Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Thus ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍came into existence the enormous structure within the Testing Grounds.

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had designed from the ground up a gigantic reinforced concrete building. The concrete provided structural support, while the densely packed, interconnected steel reinforcement within formed the body of a Faraday Cage.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Faraday Cage had two primary functions. One was to shield against electromagnetic interference; the other was to block high-voltage discharge impacts.

In ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍other words, it prevented lightning.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍electrical potential throughout the entire cage was equal. Even if lightning struck directly inside the Faraday Cage, nothing would happen. This was why, during thunderstorms, it was best to shelter inside buildings or vehicles—both environments could be regarded as simple Faraday Cages.

Castel ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was located within the Storm Ocean. Since the Storm Ocean was named after storms, it was naturally covered year-round by countless thunderstorms.

After the Deep Sea War, however, the storms over the Storm Ocean had noticeably diminished. Hughes had long suspected that the storms at sea might have something to do with the Sea God.

Now that the Sea God had entered the Stellar Furnace, the thunderstorms had naturally lessened.

After the accident, Hughes had thought even deeper. If the Sea God was related to thunderstorms, then could the Evil Entities within electric currents also exist within lightning?

The construction of the Faraday Cage prevented that as well. It was a case of killing two birds with one stone.

“In this newly built Faraday Cage, our experiments have stabilized! The currents produced before were all accompanied by inexplicable fluctuations. They were extremely difficult to use and greatly reduced the lifespan of subsequent equipment. Sometimes they even caused overheating and fires. They had no practical value at all.”

“But now… look!”

Inside the building stood a small steam engine, driving a thick metal disk.

“This is a simple generator. The stator is made of magnets, and the rotor is composed of coils. As long as the rotational speed is fixed, it can output a stable electric current!”

Beside the steam engine, the stoker was applying grease to the bearings and pacifying the Machine Soul. At Richard’s signal, he patted the steel casing of the steam engine and ignited the boiler’s combustion chamber.

The water in the boiler was slowly brought to a boil. Scalding steam entered the steam chamber and drove the flywheel into motion.

After the gears in the gearbox adjusted the speed, the generator’s rotor began to rotate as well. Hughes followed the connected wires with his gaze, looking toward a short section of metal filament encased in glass behind them.

The filament gradually glowed red. Then, very quickly, bright light blossomed from it, casting a small patch of illumination.

This was a simple light bulb. The filament material had not yet been properly tuned, and it burned out after a short while. Yet that brief flash of light was etched deeply into everyone’s hearts.

Electricity—this was electricity, the foundation of human civilization. If boiling water had initiated the steps of industrialization, then the utilization of electricity allowed humanity to truly stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods.

Energy now had a new form. Through power grids spread across the land, it would change the entire direction of civilization’s advance.

Dark spots still lingered in Hughes’s vision from the glare of the light. It was from staring directly at the filament. Suddenly, he felt a sting at the bridge of his nose.

He had truly wasted too much time in this world—dying again and again before finally arriving on this island.

In the days when Castel was surrounded by enemies on all sides, he could only develop industry with extreme caution. After finally creating something of value, he still had to brace himself and fight monsters from the sea.

Having come this far, he finally saw a glimmer of hope. No one understood the significance of this weak electric current better than he did.

Perhaps others only thought of new weapons or more factories, but Hughes thought of his homeland.

Blue Star.

That azure planet, Earth, truly ruled by humanity.

With the steam engine, he might have been able to unify the entire continent, but he could only gaze at the stars from this land and sigh.

With electricity, however, he would one day touch the sea of stars and explore that distant galaxy.

The Sea God? How much seawater could a single planet contain? The energy released in an instant by the eternally burning sun was enough to boil the oceans.

When Hughes named the underground furnace of Castel the Stellar Furnace, his heart had already flown toward the heavens. Unfortunately, his body remained trapped in this gutter, pressed firmly against the earth by gravity.

And at this moment, Castel—human civilization—had taken its most critical step forward.

Even in a world filled with malice, within a research environment fraught with danger, he had successfully opened the door to electricity. How could he not be overwhelmed with emotion?

“Richard, do you know? Even if Castel ultimately fails, even if you and I and this island all become dust in history, as long as the methods of studying electricity are passed on, it will have been worth it.”

Hughes clenched his fist.

“From this day onward, nothing will ever be able to plunge human civilization into eternal decline again. Neither Cognitive Interference, nor Pollution, nor the Extraordinary will be obstacles anymore.”

Richard froze. He lowered his head and looked at the burned-out filament.

“Just relying on that?”

“Just relying on that.” Hughes said with a smile. “The industrial system we’ve built so far relied on nothing more than boiling water. What you see before you is indeed a weak electric current, capable only of bringing a brief moment of light. But it’s like that boiling kettle—it can support the entire world.”

Richard scratched his head, still finding it hard to believe as he stared at the filament.

Human civilization? Could it really be changed just by this current?

“Organize the related materials,” Hughes said. “Remember this moment, my friend. You’ll see it in textbooks in the future.”

Hughes patted Richard on the back and prepared to leave with satisfaction.

He intended to increase research investment here. The most difficult part had already been overcome. The results to come would likely explode forth.

Soon, Castel’s industrial capacity would rise to a whole new level. He was about to get busy.

But after taking just two eager steps, Hughes was stopped by Richard’s voice.

“Lord…”

“What is it? Is there something else?”

Richard looked strange as he scratched his head. “Lord, I haven’t shown you the research results yet.”

“Huh? There are more results? Isn’t power generation the result?”

“Well… power generation is indeed a result, but… it’s too small. If it were only this, I wouldn’t have reported it to you.”

Hughes blinked.

Thinking about it, that did seem true. Richard was the type who worked steadily and pragmatically. The last time he had reported research results, it had been the Dragon’s Breath Cannon.

“You’re saying there’s a Dragon’s Breath Cannon–level research result now?”

“It’s way more exciting than that, Lord.” At the mention of it, Richard grew visibly excited. “Come, let’s go to the Testing Grounds outside.”

The Testing Grounds outside? Outside the Faraday Cage?

Hughes was momentarily confused. The generation of electric current required isolation from interference via the Faraday Cage. Why go outside?

Outside, the generator wouldn’t be able to operate properly at all.

“It’s like this. I discovered that interfered electric currents become violent and extremely difficult to use. So I started thinking—could something this violent… be used as a weapon?”