Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

On ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Blue Star, the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) referred to the amount of feed consumed for every kilogram of weight gained by livestock. A high FCR meant more feed was used but less meat was gained; conversely, a low FCR meant less feed was used but more meat was produced.

Under ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍modern farming conditions, pork could reach 3, and poultry could reach 2.

“Three ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thousand is not bad?! Are you trying to chum the waters or are you running aquaculture?? Wait, what you just said was Feed Conversion Ratio or Meat-to-Feed Ratio?”

“Meat-to-Feed ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ratio. Feed it one pound of pollution, and it grows three thousand pounds of meat.”

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍covered his face.

“Fine, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍we won’t discuss this farming efficiency issue. First tell me—what exactly did that small portion of fish turn into?”

Monica’s expression stiffened.

“Well…” Sweat appeared faintly on her forehead. “They seemed to have mutated to a higher degree.”

“Go on.”

“For example, they look completely normal, but when you put them into the pot, they start talking. Some grew much larger. Some developed the ability to discharge electricity. And some… grew as big as a ship.”

“A ship?!”

Hughes could no longer remain seated. Castel’s ships were already among the largest vessels in existence. If a fish grew that large, it would be hardly any smaller than the 【Compassionate Mother】. Had Monica accidentally farmed up a Heretical God?

“Y-Yes… It’s still being kept at our Second Testing Ground. But you don’t need to worry!” Seeing Hughes’ expression turn increasingly grim, Monica hurriedly explained, “That Strange Fish has an extremely gentle temperament. It has absolutely no aggression at all. And it tastes very good!”

“Tastes very good? You killed it and ate it?”

“No, not killed… but eaten. Just a little bit.”

The corner of Hughes’ eye twitched.

“Have you put proper security measures in place?”

“Extremely strict security! Gaia sent a large batch of weapons over. Our Second Testing Ground is at Gem Bay—an entirely independent inner sea. It won’t affect the outer waters, and there’s no risk of escape!”

“Gem Bay? I remember now. Gaia did mention submitting a weapons usage request to protect the testing ground. So your ‘protection’ was actually protecting the people outside?”

“Yes.” Monica nodded quickly.

Hughes rubbed his brow. To be fair, Gaia’s research was all fully compliant. He just hadn’t expected the content to be this explosive.

“We discussed it with the fish. We can cut off quite a lot of meat every day to eat. As long as we shock it regularly, that’s fine. It really enjoys being electrocuted.”

“The fish can communicate?”

“Mmm. This one just happens to be able to. Some other fish occasionally speak as well, but they have no intelligence. They can only talk.”

“Like parrots? That’s… fine then.”

At least he wouldn’t have to argue with his dinner while eating it. It was already outrageous enough that before starting up a Steam Engine he had to argue with the Stoker and the boiler.

Wait.

Hughes suddenly became alert. How had he chatted with Monica for only a short while and already lowered his standards for food to “as long as I don’t have to argue with the fish in the pot”?

It was all because the things she produced were simply too absurd.

“So this is your ‘technical reserve’? And you secretly set up a Second Testing Ground behind my back?”

Hughes let out a cold laugh. Today it was a Second Testing Ground. Tomorrow it might be a Second Research Department—or even a second The Imperial Truth.

“It wasn’t secret. I submitted an application.” Gaia replied confidently, producing a form. Hughes looked down—his own signature was on it.

He had always thought Gaia was extremely reliable, so he had approved her requests without reading too carefully. What a fatal oversight.

“So, Lord, about our launchable lightning rod—”

Hughes sighed. After understanding all this, he suddenly felt that installing a Tesla Coil atop the Main Cathedral might not be such a bad idea after all.

At least it wouldn’t argue with him out of boredom.

“Explain the principle first. How did you store lightning? Did you build a supercapacitor?”

In the past, Hughes had been the one explaining mechanical principles to his subordinates. Now the situation was reversed. He was being stunned numb by layers of black technology, reduced to listening as others explained the fundamentals.

“It’s simple. I electrified the fish, which caused them to mutate.”

“Mhm.”

“So I thought—if we could revert the fish back, wouldn’t the electricity be released?”

What kind of genius logic was this—making the electric meter run backward? Had physics ceased to exist again?

Wait. Why had he said “again”?

“???” Hughes’ eyes widened. “You succeeded?”

“Not exactly. But during the experiments, some fish happened to mutate into electric fish capable of discharging electricity. Because they were influenced by both pollution and electric current, the abilities they developed were extremely strong. So I added them into the Runic Ritual Array.”

“And that produced a lightning rod capable of freely storing electrical energy. Maintaining the electric fish is also simple—both pollution and lightning can serve as food, and to a certain extent they can even be interchanged.”

“In other words, if you feed it pollution, it can release electricity?” Hughes’ eyes lit up. This thing might have uses beyond weaponry.

Wouldn’t a power plant be far more useful than a few lightning-discharge rods?

Even if it was biological power generation, it could still be connected to the Power Grid.

“More than that. If I use the lightning generator to strike it with lightning, it can even expel pollution.” Monica nervously tapped the ground with her tail.

Hughes drew in a sharp breath.

What was this? A pollution–electric energy converter?

The most troublesome issue with electrical energy was storage. Every kilowatt-hour generated had to be consumed immediately. Batteries were inefficient and costly. But with this kind of biological converter, there would be no more need to struggle with load balancing on the Power Grid.

Though it still felt strange.

“How many of these conversion fish do we have now?”

“Not many. Only this one so far. It’s beneath our feet in the chapel. But that’s mainly because our fish-farming scale is too small. As long as we expand electrification, more conversion fish will appear sooner or later. I also gained a lot of breeding experience—for example, that Coyote with the head and tail connected—”

Hughes’ eye twitched. “Could you produce something normal for once? I’m begging you, Gaia. You came up with all this while running a military factory?”

Gaia and Monica nodded together.

No wonder Monica had been so quiet during the war in the Northlands. When Nini formed her battle group, there had been no reaction either. They had been busy tinkering with this instead.

“Fine. The feasibility of your launchable lightning rod… we’ll discuss it later. There’s only one electric fish for now. Let’s wait until there are more.” Hughes paused, then felt uneasy. “No. You should dismantle it first. Having this thing mounted overhead feels strange. Other lightning rods prevent lightning. Yours releases it.”