Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 34 Steam Engine

After Alexi left, Hughes thought about it and called Connor.

"How are the drawings I gave you earlier?"

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

"Yes."

"I contacted a blacksmith on the island, and he said we could try somewhere else, but he definitely couldn't make the 'cylinder' part."

"Tell me the details."

"Okay," Connor recalled the experience of going to the blacksmith shop.
"What a fantasy! Pure fantasy!" the old blacksmith said angrily. "This iron bucket needs to be extremely smooth inside, and there must be no leaks at the seams. It's impossible!"

"Do you mean, do you need some special tools?"

"No tool can make something like this. No matter where you take this blueprint, you won't be able to make it. This kind of thing requires a huge furnace to melt the steel and cast it. You might be able to go to the Rhine. They have enough craftsmen there, and if they work together, they might be able to make it. There are only me and my apprentice on this island, unless..."

"Unless you find a solid piece of iron and dig a hole in the middle, that would be pretty much the same."

"if so."

"Impossible, at least not here. Not to mention what kind of thing can be used to dig a hole in the iron block, even if it is possible, it is such a big piece that I may not be able to dig it out in half a year."

"Besides, everything else on your blueprint is ridiculous. For example, this pipe. I can bend a plate out of iron, but I have to connect it tightly. Um, as you said - it can't leak."

"This requires an extremely high level of skill and a lot of luck. I don't know how many times I have to fail before I can finally make a finished product."

"In short, you need a blacksmith from half the Rhineland, and I'm just an old man here. I can't make these things anyway."

Connor slowly explained to Hughes.

Xius couldn't help but sigh. It was indeed too difficult to rub the steam engine by hand, and he didn't have too much hope.

However, the progress of industrialization was stalled. No matter how efficient his factory was, it could only remain at the level of manual manufacturing and could only be considered a larger workshop.

He couldn't build a steam engine, let alone an internal combustion engine. Making a generator wasn't that difficult, but he didn't have a steam engine to generate electricity, so did he have to rely on hand cranking?

Most of the energy used by humans is to boil water. He was stuck in boiling water, so no matter how much he thought about it later, it would all be empty talk.

The industrial foundation is too weak, no matter how many blueprints he has in his mind, it will be useless.

Think carefully, is there any good way?
Images flashed through his mind. The church and the Rhine factory might have primitive steam engines, but it would be difficult to buy them, not to mention how to transport them. Could he afford the money?

Besides, relying on buying steam engines for industrial development is not a good solution.

He did build a blast furnace in the manor, but he hadn't started testing it yet. Even if it was completely successful, it would take him a long time to get a lathe and a boring tool.

The most difficult part of industrial development is from zero to one, and he is stuck here.

This road is also blocked.

What if he followed the royal family's path? The royal family had established the Gear Academy. Although he didn't know much about it, the name suggested it might have what he wanted.

But this brings us back to the same situation. He may be able to get help from the royal family, but he will inevitably be swept up by the power of the royal family.

Well, consider it as a backup option. Being coerced by the royal family is better than being stuck here.

Is there any other way besides Imperial Royal Jewel Bay?
Wait, he doesn't necessarily have to look for the forces that built the factories.

He needed to solve the problem that the steam engine could not be manufactured.
Why not ask the magic?

Before, in the sea, he had seen the Banshee cast spells to attack the murlocs. Could those magical spells be used to help him build a steam engine?

Although it is a bit too far-fetched to expect the banshee under the sea to master welding technology, it is something he can easily achieve at the moment.

"Connor, please go back first. Let me stay here for a while."

Zeus did not tell Connor about the Banshees, mainly because only Ash could come to the island now, and the other banshees still lived in the Abyss.

Alas, although we are his subjects, we are actually very far away from him.

Just as Zeus was about to communicate with Ash through the mind link, he suddenly frowned.

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

Perhaps something had happened under the sea, so Zeus stood up with some concern. He told Butler Connor not to disturb anyone else, then locked the study door, opened the secret passage familiarly, and walked down.

Soon after entering the secret passage, Zeus narrowed his eyes. Through his ability to sense water, he discovered that there seemed to be more than just Ash below.

Fortunately, the scent is familiar, they should all be banshees.

Judging from the number, it seems that their entire tribe has come here. What exactly happened under the sea?

Xius frowned and quickened his pace.

After turning a few corners, the secret passage suddenly expanded into a huge cave with a large sea in the middle. Many banshees gathered in the water, forming a circle, talking about something with worried expressions.

Ash was the first to feel the feedback from the contract. He turned to look at Zeus and gestured to the banshees behind him. The cave fell silent.

"what happened?"

"My lord, the pollution under the Abyss suddenly broke out, and we lost our home again, and..." Ash swam to the shore with a heavy face, and the banshees who were gathered together also dispersed.

Zeus looked towards the middle of the banshees. Although the environment was dim, he had the dark vision given by the symbiotic contract and easily saw the familiar figure among the banshees.

"Monica!? She's injured?" Xius walked over quickly and jumped into the sea without hesitation.

The other banshees except Ash have not signed a symbiotic contract. Once they leave the sea, the pressure will instantly increase many times, and they can only float below the water surface.

As Zeus got closer, two banshees approached him: "Lord, please don't move forward. Monica..."

"She didn't have time to dodge and was severely injured and contaminated." Ash whispered.

Zeus looked at Monica. Her originally smooth scales had lost their luster and were no longer the vibrant emerald green.

Several hideous wounds snaked all the way from her back to her neck, almost tearing her body in half.

Some strange black substances gathered on the wounds, like black leeches, making it impossible for the wounds to heal.

The surrounding banshees reached out their hands and touched the wound, and the wound gradually closed and showed a tendency to heal.

However, the skin and flesh that had begun to close immediately began to crack as soon as they came into contact with the black substance, causing the wound to expand again.

Is this pollution?
(End of this chapter)