Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Were ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the Transcendents of the Silent Sanctum formidable?

They truly were. They were almost the only sect capable of confronting muskets head-on on the battlefield. The Church of Candlelight possessed vast resources, but in terms of frontal combat capability, it still fell a step behind.

When the former Empire’s Royal Army invaded the White Raven Principality, it was the Buriers who drove them out, swinging the chain flails in their hands. That was nearly the most glorious moment in the Silent Sanctum’s history.

The Sanctum’s Buriers wore heavy armor and charged in formation, forcibly tearing open gaps within the ranks of musketeers. After the battle, the lead bullets shaken out of their armor nearly piled up into small hills.

Back then, they had even joked that they had smashed the age of muskets back with their chain flails. Indeed, the White Raven Principality enjoyed nearly a decade of peace.

Even when the White Calamity later swept across the Northlands, these priests of the Sanctum did not lose that spirit. The White Calamity was a natural disaster—being unable to resist it was only normal. Moreover, the Patriarch still had methods of mutual destruction.

After awakening in Castel, the Buriers had come with curiosity to see the place. Castel’s creations were impressive, certainly, but they themselves were not weak. If they fought openly on a battlefield, victory or defeat was still uncertain.

As for Nora saying that this was the correct path—although many had wavered, they were still priests of the Sanctum, the backbone whose faith had endured countless trials. Nora? Just a child, after all.

But at this moment, gazing at the sky-blotting flying airship above, these priests were finally truly lost.

They were immortal and never feared sacrifice. As long as they fought openly and honorably, they would dare charge no matter how many enemies there were—but… they had never grown wings.

If, back then, what the Empress had sent were not musketeers but this flying airship, could they still have won?

Or rather—how would they even fight?

The priests of the Silent Sanctum looked at the chain flails in their hands and felt such confusion for the first time.

It was as if they were once again facing the White Calamity. No matter how sturdy the armor or how superb the martial skill—could one fight fog?

At least fog could be touched. But the flying airship in the sky…

They could smash the age of muskets back—could they smash a flying airship out of the sky?

The Buriers said nothing. Nora said nothing either.

This time, the power Castel had displayed no longer required her explanation.

Nini looked around as well and said nothing, but her tail had begun to sway gently, clearly delighted. She quietly took out her pen and drew this scene into her notebook.

She usually preferred writing reports, but this time, she felt that drawing it would be better.

Several hands sketched across the notebook. Before long, a draft took shape.

A group of priests clad in heavy armor, their chain flails still stained with blood. At their feet lay mountains of enemy corpses.

Yet they did not smile in celebration of victory. Instead, they all looked toward the distance.

In the distance was fog so thick one could not see one’s own hand. A flying airship with shark-tooth paint pressed down from the sky. A black Steel Ark revealed a ferocious corner within the mist. And beyond all of that was a behemoth far larger still—its outline indistinct within the fog, only its eyes visible.

Eyes cold and utterly devoid of emotion, not focused on any one person. It showed no malice whatsoever, as if everything before it were nothing more than insignificant insects.

Yet those insects all looked toward it.

Its mere existence drove people into madness. The priests of the Silent Sanctum revealed expressions of despair. Some threw down their weapons. Some knelt to pray. Some swung their chain flails and charged at it.

It did not care.

“Very good, very good… mm, make the overall tone darker. Yes—perfect!”

Nini admired the draft in her hands and suddenly had a feeling that this painting would be passed down through the ages.

While the priests of the Sanctum were still touring the island, Hughes had already left his office.

He had originally been watching Nini’s live broadcast with great interest, even setting aside his work. But now, he had completely lost that mood.

At this moment, he was striding quickly through the church. His walk gradually turned into a jog, and finally he simply looked to Ash beside him. “Ash, take me there! As fast as possible!”

Ash nodded, reached out, lifted Hughes, and slung him over her shoulder. The muscles along her snake tail tensed as she slithered forward at high speed.

Hughes was in such a hurry not because something had gone wrong, but because of good news—

“Ash, do you know? I’ve been waiting for this day for far too long. Richard finally sent good news!”

The task Hughes had given Richard was not merely to treat the priests at the hospital—that was only a side job. The truly important part was having him lead research at the Testing Grounds.

Research into electricity.

Electricity—have coils perform specific motions within a magnetic field, cut magnetic lines of force, and one could obtain it. In theory, it was even simpler than a steam engine.

Yet in this world, it was inexplicably difficult beyond measure.

Such a simple principle, personally guided by Hughes, had still taken so long to see progress. It was only natural that Hughes was excited.

With Ash running at full speed, they quickly arrived at Richard’s Testing Grounds.

Unlike other dangerous research, experiments related to electricity were not set up in the remote Gem Bay, but directly on Castel Island.

Though it was still in the most remote coastal stone caverns on the eastern side of the island.

Emerging from the Network Path, Hughes looked at the now somewhat unfamiliar coastal caverns and felt a touch of emotion.

This was where Monica had been eroded by pollution, where the battle had taken place. After that, this area had been used to stockpile pollution until the Deep Sea War broke out.

Now, it had been transformed into a Testing Ground.

Different from other Testing Grounds, the first thing Hughes saw upon reaching the surface was a towering wall.

The height of this wall was abnormal. If it were merely to keep out unauthorized personnel or wild beasts, a wall a few meters tall would suffice. Even with heightened security—fortifying the area and raising the wall to over ten meters—would already be excessive.

But before his eyes stood a wall over fifty meters high—nearly twenty stories tall.

In terms of height alone, many coastal lighthouses were not this tall. If not for the widespread use of reinforced concrete, the cost of constructing this wall alone would have been astronomical.

As Hughes entered within the wall, the environment changed entirely.

The clear sky and clouds from before vanished, replaced by dim lighting.

Looking up, an arched dome covered the Testing Ground overhead.

From the outside, the wall had been too tall to see clearly. Only upon entering did one realize that this place was completely encased in concrete.

And Hughes knew that beneath his feet was not ordinary ground or soil, but the same reinforced concrete.

This place was an enormous Faraday Cage.