Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Chapter 34: Steam Engine

After Alexei left, Hughes thought for a moment and called for Connor.

"How are the blueprints I gave you earlier coming along?"

"You mean the one for the 'steam engine'?"

"Yes."

"I went to the island’s blacksmith. He said that while some parts might be possible to make elsewhere, the 'cylinder' section is definitely beyond our capabilities."

"Explain in detail."

"Alright," Connor recalled his visit to the blacksmith shop.

"Nonsense, pure nonsense!" The old blacksmith said angrily. "This iron barrel needs to be extremely smooth inside, without any seams or leaks. That’s impossible!"

"Are you saying that special tools are required?"

"No tool can make such a thing. You wouldn’t be able to build it anywhere. This requires a massive furnace to melt steel and cast it properly. Maybe if you go to Rhine, you might have a chance. They have enough craftsmen to work together and possibly make it. But on this island, it’s just me and my apprentice. Unless—"

"Unless you find a solid block of iron and carve a hole through the middle. That might work."

"If that’s the case..."

"Impossible. At least not here. Not to mention what tools we’d use to bore a hole in solid iron. Even if I had the tools, it would take me half a year, and I still might not finish it."

"Besides, the other parts of this blueprint are also absurd. For example, this pipe—I could bend an iron plate to shape, but to seal it tightly so that it doesn’t leak, as you put it—"

"That requires an extremely high level of craftsmanship and a great deal of luck. Who knows how many failures it would take before getting a single successful piece."

"In short, what you need is half of Rhine’s blacksmiths. But here, it’s just me, an old man. There’s no way I can make these things."

Connor slowly explained everything to Hughes.

Hughes couldn’t help but sigh. Manually building a steam engine was indeed too difficult, and he hadn’t placed much hope on it.

But now, the progress of industrialization was completely stalled. No matter how efficient his factory was, it could only remain at a handicraft level, a larger workshop at best.

If a steam engine couldn’t be built, an internal combustion engine was out of the question.

A generator might be slightly easier, but without a steam engine to drive it, what was he supposed to do, turn it by hand?

Human energy utilization was mostly about boiling water, yet he was stuck even at this step.

Anything beyond that was just wishful thinking.

His industrial foundation was too weak. No matter how many blueprints he had in his mind, they were useless without the means to build them.

Thinking carefully, was there another way?

Images flashed through his mind. The Church and Rhine’s factories might have primitive steam engines, but acquiring one would be extremely difficult. Even if he could afford it, transporting it would be another issue.

Besides, relying on purchased steam engines for industrial development was not a viable long-term solution.

He had built a blast furnace at his estate, but it hadn’t even been tested yet.

Even if it was a complete success, by the time he reached the level of lathes and boring machines, who knew how long it would take?

The hardest part of industrial progress was getting from zero to one. And that was exactly where he was stuck.

This path was blocked.

What about the royal family? They had established the Gear Academy. He didn’t know much about it, but from the name alone, it likely had what he needed.

But that would bring him back to square one. He might gain the royal family’s assistance, but he would inevitably become entangled in their influence.

Hmm, he should consider this as a backup plan. Getting caught up with the royal family was better than being stuck with no progress.

Was there any other way?

The Imperial Royal Family’s Gem Bay...

Wait, he didn’t necessarily need to rely on these established industrial forces.

The problem he needed to solve was the inability to manufacture a steam engine.

Why not turn to magic?

Back in the ocean, he had seen the Siren cast spells to attack the fishmen.

Could those mystical powers help him create a steam engine?

It was absurd to expect underwater Sirens to possess welding techniques, but it was the most feasible option available to him at the moment.

"Connor, you can go back. Let me think alone for a while."

Hughes didn’t tell Connor about the Sirens. After all, only Ash could currently visit the island. The other Sirens still lived in the Abyssal Trench.

Sigh, they were technically his subjects, yet they felt so distant from him.

Just as Hughes was about to use the Mind Link to communicate with Ash, he suddenly frowned.

"The Symbiotic Contract is draining my life force? Ash is injured!?"

Something must have happened under the sea. Hughes stood up anxiously, gave Connor instructions not to let anyone disturb him, then locked the study door. He skillfully opened the hidden passage and went inside.

Not long after entering the passage, Hughes narrowed his eyes.

Through his water perception ability, he sensed that there was more than just Ash down there.

Fortunately, the presences were familiar. They were all Sirens.

Judging by their numbers, it seemed the entire clan had arrived.

What had happened under the sea?

Frowning, Hughes quickened his pace.

After a few turns, the passage suddenly opened up into a massive cavern.

In the center was a large body of water, where many Sirens were gathered in a circle, whispering anxiously.

Ash was the first to sense the contract’s response. She turned her head toward Hughes and gestured to the other Sirens, bringing silence to the cavern.

"What happened?"

"My lord, the pollution from the Abyss suddenly erupted again. We have lost our home once more, and..." Ash’s face was grim as she swam to the shore. The gathered Sirens parted to reveal something.

Hughes looked toward the center of the Sirens.

Despite the dim lighting, his night vision, granted by the Symbiotic Contract, allowed him to see the familiar figure among them.

"...Monica!? She’s injured?" Hughes quickly approached without hesitation and jumped into the water.

Unlike Ash, the other Sirens had not signed a Symbiotic Contract. If they left the water, the pressure would increase dramatically. They could only float just below the surface.

As Hughes got closer, two Sirens moved to stop him.

"Lord, please don’t go any further. Monica, she—"

"She was unable to dodge in time. She suffered serious injuries and has been contaminated." Ash spoke in a low voice.

Hughes looked at Monica. Her once smooth, vibrant green scales had lost their luster.

Deep, jagged wounds stretched from her back to her neck, nearly tearing her body in half.

Black, eerie substances clung to her wounds like leeches, preventing them from healing.

The Sirens around her reached out to soothe her injuries, and they seemed to begin closing.

But the moment the flesh neared the dark substance, it cracked open again, worsening the wounds.

Was this... pollution?