Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 491 [The Tongue of Thorns]

The sound of the tide gradually faded away.

Hunter opened his eyes, and everything around him seemed to be doubled.

An unfamiliar ceiling.

He coughed violently, as if he had choked. The feeling of blockage in his lungs eased, but he didn't cough up any water.

Hunter felt as if he had a vague dream, a dream of a world forged from steel, where molten iron replaced rivers, and the sky above was no longer filled with the sun, but with an eternally burning furnace.

As consciousness and reason gradually returned, he slowly recalled what had happened. After rubbing his still slightly aching head, he gave a wry smile.

He didn't know what happened afterward, but he felt that the string of reason snapped when he saw those steel warships.

It's no wonder he's like this. As a scholar, how could he not care when he discovers that everything he's done in his life has been meaningless?
Hunter sat up in bed. It seemed they were no longer on the ship. The curtains swayed gently in the breeze, and sunlight streamed in.

But Hunter had no interest in investigating. He didn't even glance out the window, just sat there blankly, his eyes showing a numbness.

It doesn't matter anymore. My research, my efforts, my life—it all seems to have lost their value.

The door was pushed open, and a man in a white robe walked in. He paused for a moment when he saw Hunter sitting there, then smiled.

"You woke up so quickly? It's good that you didn't try to escape. Ever since the last time a patient with Castells syndrome escaped and caused chaos, the wards here have been equipped with strict security—I don't want to treat your injuries again."

Hunter's mind raced instinctively, gleaning some alarming conclusions from the man's words, but he dismissed them with a shake of his head.

"never mind."

"Tsk tsk tsk, you regained your senses so quickly. Your manners are the best among these patients." The doctor casually filled out the medical record in his hand, then tore off a page. "This is your diagnosis certificate. You can be discharged with this."

Hunter reached out to take it, only to find that the doctor didn't hand him the paper, but instead looked at him with a half-smile.

After hesitating for a moment, Hunter rummaged in his pockets and shook his head: "Sorry, I don't have any money on me right now."

"Hunter. Hunter Godfrey Watts, you're a scholar, aren't you?"

Henry nodded, subconsciously straightening his back, then, as if realizing something, his straightened back slumped back down.

He was indeed a nobleman, but what use was his noble status? It was nothing but a joke in the face of these miraculous creations.

"How much do you know about the Secret Order?"

"Hmm, I don't know much. It seems to be a religious organization in Bloodharbor, responsible for the security of Bloodharbor?"

“First of all, the Secret Order is not a religious organization, and secondly, it is not responsible for the security of Bloodharbor, but rather assists in the management of certain areas—it’s best to be careful with your words, lest you get into trouble.” The doctor sat down on Hunter’s bedside with a smile.

"The Secret Order was once a cult in the lower city of Bloodharbor, but after my Lord's reform and reorganization, it is now an ordinary organization. It is officially recognized by Castel and is a completely legal organization."

Hunter nodded at the doctor, but the doctor then changed the subject.

"But the sect I belong to isn't so...legal."

Hunter froze.

The doctor's smile widened, and he opened his mouth. Hunter could vaguely see some black lines on his tongue. "【Thorn Tongue】, that's the name of my sect. You must have witnessed Castel's many miracles before, right?"

"Ha, I can tell what you're thinking just by looking at you. What if I told you that you'd see even more of these in the future?"

"You will witness the power of the gods, you will witness the miracles of the world, you will witness existences that have never appeared in your wildest fantasies."

"Ah, I can already see the wavering in your eyes."

"Do not be surprised, do not be afraid, do not panic. Those miraculous creations are all the will of my Lord, those powerful weapons are all the wrath of my Lord, the airships and ironclad ships are the eyes and hands of my Lord, and Castel is the divine kingdom of my Lord."

"You may have guessed what it is—but do not speak it! My Lord forbids anyone to sing his name as a god, and we shall obey, sealing our mouths with thorns and fulfilling our vows with our will."

"When you are lost, silently recite the name of my Lord in your heart, and the fog before your eyes will naturally dissipate, and you will not be shaken."

The doctor handed over the diagnosis certificate, which Hunter instinctively took. When he looked up again, the room was empty.

This startled him, and just as he was about to stand up to check, the door was suddenly pushed open.

A girl with flaxen hair walked in and paused for a moment when she saw Hunter standing by the bed: "You woke up so quickly? It's good that you're awake. I'll give you a diagnosis certificate so you can be discharged as soon as possible."

After she finished speaking, she picked up a notebook and quickly wrote something. When she looked up, she saw Hunter standing there with wide eyes. She asked with some confusion, "Is there something wrong?"

Hunter shuddered and quietly slipped the "diagnosis certificate" he was holding into his clothes.

"No! No lady, where are we now?"

"Once you complete the formalities at the customs checkpoint at the pier, you can officially board the island. Hmm, are you a scholar?"

"Yes, yes, is there a problem?"

“Of course there’s a problem.” The girl’s eyes were filled with worry. “In Castel, scholars are the most dangerous group, even more dangerous than superhumans. I’m talking about you being in danger, understand?”

Hunter swallowed hard: "W-what danger?"

“Castel syndrome. You had an attack before you even got to the island. We'll deal with it when we meet the Stellar Furnace. I'll write down the details in your medical record so they can treat you directly.”

"There's one more thing, something very important, you must remember—" the girl said while rapidly writing in her notes.

"Don't be too curious, and don't let your imagination run wild."

"The more you know, the more you see, and the more you think, the more likely you are to go crazy."

"Also, don't listen to fallacies and heresies!"

After leaving the quarantine area, Hunter went through registration and a body search before leaving Castells customs.

Looking back, there is a huge dock area, and not far away on the sea, there is a towering steel lighthouse with a unique shape, perhaps a monument.

Several large ships were moored beside the lighthouse, each with a huge crane whose steel cables stretched out into the sea, seemingly doing something unknown.

(End of this chapter)