Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Candlelight Society rejects you, but why must you believe in the Candlelight? The surface dwellers despise you, but why must you treat them kindly?”

There ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a trace of anger in Freyr’s voice.

“Why ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍not charge out of this bottom layer and fight your way into Rhine? They oppress you—then make them bleed. They exclude you—then blast their homes to pieces. I would very much like to see whether the blood flowing in their noble veins is gold or silver!”

After ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍speaking, Freyr lifted his head to look at Xiao Bu, only to discover in surprise that a full circle of people had gathered around him.

At ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍some unknown point, the Untouchables had stopped arguing. They had drawn closer and were quietly listening to his words.

Freyr ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍felt he might have said too much. But he was still young. Gritting his teeth and stiffening his neck, he met the gazes of those around him.

Pair after pair of eyes—there was fear, astonishment, disbelief, suspicion. As Freyr’s gaze swept across them, many lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. Yet some looked back brightly, and quite a few fell into deep thought.

After a moment, Xiao Bu’s voice suddenly sounded.

“Brother Freyr, you just said… the ‘big one’ can stop me from being bullied?”

Her voice trembled, but this time it was not hesitation or timidity. Freyr heard something else in it—excitement?

As for that question—

Freyr considered it carefully, then nodded. “I don’t see a problem. In all of Lower Rhine—the surface as you call it—I saw nothing armed that could rival it.”

To be precise, Freyr had not even seen any armed forces in Lower Rhine.

No matter how terrifying the weapons of Castel’s expeditionary army were, they still existed in the form of an army. But in Lower Rhine, Freyr had found no armed forces at all—no troops, no constables, nor even the Church’s rumored Inquisitors or Holy Crusaders.

He had not even seen gangs.

The entirety of Lower Rhine was practically undefended. There were not even visible weapons. The people there did not even need knives to cook—the Church’s relief provided everything. Rather than a city, it was more like a sheepfold.

As for Upper Rhine, Freyr knew little. He believed it to be the territory of the Candlelight Society, and there should at least be some fighting strength there—at least that was what the materials provided by Castel had indicated.

But whether it could defeat the “big one” was another matter entirely.

“How many ‘big ones’ can you build?” Freyr suddenly asked.

“Mm, as long as there are materials, I can keep building them. It’s made from garbage—very easy to assemble. Not long ago, I don’t know what got burned, but the incinerator exploded. More than half its body was destroyed. Yet as long as a few technical lads help me, I can repair it in half a day!”

Xiao Bu proudly puffed out her paper bag.

But the next moment, she deflated like a punctured balloon and spoke softly:

“Still… these techniques probably don’t amount to much to those great figures on the surface, do they? I heard you’re a believer of the Mechanic Sanctum. Then you must understand machinery well, right? They have far more resources. They can even manufacture parts themselves. That should be far stronger than my ‘big one.’”

“Mm, the Mechanic Sanctum…”

Freyr felt a little awkward. He truly did not know much about the Mechanic Sanctum.

His identity as a believer of the Mechanic Sanctum had been arranged by the Ash Alliance. Castel had little information about the Sanctum, so he could not say much about it.

But since Castel valued the Mechanic Sanctum so highly, it probably was not much weaker than Castel itself. After all, both were centered on industry and machinery.

Castel, at least, Freyr understood somewhat. He had witnessed the artillery barrage and bombardment during the siege.

If the “big one” were to fight Castel’s expeditionary army…

Freyr licked his lips.

“Does it have any methods of attack?”

“Attack? Uh, I haven’t really studied that much, but there are some. For example—this.”

Xiao Bu shouted several commands at the big one. The massive metal construct suddenly halted. The incinerator in its abdomen, which had been devouring garbage, abruptly opened its maw wide. Its entire body paused for a moment.

Then, with a thunderous boom, a black shadow flashed from the furnace. Before Freyr could make it out, a fiery blossom exploded against the distant cave wall.

The brilliant orange-red light illuminated the underground like daylight—like a blazing sun.

“Th-this is what?”

“Last time the incinerator exploded, right? I got inspiration from that and improved it so it can create controlled explosions—”

Xiao Bu excitedly gestured with her hands.

“Through one explosion, it blasts explosive materials outward, then when they land, they explode again!”

Freyr swallowed. “That… doesn’t sound very safe. What if it explodes before being launched?”

“Oh, then it would just be one especially big explosion.” Xiao Bu said with longing.

The explosion startled many people out. They hurried over to the big one. After inspecting it and confirming nothing was seriously damaged, they gradually dispersed.

These subterranean Untouchables had long lived among garbage and had developed the skill of finding useful items within it. Casually, they performed some repairs on the big one. A few even attached discarded parts to its body.

It was clear that modifying this mechanical creation was not Xiao Bu’s talent alone.

“Well? Compared to the Mechanic Sanctum?”

Xiao Bu asked nervously. Freyr keenly sensed a hint of anticipation in her tone.

She hoped for recognition of her creation—fearful, yet yearning.

Freyr thought seriously, simulating in his mind a battle between the expeditionary army and the big one.

Those rapid-fire guns would probably struggle to damage the big one. Bombs dropped from airships could work, but the big one’s explosions were no less formidable.

“Mm… if you could assemble several more ‘big ones,’ it should be… possible?”

Xiao Bu’s eyes lit up. Her entire being brimmed with excitement. “That’s not difficult! Underground, we lack everything except garbage. There was no use making too many of these large fellows, so we only kept one. If we want more, it won’t take long!”

After speaking, she shouted to the people around her. The Untouchables responded with enthusiastic cheers.

Then they scattered in all directions, passionately rummaging through heaps of refuse.

Freyr scratched his head. It seemed the Untouchables had received recognition for the first time. With their utmost enthusiasm, they threw themselves into work—without caring in the slightest whether any of it held meaning.