Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Chapter 686 ·Modularized Rituals

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Chapter 686: Modularized Rituals

Hughes ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍only felt his vision go dark.

Bioelectricity—was ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍it that kind of electricity? That was a human, not an Electric Eel!

And ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍besides, Electric Eels didn’t generate electricity from the Pollution inside their bodies, did they?

How ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍did Tata’s line of thinking become so bizarre? What could possibly come out of this kind of research?

“Unfortunately, ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍I encountered some bottlenecks.” Tata shook his head. “The Pollution inside the body seemed extremely stubborn and could not easily be converted into electricity.”

“Luckily, I solved that problem.”

“It’s fine. Since it’s difficult to deal with, just set it aside for now. There’s no rush in researching this area. You should go handle—wait, what did you say?”

“Solved it, my Lord! I found a way!” Tata’s face was full of excitement.

“I thought, since the Pollution inside the body was so stubborn, could I use something to activate it?”

“And what a coincidence—lightning can activate Pollution!”

“So I thought, if I ran electricity through the human body, wouldn’t that work?”

At this point, Tata sighed. “Unfortunately, most of the experiments based on this failed. I used up quite a few Coyotes. They couldn’t withstand the lightning very well. At the time, I was about to give up.”

“But!”

Tata stepped aside and brought forward the Father from the Silent Sanctum who had been scorched black by electricity.

“Fortunately, these Fathers offered selfless assistance, allowing my experiments to continue. I successfully achieved human electricity generation!”

Hughes’s vision went dark again.

He had thought Tata was researching electrical applications—which was not a problem at all. Even taking a few detours was acceptable. What scientific research succeeded in a straight line?

And this was a mature path. At least on Blue Star, it had been proven feasible. In Hughes’s expectations, as long as he pointed in the right direction, the research personnel only needed to charge forward.

Creations of the Electrical Age, whether in scalability or precision, could completely crush those of the Steam Age. Steam Engines might be romantic—but it was best if that romance stayed in a museum.

As a transmigrator, Hughes naturally wanted to climb the technology tree as quickly as possible.

But now the problem was that this technology tree was becoming increasingly strange.

“With so much Pollution available for power generation, and you’re working on human electricity generation…” Hughes did not even know what to say. It would be one thing if Tata was messing around—but how had the Silent Sanctum gotten involved as well?

Wasn’t the Silent Sanctum famous for being conservative? Upon seeing such a novel creation, shouldn’t they have loudly condemned it while tremblingly rushing off to pray?

Hughes glanced at the Father of the Silent Sanctum at the side. He was excitedly exchanging words with his companions—and those companions looked as if they had just crawled out of a Stellar Furnace. From head to toe, aside from their teeth, every part of them was blackened.

Their words drifted into Hughes’s ears.

“How was it? What did it feel like?”

“It was amazing! When the current passed through the body, it felt numb and painful, like being whipped. The muscles all over kept twitching, and the Pollution accumulated inside instantly became active. That sensation, tsk tsk tsk~”

“Really?”

“That good?”

“Shock me too!”

Listening to these fragmented exchanges, Hughes’s eyes widened.

How were these people so enthusiastic about courting death? Getting electrocuted could feel good?

Hughes did not know this, but the 【Burial Ones】 of the Silent Sanctum, due to their unique immortality, differed slightly from ordinary people in certain perspectives.

To put it simply, since they did not die, they were not particularly afraid of death—and thus were somewhat eager to try dangerous, self-destructive things.

Usually, with Patriarch Ignati watching over them, the Burial Ones behaved fairly well. But now Ignati had gone to the Northlands…

All of Hughes’s impressions of the Burial Ones came from Nora. She had an extremely serious and rigid temperament—but she had not been a 【Burial One】 for very long.

And within any group, there were always exceptions. Just as among the Banshees, there were dependable ones like Ash.

Hughes had simply been misled by Nora.

Tata coughed lightly, looking embarrassed. “Ahem, well… my experiment lacked some experimental volunteers. I originally planned to ask Nora to help, but recently she has been arguing with her body—their relationship hasn’t been very good. And this experiment required a complete body…”

Indeed, if it was human electricity generation, one at least needed a full human body.

Someone half-complete like Nora was not very suitable.

“But Nora introduced her companions to me!” Tata’s expression grew visibly more excited. “They are absolutely perfect volunteers!”

That was certainly true. The 【Burial Ones】 excelled at not valuing their lives. Whether they lived or died did not matter much—so long as the experiment succeeded.

As long as their bodies were not damaged beyond a certain extent—not beheaded like Nora—they could slowly recover.

Hughes looked at the group of 【Burial Ones】 before him, who were enthusiastically discussing things and eagerly eyeing the testing ground. Then he glanced back at the Banshees following him and suddenly shuddered.

Why did he have a bad feeling about this?

“Forget it. Let me see what you’ve actually come up with.”

Tata stepped aside and led Hughes and the others into the testing ground.

The protective specifications here were quite high. After all, in this world, electricity was closely linked with Pollution, so tall walls surrounded the area.

However, this was still an open-air testing ground. After all, they were experimenting with the Storm Generator.

Following Tata inside, the first thing Hughes saw was a familiar ritual arrangement.

The Storm Generator employed quite a bit of Transcendence Power—at least in terms of ritual design. The ritual circuits etched onto the metal plates did not differ much from the last time he had seen them, but the carrier was somewhat different.

“These metal plates?”

“Oh, it’s like this, my Lord. I found it rather troublesome to move the Storm Generator. Every time we wanted to relocate it, we had to set up the ritual anew. So I etched the ritual circuits directly onto metal plates. When needed, we just assemble them together.”

Tata pointed at the plates.

“And most Transcendence Rituals share common elements. For example, this plate bears the rune of 【Amplification】. It’s a very common rune and is also used in other rituals, so it can…” Tata waved his hand, and several assistants pushed open a nearby panel door.

On the wall inside, various metal plates were neatly categorized and hung. Along the edges of the plates were structural connectors for assembly.

“I’ve modularized these ritual circuits as well. All module interfaces are standardized. That way, even someone who has never received ritual training can assemble a ritual by following the operation manual.”

“My Lord, do you know what this means?” Tata’s face was flushed with excitement.

“This Storm Generator is constructed using Transcendence Power—but the ones who can deploy it are mortals. All of them are mortals. Not a single Transcendent, and no one who understands Transcendence.”

“Our engineers have completed a Transcendence Ritual!”

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Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Chapter 686 ·Modularized Rituals

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