Chapter 195: Multiple Riveted Steel

If Lowell heard Joan’s sighs, he would definitely agree!

Because he was indeed a part of this massive steel flood.

Never would he have imagined that Mr. Akide had hidden such a huge arsenal!

Nor did he imagine that one day he would be piloting a strange steam car like a puppet, serving his country!  This morning, the organization suddenly summoned them, arranging for him and countless soldiers to gather in a secret meeting room.

Afterward, through the Internet created by Mr. Akide, they were taken to an endless…hangar.

Yes, the word ‘endless’ is no exaggeration for that hangar.

Although the hangar was brightly lit, the walls at the end of the vast space were invisible. Apart from the peculiar steam cars called ‘tanks’, there was nothing else.

Why are these tanks peculiar?

It’s because, apart from an internal structure similar to traditional steam cars, everything else is different.

They are encased in 60mm specialty magic riveted armor, with an anti-penetration capability of up to 800mm. The front is equipped with a 56mm rapid-fire cannon and four machine guns, leaving only palm-sized observation and firing holes.

Moreover, they don’t have wheels.

Precisely, the wheels are replaced by interlocking hubs, covered not with traditional rubber tires but with a wide metal track.

These peculiar designs utterly astounded Lowell, leaving him mystified.

A steam car without wheels, using tracks—what does this mean?  Can it move?  Lowell couldn’t figure it out.

However, when he drove the tank from a square teleportation array to the beachfront of Puen City, he was dumbfounded.

From his experience, such a lump of iron at the beach should definitely sink into the soft sand.

Yet, a shocking scene unfolded.

The tank he drove dashed forward without any pause, as if on solid ground.

[Warning: Please follow the green path. If you stray, return to the green area immediately. Timeout will automatically disconnect you and be considered an abnormal state!]

A virtual screen appeared in front of Lowell, showing the scenery outside the tank.

Part of it was marked red, while the other was green.

Red means prohibited.

Green means passable.

Additionally, a miniature map in the upper left corner visually presented his location and all members of his squad.

——All the tanks belonging to his squad were marked with green tank icons.

Based on previous emergency training, their squad could be disbanded and reorganized at any time, and the members just needed to obey the captain’s temporary orders.

“Mission one: head to point A!”

Lowell glanced at the highest order, then suddenly stepped on the accelerator, roaring along the shoreline.

The roaring of the steam engine made Lowell’s blood boil, a wild stallion-like excitement stirred in his heart, making him eager to rush to the front line.

Falai Dynasty, here I come!  ……

At this moment, who else was passionate besides the tactics executor?  At the Infir capital, in the original military command center, the high-levels of the Strike and Raise Movement watched the virtual screens on the surrounding walls, their old faces flushed with excitement!

Among them were workers, farmers, and even industrial aristocrats like White Reed, and a few destitute nobles who had secretly defected.

But regardless of their background, they were all stunned by this modern command platform.

Previously, this large conference room was certainly filled with ‘beep beep’ sounds.

Staff would refer to frontline intelligence and draw enemy and ally distribution statuses on the sand table map to provide the commander with references, ultimately issuing orders via radio to the front line.

Now?  A massive empire situation map was fully displayed on a virtual screen.

They could always magnify a specific area to check local details.

They could even switch to panoramic view, as if visiting the scene, seeing every big tree and even stones.

The informatization presentation of the map already amazed them.

But what amazed them more was their complete understanding of each military unit.

They seemed like ants suddenly emerging from the long Infir coastline, splitting into several routes, directly targeting strategic locations.

Some to snipe enemy troops, some to strategically penetrate, some to perform a pincer maneuver.

“This form of warfare is simply incredible!”

“Indeed! This means that orders can be precisely delivered to each soldier.”

“If this platform had appeared earlier, we might have overthrown the Infir Empire already.”

“It takes time for things to develop!”

“If the Empire had such a command platform, we would have attacked the Falai Dynasty long ago; how dare they boast!”

“The Empire lost without blame!”

“This is simply a miracle!”

“It is a miracle, isn’t it? Major Neil!”

Facing this dazzling command platform, exclamations of admiration were endless, and they were even more astonished by the massive arsenal Mr. Akide had hidden.

Amidst the exclamations, Major Neil quickly walked to Ben Keming’s side and said, “Mr. Ben Keming, there’s something I don’t understand.”

“Hmm?” Ben Keming, puffing on a pipe, turned to look over.

Neil was someone he knew, and could be said to have a deep impression of.

He was originally a famous genius in the Empire’s staff department. His only drawback was his worker background, causing him to climb for most of his life and ultimately stopping at the rank of captain.

This drawback was discovered and utilized by the Strike and Raise Movement members. After a round of dividing and drawing in, they finally persuaded him to become a secret member.

Neil later did indeed provide substantial support for the development of the Strike and Raise Movement in the capital.

So, after the Infir Empire was overthrown, he was immediately promoted one rank to Major and became a big winner in life.

“Mr. Ben Keming, do the tanks really work?”

As soon as Major Neil’s voice fell, the discussion in the command room instantly fell silent.

Many people perked up their ears!

Obviously, most people were very concerned about this question.

It should be known that in battlefields full of trenches, barbed wires, obstacles, and machine gun fire points, steam cars have long been proven to be merely moving targets.

Airships are even worse; their target is even larger than steam cars and can’t escape anti-aircraft artillery attacks.

Once the romantic gods of the sky, the lost vessel of the firmament.

——This is the only evaluation of it by Velia’s military experts.

“You don’t trust Mr. Akide?” Ben Keming turned to look.

“No, no, I never questioned Mr. Akide’s strategic foresight! But the two weapons dispatched this time are just so…”

Neil really couldn’t find the right adjectives, or rather, he feared some adjectives might anger Mr. Ben Keming.

After all, both combat weapons were provided and designated by Mr. Akide.

“I understand your doubts. In fact, I have them too,” Ben Keming said.

His honesty left everyone in the command room stunned.

“Don’t you find it a bit abrupt to suddenly display this combat platform? To be honest with you, you’re not here to command operations this time, but to observe operations, including myself.”

Silence!  The huge command room instantly fell into dead silence.

A thick sense of disbelief arose from everyone.

“Not commanding operations? Then, who is commanding?” Neil looked stunned and voiced the doubt in everyone’s hearts.

“Mr. Akide.”

This…

Everyone in the command room was utterly dumbfounded!

The fact that Mr. Akide deployed Floating Airships and steam cars renamed as tanks already puzzled and worried them.

Now hearing that the command was also monopolized by Mr. Akide, they were even more bewildered.

Can Mr. Akide handle the command?