Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

It ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was not just the threads—the crystalline, jade-like white bones of the entire White Bone Giant had also turned black over more than half their surface.

Bang!

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍threads suddenly snapped apart. On the bone plate atop the White Bone Giant, the figure of a girl emerged.

Little ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Gwen knelt on the head of the White Bone Giant, her hands pressed against the bone plate as she gasped for breath.

Her ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pupils focused one moment and scattered the next. If any other Transcendent had been present, they would have recognized her condition at a glance—cognitive deviation. Her very existence had become unstable.

“W-what ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was that! How did Pollution start rushing over the moment the link connected!”

And it had not merely flowed—it had sprayed over, like a high-pressure water gun, in violent bursts.

Little Gwen took a long while to steady her breathing. Her face showed both confusion and fear. It was not as though she had never come into contact with the Sea of Unawareness before, but the Pollution purity that had surged through the threads far exceeded that of the Sea of Unawareness. One careless moment, and she had nearly been completely eroded.

Fortunately, she was a 【Named One】. Her control far surpassed that of ordinary Transcendents. If it had been someone else, their life might very well have been in danger.

“Did Sister Scepter fall straight into Pollution? That’s not right… how is she still alive like that?”

Just now, she had indeed sensed traces of life from her—already faint, like a dying candle in the wind.

Gwen scratched her head, feeling even more puzzled.

“But since she’s not dead yet, is there any way I can help her?”

A thought stirred in her heart, and the black threads once again appeared in her hands.

“I was just careless earlier and got eroded by Pollution. As long as I’m more cautious and control the degree of the connection, I can avoid the Pollution surging in.”

As she spoke, she sat cross-legged atop the White Bone Giant.

Quite a few of the White Bone Giant’s bones had already been dyed black. At this moment, those blackened bones began falling away from its body.

As they descended, they scattered into flying ash. Before even touching the ground, they had completely turned into cinders.

The surrounding White Mist rolled once, and the missing bones on the White Bone Giant regenerated. The mist thinned by an almost imperceptible degree.

Little Gwen’s face lit up with delight.

“It works! I can use the White Bone’s infinite regeneration to digest the Pollution. And that digestion, in turn, helps me consume the power of the White Mist. That way, I can gain control over the Temple of Forgetting faster!”

“In other words… I help Miss Scepter purify Pollution, and she helps me dissipate the White Mist!”

“Isn’t this what Hughes called a win-win!”

Little Gwen excitedly reached toward the black threads.

On the other side, the Stoker, who had been guarding Beatrice, nearly jumped up.

“Look! Beatrice’s flow rate has dropped! And her complexion looks much better too! Look!”

After the ritual to please the Machine Soul, Beatrice’s condition had stabilized somewhat. The Pollution she expelled had stabilized at five Fuel Barrels—reaching the fifth barrel placed in a straight line.

This was roughly twice her original output. Incidentally, after discussion among Castel’s Technical Priests, Beatrice’s original output had been designated as the standard unit of flow—called “one Beatrice.”

The Stoker excitedly recorded it down. “From 2.3 Beatrice down to 0.4 Beatrice—a decrease of 83%!!”

A decrease in flow was not necessarily a good thing. After all, the more Pollution Beatrice expelled, the less remained inside her body.

But her physical state had visibly improved by a significant margin. She had originally been bleeding from all seven orifices. Now it had reduced to five.

The surrounding people crowded over in a rush. Yet the drop in Beatrice’s Pollution output lasted only a moment before it returned to around 2.2.

The crowd looked at the Stoker in confusion.

His face flushed red as he waved his notebook excitedly. “I—I really saw it! Her condition suddenly improved a lot! Y-you can ask her!”

The crowd gathered around Beatrice again.

“I—I feel like… something… shared my Pollution…”

Since Beatrice herself said so, then some unknown change truly must have occurred.

The people began discussing around her. Gaia led the Technical Priests back to review the records in the Mechanical Sanctum. Only Zoe, standing within the crowd, had eyes shining brightly.

She had just been inside the cabin, calling out alone in the Connection for quite some time without receiving any response. She had been feeling disappointed. Yet the moment she stepped out, she discovered Beatrice’s condition had improved.

Zoe could not help but think:

“I just logged into the Connection and called out for a while.”

“Then Beatrice’s flow dropped, and her body recovered.”

“So…”

“As long as I call out in the Connection, I can heal Beatrice!?”

Zoe’s face filled with shock as she looked down at her own hands.

“I actually have this kind of ability? No, this might just be a coincidence. I’ll try again!”

Zoe returned to the cabin, locked the door, and casually shouted a few more times into the Connection.

She waited in the Connection for a while longer, confirming once again that no one responded.

Then she withdrew from the Connection and returned to reality. This time she did not feel disappointed. Instead, she leapt from the bed and rushed out to check on Beatrice’s condition.

“Look! Beatrice’s flow has dropped again!”

Zoe’s eyes lit up. But she did not move immediately. Instead, she stood still, staring directly at Beatrice.

“Huh? Strange, why did Beatrice’s flow go back up again?” The Stoker scratched his head in confusion.

Zoe, however, grew completely excited. “So that’s how it is! So that’s how it is! I understand now!”

“As long as I call out in the Connection, I can heal Beatrice! And when I stop, the treatment stops as well—”

She stood there excitedly, clenching her fists. “Miss Beatrice, I will definitely do my best to save you!”

One day later.

In the Northlands, within the mist, atop the White Bone Giant.

Little Gwen sat on the White Bone Giant’s head, her legs dangling in the air, hands braced behind her, her face filled with exhaustion.

“Sigh… helping Sister Scepter with treatment is already tiring enough. Why does Miss Writer keep yelling in the Connection all the time!”

“She shouts during the day and shouts at night—doesn’t she sleep? Doesn’t she know she’s disturbing the peace!!”

Gwen felt as though her server had once again come under attack. Unlike Miss Scepter’s physical attack, this time it was a mental one.

Meanwhile, the people of Castel looked at Zoe in astonishment.

Dark circles hung heavily beneath her eyes, yet she gazed at Beatrice with unwavering determination.

“Zoe, what happened to you?”

“I only made a small contribution. It’s not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning.” Zoe waved her hand and straightened her chest, her face full of modesty.

Heh. These mortals had no idea what a tremendous contribution she had made—

Miss Zoe had single-handedly saved Beatrice’s life in secret.

Though her achievements went unknown, she felt no regret.

Who said that only those standing in the light counted as heroes?