Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Could ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍lightning be used as a weapon?

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thought it could not.

To ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍create lightning, one needed a Tesla coil—a distributed-parameter, high-frequency series-resonant transformer capable of generating millions of volts of high-frequency electricity. It was basically the best way to prepare lightning in a laboratory.

Its ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍overall structure was quite simple. One only needed to connect a power source to charge a capacitor. When the capacitor’s voltage rose high enough to exceed the spark gap’s threshold, the primary LC circuit would undergo series resonance, providing sufficient excitation power to the secondary coil. When the oscillation frequencies of the two stages matched and resonance occurred, the energy from the primary circuit would surge into the secondary, causing the secondary coil’s inductance and distributed capacitance to enter series resonance as well. At that moment, the discharge terminal voltage would reach its peak, and lightning would appear.

Put ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍simply, an induction coil, a transformer, a spark gap, two large capacitors, and a mutual inductor with only a few turns in the primary coil were enough to assemble a Tesla coil.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍key issue was that simplicity of structure did not mean it could be used in actual combat. First and foremost, storing electrical energy was a huge problem.

Once a shell was manufactured, as long as the most basic storage conditions were met, it could be stored for decades without issue.

Try storing a battery instead?

Not to mention that batteries had a relatively low energy density. To achieve the effect of several bombs exploding, the required batteries would fill an entire Train.

Difficult to store, difficult to transport, and with poor results—used as a weapon, it could be said to have an extremely low cost-performance ratio.

If such problems could not be solved on Blue Star, could they really be solved here?

Facts proved that they could.

“Lord, I was actually quite happy after hearing that evil entities dwell within electric current. That means that as long as we can successfully launch it, there’s no need to worry about its lethality.”

The corner of Hughes’s eye twitched.

When enemies saw lightning, they would think it was Extraordinary Power. In truth, it was physical damage. And when they realized it was physical damage, it also carried pollution.

Thinking about it that way, it actually did seem quite suitable as a weapon.

“And electric current has the advantage of instability. Even we ourselves can hardly estimate its attack range, let alone the enemy. On top of that, its speed is extremely fast and almost impossible to block.”

The more Richard spoke, the more excited he became. Hughes listened until he began doubting himself. He clearly remembered telling Richard to research electric current—how had that turned into a weapon?

It had been the same before. He had asked him to study the relationship between inhabited shells and pollution, wanting to revive Chloe, and what Richard had produced was a Dragon’s Breath Cannon.

He was clearly a doctor. Why had his medical skills not improved, while the weapons he made grew more and more terrifying?

Did doctors all have a talent for making weapons?

“We’re here, Lord.”

Richard stopped at the entrance of a Testing Ground, but he did not open the main gate. Instead, he led Hughes to turn and go underground.

“We won’t be using the upper area. As you know, under interference from evil entities, electric current is actually quite unstable. There’s some risk.”

Hughes blinked and suddenly asked, “Can this new weapon of yours cover the entire Testing Ground!?”

The land Testing Ground here was not small—the open area above had a diameter of nearly two hundred meters.

“More or less. We’ve arrived.”

As Richard pulled open a large door, the two of them walked up to the surface together and entered… a cage?

“Another Faraday Cage?”

“Yes. But unlike the previous Faraday Cage, this one isn’t meant to shield interference—it’s meant to protect us.”

Contrary to intuition, insulating materials could only insulate in low-voltage environments. In close proximity to lightning, one instead needed a Faraday Cage made of conductors.

If insulating materials were used instead, high currents would be induced inside the cage, leading to electrocution.

“So… you really produced lightning?”

“Yes, though at present this weapon’s accuracy is still lacking, and it’s difficult to control the exact strike point of the lightning.”

Hughes’s eyes widened. “Damn it—how did you make the capacitors? No, capacitors are one thing. Quickly tell me how you dealt with the high-voltage diodes! Or did you build an entire excitation system?”

Richard froze. “What diode?”

“How did you do the rectification? You didn’t just skip building a transformer and directly generate high voltage, did you?”

“Um, Lord, you may have misunderstood. I referenced the natural causes of lightning formation.”

Hughes nodded. Not bad—Richard actually had some exploratory spirit. He probably rode an Airship into cumulonimbus clouds, observed ice crystal collisions generating charge and air breakdown discharges, and then conducted experiments.

Like Franklin flying a kite to draw down lightning—except Richard was a Transcendent, so it should not have been that dangerous.

“I consulted the Church of the Sea God scriptures left behind by the Pirate King, and based on the storm-summoning rituals described there, I created a lightning-attracting machine.”

“?”

“And then I improved it. Since there is no longer any Sea God to respond to their prayers, I directly linked the sacrifice position and the sacrificed position together through mysticism, then connected them to the Sea God’s tentacles using conductive wires. This successfully achieved a fully automated sacrifice–storm-response generator.”

“????”

Richard pointed outside. Several stiff-moving Richard clones were pulling open the protective coverings of the equipment in the field, revealing tangled, coiled runes etched into a steel base beneath.

One of the Richard clones led a Coyote out from a cage to the side and stuffed it into a thick glass tube within the runic ritual array.

“This is the sacrifice, but it won’t actually be sacrificed. Look—”

After the frantically howling Coyote was forced inside, “Richard” sealed the lid and then pulled a lever beside it.

Only then did Hughes notice that the glass tube seemed to be a ring-shaped circulator. Under the ritual’s effect, the Coyote slowly moved forward, completed a circuit, returned, and was then pushed forward again.

Then it began moving faster and faster.

“Every half-turn forward is one 【sacrifice】, and every return is one 【bestowal】. The entire ritual operates fully automatically, conducting sacrifices and the return of the offering. We control the ritual’s operation through the sacrifice speed. This should be close to what you call ‘excitation.’”

“Although the Coyote is the sacrifice, it isn’t consumed. Following your naming logic, I believe the Coyote can be called a catalyst.”

“A single ritual is actually very weak. Normally, to summon even the weakest storm, one would need to sacrifice an entire town’s population. Converted into Coyotes, that would probably require over a thousand.”

“But under automated sacrifice, it’s only a matter of time.”

The Coyote spun faster and faster within the conduit, until only an afterimage could be seen. At the same time, a low, heavy rumble suddenly echoed in the sky.

Hughes looked up.

Dark, dense clouds were gathering overhead.

A storm was coming.