Lord Louis, the great lord revered by countless people, was currently playing with a wolf.
Cold Fang lay on the grass, his ears twitching slightly, his eyes focused, waiting for Louis's command at any mont.
"Ambush."
Cold Fang silently slipped into the tall grass, his form like a silver-gray shadow, circling to the side and rear.
"Assault!"
He suddenly pounced, biting the hanging cloth target and shaking it vigorously several tis.
"Retreat!"
He quickly released his bite, deftly turned, and rushed back to Louis, his movents clean and precise, without a single wasted motion.
After several months of training, Cold Fang could now skillfully understand almost all of Louis's commands.
Whether it was lurking, ambaulting, or guarding, he executed them flawlessly.
Sotis, Louis didn't even need to speak; just a look, and Cold Fang could discern his master's intent.
Of course, for the past two months, it wasn't Louis who trained Cold Fang, but Egg.
But Icefield Wolves inherently possessed a strong sense of hierarchy.
Egg was responsible for drilling, feeding, and instructing, yet Cold Fang never truly obeyed him.
The mont Louis returned, Cold Fang imdiately wagged his tail, greeting him and following him like a shadow.
Because he clearly knew who the real alpha was.
"Good boy," Louis crouched down and stroked his forehead.
Cold Fang, however, let out a low whimper, rubbing his head against Louis's palm as if seeking praise, then arched his neck and pressed his large head onto Louis's leg with an air of entitlent, as if pouting.
"There he goes again."
Louis smiled wryly, half his body pinned by the wolf: "You're a Wolf King, not a dog—hey, don't lick!"
Cold Fang's tail wagged like a windmill, his mouth open and tongue lolling, looking exactly like a husky.
Of course, he only acted this way in front of Louis; in front of the other wolf pups, he maintained a completely different, leader-like deanor.
"Pfft—you rascal, you've completely accepted as your master, haven't you?"
Louis's fingers gently combed through the fur on Cold Fang's neck, feeling its smooth yet wild texture.
"It would be even better if he could grow a bit taller and stronger."
Cold Fang was now about six months old, just past his cub stage; his limbs were lengthening, and his muscles were slowly firming up.
But to reach full adulthood, he still needed over a year.
"Which ans my dream of wolf cavalry will have to wait a while longer—"
Louis's gaze drifted, as if he could already see himself riding a wolf, a lone figure dashing through an army of thousands.
Just then, light footsteps sounded behind him.
It was Sif, holding a stack of reports in her arms. As she approached, she spoke softly, "Information from various regions has arrived. Would you like to read it to you?"
Louis nodded, signaling her to begin, while continuing to playfully tease Cold Fang.
Sif unfurled a parchnt and began to read item by item:
"The Snowfield Territory has successfully tad a group of snow mountain goats, suitable for pen-rearing and breeding, producing more milk in winter."
"The granary and tent outpost in Han Shan Territory have been completed, and over seven hundred people have registered to settle there."
"In Ice Ridge Territory, the knights successfully rescued hundreds of trapped civilians from the mountain pass. All have been resettled."
"As for Canglu Territory, the third bandit suppression has concluded. Three bandit leaders have been beheaded and displayed, and the remaining bandits fled in fear."
Louis listened, then ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) nodded slightly.
"Not bad, the initial effectiveness of the plan is already evident," he said, his gaze calm, his tone sowhat self-reflective, "I wonder how many people can be saved—"
"It's just that food is being consud too quickly, but the first batch of purchased grain should arrive soon. We just need to hold out for a few more days."
He gave a wry smile: "Is this the price of being the sun?"
Sif didn't quite understand why Louis always liked to compare himself to the "sun."
Perhaps it had so special aning, like "to illuminate others" or sothing similar.
Sif then continued to report on so of the territory's daily affairs.
Most of these problems were minor issues.
Louis listened intermittently until Sif ntioned sothing he had been looking forward to.
"Oh, and one more thing," Sif flipped through the report in her hand, "Mac says the castle in Red Tide Territory is almost finished and he wants you to co see it."
"Oh?" Louis's eyes lit up, and he sat up straight.
He certainly rembered this.
He had personally designed the blueprints, mimicking the appearance of a Hakka earthen building, and had also planned the geothermal heating system combined with the hot spring system, all by himself.
"Didn't you say there was a problem with the hot spring clay before?" Louis asked. "Yes, it caused a slight delay," Sif nodded. "But later, a new team of craftsn was brought in, and progress significantly improved. Now the main structure is complete, with only so decorations and defensive works still under construction."
"It's really almost finished, I thought I'd have to wait until next year," Louis exclaid.
He would often pass by the construction site, but he only saw the outer walls being built; he hadn't specifically inquired about the progress inside.
Louis smiled: "Then let's go see it this afternoon."
After lunch, the sun was just right.
Louis donned his cloak, and, accompanied by Sif and a few knight guards, strolled over.
Walking along the newly laid dirt road, Louis spotted it imdiately.
Its outline was rugged, the heavy ramd earth walls seemingly growing out of the ground, exuding an indescribable sense of oppression.
At the very bottom was a complete circle of wall foundation clad in dark gray stone bricks, tightly fitted to the ground.
The stone bricks extended halfway up, seamlessly connecting with the stone walls of the arrow towers, the lines simple yet not rigid.
Above that was a wooden eaves structure, with the Red Tide sun totem and wave patterns carved into the wooden beams, a touch of intricacy within the roughness.
The entire castle was like a armored beast, steady, cold, and suprely practical, yet hiding a hint of dedicated craftsmanship.
This directly appealed to Louis's straightforward aesthetic.
This wasn't the luxurious beauty of southern nobles; it was the rough, practical beauty belonging to the North.
Although its appearance was nothing like the castle in Frost Halberd City, its temperant was quite similar.
Louis observed it for a long ti, unable to help but exclaim: "Old Mac actually managed to create a castle with this style—that guy really has so skills.
Of course, the main credit is still mine."
Though he also rembered that what he had drawn on the sketch seed to be just a bare, large pillar.
"The design concept was mine," he added in a low voice, utterly shaless.
Sif, anwhile, looked at the recently completed earthen building and tilted her head.
It wasn't quite what she had imagined.
She had originally thought a castle would be sparkling stone bricks and intricately carved beams, but this one looked plain and rough no matter how she viewed it.
Just then, the main gate slowly opened with a creak.
Mac, covered in dust, strode out.
"Lord! You're here?" he said, looking triumphant, "I haven't failed you; it's completed."
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