Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The underground passage connecting the manor and the Eastern Test Site had already been excavated, but the manufacturing of steam locomotives had not yet been put on the agenda.

Operating a steam engine underground was no small trouble; the scorching steam spewing from the exhaust pipes could easily injure someone if not vented in time.

Moreover, selecting the right fuel for a steam locomotive was also problematic.

Entity pollution had already become the primary fuel choice for most of Castel’s steam engines, but its combustion properties dictated that it could only be used under stable operating conditions.

Steam locomotives, however, were inherently unstable.

An underground locomotive required constant power adjustments to handle starting, acceleration, and deceleration.

Given pollution’s stubborn nature, difficult to ignite and equally hard to extinguish, this posed a significant issue.

Additionally, the Clamorer’s noise was tolerable in open spaces, but in the relatively enclosed tunnels, it was like a demonic wail piercing the mind, a form of spiritual pollution.

Using an ordinary steam engine to power the locomotive would also be problematic, as Castel lacked abundant fuel.

Not to mention, laying tracks for the locomotives would be necessary.With the current steel production barely adequate, only after increasing the number of steam engines could output capacity be expanded.

For now, considering all factors, carriages were still being used within these network tunnels.

After leaving the carriage, Hughes seized the opportunity to step into a recently ascended elevator car.

Once it rose, he leapt onto the platform.

”Lord.”

Alexei and Una greeted him together.

”I heard you’re expanding the church?” Alexei asked eagerly.

”At a time like this?”

”No need to worry, Alexei. This is a good thing. The church expansion is actually equivalent to building a new kind of fortification.”

Hughes began explaining the concept of the protective inscriptions to him.

”So, we can use the Candlelight Emblem’s church for this? They won’t object?”

”I don’t object.”

Chloe emerged from behind Hughes, not even glancing at Alexei.

Instead, she stared intently at the nearby paternoster elevator and licked her lips.

”Can we install one of these in the church too?”

”It’s not impossible. Maybe after this war.”

Hughes spoke casually, though not dismissively.

The design of the paternoster elevator indeed carried a certain religious aesthetic, and he always felt it suited a church setting.

”Alright, let’s set that aside for now. I’m here to discuss the division of labor for the church’s expansion.”

”Alexei, you’ll be responsible for expanding the ground-level part of the church. Bring in the engineering team for that, no need to rush this phase. Our future defense system will be centered around the church.”

”Chloe, you’ll handle the modification of the protective inscriptions and the construction of the energy core.”

”As for the underground network beneath the church and the placement of the energy core, Una, that’s on you.”

The three nodded in agreement.

Renovating the church was a massive project requiring cooperation from all sides.

Alexei’s construction team would handle the church’s physical expansion.

Chloe would need to draft designs for the energy core.

Una’s network plan would likely require major changes.

Previously, the network plan had Hughes’s manor as its core, right where they currently stood in this underground void.

Now, the church would become the new center, as all defensive fortifications needed to be built around it.

This shift came with an advantage: broader coverage.

Hughes’s manor was located in the northeast of Castel, while the church was closer to the geographical center, making it easier to extend influence across the entire island.

Though Castel’s western side was currently dominated by steep cliffs, seemingly lacking development potential, the future remained uncertain.

Perhaps artillery platforms would eventually need to be built along those cliffs.

”I don’t have a problem with this. But how should I explain this to the workers?”

Alexei hesitated.

His role was the only one requiring interaction with the island’s residents.

Previously, Hughes had already mobilized the population for war preparations.

Convincing them to build fortifications wouldn’t be an issue.

But calling them to help expand the church…

”Don’t worry. Those followers were all brought out by me. I know exactly what they’re like. They have no real loyalty to the Church of Candlelight.”

Chloe spoke smugly.

Hughes, Una, and Alexei fell silent.

Good grief, she was really dismantling the Church of Candlelight from within.

Occupying their church, luring away their followers, and now even digging up the foundation, no wonder the Church of Candlelight hated heretics more than non-believers.

Hughes rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

”The new church we’re building won’t bear the Church of Candlelight’s name. I’ll establish a new... church, at least in name. In reality, it will function as a society for exchanging technology and knowledge. I’ve even thought of a name: Imperial Truth.”

”Imperial Truth…”

Alexei murmured the name, clicking his tongue in approval.

”Sounds good. At the very least, if you use this name, Her Majesty the Empress won’t object, she might even support it. After all, it technically counts as a church, and Her Majesty has shown interest in any church that isn’t the Church of Candlelight. I’ll announce this to the workers.”

”You don’t need to worry about that. I’ve already spoken to Zoe, she’ll handle the publicity. Also, we need to draft a sacred canon. Since it’s still nominally a church, we need one. Chloe, you’ll handle that, right?”

Hughes turned toward Chloe as he spoke.

The faux nun, dressed in her habit, blinked in surprise.

She pointed at herself. ”Write a sacred canon? Me?”

”Yeah, isn’t Moths Chasing Fire technically a Church? Don’t you have your own sacred canon?”

”Uh… well, let’s just say we split from the Candlelight Emblem because we weren’t satisfied with their sacred canon. We pursue knowledge, and things like canons only hinder my learning.”

”Just give it a try. We don’t have any other clergy around here, and even if you’re a fake nun, you’re still the most professional one we’ve got.”

”Alexei, could you write one?”

”I can write infantry drills.”

”Forget it, wait!”

Hughes suddenly paused, stroking his chin as if something had occurred to him.

”I don’t need a real sacred canon. Imperial Truth isn’t a real religion.”

”Alexei!”

Hughes turned to look at the burly Northlander.

Alexei immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

”You’ll write the canon with Chloe.”

”Are you serious? Write a sacred canon? Me?”

”Just write those infantry drills into it. After all, our church is designed for battle, it’s perfectly normal for the stationed believers to know a bit of tactics.”