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Chapter 287: Tomb Demon
Tomb Demon's real name was David Graves. In the original story, his entire family was saved by the Justice League during the Apokolips invasion, and David became a die-hard fan of The League. He wrote a bestselling book titled *Justice League: Gods Among Men*, which had a massive global impact.
But later, his entire family died of illness, and David himself was on the verge of death. He resented the Justice League for not helping his family a second time, and thus, his adoration turned to hatred (though the Justice League was completely unaware of his situation).
When medicine could do nothing for his illness, he turned to seek the power of the mystic arts. In the Pamir Mountain Range, he met the legendary deity Asura, who guided him to a Temple where he obtained powerful mental abilities. From then on, he called himself "Tomb Demon" and planned his revenge on the Justice League.
Of course, theoretically, no one in this world knew any of this yet. Orin Vale had only found the relevant information by quickly searching his mind upon hearing the name "Tomb Demon".
It wasn't a very brilliant backstory, just a very typical American comic book villain. He was originally a minor character whose hatred for the protagonists came out of nowhere, and his powers also came out of nowhere, suddenly granting him the ability to take down the Justice League single-handedly.
Of course, this was a classic case of a villain with bizarre abilities perfect for a "first encounter kill"—a common reason why the entire early Justice League often got wiped out.
However, even if they might suffer a small setback, the Justice League should be more than capable of handling this kind of problem, so Orin Vale didn't plan to waste his energy on it. In any case, even if the Justice League took a hit, it was highly unlikely they would be brought down by such a minor character.
Still, Orin Vale gave everyone a little reminder to strengthen the Watchtower's security, specifically pointing to Batman. In the N52 Justice League series, Tomb Demon was the first villain to attack the Watchtower and ambush them in their Home Base, thus beginning the torturous daily routine of the Watchtower's security becoming a laughingstock, on par with its equivalent from the Land of Light.
In fact, from the beginning, Orin Vale had wanted to remind them that having their base floating in the sky wasn't necessarily a good thing. He once considered educating the members of the Justice League, telling them that in his world, there was a defense force called MAC whose base also floated in the sky, in a similar position to their Watchtower. The grass on their graves was now five yards high.
Oh, right, their base also looked a bit like the Watchtower—both were spinning tops. Passing aliens could hardly resist the urge to give them a good smack.
Perhaps that story could give them some inspiration.
But in the end, he reconsidered. Although the Watchtower's crash rate wasn't low, the impact didn't seem to be significant. When the MAC base fell once, the entire team was wiped out. The Justice League's Watchtower seemed to fall once a month, yet since everyone in the Justice League was practically a god, nothing ever happened to them. With Batman covering the property damages, they could be as reckless as they wanted. Within a month, a new Watchtower would be back floating in the same old spot.
The problem of Tomb Demon was left for the Justice League to handle themselves. Orin Vale went on to fulfill Agent Mike Williams's duties as the Justice League's liaison, registering the members' supply requests for the month.
Things like cutting-edge equipment, crates upon crates of snacks and fruit, projectors, film players, Hal even wanted a pool table, and Kara requested three high-end gaming consoles from different manufacturers.
"Is this really okay?" The ever-honest Barry watched him take down the list, feeling a little uneasy. "I mean, buying so much for leisure and entertainment... won't someone be unhappy?"
Orin Vale chuckled.
"What's there to be afraid of? Someone else is footing the bill. Besides, this is nothing. The funds Amanda Waller embezzles from a single 'greening project' are far more than this.
"If anything, they should be secretly thrilled that the Justice League is willing to let them spend money."
"Is... is that so?" Barry was baffled.
"Alright, that's about it for now."
Orin Vale took stock of the list, which was so long it spanned several pages.
"You all should double-check if there's anything else you want. Think hard. Just order it first, whether it's useful or not."
Barry zipped through the list at super-speed, exclaiming in surprise, "Do we really need to drink such expensive wine?"
Clearly, this was a bit of a shock to someone on his salary.
"I think wine tastes gross," Kara said.
"I agree, actually," Orin Vale nodded seriously. "But I listed it anyway. Mainly because it's expensive."
Barry: "..."
After finishing the registration, Kara left the Watchtower with Orin Vale and returned to the coffee shop. She still had homework to do, and Orin Vale had his own business to attend to.
"I'm guessing Agent Williams is heading to the office again, sir?" Pal asked.
"No... How's the android duplicate?" Orin Vale asked.
"Adjustments are complete. It is fully operational."
"Activate it for me to see."
"No problem, sir."
A metal pod covered in wires rose from the ground, stopping in front of Orin Vale. The hatch opened, revealing an all-white android body inside.
Orin Vale made some adjustments on a panel, inputting parameters. A moment later, facial features began to appear on the android's blank face. As a stream of digital camouflage data scrolled by, it quickly transformed into the likeness of Mike Williams.
This was Brainiac's android shell technology—an artificial body with no consciousness. It could be remotely controlled via artificial intelligence and could be disguised to replace anyone.
For instance, a fabricated A.R.G.U.S. agent.
"Very good. It seems to be working quite well."
Orin Vale looked at "Agent Mike," who was standing at attention under Pal's control, and nodded with satisfaction.
"Now Agent Mike can be devoted to A.R.G.U.S. work around the clock. I believe it will be beneficial for his career. We'll have him report for duty at A.R.G.U.S. later today. If any important messages come through, be sure to alert me."
"No problem, sir," Pal replied.
On a pitch-black night, at an ancient manor.
A deep darkness enveloped everything. An occasional flash of lightning briefly illuminated the sky, like a crack in the heavens. The manor's shadow twisted grotesquely against the night sky. Thunder rumbled—the sky's furious roar, nature's clamor. The torrential rain, like tears from the horizon, poured down with immense sorrow, beating a somber drum against the ancient manor.
A man sat in the gloomy darkness, with only the faint light from a few windows penetrating the black. The profound silence was as if all life had been devoured by the darkness. The endless darkness and the weight of history made the manor eerie and terrifying.
There was no light in the manor; the only light source came from a flickering old television. On the screen was the Justice League, demonstrating their might during a rescue operation.
"As you can see, I'm on the scene of the Justice League's operation. An hour ago, the Justice League brought the situation under control. There have been no casualties. It's almost a miracle. We can't imagine how many deaths and injuries there would have been without them..."
The man narrowed his eyes and heavily uttered a single word.
"False gods."
"Yes. When you need them, they are never there."
Another voice echoed in the darkness. A pair of eerie eyes opened, and a mist seemed to spread through the shadows.
The hoarse voice spoke to him, "They can't help you, David, nor are they willing to. Many people think they are gods, but they are not. It's a sham. You need to help everyone see them for who they really are.
"You can help everyone... help them so they never have to be afraid again."
The voice had a magnetic quality, an irresistible, penetrating force that seemed to echo inside one's mind.
"Yes... You're right."
The man called David slowly stood up, a cape silently draping down his back.
His eyes glinted with light.
"I can help them all. No more loss, no more fear. But first, I need to take down the Justice League, or they will stand in my way. Fortunately, I've already found the key..."
David picked up a newspaper and narrowed his eyes.
It reported that A.R.G.U.S. had officially announced the sole designated liaison for the Justice League. The newspaper's headline was about the press conference held by A.R.G.U.S.
"Mike Williams. He is... the key."
(end of chapter)
Tomb Demon's real name was David Graves. In the original story, his entire family was saved by the Justice League during the Apokolips invasion, and David became a die-hard fan of The League. He wrote a bestselling book titled *Justice League: Gods Among Men*, which had a massive global impact.
But later, his entire family died of illness, and David himself was on the verge of death. He resented the Justice League for not helping his family a second time, and thus, his adoration turned to hatred (though the Justice League was completely unaware of his situation).
When medicine could do nothing for his illness, he turned to seek the power of the mystic arts. In the Pamir Mountain Range, he met the legendary deity Asura, who guided him to a Temple where he obtained powerful mental abilities. From then on, he called himself "Tomb Demon" and planned his revenge on the Justice League.
Of course, theoretically, no one in this world knew any of this yet. Orin Vale had only found the relevant information by quickly searching his mind upon hearing the name "Tomb Demon".
It wasn't a very brilliant backstory, just a very typical American comic book villain. He was originally a minor character whose hatred for the protagonists came out of nowhere, and his powers also came out of nowhere, suddenly granting him the ability to take down the Justice League single-handedly.
Of course, this was a classic case of a villain with bizarre abilities perfect for a "first encounter kill"—a common reason why the entire early Justice League often got wiped out.
However, even if they might suffer a small setback, the Justice League should be more than capable of handling this kind of problem, so Orin Vale didn't plan to waste his energy on it. In any case, even if the Justice League took a hit, it was highly unlikely they would be brought down by such a minor character.
Still, Orin Vale gave everyone a little reminder to strengthen the Watchtower's security, specifically pointing to Batman. In the N52 Justice League series, Tomb Demon was the first villain to attack the Watchtower and ambush them in their Home Base, thus beginning the torturous daily routine of the Watchtower's security becoming a laughingstock, on par with its equivalent from the Land of Light.
In fact, from the beginning, Orin Vale had wanted to remind them that having their base floating in the sky wasn't necessarily a good thing. He once considered educating the members of the Justice League, telling them that in his world, there was a defense force called MAC whose base also floated in the sky, in a similar position to their Watchtower. The grass on their graves was now five yards high.
Oh, right, their base also looked a bit like the Watchtower—both were spinning tops. Passing aliens could hardly resist the urge to give them a good smack.
Perhaps that story could give them some inspiration.
But in the end, he reconsidered. Although the Watchtower's crash rate wasn't low, the impact didn't seem to be significant. When the MAC base fell once, the entire team was wiped out. The Justice League's Watchtower seemed to fall once a month, yet since everyone in the Justice League was practically a god, nothing ever happened to them. With Batman covering the property damages, they could be as reckless as they wanted. Within a month, a new Watchtower would be back floating in the same old spot.
The problem of Tomb Demon was left for the Justice League to handle themselves. Orin Vale went on to fulfill Agent Mike Williams's duties as the Justice League's liaison, registering the members' supply requests for the month.
Things like cutting-edge equipment, crates upon crates of snacks and fruit, projectors, film players, Hal even wanted a pool table, and Kara requested three high-end gaming consoles from different manufacturers.
"Is this really okay?" The ever-honest Barry watched him take down the list, feeling a little uneasy. "I mean, buying so much for leisure and entertainment... won't someone be unhappy?"
Orin Vale chuckled.
"What's there to be afraid of? Someone else is footing the bill. Besides, this is nothing. The funds Amanda Waller embezzles from a single 'greening project' are far more than this.
"If anything, they should be secretly thrilled that the Justice League is willing to let them spend money."
"Is... is that so?" Barry was baffled.
"Alright, that's about it for now."
Orin Vale took stock of the list, which was so long it spanned several pages.
"You all should double-check if there's anything else you want. Think hard. Just order it first, whether it's useful or not."
Barry zipped through the list at super-speed, exclaiming in surprise, "Do we really need to drink such expensive wine?"
Clearly, this was a bit of a shock to someone on his salary.
"I think wine tastes gross," Kara said.
"I agree, actually," Orin Vale nodded seriously. "But I listed it anyway. Mainly because it's expensive."
Barry: "..."
After finishing the registration, Kara left the Watchtower with Orin Vale and returned to the coffee shop. She still had homework to do, and Orin Vale had his own business to attend to.
"I'm guessing Agent Williams is heading to the office again, sir?" Pal asked.
"No... How's the android duplicate?" Orin Vale asked.
"Adjustments are complete. It is fully operational."
"Activate it for me to see."
"No problem, sir."
A metal pod covered in wires rose from the ground, stopping in front of Orin Vale. The hatch opened, revealing an all-white android body inside.
Orin Vale made some adjustments on a panel, inputting parameters. A moment later, facial features began to appear on the android's blank face. As a stream of digital camouflage data scrolled by, it quickly transformed into the likeness of Mike Williams.
This was Brainiac's android shell technology—an artificial body with no consciousness. It could be remotely controlled via artificial intelligence and could be disguised to replace anyone.
For instance, a fabricated A.R.G.U.S. agent.
"Very good. It seems to be working quite well."
Orin Vale looked at "Agent Mike," who was standing at attention under Pal's control, and nodded with satisfaction.
"Now Agent Mike can be devoted to A.R.G.U.S. work around the clock. I believe it will be beneficial for his career. We'll have him report for duty at A.R.G.U.S. later today. If any important messages come through, be sure to alert me."
"No problem, sir," Pal replied.
On a pitch-black night, at an ancient manor.
A deep darkness enveloped everything. An occasional flash of lightning briefly illuminated the sky, like a crack in the heavens. The manor's shadow twisted grotesquely against the night sky. Thunder rumbled—the sky's furious roar, nature's clamor. The torrential rain, like tears from the horizon, poured down with immense sorrow, beating a somber drum against the ancient manor.
A man sat in the gloomy darkness, with only the faint light from a few windows penetrating the black. The profound silence was as if all life had been devoured by the darkness. The endless darkness and the weight of history made the manor eerie and terrifying.
There was no light in the manor; the only light source came from a flickering old television. On the screen was the Justice League, demonstrating their might during a rescue operation.
"As you can see, I'm on the scene of the Justice League's operation. An hour ago, the Justice League brought the situation under control. There have been no casualties. It's almost a miracle. We can't imagine how many deaths and injuries there would have been without them..."
The man narrowed his eyes and heavily uttered a single word.
"False gods."
"Yes. When you need them, they are never there."
Another voice echoed in the darkness. A pair of eerie eyes opened, and a mist seemed to spread through the shadows.
The hoarse voice spoke to him, "They can't help you, David, nor are they willing to. Many people think they are gods, but they are not. It's a sham. You need to help everyone see them for who they really are.
"You can help everyone... help them so they never have to be afraid again."
The voice had a magnetic quality, an irresistible, penetrating force that seemed to echo inside one's mind.
"Yes... You're right."
The man called David slowly stood up, a cape silently draping down his back.
His eyes glinted with light.
"I can help them all. No more loss, no more fear. But first, I need to take down the Justice League, or they will stand in my way. Fortunately, I've already found the key..."
David picked up a newspaper and narrowed his eyes.
It reported that A.R.G.U.S. had officially announced the sole designated liaison for the Justice League. The newspaper's headline was about the press conference held by A.R.G.U.S.
"Mike Williams. He is... the key."
(end of chapter)
