Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“Castel ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍had encountered a bit of trouble earlier. The church’s structure might be somewhat… unique.” Nini did not explain in detail. Instead, her words were a little evasive.

Helena ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍narrowed her eyes. She stared carefully at the fortress’s outer wall, and sure enough, she soon noticed something.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍fortress’s exterior walls were unevenly old and new. Some sections had clearly been repaired, but repairs always left omissions.

Helena ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍quickly found several faint marks near the base of the wall—several claw marks and piercing traces.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍seemed that this place had indeed experienced battle.

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍here…

Helena lifted her head and looked around. This was almost the very core of Castel. Beyond this area were even more concrete fortifications. If the flames of war had reached this place…

Helena crouched down, extended her hand, and pressed hard against the clawed marks on the wall, applying force to the concrete.

It did not move.

Her eyebrows lifted slightly. She increased the strength in her hand. Solid concrete was forcibly gouged loose, but blood seeped from her fingers as well.

Helena did not care. She crushed the concrete fragments in her hand, then lowered her head to look at the marks she herself had left.

Her claw marks were extremely shallow. The older marks beside them were at least twice as deep, and as for the piercing holes, their depths could not even be seen.

Helena’s expression grew solemn.

Without drawing attention, she walked to Ignati’s side, handed him the concrete fragments stained with blood, and pointed at the claw marks on the wall.

“Patriarch.”

Nearby, several other Buriers had also noticed the fortress’s abnormalities. After a round of discreet conversation, the Silent Sanctum’s Buriers all looked at the fortress with complicated expressions.

“Are all of your churches like this?”

“That’s how the Imperial Truth is, though not usually this extreme. After all, this is Castel. The church we built in Blood Harbor simplified many facilities. At the very least, the concrete isn’t this thick.”

It had been reduced from six or seven meters to four or five meters.

“Mm, it’s reasonable for a church to have some defensive capability. Especially given Castel’s special circumstances. There’s a furnace beneath our church—the Stellar Furnace mentioned earlier. Its protection level is relatively high.”

“You placed the furnace beneath the church?”

“Yes. According to our research, centralized energy-supplying furnaces far surpass distributed ones in efficiency. This Stellar Furnace provides over eighty percent of Castel’s energy supply.”

If indirect functions were also counted, it was actually one hundred and seventy percent—meaning the furnace not only did not consume resources, but instead expelled fuel in reverse. It truly was expelling it. The Sea God inside the furnace could burn while simultaneously squeezing out Entity Pollution. It was simply too useful.

At the entrance of Castel’s Main Cathedral, two Banshee guards clad in full-body Banshee armor stood on either side, changing shifts. A small patrol of Banshees happened to pass by.

Nini casually greeted them and walked inside.

After taking a few steps inward, she vaguely sensed something was wrong. She turned her head back and saw that the group of Buriers had all stopped at the church entrance.

“Why aren’t you coming in? Don’t worry, our churches are all open to the public.”

She stopped halfway through her sentence when she saw the Buriers’ shocked expressions. Even Ignati looked extremely grave.

“What’s wrong?”

Ignati raised his hand and pointed at the tall group of Banshees. “Your race… do you have many people?”

“Of course?” Nini froze for a moment and replied instinctively.

A moment later, as if she had suddenly realized something, her eyes widened. She opened the Mind Link group chat.

‘I—I just realized something!’

‘What a coincidence. I just thought of it too.’

‘Look at the Buriers’ reactions, hahahahaha, they’re completely stunned!’

‘I told you intelligence lag would cause trouble. This is going to be fun.’

Nini lowered her head and glanced at Ignati beside her. A trace of pity flashed through her eyes.

These Buriers had never stayed in the Northlands. Most of their understanding of the northern war had come from external intelligence.

It could not be said that the intelligence was inaccurate, but in certain aspects, misjudgments were easy.

For example, the number of Banshees.

Because the Symbiotic Contract caused vitality loss over long distances, the number of Banshees in the Northlands had always been very small—usually only a few at any given time, and they rarely showed themselves.

After all, combat missions had all been handled by the Expeditionary Army.

Even Nini’s twenty-member War Correspondent Team could only take turns going there.

This led to one result: external forces easily misjudged the number of Banshees.

The information Ignati had received stated that there were only one or two Banshees in total, with no eyewitness reports of three appearing at the same time.

Later, the Banshees did indeed go to the Northlands, but by the time the Silent Sanctum arrived, the war had already ended. They did not enter the military camps, instead going straight to find the White Mist for self-destruction, and never saw any Banshees at all.

After that, on the journey to the island, they had been unconscious the entire time. After waking up, the only person they saw was Nini. The rest of the Banshees were watching Nini’s live broadcast through the Mind Link.

And so, when they arrived at the entrance of Castel’s Main Cathedral, the Silent Sanctum’s Buriers still believed there were only one or two Banshees at most—perhaps with some hidden forces, four or five at most.

Then they saw the squad before them—over ten Banshees, each wearing heavy armor, clearly not to be trifled with.

‘I—I have an idea…’

‘What a coincidence, I just got one too…’

‘Let’s all come out together and scare them!’

‘Hurry, hurry, I’m already here. Where are you? Get out and assemble!’

‘On the way, on the way!’

Facts proved that when people were doing something mischievous, they did not get tired at all. The Banshees assembled with unprecedented efficiency.

Across the entire island, no matter where they were, Banshees sprang up like coiled springs, grabbed their armor, and rushed toward the Main Cathedral.

They ran while putting on their armor. They had never been this enthusiastic at work.

‘Nini, how’s the situation?’

‘Hurry up, he’s about to recover from the shock!’

‘Quite a few still haven’t arrived. Stall for time!’

‘Roger!’

The squad of Banshees at the entrance that had just finished changing shifts and was about to leave immediately changed direction. They leisurely adjusted their formation and walked back toward the cathedral doors.

The still-dazed Buriers stepped aside instinctively. They looked up at these towering steel guards. Their bodies radiated overwhelming power, and their silent, icy presence made the Buriers hold their breath unconsciously.

“Please follow me.” Nini remained composed. After the entire Banshee squad entered, she led the Buriers into the Main Cathedral.

The moment they stepped indoors, the light dimmed sharply. The Buriers all widened their eyes and stared ahead.

Before them stood more than a hundred Banshees clad in full-body heavy armor, standing in neat formation. Their heads were slightly lowered. Beneath the black faceplates, their expressions could not be seen. Six arms crossed, they stood solemnly in prayer.

Hard steel, towering physiques, cold bearing, and vicious weapons hanging from their bodies—like demonic gods returned from hell.

Demonic gods filled the entire hall.