Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Everything had been going smoothly recently. Whether it was the research on ”Fossil to Mud” or the manufacturing of the Type I steam engine, neither had triggered cognitive interference.

Hughes thought he had grasped the pattern of this phenomenon. After repeatedly confirming that the students understood the principles and functions, he was not particularly worried about pollution occurring.

Reality, however, gave him a harsh slap in the face.

Just now, Hughes felt a massive amount of pollution suddenly emerge from his body, with even more gradually materializing from him.

”Class is dismissed! Execute Plan Three immediately!”

Hughes shouted at the students before dashing towards the nearby Sirens.

The students were momentarily stunned before reacting, scattering in slight panic and running towards distant buildings.

At the beginning of the advanced class,Hughes had not started with lessons immediately but instead spent an entire day training them in various emergency procedures.

What to do when cognitive interference occurs.

What to do if someone gets contaminated.What to do if the steam engine runs out of control.

What to do if the boiler explodes.

What to do in case of a fire.

To be honest, the students had been quite confused, but since the order came from the lord himself, they trained obediently.

As a result, though their actions were clumsy and panicked, they at least managed to evacuate successfully.

The Sirens had already taken up their weapons, spreading out to guard the surroundings.

This location was on the easternmost side of the island, not far from the stone cave used previously.

It was a designated experimental site set up by Hughes. Since the last pollution incident, Hughes had moved all high-risk experiments here.

It was far from any densely populated areas. Even if cognitive interference occurred, it would not affect the island’s core areas. Further out, more Sirens were secretly on guard.

The Sirens quickly secured the entire laboratory and began reporting the situation through the mind link.

”No pollution detected.”

”Everything is normal.”

”West side is clear.”

”The cave is also fine.”

After a brief patrol, the Sirens reported in succession. All the Sirens in the mind link were online. In the manor, some Sirens had submerged into the sea, while others stood guard near secret passages, ready to rush out and take over the manor’s defense at any moment.

Hughes glanced at the mind link. All the Sirens had reported back, and none had detected anything unusual.

Meanwhile, the patrol team in the manor, under Connor’s organization, had mobilized and would soon send back information.

No pollution detected nearby?

Then why had a massive amount of pollution suddenly appeared in his body, continuously generating?

Hughes took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. He closed his eyes and carefully sensed the state of pollution within his body.

The pollution was in a strange state. Some of it seemed to appear out of thin air, manifesting abruptly throughout his limbs and bones before being instantly purified.

Another portion gradually condensed from an incorporeal state into a physical form, only to be purified the moment it solidified.

Hughes had previously wondered whether his mysterious purification ability had a limit.

Now, although he still didn’t know if there was a limit, he was certain it must be quite high.

”Lord, are you alright? Where was the pollution detected?”

Several Sirens approached, having already activated their flesh magic as they cautiously examined Hughes.

”I’m fine. The pollution originated from within my body.”

The Sirens were startled, exchanging glances. They hadn’t sensed any pollution in the life force transmitted through the Symbiotic Contract.

”It’s fine, at least for now. All the pollution generated in my body has been purified.”

”Lord, the patrol team from the manor reports no anomalies.”

Hughes frowned.

”Continue the patrols. Do not relax.”

”Yes!”

”You don’t need to worry about me. Stay on guard for a while and observe the situation.” Hughes waved his hand.

The Sirens nodded, still somewhat concerned.

After the initial chaos, the island gradually quieted down again.

Connor and his team brought over some food. The students and Sirens took portions to fill their stomachs.

The pollution within Hughes persisted for several hours before gradually weakening and finally disappearing.

Only after the last trace of pollution vanished did he breathe a sigh of relief.

”Report the situation from all locations.”

”The manor is secure.”

”The patrol teams in the residential area have returned. Everything is normal.”

”The teaching base is normal.”

”The factory area is normal.”

”Alright. Leave some people on night watch. The rest should rest for now. If no pollution descent occurs by tomorrow night, it should be safe.”

”Lord, where and when did the pollution occur?” Nini inquired. She had been in the manor the entire time, halting her work to stay on alert, yet there had been no signs of pollution.

”It happened after the Type II engine started operating normally.” Hughes paused. ”At that moment, pollution suddenly emerged from within me, in massive amounts. Fortunately, my purification speed was fast enough, preventing any major trouble.”

”The pollution descent lasted for a long time at least several hours, only just now coming to an end.”

As Hughes spoke through the mind link, he continued to think.

Where had the problem occurred?

What had triggered the pollution descent?

Cognition conflicting with reality?

The students’ understanding was correct, he had verified that. So why had pollution still occurred?

Even the Sirens had listened to his explanations of the steam engine throughout, including principles and details about its components. He had taught it all personally, so where could the mistake be?

Think harder. Think deeper.

[Cognitive Interference]: When personal cognition deviates from reality, pollution appears.

This was an established fact.

Everyone’s understanding had been correct, he had confirmed it. That was also a fact.

According to Occam’s Razor, the simplest explanation is usually the most effective. When faced with a problem, one should start with the simplest possibility.

A simple and direct possibility.

Then the most likely answer was—

”I was wrong? The knowledge I taught was incorrect!?”

”Impossible! The principles of the steam engine are extremely simple. Even if I only knew the theory, I could derive it myself! Besides, I’ve actually seen steam engine blueprints!”

”The steam engine can’t be wrong!”

”Then could it be—”

A sudden thought struck Hughes, making his heart clench.

Could it be—

”This world cannot produce steam engines, cannot boil water?!”

A shiver ran through Hughes as he slowly turned his head to look at the massive metal construct, exhaling white steam while pistons and cylinders roared.

The steel giant, embodying both power and industrial beauty, exuded an eerie allure.

The students gazed at it as though witnessing a god descending upon the mortal realm.

And now, it had awakened, roaring with its boiler, proclaiming its existence to the world.

”Then what exactly did I create...”