Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Staring ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍at the pitch-black entrance of the underground network paths, the people of the Silent Sanctum fell silent.

“Nora, do you usually travel through tunnels like this?”

“Hey, don’t ask it like that. Nora only has a head left—how would she walk? If she heard that, she’d be heartbroken.”

“Sorry, sorry. Then… do you usually roll through the tunnels?”

Nini shot those Buriers a glance. As expected of the Silent Sanctum—every one of them was good with words.

Nora took a deep breath. There was no fluctuation in her tone: “Normally, we use the network paths. Underground routes aren’t affected by external weather, so transit efficiency is higher. And Castel’s Network Path System is highly developed—going anywhere is very convenient.”

After saying that, she nudged against Gwen. Gwen immediately understood, hugged her, and jumped straight down into the network path entrance. Right now, Nora didn’t want to see these former colleagues of hers—she only wanted to sulk alone.

Ignati led the Fathers slowly down the stairs. Once they passed through the gate at the entrance, the Buriers collectively let out cries of astonishment.

“Th-this big?”

“How is that even possible? How massive would the construction have to be!?”

“No wonder Nini can get in here too… this height is almost comparable to a church!”

“Sigh, if the Northlands had network paths like this, maybe we wouldn’t have to fear the White Calamity.”

Castel’s Network Path System had already become completely different from what it once was.

In the very beginning, the so-called underground network paths were nothing more than dwellings dug out by the Banshees themselves. There was no planning to speak of, and not even a unified architectural style.

Later, around the time of the Deep Sea War, the network paths were urgently expanded and reorganized. Beneath the ground, Castel was essentially dug through between its surface fortresses. Though crude, this successfully laid the foundation for victory in the Deep Sea War.

After the Deep Sea War ended and the Stellar Furnace was constructed, Castel finally began formal planning, officially turning the network path system into part of its transportation system.

Not only were the routes and structure of the entire network re-planned, but the original end-to-end passages were transformed into a three-dimensional, layered structure.

Previously, the network paths had crudely connected two points. When encountering other paths, they simply detoured above or below, resulting in frequent rises and dips. After the re-planning, multiple layers of transport networks were directly arranged from deep to shallow levels—this was what truly laid the foundation for subway construction.

Yes—now the entirety of Castel had completed a comprehensive subway network. Traveling within Castel could be done directly by taking the underground railway.

Everyone stared in shock at the surrounding walls. This was the hospital’s subway platform, not too far from the surface, yet the sunlight from the entrance was completely unable to penetrate the thick concrete walls.

On the walls, bright lamps burned quietly, bringing light into the network paths.

“What’s that? It’s really beautiful.”

“Gas lamps. I’ve seen them in Rhine, but it seems only Rhine has them.”

“The Northlands don’t have them?”

“No. You see only one lamp hanging there, but actually the walls behind are full of pipes. Every lamp has them!”

“E-every single one!?”

“Yeah. Now you see why the Northlands don’t have them. Installing these is a huge project—it costs a lot, and maintenance is troublesome. More importantly, the Northlands simply don’t have that many workers who can repair pipelines.”

“How many lamps are there here? One, two, three… can’t even count them. There must be dozens, right?”

“More than that. Look at that corridor over there—the walls are lined with them all the way.”

Nearby, Nora sighed. “These actually aren’t gas lamps. The ones in Blood Harbor are indeed a gas system, but Castel uses fuel supplied by the Stellar Furnace. I’ll explain the specifics later.”

For a moment, she didn’t know how to explain Castel’s pollution utilization system. Pollution had always been a major problem—Transcendents would suffer severe harm from even the slightest contact. For a thousand years, the sea had almost been a forbidden zone for Transcendents.

Now, the sea truly had no pollution left.

It had all run onto the island.

Aside from the nearly ten-meter-high ceiling, the platform also had a large flat area that had been deliberately reserved.

In wartime, or when there was a need to transport supplies, materials could be stacked here to facilitate loading and unloading. The platform was equipped with steam winches, and heavy objects that human labor couldn’t handle could be moved using mechanical loaders.

At the moment, however, the entire platform held no cargo. Only scattered people stood about, and when they saw Nini, many even greeted her.

Ignati didn’t wander around like the other Buriers. He carefully observed the clothing of these people and suddenly spoke: “They’re civilians?”

“Probably. Mm, that one should be Holy Guard. Those two are likely workers. That shifty-looking one might be selling contraband—like newspapers.”

“Why are newspapers contraband?”

The tip of Nini’s tail stiffened again.

Ignati didn’t pay it much mind. He merely frowned in thought.

The Holy Guard in uniform was holding the Holy Text, flipping through it with evident enjoyment. Beside him, a worker who had just gotten off shift leaned over to look as well, and the two occasionally exchanged a few comments.

Nearby, an engineer was teaching his assistant how to argue with a steam engine, while the apprentice beside them was writing something in a small booklet.

A patient who had just come out of the hospital leaned on a crutch, awkwardly trying to walk, while a subway staff member in uniform supported him from the side.

They all looked like ordinary people, yet there was an indescribable sense of strangeness.

Where exactly was the difference?

“Please stay behind the yellow line. Don’t stand too close. The next train will arrive shortly. Line up, line up. Nini, you don’t need to queue—Banshees have a separate carriage door.”

The staff member helped the patient over. Seeing such a large group come down, he sucked in a sharp breath and stepped forward to maintain order.

The people of the Silent Sanctum clearly looked different from the locals—distinct at a glance. Most of them had the classic appearance of the White Raven People: white hair and eyebrows, even pale eyes, with sharp, angular features like the rough stone of the Northlands.

Of course, more importantly, they were all wearing hospital gowns.

The subway employee looked at them suspiciously, uncertain in his heart. Could these people be suffering from Castel Syndrome—having gone mad and staged a collective jailbreak from the hospital?

Damn it, were the hospital’s machine-gun positions just for show?

Only when he saw Nini did he finally let out a breath.

With a Banshee lady present, there probably wouldn’t be any problems—though it was Nini.

Ignati’s gaze fell on the young man maintaining order. He was clearly a Mortal, yet he could make requests of an extraordinary being like Nini. His tone was neither servile nor arrogant. Even Nora, Gwen, and the other Transcendents were unconsciously complying.

Castel, perhaps, was different from any place he had ever seen.