Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Richard ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍continuously operated several metal levers. The coyote in the passage could no longer be seen clearly—only a streak of golden shadow remained, and even the howling it let out had become eerie and distorted.

This ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was the Doppler effect: wavelength or frequency changed due to the relative motion between the observer and the sound source. When a car blared its horn while speeding past, the sound heard would undergo exactly this kind of change.

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍suddenly felt a sense of surrealism. The world before his eyes clearly still followed physical laws—yet at the same time, it seemed not to.

Amid ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the coyote’s strange and twisted wails, the air gradually seemed to grow viscous. Hughes took a deep breath and felt overwhelming dampness, as if what entered his lungs was not air, but seawater.

In ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a daze, it felt as though his entire body were sinking into the deep sea. The sound of tides slowly surged up around his ears, carrying faint murmurs.

Dark ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍clouds overhead flickered with electric light from time to time. Lightning truly gathered in the sky. With a single thought from Richard, one of his avatars dragged a massive target into the Testing Ground.

It placed the target in the center of the Testing Ground, then retreated several steps away.

“Lord, lightning is about to descend!”

Boom!

The moment Richard finished speaking, a thick bolt of lightning pierced heaven and earth, instantly illuminating the gloomy Testing Ground.

Hughes focused his gaze and saw that the massive target was completely unharmed. Instead, at the location where Richard’s avatar had been, there was now a pile of smoking residue.

“Uh, its accuracy still isn’t very good yet.” An awkward expression flickered across Richard’s face.

The remaining avatars hurriedly pushed the levers back. As they operated them, the sticky, humid air gradually calmed, and the deep-sea tidal sounds faded away.

The coyote’s eerie, distorted wailing slowly returned to normal—though it was still miserably shrill.

Richard’s avatar opened the container. The coyote looked half-dead, but at least it was still struggling.

“You see, Lord, the catalyst we use can even be reused. A single Storm Generator only needs to be equipped with one coyote to operate for a long time. It’s also one of the device’s components—well, a wet component?”

“The entire apparatus can be stably reproduced and used long-term, and maintenance is very convenient. I modularized the ritual runes—if anything goes wrong, we just replace the corresponding runic iron plate.”

“It’s just that coyotes are rather difficult to obtain. I tried several other kinds of creatures, but their vitality wasn’t as strong as a coyote’s. They often died during the ritual. Lady Ash, could your coyote breeding facility supply wet components to this side?”

Hughes stared blankly at the Testing Ground before him, momentarily unsure how to respond.

Richard’s Storm Generator had indeed been completed strictly according to Hughes’s research workflow. Whether in terms of automation or modular maintenance concepts, it was all very reasonable.

Only the final research result was utterly outrageous.

It felt like following a recipe to cook—yet ending up with a dish straight out of hell.

The coyote trembled and wailed at the same time. Richard’s avatar took out a bag of dog food, pried open the coyote’s mouth, stuffed it directly into its stomach, then poured in water before shutting it back into the cage.

“Lord, what do you think?”

“Mm… well. It’s very strong, and very impressive, it’s just…”

Just a bit too sinister.

“Oh, you’re worried about practical usability? Please rest assured. This set of Storm Generators is only for experimentation—there’s still plenty of room for improvement. For example, I plan to increase the number of wet components sacrificed simultaneously and shrink the ritual runes. That way, it can be directly fixed onto permanent fortifications.”

“And it’s not limited to defensive use either. I’m considering linking it with airships and using it in the sky—calling down lightning while dropping Aerial Bombs.”

“It’s just that the accuracy would need further improvement, and we wouldn’t be able to directly use the Sea God’s tentacles to complete the sacrificial process anymore. Perhaps we could try cutting off some tentacles?”

“An airship’s load-bearing capacity is quite good. Carrying a segment of tentacle wouldn’t be much of a problem. It’s just that the tentacles still retain a certain degree of activity. They’re fairly quiet when connected to the Stellar Furnace, but if brought onto an airship, they might interfere with flight.”

The more Richard spoke, the more excited he became. He pinched the small mustache at the corner of his mouth and narrowed his eyes.

“Alright, alright, this… let’s discuss it later.” Hughes truly couldn’t listen any longer. He had the distinct feeling that ever since Richard began developing weapons, Castel’s overall style had been growing increasingly sinister.

From the Dragon’s Breath Cannon to the Storm Generator, Richard was indeed conducting serious research and integrating the extraordinary as Hughes had requested—but Hughes still felt something was off.

“The Storm Generator is a very important invention. This line of thinking is pioneering. Mr. Richard, you haven’t let me down—mm—my expectations.”

“However, Castel doesn’t need too many weapons for now. Future research should still focus primarily on concrete applications of electrical equipment.”

Hughes suddenly remembered that Richard seemed to have several other projects on hand.

“Oh right—how are the shell modification for Chloe, and Nora’s interface operation coming along?”

Richard’s expression stiffened.

“Well… both of those research efforts have basically hit bottlenecks.”

“Any trouble?”

“Yes.” Richard sighed. “Although the two research directions are different, they both point to the same conclusion—the Mechanical Society.”

“The Mechanical Society? Oh, you mean the Mechanical Sanctum. Its predecessor was the Mechanical Society. I remember they used to be on good terms with your Moths Chasing Fire.”

“That was a long time ago. There’s been no contact for ages. And it’s said they’ve already defected to the Church of Candlelight. The assassination of the Empress may well have had the Mechanical Sanctum fanning the flames.”

Richard waved his hand, his voice growing heavy. “The Mechanical Sanctum initially was only obsessed with mechanical research. But somehow, they later veered toward bodily modification. Their research into shells is extremely profound. I don’t have their specific techniques, but I roughly know the categories.”

“For example, they’re very adept at replacing original bodies with mechanical limbs and controlling them freely. If we had that portion of the technology, letting Nora control her body—or even building her an entirely new steel body—wouldn’t be a problem.”

“And they’re also said to possess a kind of ‘backup’ technology that can transfer consciousness into a new shell. There would be some loss, but if we obtained it, there would be hope for repairing Chloe’s shell.”

“Of course, we can also research it from scratch ourselves. It’s just that at the current pace, Chief Chloe would probably need to work many more days of overtime.”

Hughes frowned. The Mechanical Sanctum—he had previously acquired a batch of Steam Rifles that also used technology he couldn’t understand at all. The technological progression of this organization always felt…

Completely out of step with this era.