Chapter 181: The Guardians Know Everything
2023-10-23 Author: Rowing Without Oars 233
Coast City, Air Force Base.
"Kerketer is an aerospace corporation based in Gotham City. After Ferris Aircraft's contract with the Air Force was terminated due to a flight accident, Kerketer took its place as the main partner of the Coast City Air Force."
As Orin Vale flew toward Coast City, Pal showed him the data he had retrieved.
"I hacked into some classified files on their internal server and found the project file for 'Project X-2020.' It's an aerospace project contracted to Kerketer earlier this year. The goal was to design an engine that surpasses all modern fighter jets."
Orin Vale listened as he quickly scanned the intelligence displayed in the files.
"Hmm... it's less like they designed it and more like they transplanted it." A rough design schematic he had hacked flashed before Orin Vale's eyes.
It was clear the designers had no understanding of the engine's technology or principles. They had simply copied some alien technology they must have seen somewhere, shoehorning it into this aircraft. Furthermore, some jarring inconsistencies indicated that it was a heavily watered-down version of the original design.
And even so, the engine exploded shortly after the aircraft took off. If he and Kara hadn't happened to be passing by, the plane would have become fireworks.
"Also, there's another interesting thing about Kerketer, sir. Around the same time this project was established, a scandal broke out within Kerketer Aerospace. The CEO of Kerketer Aerospace was reportedly arrested for an illegal act of indecency..."
"That happened?"
Orin Vale pulled up the news article Pal mentioned on the interface. The headline was about the arrest of the Kirkut Chairman. In the report, the female victim tearfully accused the sanctimonious old man of luring her into a room and assaulting her for a full minute.
The incident itself wasn't particularly noteworthy, but its timing, coinciding with the launch of this key project, was a little suspicious.
"Approaching Coast City Air Force Base Three's warehouse," Pal said. "Flight navigation complete."
So, Orin Vale temporarily dismissed the information and took manual control of the armor for landing.
Night had fallen, and silence enveloped the entire base. Tall watchtowers stood guard, the silhouettes of large, solemn facilities were faintly visible, and dormant war vehicles stood quietly all around.
The mobile armor landed while maintaining its stealth mode. Orin Vale followed the activated energy signal and quickly located the corresponding warehouse.
A gate made of aerospace-grade titanium alloy, reinforced with a multi-layered composite structure, and a lock combining mechanical and electronic components. The warehouse was guarded airtight, but of course, for an alien with the ability of Phasing, it was all for show.
He got in without a problem.
"Alright, now keep your eyes peeled," Orin Vale said. "Track the radiation source for me..."
"Found you!"
A man's voice rang out in mid-air. A dazzling green light suddenly dispelled the darkness. A transparent green dome descended from the sky, the green light forming the image of an iron cage, trapping Orin Vale inside.
"Hm?"
Orin Vale turned his head to look. Floating in mid-air was a cool and cocky-looking guy, glowing like a green sun. He wore a black and green uniform, an eye mask covering his cheekbones, and a prominent Power Ring symbol on his chest.
There was no mistaking him. The Guardian of Coast City, a founding member of the Justice League, the second Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.
The Power Ring on his hand was known as "the most powerful weapon in the universe." It granted him abilities like flight, interstellar travel, super strength, energy projection, and could transform energy into weapons and constructs of any shape based on the wielder's imagination.
Just like this cage currently holding Orin Vale.
"I was pretty surprised when the Power Ring reported an alien on Earth," Hal said in a deep voice. "Now let's see which galaxy you're from..."
"No results found," the Power Ring's voice reported in his ear.
"Huh?"
Hal stared at the Power Ring on his fist, astonished.
"Impossible. Power Ring, match again. Tell me which galaxy he's from!"
"No results found." The Power Ring's feedback was the same.
"Impossible," Hal said, even more surprised. "The Power Ring knows everything the Guardians know, and the Guardians are omniscient! How could...?"
Orin Vale was amused. He could tell at a glance that this was a rookie Hal who had only been on the job for a few days. Later on, Hal would learn that there was a whole lot the Guardians didn't know...
"Take it easy, buddy," Orin Vale chuckled. "It's inevitable to have an off day."
Just as he spoke, a loud bang came from the back of the warehouse. Both of them looked over to see the wall crack open. With a burst of energy, a robot appeared outside the doorway, electric sparks crackling and popping across its body.
"No one can... *bzzzt*... escape the... *bzzzt*... Manhunters..."
Orin Vale narrowed his eyes, his scanner quickly locking onto the robot.
Well now, so this is the source of the alien technology in that engine.
Manhunters, villains from the early Green Lantern stories.
It's said that, according to some principle of freedom and lighthouses, in every parallel world there's a group of self-appointed universal policemen who take it upon themselves to ensure the world's safety. The DC Universe also has such a group: the creators of the Green Lantern Corps, their superiors, a group of Little Blue Men called the "Guardians."
About three billion years ago, this group of Little Blue Men, without a vote or permission, appointed themselves the protectors of the universe. For some reason, they decided the universe was their backyard and resolved to create an interstellar peacekeeping force to maintain cosmic order.
And before the Green Lantern Corps, the first force they deployed was this mechanical legion called the "Manhunters." Each Manhunter possessed formidable combat power and was dispersed throughout the universe to fight sin and maintain peace, forming the very first interstellar peacekeeping force.
But as everyone knows, an AI is only created so that it can go berserk one day. The Manhunter legion did not disappoint; it went berserk and caused an epic massacre in Sector 666, wiping out nearly every sentient being in the entire galaxy. After that, the Manhunters were decommissioned, and the Green Lantern Corps that we know today took their place.
"And what are you supposed to be?"
Hal frowned, raising his Power Ring toward the opponent.
"Power Ring, initiate identification program. Tell me what this thing is."
"No results found," the Power Ring responded crisply.
This was to be expected. Although the Manhunters were created by the Guardians, their existence was highly classified within the Green Lantern Corps. At this stage, no Green Lantern knew that their Little Blue Men superiors actually had predecessors.
Hal's eyes went wide.
"No results, and no results again? Then what the hell do you know?"
The Power Ring replied proudly: "The Guardians are omniscient."
"So if they're omniscient, then tell me what these two are!"
"No results found."
"You son of a..."
A dangerous red glow flickered in the robot's eyes.
"No one can escape the Manhunters..."
Seeing that the opponent was about to make a move, the universe's number one hothead, Green Lantern, naturally wouldn't back down. He turned his head and said to Orin Vale, who was still trapped in the green cage.
"You just wait here. Watch the Green Lantern kick this robot's ass, then I'll come back to question you."
Orin Vale, however, was in no hurry. He had all his sensors and scanners ready, all his camera equipment aimed at Hal's ring, looking for all the world like a spectator who had just settled in with popcorn.
Hal lifted off the ground, hovering in the air, his entire body enveloped in a green glow.
"Don't worry, the Green Lantern's got this!"
With that, he charged head-first at the Manhunter.
The dazzling green light nearly filled the entire warehouse.
Half a second later, the Green Lantern's head snapped back, and he spat out a mouthful of blood as he was kicked back even faster than he had charged in, rolling several times across the ground.
"Cough, cough... Impossible," Hal looked up at the Manhunter in disbelief. "The Power Ring is the most powerful weapon in the universe, how could..."
"Like I said, it's inevitable to have an off day."
Orin Vale crouched beside Hal and extended a hand to him.
"The universe is a vast and strange place. It's perfectly normal to occasionally run into something the Power Ring can't recognize or defeat."
"Thanks."
Hal took his hand and stood up. He regrouped, preparing to charge again, but suddenly froze.
He realized something was wrong.
He slowly turned his head to look at Orin Vale, who was standing beside him as if nothing had happened, and then at the green cage in the distance, which was now empty.
His expression became priceless.
He pointed at Orin Vale. "You... you... you... how did you get out?!"
Hal looked at the ring in his hand, then at Orin Vale, then at the Manhunter nearby, and gradually began to question his life.
What's wrong with this useless ring today?
It scans an alien, 'no results found.' It scans a robot, 'no results found.' I go to fight and get my ass kicked by the robot. I make a cage, and it's like a damn public restroom people can just walk in and out of...
Wait a minute.
Am I wearing a fake ring today???
(end of chapter)