Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Hughes ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍rubbed his eyes and stared at the scorched, shattered Target in the distance, falling into deep contemplation.

What ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had he come here for again?

Hadn’t ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Gaia just come to his Office yesterday? How had she pulled out something like this today?

Had ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he transmigrated again?

“Let ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍me sort this out. Gaia, yesterday you just came to my Office and applied to join the delegation to the Mechanical Sanctum, planning to find a way to rescue Chloe?”

“Yes!”

“And then you didn’t even mourn Chloe for a single moment before turning around and developing a magnetic storm coil for me?”

“Hmm? Why magnetic? Wasn’t that lightning that just fell?”

“Magnetism and electricity are basically the same thing. Wait, don’t change the subject. How did you make this thing in just one night?”

“Oh, this? I recruited a batch of new researchers overnight. And that launchable lightning rod is actually part of my existing technical reserves, so it only looked fast. It was all prepared in advance.”

“Is that so?” The explanation was barely passable, but Hughes still felt something was off.

He narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings suspiciously. His gaze suddenly froze, locking onto a figure who was quietly trying to retreat behind the others:

“Monica!!!”

The petite Banshee had her position suddenly exposed. She jolted violently, freezing in place, even the tip of her tail going stiff.

After a moment, she forced out a smile and slowly turned around:

“M-My Lord… I’m a proper researcher. The projects I applied for before were all submitted through official channels. How could you suspect me…”

Hughes narrowed his eyes.

Monica might be a proper researcher.

But Monica doing proper research? That was unlikely.

“Then let me ask you. Did you apply for this project? Did you write the proposal? Did you complete the feasibility analysis? Since you say you’re proper, let me see just how proper you are.”

When you saw one cockroach in a room, there was probably already an entire cockroach empire in the corner.

When you saw Monica at the testing ground, even the toilets might explode.

Gaia and Monica exchanged a glance and both guiltily looked away.

“Go on. Where did these ‘technical reserves’ come from?”

Several hours later.

Inside the Office of Castel Cathedral, the desk was piled high with chaotic stacks of materials. Hughes sat behind it, rubbing his brow with a headache.

“Anything else you want to confess?”

Gaia and Monica quickly shook their heads. “No! Really, nothing else!”

After a moment, Monica muttered softly, “W-We were just trying to revive Chloe…”

Hughes looked at the mountain of experimental materials in front of him and let out a long sigh. “Revive? I think you’re trying to stir things up. What is this? ‘More Efficient Industrial-Scale Coyote Breeding Methods’?”

“Uh… aren’t coyotes in short supply on the island right now? I thought we could use an assembly-line breeding method to increase their reproduction efficiency and break through natural limits.”

“So you designed a system where the coyotes are lined up from front to back and connected together, and you only need to feed the first one?”

“That’s efficient. It may be a bit inhumane, but it’s a necessary sacrifice.” Monica crossed all six arms. “Besides, wolves eat anything. I designed the plan after studying their natural habits.”

“…,” the corner of Hughes’ eye twitched. “Fine. Let’s not talk about coyotes. What is this plan? ‘New Fisheries Cultivation’? You’re going to section off a part of the sea to raise fish? And use Pollution to raise them?”

“Oh, this was inspired by how contaminated plants yield better harvests. It’s a breakthrough concept—introducing Pollution into the sea to improve fisheries.”

“Is that so?” Hughes sneered. “Then where are the fish you raised? Show me.”

Pollution had a peculiar effect on living beings.

For fish, once contaminated, they would develop various mutated traits—random in direction, random in degree. Pure unpredictability.

But for land creatures and plants, Pollution often made them grow larger and faster, with overall relatively stable changes.

The exact reason was unknown, but most of the Pollution on Hughes’ side came through the Sea God. There had to be some connection.

After all, legends said that the creatures of the sea were formed from the Sea God’s flesh.

Hughes still remembered the monsters from the Abyssal Deep. Those were “fish” under high-concentration Pollution.

“Don’t worry. Although those fish turned into monsters, I researched them. Most of them are edible.”

Wait, you actually ate them?

And what did ‘most’ mean? There were some that weren’t edible?

Monica also realized her wording was problematic and hurriedly added, “But I have a solution. I ran electricity through the water!”

“?”

“You know that when organisms are electrocuted, they mutate, right?”

Hughes nodded. Electricity in this world seemed to contain some twisted force. If used without purification, it would cause a certain degree of mutation in living beings.

Castel had conducted experiments before—electrifying organisms resulted in mutations in different directions.

Once the electrical system was fully established, it would be worth testing whether different forms of electricity had different properties.

For example, would thermal power produce more violent mutations? Would hydropower be gentler? Would wind power be more agile? Nuclear power… well…

In short, electricity in this world was somewhat similar to radiation—but enhanced, causing rapid mutation.

“My Lord, after discovering the properties of electricity, I thought—if feeding fish Pollution causes mutation, and electrifying fish causes mutation, then what would happen if I fed them Pollution and electrified them at the same time?”

“???”

Hughes was completely stunned. Setting everything else aside, Monica truly had the mind of a researcher.

Her thinking was wild.

The real question now was whether Castel could survive her experiments.

“And then I discovered that those fish actually stopped undergoing such drastic mutations. Most of them became like contaminated plants—simply growing larger.”

“That’s a good thing! Doesn’t that mean our fisheries can achieve stable output just like agriculture?”

Hughes was about to feel pleased, but seeing Monica’s evasive, guilty gaze, his heart skipped a beat.

He narrowed his eyes. “Wait. You just said most? That means some didn’t just grow larger?”

“Y-Yes. But that portion is very small. It doesn’t affect overall production. And our current meat yield has surpassed three thousand. Pretty good, right?”

“How much did you say?!”