NOVEL NEXT Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Infinity Rail Squad
It was the Infinity Rail Squad!
At that moment, the communicator crackled, and the voice of Diesel, the captain of the Infinity Rail Squad, came through.
"Ahem… Can everyone hear me?"
"The Infinity Rail Squad of our esteemed company will be delivering you to your destination."
The AZX train sped toward them at breakneck speed. After executing a flawless drift, it came to a stop right in front of them.
Every steel panel of the train had been meticulously polished, its smooth surface reflecting the sunlight with a brilliant silver gleam. The streamlined, sturdy design blended nature's elegance with the raw power of industrial civilization—both graceful and mechanically imposing.
"Ssssshh!"
With a burst of hissing steam, the train doors slid open.
From the communicator, Soline's urgent voice came through.
"Get on! Hurry!"
Snapping out of their daze, everyone rushed aboard the train.
The doors closed.
"Once seated, we will depart immediately."
Inside the train, Brid's steady voice resonated through the cabin.
With a long whistle, the train began moving. The carriage shuddered slightly as the wheels turned, gradually accelerating. In a flash, the train barreled straight into the sea of Raptures, plowing through layer after layer of oncoming enemies, unstoppable in its charge forward.
Inside the train, the atmosphere was serene, completely different from the chaos and carnage raging outside. The moment the doors had closed, it felt as if they had been sealed off from the danger of the battlefield, as though stepping into another world.
Anis glanced around curiously, then leaned in toward the commander and whispered,
"…Commander, where the hell did you get this thing?"
The reinforcement squad had been arranged by Andersen, but the others hadn't been informed.
At that moment, Diesel stepped out of the conductor's cabin, greeting everyone with a bright, cheerful smile.
"This is the AZX Land Cruiser."
Her silky black hair cascaded over her shoulders, a few strands swaying gently against the blue uniform of a train captain. Her smile was warm and radiant, her long curled lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, adding a lively charm to her gaze.
She then explained,
"In fact, this train was completed quite some time ago. But we never had the right time or opportunity for a test run."
"Still, I never expected its first mission would be something this dangerous."
It was clear that even Diesel herself had been surprised by the sudden deployment—she must have only recently received the order.
"Getting this big guy up to the surface took a lot of effort."
Behind Diesel, Soline stood with her hands on her hips, chin slightly raised, exuding unmistakable pride.
"Pretty amazing, huh? Of course it is! We're the best train crew in the world!"
Though her words were directed at everyone, her gaze was locked onto Mo Chen, as if showing off specifically to him.
Through the large train windows, the scenery rushed past at high speed, blurring into the distance.
Meanwhile, countless Raptures were being flung aside, their bodies shattered to pieces by the train's sheer force. Those unfortunate enough to land beneath the wheels were mercilessly crushed into scrap metal.
Mo Chen nodded in approval.
"Yeah. It's pretty damn good."
This train was an absolute beast, built for one thing—plowing through anything in its way. Mo Chen couldn't help but recall a game he had played before, where there was a similar train, though that one was even more terrifying than the AZX.
Anis, completely speechless, couldn't help but complain.
"Since when do people start praising themselves?"
Just then, the train shook violently.
Brid's voice came through the train's broadcast system.
"Enemy encountered ahead, hold on tight!"
Boom—!
No sooner had she spoken than the train lurched again, this time with an even greater impact than before.
Soline, who had been bragging just a second ago, nearly had her hat blown off. She grabbed onto the back of a seat to steady herself, her face flushing with embarrassment.
"Brid! Drive properly!"
She had just been showing off, and now this? How humiliating!
Brid's voice soon came back over the intercom.
"That was a Lord-class Rapture we just hit… but our AZX won!"
Everyone was stunned.
A Lord-class Rapture.
That was the kind of enemy only elite squads could handle.
Diesel, surrounded by shocked gazes, couldn't hide her delight. She even seemed a little proud.
"A train is like a warhorse of steel, made to break through enemy lines. Cool, isn't it?"
Neon's eyes sparkled like stars as she clenched her fists excitedly.
"It's so cool! This is the ultimate form of violent aesthetics!"
Diesel beamed at the praise.
"Hehe, thank you!"
Anis, who had been watching the Raptures getting launched into the air outside the window, turned back with a worried expression.
"If we stop midway… we'll immediately get swarmed."
Looking at the endless sea of Raptures outside was enough to make anyone's scalp tingle.
Diesel, however, seemed utterly unbothered, as if she were just taking a leisurely stroll or enjoying afternoon tea.
"As if we'd stop that easily. AZX's Divine-Cadmium content is a solid 30%!"
Divine-Cadmium was a unique metal discovered in this world—extremely strong and resilient. Even adding a tiny amount to an alloy could dramatically increase its durability. This train, 30% of which was made from it, had more than enough power to smash through even Lord-class Raptures.
Just then, Brid's voice came through the intercom again.
"A strange signal has been detected ahead, directly in our path. It's moving rapidly toward us."
Diesel immediately initiated a scan, and the results surprised even her.
"It's a Nikke unit—Matis Squad and… Cafe Sweety Squad!"
Moments later, another shocking conclusion came in.
They've been corrupted!
Everyone's expressions changed.
"They've already taken battle formation—and they're coming straight for us!"
Brid's voice rang out once more.
"Contact in less than five minutes."
Anis, slumped on the train's sofa, groaned in frustration.
"Ugh! Can't we get just a little rest? Seriously, these guys!"
Matis Squad and Cafe Sweety Squad.
Both were elite forces from different companies, originally part of the previous operation against Material H. They were extremely difficult to deal with.
And now, their route coincided directly with the train's path.
A battle was unavoidable.
Besides, one of Mo Chen's objectives was to secure them.
Mo Chen thought for a moment before issuing orders.
"Counters Squad—your target is Cafe Sweety Squad. Capture them if possible."
"Absolute—your objective is Matis Squad. Stall them as long as possible. If you can defeat them, do it. If not, do not engage in prolonged combat—retreat immediately."