Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Chapter 28: Desperate Situation

"I gained the ability to survive on land from your contract, so only a small section of the sea required the activation of flesh magic. Since we ascended rapidly, you didn't feel the contract extracting your life force."

In other words, as long as they descended into the Abyssal Trench once, they could forcibly maintain a normal state using flesh magic?

Hughes understood now.

No wonder the Sirens of the past believed their race was cursed.

There must have been normal Sirens back then, but as soon as they stopped using flesh magic, they would immediately transform into bloated monsters, or even explode and die.

As for the newly born Sirens later on, they never had the chance to dive into the Abyssal Trench and were born looking like bloated monsters.

The Sirens gradually disappeared, while the cursed ones struggled to survive in this world.

Until Hughes led them back into the Abyss.

"So, what happened to your clansmen? How is the new home?"

"Not very well."

Ash furrowed her brows.

"In the past, we only heard that the Abyssal Trench was a forbidden zone for life. Under your guidance, we learned about water pressure. We initially thought that water pressure was what kept other creatures from approaching, but later..."

At this point, Ash hesitated.

She tried to gesture with her six hands, but it wasn't very effective.

"Are there enemies inside?" Hughes asked tentatively.

"Not just enemies. It's an indescribable existence. As long as it passes by, my clansmen feel oppression, nausea, loss of control, and madness."

"Can it be driven away?"

"No. We can't see it."

Ash thought for a moment before continuing.

"Lord, we once heard that the Abyssal Trench had been polluted. That was when we lost our home. Also, the place we stayed in wasn't even the deepest part of the Abyss. No one knows how deep it really is. The pollution seems to come from below."

Pollution?

"What do you mean by pollution?"

Ash shook her head.

"I've only heard of this term. I don't really understand it."

Hughes pressed his lips tightly together.

He didn't quite grasp what pollution meant in this context.

From a literal perspective, it meant harmful substances had mixed into the environment, twisting normal conditions to the point where survival was impossible.

But what could be considered harmful?

There were indeed many substances that could cause hallucinations, nausea, and other symptoms, but those were more akin to "materials."

However, in Ash's description, the pollution affecting her clansmen seemed more like a "living thing."

Had some kind of creature become a source of pollution, or had the pollution itself "come alive"?

If the pollution had come to life, would it seek food, or would it seek... to pollute more creatures?

Hughes shuddered involuntarily.

The temperature wasn't even cold, yet he felt a chilling gaze from the deep sea.

He had a vague premonition that if the Sirens remained in this "pollution," something terrible would happen.

No, this couldn't continue.

"Ash, can the Sirens leave the Abyssal Trench?"

Ash showed a troubled expression.

"I have thought about this before, but only the Abyssal Trench has water this deep and pressure this great. As soon as we surface, we must constantly maintain flesh magic, and..."

Then, they would revert to their original forms.

Hughes saw a trace of determination in Ash's eyes.

She would rather die in the Abyssal Trench than turn back into a cursed, bloated monster.

But under the Abyssal Trench, the Sirens' condition was clearly worsening.

One day, they would cross a certain threshold and be completely assimilated by the "pollution."

Hughes paced in place, thinking of solutions, only to reject them one by one.

The Sirens had extremely demanding survival conditions.

Where could he find such high water pressure?

Water pressure, water pressure, water pressure...

Hughes suddenly stopped.

He looked at Ash floating on the sea and smacked his forehead.

How could he have forgotten about the Symbiotic Contract?

"Can you survive on land through a contract?"

Ash's expression darkened slightly.

"We can sign a Symbiotic Contract with humans on land, drawing life force to maintain flesh magic, but... every Siren provides the same contract, while the other party differs."

Hughes was surprised and asked for details.

When signing a Symbiotic Contract, both parties were placed on opposite ends of a scale.

The Sirens provided fixed abilities.

No matter which Siren a person signed with, the granted ability was the same.

However, the symbiont on the other side provided a random ability in return.

According to Ash, she had never seen two identical Symbiotic Contracts, even if both contracts were made with the same species.

The contract between Ash and Hughes allowed Ash to survive on land.

But if another Siren signed a contract with a different human, the ability gained would be something else.

The probability of gaining the ability to survive on land was close to zero.

"So at that time..." Hughes realized something and asked in surprise.

"Yes, Lord. My plan was to sign the contract, return to my clansmen, inform them about the water pressure, and then terminate the contract."

"What would happen if you terminated the contract?"

"I would die."

Ash answered bluntly.

"All of my life force would be transferred to you through the contract."

Hughes' eyes widened, and he remained silent for a long time.

He hadn't expected Ash to be so resolute.

When they first signed the contract, he thought it was some sort of scam.

It was only because he had the ability to descend into a vessel that he took the risk.

But he never expected Ash to be willing to sacrifice herself without hesitation.

If not for sheer luck, granting him the ability to survive on land, Ash's departure would have been a final farewell.

Then, perhaps a new race would have emerged in the depths of the Abyssal Trench, worshiping him as a god while he remained completely unaware, continuing to manage Castel Island.

Was this fate?

Hughes was a staunch materialist, yet in the face of such fateful coincidence, he couldn't help but feel lost for a moment.

Steadying himself, Hughes asked again.

"Can the other Sirens sign a contract with me?"

Ash shook her head, sorrow flashing in her eyes.

"Your body is too weak. You fell unconscious just from signing one contract. If another Siren also drew life force from you, you would surely die."

The Sirens had never attempted multiple contracts with a single person before.

Previously, they could only contract with fishmen, who were equally frail.

A single Siren could drain a fishman completely, let alone multiple Sirens.

As for humans...

Ash didn't want to belittle the human race.

Her lord, Hughes, was the most knowledgeable and benevolent being she had ever met, even comparable to a god.

But in terms of physical strength and vitality...

Humans were even weaker than fishmen.