Just as Hel and Tyr were sitting face to face drinking, Hel vaguely heard a strange music.
Music, in the Netherworld, shouldn't exist.
Hel's ears twitched, she slowly put down her wine glass, and the green light from the fireplace made her face appear even paler.
In the air filled with the scent of decay and antiquity, distant music indeed seemed to be ebbing and flowing.
She tilted her head, directing her ears toward the door, but her eyes were fixed on Tyr.
"Did you hear the sound?"
"Yes, my Queen." Tyr naturally frowned as well; this music was very unfamiliar, having never been heard in the Immortal Palace before.
Hel stood up from the soft couch, her black cloak flowed like water over her neck, converging at the top of her head to form a thicket-like Long-Horned Helmet.
"Let's go and see, the Netherworld has unexpectedly welcomed the living."
The two put down their wine glasses, walked out of the palace, their footsteps echoing in the empty hall, and the surrounding darkness seemed to sway with each step.
Following the sound, they searched within the city, finally spotting two people atop a distant tower.
One was very familiar, a Valkyrie, currently sitting atop Fenrir, holding a black Giant Sword, constantly marking it against the wolf's neck and back.
As for the other, an unfamiliar young man, the blind right eye, and the Eight-legged Celestial Horse behind him gave Hel a strange feeling.
The stranger was the source of the music, with a peculiar instrument placed before him.
Under the instrument was what appeared to be a black cloth, forming a platform, supporting a dense array of gold strings, roughly dozens in number.
His fingers plucking these strings emitted crisp, melodious sounds, while nearby on the ground stood several scroll-like poles, white at the top and yellow below, releasing wisps of blue smoke.
Upon seeing Hel and Tyr appear below, the stranger merely glanced at them before gently opening his mouth to sing.
"This city so empty, these memories so fierce, this street crowded with cars, who can I embrace..."
Hel paused her steps; she sensed something amiss.
The individual's demeanor was extremely relaxed and natural, showing no panic upon seeing her and Tyr, with music infused with the sound of gold and iron.
She couldn't understand the lyrics' language, but could sense a feeling of desolation and gravity, as if a heart-devouring beast lay hidden in the darkness.
After all, she once was a Princess of Asgard, possessing some musical cultivation.
Originally, she planned to rush forward, reclaim her wolf. Even with a Valkyrie nearby, her speed would undoubtedly be faster.
But now... something felt wrong.
Pinpointing exactly what wasn't right was difficult, yet Hel felt certain the stranger had a plan against her and Tyr.
Indeed, the musician even closed his eyes, swaying as he sang, with the Valkyrie merely focused on grooming the wolf, giving them little attention, this was too peculiar...
Hel first investigated the surroundings, finding everything calm, and attempting to use magic to inspect the stranger, yet he seemed an insulator, invisible in detection.
As if he didn't exist in the world.
Su Ming: "Alone, Alone, Alone... I follow these feelings..."
Hel: "..."
Not only did she halt, but she also held Tyr back, quietly watching the shadows atop the tower.
A trap lay ahead; this might be Odin, so they mustn't act rashly.
......
There certainly was a trap, a reverse Empty City strategy, tailored for Hel.
Su Ming knew the Netherworld housed billions of troops, buried underground.
Yet he showcased indifference, not only ascending the tower to enjoy the view but also to sing aloud.
Hel had been betrayed multiple times, her heart filled with suspicion of the living, uncertain of Su Ming's identity, entangled in various doubts.
Hel actually resembled Odin, possessing courage and wisdom. If replaced by a brute like Thor, Su Ming would never employ an Empty City strategy.
Several strategies exist solely to deceive the intelligent.
The current effect seemed promising; Hel was mired in uncertainty.
Of course, subsequent steps require modification, for Su Ming is now the attacker, and Hel can't retreat.
Conversely, the greater probability is summoning the army to encircle the two.
A temporary mislead might be achieved, but the Empty City tactic won't last. Once Hel regains clarity, it would become troublesome.
Though Fenrir is a 'hostage', Su Ming couldn't possibly truly eliminate, only pose, thereby negotiating.
Upon finishing a song, he opened his eyes, calmly gazing at the Goddess of the Netherworld.
She wore a dark green tight dress, a black spiky helmet, her facial lines sharp yet beautiful, now full of suspicion as she watched Su Ming.
"Hel, I'm here to negotiate."
Countless faint Souls fell from the sky but did not land within the palace; they merely formed a celestial backdrop, with distant green lightning suddenly bright then swiftly vanishing.
"Who are you?!"
Su Ming wouldn't answer this question; if he claimed not to be Odin, Hel might immediately attack, confident in her strength.
"I found a wolf, recalling it might be yours, hence I plan to trade my prey for some of your items."
Hel stepped forward. Numerous black rock spikes formed under her feet, lifting her to Su Ming's sight level.
"You have great courage, daring to confront my authority in the Netherworld."
Su Ming smiled indifferently, fingers sweeping over the Godslayer-turned strings, emitting a wave-like sound.
"Among the Nine Realms, there is no place I cannot go."
Hel bit her lips, her large eyes moved, this tone seemed truly Odin-like...
Was this for settling accounts over armies being obliterated by the Netherworld?
As Fenrir, who was supposed to be Odin's trump card, was subdued first, the situation was extremely unfavorable.
This stupid wolf.
If the person before me is Odin, then his restored youth could very well mean he used some special means, making him unbeatable in this state.
"...."
She responded with silence, while secretly awakening the recently dormant army.
"No need to fight, I just need you to answer a few questions and give me a dozen souls."
After listening, Hel thought for a moment and nodded slightly.
"Do you know the Great Serpent has broken free from the seal?"
"What?!"
Hel's expression and tone didn't seem fake; she genuinely didn't know.
After all, the Netherworld is one of the Nine Realms, and releasing the Great Serpent is detrimental to her interests; she didn't do it.
"Yes, the Great Serpent is free, and its target should be the Nine Realms. I thought your attack on Asgard was to strengthen your forces to deal with this, but it turns out you didn't know."
Su Ming made a speculation but stated it as a fact to induce Hel to admit the Asgard attack's purpose.
"I didn't know about this, but even if the Great Serpent appears, you won't make me join forces with you."
Hel crossed her arms, her face looking very displeased.
"No matter, I'm just here to say it. Now, you hand over the Valkyries' souls you killed last time, and I'll return Fenrir to you."
Su Ming signaled Gin to show the giant wolf was still alive, and Gin struggled greatly to lift the giant wolf's head.
Its tongue lolled out like a carpet, but the white breath from its mouth proved it was indeed alive.
"I'm curious, why would you return Fenrir to me?" Hel signaled Tyr to fetch the souls; she had to exchange them for the wolf.
But Odin's actions puzzled her.
If she encountered the prophesied one who would kill her, she would certainly strike first.
Su Ming looked at the gloomy sky in the distance, where the black clouds rolled, and the boundary between earth and sky was almost indistinguishable. He answered in a low, calm tone:
"Because the Twilight of the Gods is inevitable, and the end is the beginning of everything. The entire prophecy doesn't include you."
Hel frowned deeply.
Indeed, she wasn't mentioned in the prophecy, even though it mentioned the Dead, there was no mention of the Goddess of Death.
But Odin didn't plan to say more; he knew a lot, even the time of his death.
"The beginning of everything? Is even naming me Goddess of Death part of your plan?"
"The date of the Twilight of the Gods is 72 years later... Now, hand over the souls."
Su Ming answered her obliquely, merely changing back to Odin's likeness and attire. The Guqin Godslayer and Magic Floating Cloak instantly returned to his body.
The Eternal Spear, the red cloak.
Instantly, Hel felt a pressure coming her way; Odin's image in armor left a deep impression in her mind.
She always watched Odin's back in the past; he would ride into battle at the forefront, while she was the second.
But facing Odin now, she realized why former enemies would collapse so easily.
There was an inexplicable sense of fear that couldn't be articulated.
Tyr had already brought over some souls, which were white and somewhat transparent, resembling ordinary ghost souls.
He looked at Hel on the ground with inquisitive eyes.
If it's an exchange, then exchange; if it's war, he, the War God, wouldn't flinch.
Hel sighed deeply; she didn't know if the number 72 was true, nor the Great Serpent's matter.
But she would verify.
Fenrir being captured was a fact, and it had to be exchanged back.
The Valkyries' souls wouldn't listen to her commands; they were just collections, and if they could exchange Fenrir, it wasn't much of a loss.
"Tyr, give him the souls."
The deceased War God tossed the souls like throwing stones, each thrown toward the tower. These seemingly light ghost souls had a substantial weight to be thrown far.
Gin rode the Flying Horse, catching each of these ghost souls, then lined them up together.
Their consciousness was blurry, like half-transparent dolls, and Gin felt saddened.
Soon, a dozen ghost souls were all on Su Ming's side.
"Is the number correct?"
He asked, and Gin gave him an affirmative answer.
If so, Fenrir should be returned to Hel; if the Twilight of the Gods must proceed, Fenrir can't be harmed.
Su Ming stabbed the Godslayer into the ground and walked to the giant wolf, bending down and exerting force. All muscles formed by the symbiote swelled up.
He lifted the giant wolf and casually tossed it toward Tyr.
"Whoosh... Bang!"
Tyr didn't catch it; he was completely pressed beneath the giant wolf, creating a deep pit in the ground, and the thick dust flew up into the air.
Su Ming shrugged, both man and wolf were at most slightly injured, and since the deal was done, blame Odin.
He wrapped the souls with the expanded cloak, mounted the Flying Horse, then drew the long spear, and with Gin, disappeared over the horizon.
"Goodbye, Leia."
Hearing this name, Hel was completely stunned on the spot.