Chapter 6: No Results
Batman's fingertips tapped lightly on the console, breaking the silence of the Batcave.
His brow furrowed slightly, his gaze filled with scrutiny and doubt.
"Nothing. No record anywhere in the known extraterrestrial civilization databases."
As soon as he finished speaking, he pressed a button on the console. The display switched to a massive database interface.
The screen listed thousands of known extraterrestrial civilizations, ranked by threat level from high to low. Each entry contained detailed information, including racial characteristics, technological advancement, societal structure, and whether the civilization was aggressive.
He entered "Viltrum" as a keyword, including all possible similar-sounding or related terms.
But the screen consistently displayed "No matches found."
Batman didn't give up.
The absence of records didn't mean the civilization didn't exist. On the contrary, it might indicate that this civilization was extremely mysterious or originated from an unknown region of the universe.
He then pulled up the records of all known dangerous civilizations in the universe and began comparing them one by one.
From a bloodthirsty alien race to interstellar pirate gangs that thrived on plundering resources, he meticulously reviewed the data for every dangerous civilization.
"Not even a similar one."
Batman's brow furrowed harder.
Luka's descriptions of the Viltrumites, "bloodthirsty and warlike" and "taking pride in conquest," along with the words of the figure who had delivered Luka to him three days prior, echoed in his mind:
"This kid's built like a tank. Honestly, I don't think I was half as physically strong at his age."
These details instantly flagged the Viltrumites as a high-priority threat.
A race that had woven slaughter and conquest into the very fabric of its civilization posed an existential danger to Earth. Even a single Viltrumite near the planet could trigger a catastrophe of unimaginable scale.
Moreover, if a mere "rebellious youth" possessed such formidable physical capabilities, the strength of Viltrum's regular warriors must be terrifying beyond comprehension.
Batman's gaze grew increasingly grave as he began constructing mental models of Viltrumite combat capabilities, analyzing the potential threats they posed to Earth.
Unfortunately, the figure who had brought Luka had kept a relentless watch on him for the past three days.
Unlike Metropolis's naive, blue-skinned giant, this black-suited figure hadn't given Batman a single opportunity to obtain more physiological samples from the youth.
He had managed to secure only a single drop of blood.
That drop of blood was currently deep beneath the Batcave, inside a rumbling analyzer.
Due to the extremely limited sample size, many tests couldn't be conducted freely. Understanding the true nature of this young man would likely require a long and arduous process.
"A rebel who fled his home planet?"
Batman's eyes narrowed, sharp and scrutinizing.
"His vocal fluctuations align with patterns of tension and fear. Heart rate data is mostly normal, and breathing frequency shows no significant anomalies. However, we can't rule out the possibility of specialized training in deception."
His eyes fixed on the window displaying Luka's physiological data on the monitor, meticulously analyzing every fluctuation.
When Luka described the brutality of Viltrum, his heart rate did show a slight increase, and his breathing became somewhat rapid. Physiological reactions typical of someone recalling a horrific experience.
But Batman dared not let his guard down. He had encountered too many enemies skilled in deception. Some agents, through rigorous training, could perfectly control their physiological responses, leaving no visible cracks in their facade.
This young man, Luka, had grown up in a brutal environment, inevitably undergoing rigorous training himself.
Were these reactions genuine emotional expressions, or a carefully crafted deception?
Batman couldn't be certain, and he refused to jump to conclusions.
In Batman's eyes, any individual from an unknown alien civilization warranted the highest level of vigilance, even if they appeared to be just a severely injured youth.
He didn't trust Luka's words.
He had already prepared for the worst.
What if this boy was a Viltrumite spy, sent to prepare for a future invasion?
What if his entire story was a fabrication, his supposed "escape" merely a cover for infiltrating Earth?
These possibilities existed and needed to be verified.
Batman never took anyone's word at face value. He only trusted evidence.
"Initiate Level 2 surveillance program. Monitor the target's movements closely."
Batman issued the command to the console.
"Also, contact Green Lantern and have him check the Oa Database for any records of a civilization called 'Viltrum'."
The console beeped softly, indicating the commands had been successfully executed.
The surveillance program activated, and countless micro-devices hidden around the hut began operating in full force.
The communication signal to the Green Lantern Corps had been sent, and they were awaiting a response.
Moments later, a somewhat flippant voice requested a call with Batman.
"Knock, knock. Batsy home?"
Batman leaned back slightly, listening quietly to the faint rumbling sounds coming through his earpiece.
Then, without a trace of emotion, he asked, "Sounds like things are lively on your end."
"Yeah, buddy, yeah," Hal Jordan replied, his voice punctuated by rapid breathing. "You know how it is. Space cops chasing space crooks. Just another day on the job. Though this one's slippery. Fast, too!"
Batman's face darkened. He waited for Hal to stop rambling before asking, "What about the data I asked you to check?"
"Oh, come on, you're always in such a hurry. Are you like this on dates too?"
Batman let out a harsh, cold snort. Hal Jordan immediately shut up, sobering up a bit.
"No, Bats, nothing."
"What?" Batman's expression grew even more grave.
"I said no. There's no such planet as Viltrum. It's not in the Oa Database. Not for the past thousand years, and who knows about the next thousand?"
Batman sat up straight, tapped a button, and switched the monitor back to the surveillance footage of Luka, who was still bent over his soup. He stared intently at the young man, unable to resist asking Hal Jordan again, "Are you absolutely sure you checked thoroughly?"
Another series of explosions erupted on Hal's side, followed by his agonized screams and the heavy thud of him being slammed into the ground.
After a long silence, Hal's weary voice finally returned.
"Buddy, you think Oa's supercomputer is some Earth-made junk?"
Bang!
Hal seemed to have punched something, barking, "Stay put!"
"The second your message came in, I forwarded the query to Oa's central archive. Oa's integrated intelligence can search through all historical records from the past to the present in just three seconds. The conclusion is: there's no such place as Viltrum."
Batman fell silent.
Hal called out a few times, but received no response. He sighed in exasperation.
"Come on, think about it. Even if Oa doesn't possess all the knowledge in our universe, a planet with a warlike, bloodthirsty civilization would inevitably have interacted with other civilizations. And that means conflict. Wars."
"Yet we can't find a single trace of Viltrum's existence. Either your source is lying, or I'll have to request the League to conduct a mental evaluation on you. Did the Joker trick you?"
(End of chapter)