Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Four airships had been prepared. Apart from the first one, which was heavily armed and unsuitable for exploration, Hughes planned to send out the other three.

Castel Island was completely surrounded. Unless they uncovered the truth behind the anomaly and found the source of the mutation to resolve this crisis, all battles on the island would be futile—it would still be swallowed by the sea.

Thus, Hughes placed high expectations on these airships.

After careful consideration, Hughes decided to send the three airships to the mainland, Gem Bay, and the Eye of the Storm.

The airship heading for the mainland was tasked with testing whether it could leave this eerie space from above. If successful, they could at least seek help from the mainland.

The one going to Gem Bay needed no further explanation. Jeremiah had mentioned that both Gem Bay and Castel Island had disappeared, so investigating the situation there might provide clues.

The most important mission belonged to the airship bound for the Eye of the Storm.

Based on Hughes’ speculation, either Gem Bay or the Eye of the Storm was likely the source of this anomaly. Given the dried-up ocean and the hollow void at the Eye of the Storm, the latter had the highest probability.

This airship bore the most critical mission, which also made it the most dangerous.

Hughes spent a long time considering crew assignments for the airships. The Banshees were originally the best candidates, but despite their enhanced Mind Link, its range was still limited—only slightly larger than Castel Island itself.Each of these airships was destined to travel far beyond that range, rendering the Banshees’ Mind Link useless.

Additionally, the Symbiotic Contract also had range limitations. If exceeded, it could not be used, and both parties would slowly lose vitality.

The rate of loss wasn’t severe—survivable for a few days. Given that this expedition was primarily over the sea and that investigating the void in the Eye of the Storm might require descending into the ocean, Hughes decided on the following assignments:

Connor would lead a group of Holy Guard soldiers to the mainland. This group contained no supernatural beings, and their route was the safest.

Chloe would take a few followers of the Moths Chasing Fire to Gem Bay. Her abilities would be useful there, allowing her to survey the area from above. The followers of the Moths Chasing Fire were ordinary humans, able to withstand Entity Pollution and control the Clamorer.

As for the Eye of the Storm, the team would consist entirely of Banshees, led by Nini—a total of five.

Hughes hesitated before deciding to send Nini. Her improved sea serpent spell had greatly helped Castel’s battlefield, but it wasn’t entirely irreplaceable. While the other Banshees weren’t as proficient as her, they could still serve as fuses in battle.

Moreover, Nini’s previously developed ”fish herding” spell wasn’t just useful for directing fish—it had unique benefits for ocean exploration. Since investigating the Eye of the Storm was the top priority, Hughes gritted his teeth and sent her out.

With personnel decided, they departed immediately. Time was tight, and Hughes didn’t conduct any grand ceremonies, but the gazes upon the departing crew conveyed heavy expectations.

At the Eastern Test Site—

The airships were stationed there. Hastily completed, they hadn’t even undergone test flights. Engineers meticulously inspected them before finally approving their launch. The waiting crew immediately began loading supplies onto the airships.

Hughes had dark circles under his eyes. The past few days had exhausted him—mobilizing all of Castel was no small feat. Keeping this massive war machine running smoothly required attending to countless details. With Alexei also managing the army, Hughes had to shoulder the administrative burden himself.

Connor’s group was the first to depart. Their sole objective was to seek reinforcements, so they only needed sufficient supplies and minimal weapons. Preparations were quickly completed.

The stokers poured several cans of Entity Pollution into the Clamorer, and the familiar clamor began to resonate.

Connor and his team entered the airship’s cabin. After confirming everything was in order, he signaled to the ground crew, who then released the mooring ropes.

The airship slowly ascended.

Hughes waved at Connor, while the Holy Guard on the ground saluted in unison, bidding farewell to their comrades.

Connor gave Hughes a slight nod. Once a sailor, he was well-versed in the sea—one of the reasons Hughes chose him.

Soon, the airship rose higher, becoming a tiny dot in the sky before disappearing from sight.

Aboard the airship, Connor gazed at the gloomy sky, clutching the emblem in his hand.

It was a token from Hughes. If he managed to reach the mainland, he could use it to seek aid from the Church. Duke Cohen wouldn’t ignore such a request. If all else failed—

Connor’s eyes flickered. He was Hughes’ steward, not Castel’s. If things became truly dire, he would forcibly take Hughes aboard an airship to escape.

Of course, if all went well and they really found a way out—

Hughes turned his gaze elsewhere.

Chloe’s group had significantly more supplies. In addition to basic provisions and weapons, she carried a large number of supernatural items, causing Hughes to frown.

”What is all this?”

”Ritual materials.”

”Ritual?” Hughes suspiciously eyed the large barrels. ”The rituals I’ve seen you perform require drawing symbols on the ground, taking up a huge area.”

”Yes, about the same,” Chloe absentmindedly replied while checking her inventory. ”We brought a lot this time. If things go smoothly, we might even be able to transmit messages remotely.”

Remote communication?

Hughes’ eyes lit up, but before he could speak, Chloe sighed.

”Forget it. This kind of ritual requires a vast, flat land. I might find such a place in Gem Bay, but definitely not in the bottomless abyss of the Eye of the Storm.”

That made sense. The entire area was ocean with no solid ground—one of the reasons Hughes had sent an entire team of Banshees.

”But does a single ritual require this much stuff?”

”Not really. The actual ritual doesn’t need much. The rest is for another ritual.”

”What kind of ritual?”

Chloe looked up seriously and said, ”A Heretical God Summoning Ritual.”

Hughes froze, staring at Chloe in confusion.

”Look, we’re trapped here. If the sea keeps rising, we’re doomed anyway.”

”Since we’re going to perish, why not summon a Heretical God? If someone is targeting us, the Heretical God will deal with them, right? If no one is behind this, then at least the Heretical God will fight the sea monsters.”

”Worst case scenario, even if the Heretical God and the sea creatures end up tangling together, it’ll still be in Gem Bay—not Castel.”

Chloe spread her hands. ”See? All benefits, no downsides. So why not give it a shot?”

Hughes took a deep breath. Was this how cultists thought? He had to admit—it made a strange kind of sense.

”If you can’t solve the problem, escalate it. Eventually, someone will step in to fix it. If no one does, create more problems, and let the problems fight each other.” Chloe crossed her arms with a proud expression.

Hughes silently gave her a thumbs-up. The Moths Chasing Fire were truly the most dangerous cultists.