Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 158 Are you planning to reveal your identity as a banshee?

The people around were stunned, and then started to make noise.

"My Lord, what happened?"

"Are there any enemies?"

"Is that the pirates? Are they coming to rob us?"

"My Lord, we are not afraid of pirates. My father was a soldier, so I can do it too!"

"For the Earl!"

Hughes walked into the crowd and shouted, "Everyone! Please listen to me!"

People quieted down and looked at Hughes excitedly, like a group of soldiers waiting for the order to charge.

"Our advance team has discovered strange monsters in the sea. They are huge and difficult to stop. More importantly, they are gathering towards us!"

Ash's several explorations had confirmed that the snakes were consciously extending towards Castel, a small island in the Storm Ocean that blocked their way.

The workers around were in an uproar. The word "monster" was too far away from their lives. Some people couldn't help showing expressions of fear after they realized what was happening.

Without hesitation, Hughes shouted, "People, do you remember when a monster was fished out of the dock? Do you remember what I said then?"

The people around were stunned. Castel was not big, and many people had gone to the dock to watch it, and they also remembered what Hughes said.

"I said I would build a school for you, and give precious knowledge to my people for free—and here it is before your eyes."

Yes, these workers are standing at the school gate at this moment. Next to Hughes is a half-dismantled steam engine. He has fulfilled his promise.

There was an inexplicable look in people's eyes.

"I also said that so-called monsters are just creatures in special environments. Normal creatures on the seabed become monsters when they reach the surface. Do you remember?"

"The Earl did say so. I was there!"

"I testify that the Earl did say so."

"So, they aren't actually monsters, are they?"

People began to discuss in low voices.

"We've encountered monsters again. There's nothing to be afraid of. They're just creatures from another place. They exist in the same world as us. As long as we unite, there's nothing for us to fear."

"Islanders of Castel, I, your lord, hereby promise you that I will lead you to defeat these enemies. Just as we have overcome every difficulty, I will lead you to victory. We will surely move from one victory to another!!"

The crowd cheered. They didn't know what the monster looked like, but they were willing to believe Hughes. This lord had brought them too many miracles. No matter what Hughes said, they were willing to try to believe it.

Zeus grinned and raised his fist in response to the cheers of his subjects.

"For Castel!"

"Castel!" "For Castel!!"

War may not be a bad thing. Castel's scientific research has been stuck in a bottleneck for too long, and Hughes urgently needs a technological breakthrough.

Although the improvement of pollution fuel has been very successful, it has not brought about actual scientific progress. There is no essential difference between burning pollution and burning wood.

War is almost synonymous with technological explosion. All new ideas and thoughts can be quickly tested and iterated on the battlefield.

This war with the deep sea may be an opportunity to break the technological lock, and Castel will also be able to achieve a technological breakthrough as a result.

Looking at the people shouting loudly in front of him, Hughes leaned against the steam engine and raised his clenched fist.

Behind Hughes, in the school, a room had its curtains drawn. Through the slits, two eyes gazed at the crowd outside. "Gaia, do you think humans will accept us?"

"Of course it will. Don't worry, Monica." Gaia pushed Monica aside and said, "Let me see, what did the Lord say again?"

"He's talking about the monsters in the sea."

"Have you ever seen a monster in the sea?"

"No, Sister Ash won't let me participate at all. They always say I'm too young and need to grow up before I can fight - I grow up so slowly."

"Growing up isn't necessarily a good thing. I heard you guys defeated those monsters?"

"Ah, the Lord mentioned this as well. People seem very excited."

"Of course I'm excited. It was a monster. We used the nitroglycerin we made to kill it. Do you know how that feels?"

Gaia clenched her fists excitedly. She was a student in the advanced chemistry class. Recently, Hughes had handed over the management of the nitroglycerin production line to her. The bomb that Nini used that day was made with her help.

Monica looked at her new friend in confusion. She had met Gaia when she was stealing nitroglycerin for experiments. The two hit it off immediately and worked out a lot of interesting things together - and then they were punished together for blowing up the house.

“I don’t quite understand.”

"Think about it, Monica. I've heard so many stories like that since I was a kid. They're all about powerful heroes risking their lives to save mortals and drive away monsters. I've always wanted to be a hero."

"It was only later, as I grew up, that I realized we were all mortal. That's why growing up isn't fun at all."

"But suddenly I heard that what I made had successfully repelled those monsters. It gave me an indescribable feeling, as if I were one of those heroes in the story, a mortal who saved himself. I've never heard of such a story before."

Monica blinked and suddenly burst into giggles.

"You, what are you laughing at?"

"Gaia wants to be a hero! Big hero Gaia!"

"Wow, keep your voice down, don't shout, wow, don't run away"

"Zoe, I need to trouble you with something."

After mobilizing the workers, Hughes returned to the school and called Zoe over.

"Yes, are we going to start recruiting soldiers?" Zoe said with some anticipation. She had also heard what Zeus had just said. Now she felt her blood boiling and she wished she could rush to the battlefield herself to kill a few more monsters.

She was wearing a long dress. She had been working here since she left the manor. Not only did she teach literacy classes, she also took charge of the operation and maintenance of the entire school, applying for funds from the city hall, and so on. Recently, Hughes had recruited a large number of people and added courses, which made her a little busy and she had no time to write her favorite novel.

"Recruiting soldiers? Yes, I do, but that's Alexey's job. I came here to ask you to help me write some articles."

"Article? You don't mean a novel, do you?" Zoe's eyes lit up. "No problem, no problem. What kind of article would you like to write?"

"It's not quite a novel, but it's pretty close. It's about a student in the advanced class studying and researching with a banshee. Uh, you know about Gaia, right?"

"I heard that she and Monica blew up your manor together?"

"Ahem," Xius choked. "Who told you that? How can that be so outrageous? They just blew up a toilet."

"Ohhh, that's amazing!" Zoe said enviously.

"What's so great about this? Do you know how much trouble it would take to clean it up?" Zeus's eyes twitched. "Anyway, I need you to write an article like this and post it so the students in the literacy class can refer to it. Well, let's call it a test of their learning."

Zoe fell silent. She looked at her lord in surprise. "Are you planning to make the Banshee's story public?"

(End of this chapter)