Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 766 Opening Up the Rhine Waterway

After their initial contact with Xiao Bu, the priority of going to Rhine to investigate was immediately raised to the highest level.

The potential shown by the "Untouchables" group is enormous.

This learning ability is terrifying. Hughes specially found some professional scholars in various fields to teach Xiao Bu. The feedback received was almost unanimous - no matter how obscure and difficult the course was, Xiao Bu could learn and understand it quickly. Before long, she would be able to access the most cutting-edge research of Castells.

Just a few months ago, she couldn't even spell.
Many people even felt a sense of fear – the intellectual gap was simply too great, and their learning abilities were on completely different levels.

Hughes had secretly received some advice suggesting that he should exterminate the race. Some pessimistic scholars believed that humans were too inferior and would only be eliminated by these subterranean people.
Hughes suppressed all these voices.

Just kidding. If untouchables are too smart and have to be eliminated, does that mean banshees have to be eliminated too?

If superhumans are stronger than ordinary people, should they also be prohibited from existing?
If a second war has been fought to end everything, what difficulty is insurmountable?

Hughes was willing to believe in humanity.

Meanwhile, Xiao Bu's specific information has not been made public, since she is currently in quarantine and cannot leave the test site in Gem Bay anyway.

The seawater intrusion problem is still stuck on technical issues, but Nini's work is actually showing promise.

After hearing Nini's request, Xiao Bu immediately drew a map for her.

A map leading to the Rhine.

You have to understand that the underground is three-dimensional, which is why Nini, despite having the ability to sense water veins, could still get lost in the underground river. She originally thought that drawing a map would be almost impossible.

It would be more like creating a three-dimensional sand table.

But Xiao Bu actually drew it, and it didn't look very complicated.

Nini followed the map with some skepticism, but found that she could actually keep up.

Xiao Bu didn't draw the entire underground water vein; he only marked the key areas.

Whenever Nini gets lost, she can pull out a map and follow Xiaobu's directions to find the specific route.

Just as a subway map is merely an abstract sketch, the actual subway network is intricate and complex.

However, by following the subway map, you can find the corresponding nodes. Xiao Bu also marked these nodes on the map. Once the important locations are found, Nini can make up for the rest by relying on her water vein perception.

So Nini's journey went surprisingly smoothly.

"According to the map, Rhine is not far ahead," Nini said excitedly as she surfaced, flipping through the map.

This time, her exploration was no longer just her own.

Hughes immediately dispatched several squads of banshees to assist. If it weren't for the distance being too far and the need for rotation, Hughes would have liked to send out all the banshees of calamity.

Nini's team has grown to an unprecedented size.

Now, Nini is exploring with Monica and Una.

Una was responsible for checking the records and leaving guiding signs in key areas.

Nini was responsible for using fossils as mud to widen the narrow passage, ensuring that the banshee's body could pass through normally.

Monica was able to join because of her small stature, which made it easier for her to explore by crawling through holes.

"There are quite a few rivers along the way, but unfortunately there are no fish," Monica sighed.

"Have you forgotten? Sea fish are all formed from the flesh and blood of the sea god. Where would fish come from in this river?"

“Yes, that’s true.” Monica said as she fixed the lamp in her hand to the wall.

There is naturally no light underground, and the same is true for the underground river, after all, it is even called the underground river.

However, this had little effect on the banshees. There was no light in the deep sea, and the banshees swam freely as usual, as they used a different set of senses to perceive things in the water.

However, basic lighting is still necessary, not only to provide light but also to indicate direction.

"Do you think those underground people are really that smart?" Monica asked with some concern.

Although she often comes up with some amazing and ingenious ideas, they are ultimately just cleverness.

Xiao Bu's learning ability truly surpasses hers.

For example, if you don't know how to do advanced mathematics, you simply don't know it; no matter how clever you are, you still won't know it.

"So what? We're still being investigated as believers in the Church of the Sea God. How does that affect your life?" Nini shrugged.

Monica responded with a muffled sound.

To be honest, she was very worried, and she could sense that Hughes was also concerned about this matter.

Monica looked up at the dark cave, wishing that time would stand still and that she would never find the way to the Rhine.

Unfortunately, the map in Nini's hand was getting shorter and shorter.

Monica felt a strange sense of crisis. She wondered if Hughes would abandon her if he discovered a more powerful race.

Surely not? The lord is a very good person; he wouldn't abandon his followers.

But this compassionate kindness made Monica feel terrible.

Should I study harder? I've been so engrossed in medicine lately that I haven't been studying or doing research much.

Studying medicine won't save Castel, but she still has to work hard.

"We seem to be almost there." Nini suddenly spoke, startling Monica. Una, who was next to Nini, quickly moved closer and asked, "W-where are we?"

"Look, the map is basically finished. As Xiao Bu mentioned before, the underground river marker here is just below the Rhine, but it's quite remote and not many people come here usually."

After Nini finished speaking, she, Monica, and Una surfaced together and looked around.

"Is this really the place? I don't see any signs of human intervention."

This is a long, narrow rift valley, and Nini and her friends are in the deepest part of it.

The scenery in the rift valley was beautiful, like a towering building built underground, but unfortunately they had been traveling underground the whole way, and they were tired of seeing such wonders.

Nini flipped the map over and over again, checking it several times: "That's right, this is the place. These thick rock pillars match perfectly. Let's look for any traces nearby."

It didn't take long before Una suddenly raised her hand and called the two of them over: "Come quick, look at this!"

Monica and Nini came closer, their eyes lighting up immediately: "The garbage dump!"

Yes, there was a section of the underground rift filled with all sorts of garbage. Perhaps because of the quietness of the underground, although there was a stench, there were surprisingly few flies. The three banshees pinched their noses and approached.

Most of it was household garbage, and there was also some broken and tattered materials. The presence of garbage meant that people lived there. Perhaps this was what was thrown down from the ground. They really had arrived in the Rhine.

Suddenly, the three of them looked up at the same time. A huge metal claw stretched out in the distance, and the haphazardly assembled mechanical arm was holding a handful of parts picked out from the junkyard.

(End of this chapter)