Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord-Chapter 138: I Am Actually a Member of the Candlelight Church

For a moment, everyone’s eyes focused on the thin man.

A worker beside him secretly tugged at Hodge’s sleeve, but he remained unmoved.

Though his legs were trembling, he still stood at the front of the crowd.

He knew very well that this was his only chance.

Although Hodge hadn’t been in the factory for long, he had already figured out how these people operated.

These noble lords weren’t truly trying to be good to the workers, they were just putting on a show, pretending to say a few kind words, while the supervisors and other lower-level leaders were the truly ruthless ones.

This way, when the workers suffered, they would only hate the small-time supervisors.

When trouble arose, the factory owner would come forward, say a few comforting words, and then push those small-time supervisors out to take the blame, successfully appeasing the workers.

And right now, this count was at the stage of winning people’s hearts.

If he requested an advance on his wages, there was a high chance it would succeed.

Though he couldn’t avoid consequences later, this money would be in his hands.

As long as he sent it back, perhaps Lina’s life could be saved.

So, Hodge gritted his teeth and stepped forward. At worst, he would take a beating later or be given a hard time in the future, but as long as the count could casually spare some money, that was enough.

Hughes stopped in his tracks, glanced at Hodge from head to toe, and said, "Advancing your wages is possible. You and the other workers will receive a settlement allowance, but I’m more curious, why are you in such a hurry to get money?"

Hughes knew Hodge.

He was a very sharp man. Every time Hughes told a story, Hodge was always the first to point out flaws.

But he wasn’t someone who liked to show off. On the contrary, he was rather reserved and quiet.

For him to step forward now, there must be an unavoidable reason.

Hodge took a deep breath and tried to keep his explanation brief, emphasizing Lina’s struggles and hardships, hoping this count would show some sympathy.

"So you need this money to send back and save Lina’s life?"

"Yes, my lord. The gangs are still somewhat trustworthy. As long as I pay them on time, they won’t harm Lina. If I keep sending money back, she’ll be safe."

Hodge felt a surge of excitement. The fact that the count was asking so many questions meant that the advance was almost guaranteed.

Combined with the settlement allowance he had mentioned, it should be enough to help Lina through this crisis.

But this money was already two months late.

The thought of this made Hodge’s heart twist in pain.

He wanted to pray but didn’t know to whom. He and Lina used to visit the Candlelight Church’s chapel occasionally, but now he no longer believed in the Church.

Hodge tried to suppress his anxiety, but when he looked up, his heart sank.

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Hughes’ expression was unreadable, and he had fallen silent.

Something was wrong.

Hodge didn’t know what mistake he had made, but a terrible sense of foreboding gripped his heart.

"Your name is Hodge, right?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Do you know where we are?"

Hodge widened his eyes and shook his head. He had heard the lord mention Castel Island just now, but he had never heard of such a place. Wait, an island? They had gotten off a ship earlier, so could it be…

"This place is in the Storm Ocean, an isolated island. The ship to the mainland left not long ago, and there won’t be another one for a while."

Hodge’s face instantly turned deathly pale. He staggered a few steps, only staying upright with the help of his fellow workers.

"That ship… how long until it returns?"

"At the fastest, three weeks."

Hughes shook his head. He had given the Black Pearl numerous tasks, establishing trade routes in various ports, searching for Nora in the North, gathering refugees…

Forget three weeks, even if it returned within a month, that would be considered fast.

And considering the time needed for resupplying and another trip back to the Empire, by the time Hodge’s money reached its destination, it would be at least a month and a half later.

And that was assuming everything went smoothly.

This was Castel Island’s biggest problem, transportation was extremely inconvenient.

If Hughes wanted to sell soap to Rhine, he had to form his own trade caravan and acquire his own ships. If he wanted to send Beatrice back, he needed a vessel.

Right now, he had no ship, meaning he had no way at all.

Carrier pigeons? What breed of pigeon could cross an ocean? Maybe an albatross could.

The Sirens could travel through the sea, but their symbiotic contract limited their range, keeping them from straying too far from Castel Island.

Not to mention, there were now Fishmen appearing in the waters.

So Hughes could only sigh and remain silent.

Just as Hodge’s face filled with despair, a voice suddenly reached his ears.

"I might be able to solve this problem for you."

People turned to look, it was Chloe, the nun of the Candlelight Church.

"Lina, is it? Describe her appearance."

"Yes, yes, Sister!" Hodge nodded eagerly. "She’s about five feet tall, has brown hair, and her eyebrows and eyes are also brown. She’s very thin…"

"Alright, I understand."

Chloe nodded expressionlessly. "I’ll help you get in touch, Mr. Hodge."

Then she looked at Hughes. "Shall we go to the factory first?"

Hughes blinked.

"Alright. Hodge, don’t worry, I’ll advance you some wages. Let’s go, I’ll take you there."

The group walked out the door and headed toward the nearby walled compound.

This was a designated building near Hughes’ steel mill. It wasn’t far to walk.

Along the way, Hodge repeatedly thanked Chloe. He had never expected this nun to help him.

He had sought help from the Candlelight Church before.

On the first day of his arrest, he had begged the Holy Guards.

Later, he had pleaded with nuns and priests whenever he encountered them, but no one had ever responded.

That had completely crushed his faith in the Candlelight Church.

Yet today, this Sister Chloe was actually willing to help him. Hodge felt a renewed sense of hope.

After showing them the factory, Hughes sent the workers to their dormitory.

It wasn’t time to start work yet, he planned to call in more apprentices to explain the new factory operations to them.

There were dozens of workers in this group, more than enough to maintain an entire steam engine production line and sustain the entire steel mill.

A few apprentices arrived to take charge of the group.

Hughes had also built new dormitories for the apprentices here, so they no longer had to travel back and forth daily. There were still plenty of vacant rooms for now.

After leaving the test site, Hughes turned to Chloe. "What’s going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Lina. The workers don’t know, but I do. You’re not from the Candlelight Church. So, are you going to contact your Moths Chasing Fire people?"

Chloe shook her head. "No, I am now a nun of the Candlelight Church. I can contact the Church. But that’s not what I wanted to say."

"Lina… is already on this island."

(End of Chapter)