Infinity, The Arcade Age

The dense forest was alive with the movement of a large troop of about four to five hundred people advancing steadily.

At the forefront were four tanks clearing the path, while the rear was accompanied by six troop carriers. However, instead of soldiers, these carriers were loaded to the brim with firearms and supplies.

Soldiers carrying light weapons flanked both sides of the convoy, marching in step with impeccable discipline.

Sitting atop one of the leading tanks was a man in military uniform, his steel helmet tilted to one side. Bored, he was lazily smoking a cigarette.

Qin Ming's growing team had undergone some restructuring. Where once he had only one adjutant, there were now two.

The second adjutant was none other than Shuke, the pilot corporal who had recently joined his ranks. His promotion, however, wasn't due to his bootlicking abilities—unlike Tankman Beta, who was notoriously good at flattering his superiors.

On the contrary, Shuke was the exact opposite. He was a rigid, humorless soldier, the very picture of a straightforward, inflexible personality.

Qin Ming had chosen to promote him because he discovered Shuke's astonishing versatility. The man could fly planes, drive tanks, read maps, and even had a grasp of military tactics and troop deployment. He was a prodigy! It would have been a waste to leave him at the rank of corporal. So, with a grand gesture, Qin Ming appointed him as Deputy Commander, putting him in charge of managing the troops' movements and combat strategies.

Beta, the other deputy commander, retained his duties over logistics and supply distribution.

Despite his promotion, Shuke wasn't exactly thrilled—especially after learning that his "Commander" was just a third-class private.

When he voiced his skepticism, he was immediately silenced by dozens of soldiers pointing their guns at him. Realizing the futility of resistance, Shuke wisely kept his mouth shut and accepted his role.

Equipped with new weapons and gear, Shuke soon understood why this third-class private commanded such loyalty and admiration from his troops.

Riding on the tank, Qin Ming took a long drag from his cigarette and glanced down.

"Hey, Pilot Boy! How much longer until we hit the front line?" he shouted.

Marching alongside the tanks and scrutinizing a military map, Deputy Commander Shuke sighed.

He couldn't understand why Qin Ming kept calling him "Pilot Boy" when there wasn't a single aircraft in the unit, nor was flying planes his specialty.

Nevertheless, a superior had asked a question, and protocol demanded a prompt salute and reply.

"Reporting, sir! We're approximately five kilometers from the front line and will soon enter the battlefield. Also, the front-line commander sent a radio message requesting us to flank the enemy's artillery positions to create an opening for a counterattack."

"Artillery positions?" Qin Ming raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, sir. The heavily fortified rear positions."

"The ones guarded tighter than a vault?"

"Exactly."

"Why should we be the ones to go? Why can't they do it?"

"Uh… Commander, it's Major General Collins' direct order, and he—"

"Don't mention ranks to me! I don't care about that crap! I wouldn't listen even if five-star General MacArthur himself gave the order. If they want it done, they can do it themselves! Say another word, and I'll put a bullet in Collins myself!"

"But—"

"What 'but'! Whose side are you even on? Keep this up, and I'll demote you right here!"

Faced with Qin Ming's overbearing display of authority, Deputy Commander Shuke's face collapsed in despair.

By now, it was blatantly clear to Shuke that his "Commander" wasn't acting like a soldier at all—or perhaps he wasn't one, to begin with.

He disobeyed orders, ignored protocol, and acted entirely on a whim.

He had even openly executed officers from other units and then thrown a couple of enemy weapons on their corpses to make it look like a battlefield incident. Did he not fear being court-martialed? Did he think everyone around him was blind?

If this had been any other unit, such a leader would have sparked a full-scale mutiny by now.

And yet, against all odds, this ragtag force had just punched through enemy lines. Not only that, but they had also managed to wipe out an entire enemy tank battalion earlier.

Most astonishing of all was that, despite Qin Ming's audacious and insubordinate speech, the soldiers around him didn't seem scared or angry. On the contrary, they nodded along with looks of approval on their faces, as if everything he said was perfectly reasonable!

This bizarre sight left Shuke deeply uncomfortable. A graduate of a military academy, he had never encountered such a rogue commander and troops.

With a helpless sigh, Shuke realized that if he clashed with Qin Ming, not only would he lose the support of the other soldiers, but even the men from his original unit might no longer follow his lead.

Left with no choice, Deputy Commander Shuke was the first to back down.

"Commander, what do you propose we do next?" he asked.

Qin Ming paused, his hand instinctively stroking his chin as he frowned in thought.

He had no idea what to do next. After all, he had never actually led troops in battle before.

"Uh… how about we sneak into the enemy's arsenal or supply depot? Replenish our food and clothing while we're at it?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the soldiers around him erupted into cheers, so loud that even Shuke's attempts to quiet them were in vain.

Seeing their excitement, Qin Ming, who had only made the suggestion offhandedly, suddenly felt invigorated. He slapped the tank beside him with enthusiasm.

"That's right! We're hitting the arsenal and the supply depot! No rations tonight—tonight, we feast like kings! Brothers, get ready—we're pulling off a big one!"

"Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!"

The soldiers roared with their weapons raised, celebrating as if victory was already theirs before they had even reached their target.

Watching this scene unfold, Deputy Commander Shuke sighed once again.

Despite their superior equipment, fearsome combat skills, and ferocious battle prowess, Shuke couldn't shake the growing feeling that this unit wasn't a proper army. They seemed more like a gang of bandits.

And their so-called commander? He was less a military leader and more a roguish ringleader, dragging his men around to pillage and plunder with no regard for rules or regulations. Of course, Shuke wouldn't dare say this aloud—he valued his life too much to risk getting shot in the back while walking.

Thus, the bandit leader—no, the esteemed commander—led the 400-strong force to change direction. Instead of heading directly into the battlefield, they looped around to flank the enemy.

Meanwhile, in the rebel army's camp, a burly man with a cigar clenched between his teeth listened to a soldier's report with a stony expression.

"So, an enemy reinforcement unit has broken through our defenses and is now near the battlefield?"

"Yes, sir!"

"They're strong, I take it?"

"Extremely strong! They even destroyed one of our tank companies!"

"Hmm, I see... Sergeant Firestorm, what's your take on this?"

The man, dressed in a rebel officer's uniform, turned his bald head toward a figure nearby.

From the shadows emerged a man with a radiant smile. "Lord Allen O'Neill, do you remember those 'special individuals' I mentioned from civilian circles? Judging by the extraordinary combat ability of this supposedly ordinary reinforcement unit, I believe those individuals are behind it."

"Oh? It's them? Perfect. Firestorm, since you're familiar with them, you'll lead the mission to take care of this. Don't let me down."

"Rest assured, my lord! I'll eliminate them swiftly and thoroughly!"

Bowing slightly, Firestorm's grin grew even wider.

His outfit—a distinctive red-and-white sun motif uniform—clearly mirrored the iconic attire of Kyo Kusanagi from The King of Fighters '97. A familiar emblem hung on his shoulder: the insignia of the King of Fighters team.

(End of Chapter)