Reading settings
Chapter 251: What a Coincidence
There are countless stories in DC Comics related to Apokolips, with Darkseid targeting Earth whenever he feels like it. But among all the various worlds and versions, Orin Vale only remembered one version where the situation was similar to the present one.
This was the plot development in the *Earth 2* story. Earth 2 is one of the most important parallel dimensions outside the main DC Universe, and it was a dimension of despair. The heroes of Earth fought back arduously against the invasion from Apokolips, but the outcome was far from satisfactory.
Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, the Trinity, were all sacrificed, and the major nations were forced to jointly establish the World Army. After a difficult and protracted war of resistance, humanity finally faced a destiny of near-extinction. Even the will of Earth itself joined the ranks of the heroes to resist the invasion, but their desperate struggle was ultimately proven futile.
The Earth of that world ultimately met its destruction.
So, this familiar development gave Orin Vale an instinctive sense of foreboding.
Of course, that world didn't have time to form the Justice League, and more importantly, it didn't have Orin Vale. He was still quite confident he could prevent those disasters from befalling this world.
As long as he acted quickly.
"Kal saw the news and immediately decided to head to Deherein. Everyone decided to go with him," Kara said. "We're preparing to leave now. Are you coming with us?"
"You guys go ahead. I'll go over myself in a bit."
Hanging up the communication, Orin Vale immediately said, "Pal, check for news on A.R.G.U.S. When did they get involved with Deherein?"
Pal acted with his usual speed and quickly dug up the intelligence. Just as Orin Vale had thought back at Belle Reve Prison, Amanda Waller had intentionally gathered those specific criminals to prepare for the Suicide Squad project.
A.R.G.U.S. got involved precisely because of the Suicide Squad's investigation.
Initially, A.R.G.U.S. hadn't noticed the secret coup d'état in this remote little nation at all; their attention was drawn by clues related to illegal superpower experiments.
The clues pointed to Deherein. Because it involved the affairs of another nation, Amanda Waller, considering the political ramifications, felt it was inconvenient for A.R.G.U.S. to get involved directly. Thus, she arranged for the Suicide Squad to infiltrate Deherein to investigate. Even if the squad's whereabouts were exposed, A.R.G.U.S. could completely wash their hands of it, claiming they had no connection to this bunch of criminal scum.
Originally, it was just to investigate an illegal superpower experiment, but they never expected that after the squad slipped in, they would be shocked to discover that Deherein had already been taken over by aliens. But as the squad brought back this shocking intelligence, their own position was exposed, and they got into a major fight with a Dehryan flying mecha squadron armed with Apokoliptian technology.
Amanda Waller had been worried about diplomatic issues, but upon discovering this bombshell of an alien invasion, all considerations like politics and diplomacy were naturally thrown out the window. The A.R.G.U.S. troops, already lying in ambush outside the border, engaged in a direct conflict with the Dehryan army.
After a grueling ten-minute battle, A.R.G.U.S. was completely defeated.
It couldn't be helped. The enemy was an army armed with New Gods and Apokoliptian technology, and it was an encounter battle with no prior preparation. It would have been a miracle if they could win.
Besides, A.R.G.U.S.'s direct combat power isn't all that great.
Excluding metahumans, if you were to compare their direct firepower to a Defense Force from the Ultraman Universe, they would probably be equivalent to the TAC. Their specialty is nothing more than aircraft putting on firework displays and missiles giving a light scrub-down. The guns on their waists look like weapons but are functionally equivalent to fire pokers, and the only target they've ever managed to kill were crabs on a beach.
So, you expect someone like A.R.G.U.S. to be the main damage dealer on the front lines? Can they do it? No! They just don't have the ability.
"Received a mission directive from A.R.G.U.S.," Pal said.
"For me?" Orin Vale raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"For Agent Mike Williams, of course," Pal said. "A.R.G.U.S. is urgently summoning personnel to Deherein. Will Agent Williams be absent, sir?"
"No, of course not," Orin Vale said. "We have our own business to attend to, but it's not a bad idea to place a ward on the front lines. Just like..."
As he spoke, his figure blurred, electric arcs flickered, and his form shifted into a hazy afterimage amidst the oscillations. The next moment, Orin Vale had split into two, materializing a doppelgänger.
Then, a golden radiance flashed over the doppelgänger. Its form changed, and in an instant, it had taken on the appearance of Agent Mike Williams.
"Who was it that said a person can't multitask?"
Outside the Deherein border, A.R.G.U.S. Camp.
Artillery fire lit up the sky, and the sound of violent explosions shook the air. Each explosion was like a merciless tidal wave. The camp was covered in the thick smell of gunpowder, and the air was filled with a smoke screen and dust from the explosives.
"Hold our position? With what!? You want me to use my head to hold it!?"
The Officer roared into the microphone in his hand.
"Does Amanda Waller know the situation here? I told you, the enemy is armed with unknown technology! Our equipment is useless! What? Use our iron willpower? To hell with you..."
As he spoke, an energy blast detonated outside the camp, kicking up clouds of dust and fragments. Their space had been compressed until they had almost nowhere left to retreat, the artillery fire threatening to annihilate everything.
A few minutes ago, this camp located on the border was also exposed. Their concealment methods were useless against the Apokoliptian technology. A vast army, like a swarm of locusts, swept over them, leaving no room to fight back.
The Officer was also very frustrated.
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but as far as he knew, ever since they started dealing with aliens, it seemed like A.R.G.U.S. was always taking a beating. Sometimes, it was probably their own fault for courting disaster, but other times, the beatings were just baffling. He always felt as if someone had saddled them with blame that was impossible to shake off...
"Ha, look at that pathetic state they're in!"
A Dehryan flying soldier, with tail flames jetting from his mecha's back, fired his gun while mockingly looking down at the battered A.R.G.U.S. personnel below.
"I have to admit, it's quite amusing to watch these arrogant idiots who have bullied us for years scurry around covering their heads."
Deherein was a small nation that had always had to swallow its pride and endure in front of the Western world. Although many present might have initially bowed their heads and joined reluctantly under Steppenwolf's tyranny, now, wielding alien technology to slaughter the very people who used to lord it over them felt inexplicably satisfying.
"Come on, come on, you idiots of freedom and democracy! Why aren't you spouting your clichés now!?"
The Soldier grew more and more arrogant as he killed, flying in mid-air and repeatedly pulling the trigger on his energy cannon.
"No one can stop us anymore! No one!"
Then, a gentle voice sounded from behind him.
"Well then, I guess I must be that 'No one'."
The Soldier, who was in the middle of his killing spree, furrowed his brows and turned around angrily upon hearing this.
"Who? Who dares to challenge me!?"
He whipped his head around, only to be met with the sight of a large Superman Emblem.
Superman hovered in mid-air with his arms crossed, his cape fluttering, smiling under the gazes of countless eyes.
The Soldier's expression instantly froze.
He swallowed hard, his ferocious expression from the previous moment instantly replaced by a smile.
"Oh, it's you... haha, what a coincidence..."
(end of chapter)
There are countless stories in DC Comics related to Apokolips, with Darkseid targeting Earth whenever he feels like it. But among all the various worlds and versions, Orin Vale only remembered one version where the situation was similar to the present one.
This was the plot development in the *Earth 2* story. Earth 2 is one of the most important parallel dimensions outside the main DC Universe, and it was a dimension of despair. The heroes of Earth fought back arduously against the invasion from Apokolips, but the outcome was far from satisfactory.
Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, the Trinity, were all sacrificed, and the major nations were forced to jointly establish the World Army. After a difficult and protracted war of resistance, humanity finally faced a destiny of near-extinction. Even the will of Earth itself joined the ranks of the heroes to resist the invasion, but their desperate struggle was ultimately proven futile.
The Earth of that world ultimately met its destruction.
So, this familiar development gave Orin Vale an instinctive sense of foreboding.
Of course, that world didn't have time to form the Justice League, and more importantly, it didn't have Orin Vale. He was still quite confident he could prevent those disasters from befalling this world.
As long as he acted quickly.
"Kal saw the news and immediately decided to head to Deherein. Everyone decided to go with him," Kara said. "We're preparing to leave now. Are you coming with us?"
"You guys go ahead. I'll go over myself in a bit."
Hanging up the communication, Orin Vale immediately said, "Pal, check for news on A.R.G.U.S. When did they get involved with Deherein?"
Pal acted with his usual speed and quickly dug up the intelligence. Just as Orin Vale had thought back at Belle Reve Prison, Amanda Waller had intentionally gathered those specific criminals to prepare for the Suicide Squad project.
A.R.G.U.S. got involved precisely because of the Suicide Squad's investigation.
Initially, A.R.G.U.S. hadn't noticed the secret coup d'état in this remote little nation at all; their attention was drawn by clues related to illegal superpower experiments.
The clues pointed to Deherein. Because it involved the affairs of another nation, Amanda Waller, considering the political ramifications, felt it was inconvenient for A.R.G.U.S. to get involved directly. Thus, she arranged for the Suicide Squad to infiltrate Deherein to investigate. Even if the squad's whereabouts were exposed, A.R.G.U.S. could completely wash their hands of it, claiming they had no connection to this bunch of criminal scum.
Originally, it was just to investigate an illegal superpower experiment, but they never expected that after the squad slipped in, they would be shocked to discover that Deherein had already been taken over by aliens. But as the squad brought back this shocking intelligence, their own position was exposed, and they got into a major fight with a Dehryan flying mecha squadron armed with Apokoliptian technology.
Amanda Waller had been worried about diplomatic issues, but upon discovering this bombshell of an alien invasion, all considerations like politics and diplomacy were naturally thrown out the window. The A.R.G.U.S. troops, already lying in ambush outside the border, engaged in a direct conflict with the Dehryan army.
After a grueling ten-minute battle, A.R.G.U.S. was completely defeated.
It couldn't be helped. The enemy was an army armed with New Gods and Apokoliptian technology, and it was an encounter battle with no prior preparation. It would have been a miracle if they could win.
Besides, A.R.G.U.S.'s direct combat power isn't all that great.
Excluding metahumans, if you were to compare their direct firepower to a Defense Force from the Ultraman Universe, they would probably be equivalent to the TAC. Their specialty is nothing more than aircraft putting on firework displays and missiles giving a light scrub-down. The guns on their waists look like weapons but are functionally equivalent to fire pokers, and the only target they've ever managed to kill were crabs on a beach.
So, you expect someone like A.R.G.U.S. to be the main damage dealer on the front lines? Can they do it? No! They just don't have the ability.
"Received a mission directive from A.R.G.U.S.," Pal said.
"For me?" Orin Vale raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"For Agent Mike Williams, of course," Pal said. "A.R.G.U.S. is urgently summoning personnel to Deherein. Will Agent Williams be absent, sir?"
"No, of course not," Orin Vale said. "We have our own business to attend to, but it's not a bad idea to place a ward on the front lines. Just like..."
As he spoke, his figure blurred, electric arcs flickered, and his form shifted into a hazy afterimage amidst the oscillations. The next moment, Orin Vale had split into two, materializing a doppelgänger.
Then, a golden radiance flashed over the doppelgänger. Its form changed, and in an instant, it had taken on the appearance of Agent Mike Williams.
"Who was it that said a person can't multitask?"
Outside the Deherein border, A.R.G.U.S. Camp.
Artillery fire lit up the sky, and the sound of violent explosions shook the air. Each explosion was like a merciless tidal wave. The camp was covered in the thick smell of gunpowder, and the air was filled with a smoke screen and dust from the explosives.
"Hold our position? With what!? You want me to use my head to hold it!?"
The Officer roared into the microphone in his hand.
"Does Amanda Waller know the situation here? I told you, the enemy is armed with unknown technology! Our equipment is useless! What? Use our iron willpower? To hell with you..."
As he spoke, an energy blast detonated outside the camp, kicking up clouds of dust and fragments. Their space had been compressed until they had almost nowhere left to retreat, the artillery fire threatening to annihilate everything.
A few minutes ago, this camp located on the border was also exposed. Their concealment methods were useless against the Apokoliptian technology. A vast army, like a swarm of locusts, swept over them, leaving no room to fight back.
The Officer was also very frustrated.
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but as far as he knew, ever since they started dealing with aliens, it seemed like A.R.G.U.S. was always taking a beating. Sometimes, it was probably their own fault for courting disaster, but other times, the beatings were just baffling. He always felt as if someone had saddled them with blame that was impossible to shake off...
"Ha, look at that pathetic state they're in!"
A Dehryan flying soldier, with tail flames jetting from his mecha's back, fired his gun while mockingly looking down at the battered A.R.G.U.S. personnel below.
"I have to admit, it's quite amusing to watch these arrogant idiots who have bullied us for years scurry around covering their heads."
Deherein was a small nation that had always had to swallow its pride and endure in front of the Western world. Although many present might have initially bowed their heads and joined reluctantly under Steppenwolf's tyranny, now, wielding alien technology to slaughter the very people who used to lord it over them felt inexplicably satisfying.
"Come on, come on, you idiots of freedom and democracy! Why aren't you spouting your clichés now!?"
The Soldier grew more and more arrogant as he killed, flying in mid-air and repeatedly pulling the trigger on his energy cannon.
"No one can stop us anymore! No one!"
Then, a gentle voice sounded from behind him.
"Well then, I guess I must be that 'No one'."
The Soldier, who was in the middle of his killing spree, furrowed his brows and turned around angrily upon hearing this.
"Who? Who dares to challenge me!?"
He whipped his head around, only to be met with the sight of a large Superman Emblem.
Superman hovered in mid-air with his arms crossed, his cape fluttering, smiling under the gazes of countless eyes.
The Soldier's expression instantly froze.
He swallowed hard, his ferocious expression from the previous moment instantly replaced by a smile.
"Oh, it's you... haha, what a coincidence..."
(end of chapter)
