Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Rio ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was a good thing. It could make the cunning become loyal, make the weak become brave, and make Frey change his mind.

His ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍hand suddenly flicked. At a speed almost impossible for the naked eye to catch, it brushed toward the Rio in the girl’s hand. This was the signature skill of the Boss of the Black Hand, and the origin of his title “Black Hand.”

Human ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍eyes had limits. As long as one moved fast enough, even taking something right in front of someone’s face would go unnoticed.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Boss of the Black Hand had never taught this move to anyone. Frey had secretly learned it himself. While others could not see clearly, he always could. Over time, he memorized the Boss’s movements. With his own pondering and practice, he mastered the technique.

Unfortunately, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that move had not saved the Boss’s life. At his execution, the Boss of the Black Hand had reached out to grab the bullet—yet failed. The bullet had been too fast. Even he, the “Black Hand,” had been no match for it.

Frey ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had never failed with this move before, yet this time he grabbed nothing but air.

The girl’s movement was astonishingly swift. There was no particular technique to it, yet it was absurdly fast.

Frey froze and whispered in shock, “An—an Transcendent!”

The girl raised an eyebrow. “Why would you think I’m a Transcendent?”

“The Boss of the Black Hand said that only a Transcendent could dodge this move ‘Black Hand’… Oh, well, maybe a bullet too.”

The girl smiled faintly. “You’re clever. Unfortunately, those skills of yours won’t be much help to us. You may leave. We don’t need a guide.”

Frey’s heart pounded wildly. She had not denied it—so she truly was one of those legendary Transcendents?

The Northlands were different from the White Raven Principality. Ordinary people there had almost no chance to encounter Transcendents. Extraordinary Power was more like stories and legends.

If she was a Transcendent—and there were Expeditionary Army members following her…

Frey swallowed. As he watched the group prepare to turn and leave, he gritted his teeth and stepped forward to block them. “My lord!”

They turned to look at him. Gritting his teeth, Frey rolled up his sleeves. Several Rio coins clinked as they fell to the ground.

“What is this?”

“My lord, these are your Rio. They accidentally fell into my pocket just now…”

“Is he trying to bribe you?” one of the companions said with a laugh. But the girl who had just taken out the Rio showed a strange expression.

She touched the small purse hidden inside her lining, then looked down at the Rio on the ground.

Frey hurriedly bent down, picked them up, carefully wiped them clean with his sleeve, and held them out with both hands. In a cautious voice, he said, “My lord, I wonder if this might be of help to you?”

“They’re mine. This little rascal slipped them away while I wasn’t paying attention… Hey, what’s your name?”

“Frey. My name is Frey, my lord.”

“Frey, why didn’t you take all the Rio in my purse? Why only a few?”

Frey’s throat went dry. The bloody hole in the Boss of the Black Hand’s forehead appeared again before his eyes. Yet he gritted his teeth and whispered:

“If too many were missing, it would be noticed. But if only a few are gone, most people would think they lost them themselves.”

After saying that, he gently closed his eyes, quietly waiting for fate’s judgment.

These people clearly looked like important figures within the Expeditionary Army. Perhaps this was the only chance he would ever have in his life.

The Boss of the Black Hand had ruled the entire district with absolute authority. With his unique skill, he had even made a name for himself in White Stone Fortress.

Yet such a man could not block a single bullet.

When the Expeditionary Army had stormed the city, bullets had fallen from the sky like rain. They struck the castle, shattering solid bricks into powder. Frey had stood there in a daze, feeling as though something in his own heart had also been shattered into dust—while something else quietly took root and sprouted.

For the first time, he wanted to leave White Stone Fortress. He wanted to see the world outside. He wanted to know where the Expeditionary Army had come from, and what their homeland was like.

Strangely enough, before speaking, he had felt nervous and afraid. But after handing over the Rio, his heart had grown calm.

The girl exchanged glances with her companions, then turned back to Frey. “Are you willing to come with us to Rhine? I’ll tell you honestly—this journey is dangerous. Even we might lose our lives, let alone you.”

“If I go with you, will I no longer have to return to White Stone Fortress? Will I be able to see more places, bigger cities, and more people?”

“Of course. I’ll take you by train across the entire Principality of Tis, to the miracle city of the south. To the steel-forged island in the depths of the sea. To see the colossal monster imprisoned within the furnace.”

Frey bit his lip. His heart pounded uncontrollably. He had seen swindlers before—those who were cheated were like fish fighting to bite the hook, played with at will.

He felt like a fish now.

“I—I’m willing, my lord. Whatever the Empire holds, I’m willing. As long as I can follow you and leave this place, to see what lies beyond the Wall of Despair—even if I die there…”

Frey turned to look at the old streets of White Stone Fortress. If he stayed, he might become another Boss of the Black Hand. Decades later, he would have his own underlings—and a bullet waiting for him.

Even if he died on the road now, it would merely be that bullet arriving decades early. He had already seen the Boss’s entire life. He did not wish to live it again.

It was unbearably dull.

The girl raised her eyebrows in surprise and smiled. “My name is Zoe. She’s Gaia. This is Erwin. We’re planning to go to the Empire. We’re from Castel… Do you know Castel?”

Frey nodded, then shook his head. “I’ve heard the name, but I don’t know much. After the Expeditionary Army lords captured this place, they withdrew, leaving only a few to maintain order.”

“The development priority here is relatively low. It’s too remote. But sooner or later, it will happen. Alexei’s grand development of the Northlands has already begun. Perhaps in a few years, this place will change as well.”

“That’s for the future. I don’t plan to stand still and wait for good things to find me.” Frey shook his head. “Lady Zoe, what can I do for you?”

“We need someone who can blend into the Empire locally. You’re young, and you have the appearance of an Imperial. You’re inconspicuous enough. As long as you’re cautious, nothing will happen.” The man beside her suddenly spoke. He carefully looked Frey up and down and nodded.

“Don’t worry. We also have quite a few informants within the Empire. It’s just that something may have happened to the organization recently. This is merely a precaution.”

“I understand your requirements, my lords. That should not be difficult. But I have one more question.”

“Go on.”

“There are no longer any roads leading to the Empire. How do you plan to cross the Wall of Despair? With Extraordinary Power?”

Zoe and Gaia exchanged a glance and revealed a strange smile.

“Want to see?”