"He still has a breath left, but with such massive blood loss, even someone with extraordinary constitution is gravely injured."
Su Ming gestured to have Heimdall sent for recuperation. At this time, he still looked like Odin, leaning on the Eternal Spear with one hand, and with the other hand, he bent down to touch Heimdall's chest.
The heart was still beating, and there was no hole in his head, but all other internal organs were severely damaged.
He and Brynhild were discussing this, and the eight-legged Celestial Horse next to them stuck out its tongue to lick Heimdall's face.
This gatekeeper was indeed not a Black Man; not only was his skin deathly pale, but he also sported a red goatee.
Su Ming was very familiar with the wounds on Heimdall. Back then, when he was experimenting in London, he used his arm armor to block the energy gun of Hydra, and the damage to the armor was identical.
At that time, Su Ming thought the armor couldn't withstand the Cosmic Cube, but now it was proven to be the Cosmic Rubik's Cube.
Currently, that cube is with the Ancient One, so any other forces with energy guns would either be Hydra or the SSR.
And the SSR is now busy with office politics, Peggy has been marginalized, Philip has retired, Nick Fury is doing the cleaning, and Steve is filming ads for Wilson Enterprises.
With the great victory, the Strategic Science Corps has already stored their swords and lances, and set aside their horses.
So it's Hydra that's coming, but who is the leader? Whitehall? Or Kraken?
Whitehall is obsessed with the pursuit of immortality, while Kraken is the most familiar with Nordic mythology. They are highly suspicious, and their branches suffered almost no loss during World War II.
There is insufficient intelligence; Brynhild had not even seen the enemy, only the corpses of some Frost Giants and numerous blood-stained human footprints.
Fortunately, Heimdall did not die, nor did he fall into the Endless space beneath the Rainbow Bridge.
He had fallen off the Rainbow Bridge but, at the critical moment, stabbed the great sword into the Rainbow Bridge, hanging beneath it to avoid enemy detection.
It wasn't until Brynhild brought people to the Rainbow Bridge and realized he was missing that they searched everywhere, and the Celestial Horse picked up on his scent.
They found him hanging below the Rainbow Bridge, unconscious but still tightly gripping the great sword.
The Valkyrie deployed some troops on the Rainbow Bridge and immediately brought Heimdall and the giant sword back to discuss with Su Ming.
Su Ming handed Heimdall's giant sword to Gin, instructing her to carry it on her back: "Some enemies have already infiltrated. Their current positions are unknown, and it's very likely they will set up teleportation arrays to summon more reinforcements."
"It's very difficult for Frost Giants to hide; I can smell their stench from a distance," Brynhild whispered, looking at Heimdall being placed on the flying ship by soldiers and sent towards the Golden Palace.
The frontal battle was still ongoing, with the Vanir Race suffering significant losses, yet they showed no signs of retreat.
And now the Frost Giants were infiltrating Asgard from another direction, which only added to the problem.
"If it were only the Frost Giants, they wouldn't be worth worrying about, but if Hydra is mixed in, it's a different story... The fact that Earthlings dare to come here shows that they are well-prepared."
Hydra is an expert in infiltration and sabotage, and the organizations that split from the Holy Shield Brotherhood are all skilled in this.
Su Ming sighed, casting his gaze towards the battlefield.
Gin was also pondering, her concerns being more practical—such as whether the dispatched armies could be recalled.
However, the ones who can use the Rainbow Bridge... seem to be only Odin and Heimdall.
At least their Valkyries can't; this Uru Alloy Greatsword is indeed a key, but how to lock onto a teleportation target requires predetermined coordinates or the ability to see the situation in the Nine Realms.
Su Ming thought for a moment. The bait's effect was almost achieved, so better digest some of the enemies for now.
"Gin, go find someone to extinguish the World Tree's fire. Brynhild, notify Frigga to assemble the Three Goddesses and civilians immediately, and be ready to relocate on my command."
"Relocate? Where to after abandoning the Immortal Palace? That's impossible."
Brynhild flatly refused. She couldn't imagine what would happen without the Immortal Palace.
Su Ming patiently explained to her in a low voice, his single eye flashing with an indescribable light: "The attacks from Warnerheim and Jotunheim are not a coincidence. The signs of the Twilight of the Gods have shown countless enemies an opportunity, Surtur and Hel are both eager to act. Even if all the troops were present, the Immortal Palace could not be defended, Odin has offended too many people in his time."
Indeed, only Odin can defend Asgard. The Power of Odin is one of the forces of the world, and the Immortal Palace is Odin himself.
In ancient times, Odin blinded himself, pierced himself with Gungnir under the World Tree, and learned about rune magic only after hanging on the tree.
This is the origin of the Rune King. Without runes, what Rune King state could there be?
In normal history, Thor would awaken as the Rune King Thunder God, entirely reliant on the guidance of the Power of Odin within him, learning from Odin by blinding himself, hanging on the tree, and thus acquiring understanding.
There are two prerequisites: first is the World Tree's approval, and second is the bloodline of the Immortal Palace.
Only with both can the rune power be awakened, something Su Ming needn't even consider. If the World Tree truly has its own consciousness as in the comics, it undoubtedly remembers who set the fire.
And those bird claw ghost runes, Su Ming didn't understand either. He was always a magic insulator, with no talent in that area at all.
Even the Ancient One couldn't teach him. Talent is something that can't be forced; if you don't have it, you just don't have it.
"If Hel really comes, I will avenge my sisters!" Brynhild drew her weapon and swung it twice in the air.
"With words?"
Su Ming turned his head indignantly; this place, the Immortal Palace, was truly toxic. Brynhild had been back for just two days and was already brainless:
"Think about the days on Saka Star, your true enemy is actually Odin. He can defeat Hel himself, so why send you? To chase glory? Think about it, my words end here."
Brynhild fell silent, her breathing became rapid, her chest heaving as she stared at Su Ming with eyes as if she wanted to eat him.
But after a moment, she calmed down and spoke slowly, "You're right, but the reason he sent us, only Odin himself probably knows."
"The souls of your sisters are still in Hel's hands. You should think about how to steal or exchange them, instead of getting drunk and going wild every day." Su Ming sighed, his tone softening: "Now, go carry out my orders, and I will lead you to victory."
"...When you say that, you really sound like Odin."
Brynhild shook her head, turned her horse around, and galloped away.
Gin turned his head to watch her back: "Is it really severe enough to abandon the Immortal Palace? Many people have lived here all their lives; they can't survive in the world outside."
"The Golden Palace can be defended, and with the Destructive Robot in the treasury, and the fact the building itself is a fortress, it's easy to defend and difficult to attack. But the Immortal Palace's urban area is vast, and street fighting is the battle with the highest losses. Something tells me that different enemies will continue to come; first, we must evacuate the civilians."
This statement sounded compassionate. If Gin didn't know that the fire used as a signal was set by him, she might even feel moved for a moment.
But saving the civilians, this choice was not wrong.
"So where to? Let them evacuate to Earth?"
"No, Earth can't support so many people. The evacuation point for the civilians is Himinjögr." Su Ming whispered in her ear.
Gin felt a tickle in her ear, and she scratched it unconsciously.
"Where is Himinjögr? It sounds familiar?"
"Well, it's a super fortress from the time of King Bower, completely built into the mountain, very hidden. After Bower died, Odin succeeded the throne, and he granted the fortress along with the surrounding mountains and land to Heimdall."
Yes, that's Heimdall's fief, located somewhere on the Asgard Continent, not too far, but also far enough that no one could find it.
In the movie Thor: Ragnarok, Heimdall hid many civilians there.
He stood guard on the Rainbow Bridge all year, so the fief was just a formality, but when it could be used, it was very hidden.
A fortress is a fortress, as long as the civilians don't starve there in the short term, Su Ming needs some time for all the actors to be in place and to formulate his plan.
Su Ming did not know exactly where Himinjögr was, so he asked Brynhild to find Frigga; the older generation should know.
As for the real Odin, he was sleeping in the Golden House. No one would discover him, as 'Odin' was supposed to be on the battlefield...
"How come you, boss, know all these things?" Gin looked helpless. She felt she had done a poor job of being an Asgardian before, knowing less than the boss.
"Don't mind those details. If the people are preserved but the land is lost, both are saved. If the land is preserved but the people are lost, both are lost. The strategy now is to trade space for time, so go put out the fire first."
Su Ming sent Gin off to handle the task; he himself rode along the battle line, inspecting back and forth.
He was searching for the leader of the Vanir Race.
Gullveig was Frigga's sister; one was a mage, the other a warrior. But at most, Gullveig was just a bit stronger than Sif, far from being a match for Su Ming.
Su Ming could somewhat guess her reason for rebellion; on one hand, certainly for revenge, and on the other, a quest for equality.
The Vanir Race had always been oppressed by the Aesir, used as labor. Not only did they have to give tribute to Odin, but also provide troops to fight for Asgard.
When Odin was young, he conquered Warnerheim and decided that except for women marrying into the Aesir, other Warnerheim People were not allowed to enter Asgard.
The Vanir Race had long been conquered, and now everyone was supposedly part of the same country. The people wanted to visit the capital for a tour, but couldn't.
If this isn't discrimination, what is?
But Odin didn't think like this then. He considered it a great kindness, as no other race was allowed to enter the Immortal Palace either.
Therefore, you couldn't find a single dwarf or light elf in the city. The Vanir Race being allowed to marry Aesir warriors as wives and concubines was already a special privilege.
In fact, all those were mistakes made when Odin was young. By the time he grew older, even though his wisdom increased, the rules set in the past had become habits, habits he himself didn't realize were hidden dangers.