Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“Who ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍just said I drowned?”

Monica ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍lowered her head guiltily. The surrounding Banshees all took a step back in unison, making it look as though she had stepped forward on her own.

Hugh ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was so angry he almost laughed. “Couldn’t you see whether there was water inside the coffin… the cabin? And even if there was water, would I be afraid of it?”

“Oh ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍right, the Lord has the Symbiotic Contract…”

“He ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍went down into the Abyssal Deep with us back then.”

“If ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you hadn’t mentioned it, I would’ve forgotten…”

The Banshees began whispering among themselves.

Monica awkwardly started scraping the ground with the tip of her tail.

Hugh’s gaze fell on her, and she trembled all over. “You’re from the Hospital Knights? Did you learn that medical skill from Gwen?”

“Wow, what a vicious accusation~”

“What’s wrong with Gwen? Isn’t Gwen allowed to study medicine?”

“Come to think of it, Gwen really has been studying medicine lately. She keeps shouting something like ‘Only by studying medicine can we save the White Raven,’ and she walks around the hospital all day carrying a flail.”

“What’s the use of bringing a flail?”

“It’s actually quite useful. She scared all the priests from the Silent Sanctuary out of the hospital. The discharge rate reached 120%!”

“Then Monica’s medical skill should be worse than Gwen’s.”

The surrounding Banshees pointed and commented freely. Monica’s eyes darted around wildly, already searching for an escape route.

Hugh sighed but did not continue scolding her. He shared a mental connection with the Banshees; he could sense their emotions.

The moment he had awakened earlier, what had flowed through the Symbiotic Contract had been genuine concern and panic.

These Banshees truly cared about him. They had simply been too anxious and made mistakes.

And Hugh knew what he had looked like upon his return. That hollow, empty-shell state had indeed frightened them.

His gaze passed over the crowd of Banshees and landed on a tall figure.

Ash.

The two exchanged a look, and she gently shook her head.

Hugh understood. Ash had not said anything.

She should have known what he looked like after his return, but she had not told the other Banshees. Ash’s reasoning was simple—since Hugh had not permitted her to tell others, she would not speak.

Hugh sighed inwardly. The Banshee race truly was polarized. Ash was so reliable, while the others were so outrageous.

What Hugh did not notice was that farther away, Nini was hiding in a small corner, occasionally peeking out to look at him. Her six hands busily wrote and sketched.

Her tail kept slapping against the ground, looking extremely excited.

After ending that disaster-like voyage, Hugh finally set foot on Castel’s dock. There were quite a few people here; if he had not awakened in time, he probably would have been surrounded by onlookers.

After disembarking, Hugh did not return to his office. He went straight to the testing grounds.

He felt that enough absurd things had already happened today. No matter how absurd the next scene was, it would not matter anymore.

The Banshees who had dragged him here were extremely guilty. They had always thought it was because they had played too happily while pulling the coffin through the sea that Hugh had fainted.

As compensation, they proposed letting Hugh sit inside the Assault Coffin Transport Method while they carried it for him.

Hugh rejected this outrageous suggestion without hesitation and ordered the Assault Coffin Transport Method to be sealed away, not to be used unless in an emergency.

After all, waking up inside a coffin and being pressed half to death had given him a bit of PTSD.

Entering the subway platform through the harbor’s network entrance, Hugh finally let out a long breath.

The subway could only be described as normal. But compared to the Assault Coffin Transport Method, “normal” was already an extremely precious advantage.

The network entrances in the harbor area were all equipped with heavy gates that could be quickly sealed. After all, being close to the sea, there was always the risk of seawater backflow in the event of storms or tsunamis.

Moreover, cargo transport in the dock district used surface railways. The railway system within the network was mainly for passenger transport, with only certain military buildings using it to move supplies.

After all, surface railways were much easier to maintain.

Taking the subway, he arrived at the testing grounds in no time. It was worth mentioning that the network entrance here also had a gate, and it was even thicker than the one at the dock.

The dock might only have seawater flooding in. As for what might come out of the testing grounds, that was another matter entirely.

It was not that Hugh did not trust his subordinates—well, all right, he simply did not. With the temperament of this group of Moths Chasing the Flame, the fact that Castel had not been blown into the sky was proof that they strictly followed safety regulations.

After stepping out of the subway station, Hugh cautiously peeked toward the testing grounds. Dark clouds filled the area, and occasional lightning bolts struck down. It looked like they were testing the storm generator.

He asked through the mental link and received confirmation from the Banshees stationed there. Hugh patiently waited for them to stop the experiment.

Soon, the dark clouds dispersed, and the faint howls in the sky ceased.

The gates of the testing grounds opened. Tata walked up with a group of researchers, looking delighted.

“Lord, you’re back!”

Hugh did not reply immediately. He carefully examined them first. Seeing nothing unusual, he cautiously spoke, “Tata, if I remember correctly, research was only your part-time job…”

Tata’s expression turned solemn. “Since it was an appointment from you, Lord, I naturally gave it my all! Rest assured, I’ve been focusing entirely on research lately. I absolutely haven’t slacked off!”

It’s precisely because you’ve been focusing on research that I can’t feel at ease! Hugh thought to himself.

Still, he forced a smile, intending to offer a few words of praise.

But the next moment, his smile froze on his face.

A Black man walked over.

Unfortunately, since arriving in this world, Hugh had never seen a Black person before. So his first thought was—

“Tata, what kind of experiment did you conduct this time? Have you caused a mutation in human race!?”

“Ah?” Tata scratched her head in confusion. When she turned and saw the approaching Black man, she suddenly understood. “Oh, this is someone from the Silent Sanctuary.”

“Nonsense. There are no Black people in the Northlands!”

The “Black man” smiled upon hearing this, revealing a set of white teeth. “Count, I am indeed a ‘Burial Agent’ of the Silent Sanctuary. I’ve just finished an experiment and look a bit disheveled.”

Hugh stared at him for a long time before overlapping him with a certain white-haired figure from his memory. The corner of his eye twitched.

“What happened? How did you end up like this?”

Tata stepped forward excitedly. “Lord, I’ve discovered a new application for the storm generator!”

“Previously, didn’t we discover that lightning and pollution have a certain degree of conversion relationship? So I was thinking—since lightning can activate pollution, could pollution be converted into lightning?”

That line of thought was reasonable. Hugh nodded. The storm generator itself converted pollution into lightning in the sky.

“Then I suddenly remembered—you mentioned that there’s bioelectricity inside the human body…”

“Could we convert the pollution caused by internal erosion into lightning as well?”

RelatedRelatedRelated