Chapter 195: Multi-Riveted Steam Steel
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Chapter 195: Multi-Riveted Steam Steel
If Rowell had heard Qiong’s lament, he would have wholeheartedly agreed!
Because he was now unmistakably a part of this vast Steel Torrent.
Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that Mr. Aji De had concealed such an enormous arsenal!
Even more unimaginable was that one day, he would be piloting a bizarre-looking steam car—like controlling a puppet—to serve his homeland!
It all began this very morning when the organization suddenly summoned him, along with countless other warriors, to assemble in a secret meeting room.
Then, through the internet created by Mr. Aji De, they arrived at an endless… hangar.
Yes, “endless” was no exaggeration to describe that hangar.
Though brightly lit, the walls were nowhere to be seen at the farthest reaches of vision. Aside from the peculiar steam cars called “tanks,” there was nothing else.
Why were these tanks so peculiar?
Simply put, aside from their internal layout resembling traditional steam cars, they shared no other similarities.
Their bodies were encased in 6mm riveted armor, with a 56mm rapid-fire cannon mounted at the front, along with four machine guns. Only palm-sized observation and firing ports were left around the vehicle.
Moreover, they had no wheels.
To be precise, their wheel sections consisted of a dozen interlocking hubs, and instead of traditional rubber tires, these hubs were covered by thick metal treads.
These bizarre designs left Rowell utterly dumbfounded and bewildered.
A steam locomotive without wheels, using treads instead—what was the point?
Could it even move?
Rowell couldn’t wrap his head around it.
However, when he drove the tank out of a square-shaped portal and arrived at the seaside of Pu'en City, he was stunned.
Based on his experience, such a hunk of metal would surely sink into the soft sandy soil by the shore.
Yet, to his astonishment, the tank he was driving surged forward without hesitation, as if gliding over flat ground.
[Warning: Proceed along the green path. Any deviation must be corrected immediately by returning to the green zone. Exceeding the time limit will result in automatic disconnection, marked as an abnormal state!]
A Virtual Screen appeared before Rowell, displaying the scenery outside the tank.
Parts of it were marked red, while others were green.
Red meant forbidden territory.
Green meant safe passage.
Additionally, in the upper left corner was a mini-map, clearly showing his current location and all members of his squad.
The tanks belonging to his squad were all represented by green tank icons.
According to their emergency training, their squad could be disbanded and reorganized at any time, and members only needed to follow the temporary combat orders of their squad leader.
"Mission One: Advance to Point A!"
Rowell glanced at the highest command, then slammed the throttle, rumbling along the shoreline.
The roaring of the steam engine set Rowell’s blood boiling, stirring a wild, untamed restlessness in his heart that made him yearn to charge straight to the front lines.
Farlay Dynasty, here I come!
...
At this moment, who among the tactical executors wasn’t burning with the same fervor?
In the capital of the Empire of Infer, the former military command center, high-ranking members of the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement watched the Virtual Screens projected onto the surrounding walls, their aged faces flushed with excitement!
Among them were workers, farmers, and even industrial nobles like Sir Bai Ruide, as well as a few down-and-out aristocrats who had secretly defected long ago.
Regardless of their backgrounds, they were all stunned by this modernized command platform.
In the past, this vast conference room would have been filled with the constant beeping of communication devices. Staff officers would analyze frontline intelligence, mark enemy and friendly positions on the sandbox model, provide strategic references for the commander, and ultimately relay orders to the frontlines via radio.
But now?
The entire Empire situation map was displayed on a single Virtual Screen. They could zoom in on any region at will to examine local details. They could even switch to a panoramic view, as if standing on the battlefield itself, observing every tree and even individual rocks.
The digitized presentation of the map had already left them in awe.
But what shocked them even more was their complete awareness of every single unit under their command.
They watched as their forces, like swarms of ants emerging from the Empire of Infer’s long coastline, split into multiple routes, striking directly at key strategic points. Some units engaged in sniping, others executed tactical penetrations, while some carried out pincer maneuvers.
"This form of warfare is simply unimaginable!"
"Indeed! It means we can deliver orders with pinpoint accuracy to every single soldier."
"If this platform had appeared sooner, we might have overthrown the Empire of Infer long ago."
"Progress takes time!"
"If the Empire had possessed such a command platform, we would have already conquered the Farlay Dynasty—how could they still dare to boast?"
"The Empire’s defeat was well-deserved!"
"This is nothing short of a divine miracle!"
"It is a divine miracle, isn’t it, Major Neil?"
Amidst the dazzling spectacle of the command platform, the headquarters buzzed with exclamations of amazement, further astonished by the vast arsenal Mr. Aji De had kept hidden.
In the midst of this collective awe, Major Neil quickly approached Ben Keming and said, "Mr. Ben Keming, there’s something I don’t understand."
"Hmm?" Ben Keming, puffing on his pipe, turned to look at him.
He knew Neil—in fact, he remembered him quite well.
Neil had once been a renowned genius in the Empire’s General Staff, his only flaw being his working-class origins, which had hindered his career for decades, leaving him stuck at the rank of captain.
This very flaw had been noticed and exploited by members of the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement. Through careful persuasion and recruitment, they had successfully turned him into a secret ally.
Neil had indeed provided significant assistance to the movement’s development in the capital.
Thus, after the fall of the Empire of Infer, he was immediately promoted to the rank of major—a true winner in life.
"Mr. Ben Keming, are tanks really useful?"
The moment Major Neil’s voice fell, the chatter in the command center abruptly ceased.
Many pricked up their ears—clearly, most were deeply interested in this question.
After all, on battlefields riddled with trenches, barbed wire, barricades, and machine gun emplacements, steam cars had long been proven to be nothing more than moving targets.
As for airships? They were even worse—larger and more conspicuous than steam locomotives, utterly incapable of escaping the barrage of anti-aircraft artillery.
"The lost sky romance, the lost sky ship."
This was the only evaluation given by the military strategists of Vilia.
"You don’t believe in Mr. Aji De?" Ben Keming turned his head to look at him.
"No, no, no! I’ve never doubted Mr. Aji De’s far-sighted strategic vision! It’s just that the two weapons deployed this time are truly..."
Neil couldn’t quite find the right words—or rather, he feared some adjectives might anger Mr. Ben Keming.
After all, both combat weapons were provided and designated by Mr. Aji De himself.
"I understand your doubts. In fact, I share them," Ben Keming said.
His frankness left the entire command center stunned.
"Don’t you find the sudden unveiling of this combat platform rather abrupt? Let me be honest with you—this time, you’re not here to command the battle. You’re here to observe it. Including me."
Silence.
The vast command center instantly fell into dead silence.
A thick sense of disbelief rose in everyone’s hearts.
"Not commanding the battle? Then... who is?" Neil asked, his face full of astonishment, voicing the question on everyone’s mind.
"Mr. Aji De."
This...
The command center was utterly dumbfounded!
Already, Mr. Aji De’s deployment of airships and the steam locomotives renamed as tanks had left them deeply puzzled, even uneasy.
Now, hearing that even command had been entirely taken over by Aji De alone, they were completely baffled.
Could Mr. Aji De really handle all this by himself?
If Rowell had heard Qiong’s lament, he would have wholeheartedly agreed!
Because he was now unmistakably a part of this vast Steel Torrent.
Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that Mr. Aji De had concealed such an enormous arsenal!
Even more unimaginable was that one day, he would be piloting a bizarre-looking steam car—like controlling a puppet—to serve his homeland!
It all began this very morning when the organization suddenly summoned him, along with countless other warriors, to assemble in a secret meeting room.
Then, through the internet created by Mr. Aji De, they arrived at an endless… hangar.
Yes, “endless” was no exaggeration to describe that hangar.
Though brightly lit, the walls were nowhere to be seen at the farthest reaches of vision. Aside from the peculiar steam cars called “tanks,” there was nothing else.
Why were these tanks so peculiar?
Simply put, aside from their internal layout resembling traditional steam cars, they shared no other similarities.
Their bodies were encased in 6mm riveted armor, with a 56mm rapid-fire cannon mounted at the front, along with four machine guns. Only palm-sized observation and firing ports were left around the vehicle.
Moreover, they had no wheels.
To be precise, their wheel sections consisted of a dozen interlocking hubs, and instead of traditional rubber tires, these hubs were covered by thick metal treads.
These bizarre designs left Rowell utterly dumbfounded and bewildered.
A steam locomotive without wheels, using treads instead—what was the point?
Could it even move?
Rowell couldn’t wrap his head around it.
However, when he drove the tank out of a square-shaped portal and arrived at the seaside of Pu'en City, he was stunned.
Based on his experience, such a hunk of metal would surely sink into the soft sandy soil by the shore.
Yet, to his astonishment, the tank he was driving surged forward without hesitation, as if gliding over flat ground.
[Warning: Proceed along the green path. Any deviation must be corrected immediately by returning to the green zone. Exceeding the time limit will result in automatic disconnection, marked as an abnormal state!]
A Virtual Screen appeared before Rowell, displaying the scenery outside the tank.
Parts of it were marked red, while others were green.
Red meant forbidden territory.
Green meant safe passage.
Additionally, in the upper left corner was a mini-map, clearly showing his current location and all members of his squad.
The tanks belonging to his squad were all represented by green tank icons.
According to their emergency training, their squad could be disbanded and reorganized at any time, and members only needed to follow the temporary combat orders of their squad leader.
"Mission One: Advance to Point A!"
Rowell glanced at the highest command, then slammed the throttle, rumbling along the shoreline.
The roaring of the steam engine set Rowell’s blood boiling, stirring a wild, untamed restlessness in his heart that made him yearn to charge straight to the front lines.
Farlay Dynasty, here I come!
...
At this moment, who among the tactical executors wasn’t burning with the same fervor?
In the capital of the Empire of Infer, the former military command center, high-ranking members of the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement watched the Virtual Screens projected onto the surrounding walls, their aged faces flushed with excitement!
Among them were workers, farmers, and even industrial nobles like Sir Bai Ruide, as well as a few down-and-out aristocrats who had secretly defected long ago.
Regardless of their backgrounds, they were all stunned by this modernized command platform.
In the past, this vast conference room would have been filled with the constant beeping of communication devices. Staff officers would analyze frontline intelligence, mark enemy and friendly positions on the sandbox model, provide strategic references for the commander, and ultimately relay orders to the frontlines via radio.
But now?
The entire Empire situation map was displayed on a single Virtual Screen. They could zoom in on any region at will to examine local details. They could even switch to a panoramic view, as if standing on the battlefield itself, observing every tree and even individual rocks.
The digitized presentation of the map had already left them in awe.
But what shocked them even more was their complete awareness of every single unit under their command.
They watched as their forces, like swarms of ants emerging from the Empire of Infer’s long coastline, split into multiple routes, striking directly at key strategic points. Some units engaged in sniping, others executed tactical penetrations, while some carried out pincer maneuvers.
"This form of warfare is simply unimaginable!"
"Indeed! It means we can deliver orders with pinpoint accuracy to every single soldier."
"If this platform had appeared sooner, we might have overthrown the Empire of Infer long ago."
"Progress takes time!"
"If the Empire had possessed such a command platform, we would have already conquered the Farlay Dynasty—how could they still dare to boast?"
"The Empire’s defeat was well-deserved!"
"This is nothing short of a divine miracle!"
"It is a divine miracle, isn’t it, Major Neil?"
Amidst the dazzling spectacle of the command platform, the headquarters buzzed with exclamations of amazement, further astonished by the vast arsenal Mr. Aji De had kept hidden.
In the midst of this collective awe, Major Neil quickly approached Ben Keming and said, "Mr. Ben Keming, there’s something I don’t understand."
"Hmm?" Ben Keming, puffing on his pipe, turned to look at him.
He knew Neil—in fact, he remembered him quite well.
Neil had once been a renowned genius in the Empire’s General Staff, his only flaw being his working-class origins, which had hindered his career for decades, leaving him stuck at the rank of captain.
This very flaw had been noticed and exploited by members of the Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement. Through careful persuasion and recruitment, they had successfully turned him into a secret ally.
Neil had indeed provided significant assistance to the movement’s development in the capital.
Thus, after the fall of the Empire of Infer, he was immediately promoted to the rank of major—a true winner in life.
"Mr. Ben Keming, are tanks really useful?"
The moment Major Neil’s voice fell, the chatter in the command center abruptly ceased.
Many pricked up their ears—clearly, most were deeply interested in this question.
After all, on battlefields riddled with trenches, barbed wire, barricades, and machine gun emplacements, steam cars had long been proven to be nothing more than moving targets.
As for airships? They were even worse—larger and more conspicuous than steam locomotives, utterly incapable of escaping the barrage of anti-aircraft artillery.
"The lost sky romance, the lost sky ship."
This was the only evaluation given by the military strategists of Vilia.
"You don’t believe in Mr. Aji De?" Ben Keming turned his head to look at him.
"No, no, no! I’ve never doubted Mr. Aji De’s far-sighted strategic vision! It’s just that the two weapons deployed this time are truly..."
Neil couldn’t quite find the right words—or rather, he feared some adjectives might anger Mr. Ben Keming.
After all, both combat weapons were provided and designated by Mr. Aji De himself.
"I understand your doubts. In fact, I share them," Ben Keming said.
His frankness left the entire command center stunned.
"Don’t you find the sudden unveiling of this combat platform rather abrupt? Let me be honest with you—this time, you’re not here to command the battle. You’re here to observe it. Including me."
Silence.
The vast command center instantly fell into dead silence.
A thick sense of disbelief rose in everyone’s hearts.
"Not commanding the battle? Then... who is?" Neil asked, his face full of astonishment, voicing the question on everyone’s mind.
"Mr. Aji De."
This...
The command center was utterly dumbfounded!
Already, Mr. Aji De’s deployment of airships and the steam locomotives renamed as tanks had left them deeply puzzled, even uneasy.
Now, hearing that even command had been entirely taken over by Aji De alone, they were completely baffled.
Could Mr. Aji De really handle all this by himself?
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