to see if they perform as I desired.” Louis chuckled, waved his hand to signal him to get busy.

After Eliot left, he didn’t return to his room for rest but went directly to the docks, summoning the deputy and helmsmen to begin adjusting the night’s departure deployment.

Only Louis remained inside, he reached out to close the window, keeping the cold wind outside.

The reason the merchant convoy sought his help was naturally made up; the real reason was to cover the intelligence source.

Moreover, according to yesterday’s Daily Intelligence System alert, the ship didn’t just carry plunderers; the intelligence indicated the presence of an alchemy master.

An alchemy master, a title so rare that it’s counted in the entire Empire, and even the world.

Hillco perhaps with his infinite resource support, or perhaps with his achievements on Magic Explosion Bullets, already had alchemy master’s prowess.

Such individuals hold rare formulas and principles, whichever side they specialize in, they are invaluable assets.

If that person could be captured, Red Tide would advance technologically in that aspect measured by years.

This is why he laid the net with the Dawn fleet.

If it were only for eradication, a round of Magic Explosion Bullet bombardment would suffice.

But he needed that main ship to capture the alchemy master, also to test Dawn’s firepower, pressure resistance, and combat coordination.