The Record of Unusual Creatures

Once the Midgard continent was freed from the hazard of magic radiation, and the people of Twilight Capital began to build their new home in the wilderness, Odin returned to his home, which he left 2,000 years ago.

The Garden of Asgard, the divine realm.

Despite having received a series of emergency treatments, Odin was still very weak. After disembarking from the spherical flying craft of Anthony Alfonso, he had been unable to stand for quite some time. But he refused to rest. After regaining a little strength, he walked into the ruins of the Garden of Asgard.

Seeing his home being reduced to a ruin, the once mighty otherworldling, the king of the gods, fell into a long silence. Odin’s white hair fluttered in the cold wind of Asgard. He stood there for a long while before taking a deep breath and said, “It’s all gone.”

“There is a Valkyrie still,” Hao Ren said.

“Yes, but there is only one left.” Odin seemed to force a smile, but his expression was very subtle, almost imperceptible.

“Asgard has the best-preserved ecosystem of all the Nine Worlds. Though it is the starting point of the chain of explosions, it is the least affected.” Vivian looked at the lush forest outside the Garden of Asgard. “Compared to the other Nine Worlds, this is a paradise. Are you regret leaving this place so hurriedly? Had you found a place to hide in Asgard for a few years, you would not have to go through the 2,000-year torment in Midgard.”

Odin looked at the ruins with a smile, his expression was somewhat relieved. “I’m kicking myself for fleeing this place already.”

At first, Hao Ren thought that Odin would be unregretful, never did he expect this king of the gods was so unashamedly honest. Before he could give Odin words of praise, the words choked in his throat. Coughing a few times and managing to regain his voice, Hao Ren said, “You’re so blatantly honest.”

“Having been through a lot, I’ve learned to move on.” Odin grinned. “Had I foreseen the situation of the Nine Worlds after the explosion, I wouldn’t have fled all the way to Midgard and breath the radioactive air for two thousand years. As difficult as life staying back here, it would be still so much more bearable than sitting like a dead man on the Iron Throne.”

Everyone was speechless.

“Of course, this is not all,” Odin said. “As much as I regretted not staying back in Asgard, I would be equally devastated had I given up the millions of lives in Twilight Capital. It would have been more comfortable staying back in Asgard, but by going to Midgard, I saved millions of people for the past 2,000 years. It was between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

Listening to the old man’s baring his soul, Hao Ren’s initial urge to mock him had faded away.

He realized that this was the real Odin in flesh and blood. Discarding the aura of the so-called King of the Gods, the fascination of the thousand-year-old ancient sage, the merit of sheltering Twilight Capital, and the history of enslaving humankind, Odin was merely a mortal. He was not really a god but just the leader of the otherworldlings exiling on Earth.

Deep inside Valhalla, the mad Valkyrie was still steadfast in her duty.

This time, they did not encounter any resistance as they entered the deepest part of the Halls of Valhalla. In the monitoring hall, the Valkyrie had been expecting them. As Hao Ren first entered the hall, he saw the Valkyrie, with a sword that glowed in lightning, crouched on a console like a ferocious beast. She was alarmed, hair messy, and mind unsound—the expression of her face clearly said so. But just to receive her new order, she had changed a better set of armor, which she had salvaged from somewhere.

The Valkyrie was not entirely crazy though, as she still seemed to retain some level of logical thinking.

“Don’t come any further!” The Valkyrie clutched her sword and stared at Hao Ren nervously, groaning threateningly. “Stop there!”

“Relax. Don’t you remember me?” Hao Ren quickly waved his hand. “I’m Hao Ren. I have helped you to find Odin.”

“Ahh, I remember you,” said the Valkyrie, after thinking for a long while before finally remembering him. Tucking her sword away, she said, “You have gone to our Father. You promise me to bring new orders from our Holy Father. Have you got it?”

“Here I have brought Odin.” Hao Ren smiled, stepping aside.

Odin walked into the hall, directly facing the Valkyrie.

The two of them did not say a thing for ten seconds.

“Ahh, Odin is now so thin that the Valkyrie may not recognize him,” Lily suddenly said.

Flaky at times, the husky may have hit the nail on the head this time. But just as everyone was trying to figure out what to do next, the Valkyrie suddenly said, “Identity confirmed. Valkyrie awaits your order!”

Hao Ren wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and smacked Lily on the head. “Stop talking sh*t next time,’ he chided.

“I was just giving my opinion,” Lily said, upset.

Meanwhile, after a moment of apathy, and her memory of Odin began to register, the mad Valkyrie went down on her knees, eyes filled with joy. “Holy Father! You are finally back visiting your barracks! The war is over. The Valkyries had fought hard and defended this line of defense. The Valkyries and the Valhalla army are ready for new instructions,” the Valkyrie said.

“Her memory is a bit messed up,” Hao Ren whispered to Odin. “She doesn’t want to accept that the Twilight of the Gods has happened. She believes that Valhalla has not fallen. Vivian has tried once to restore her, but it seems it doesn’t work.”

There was a complicated expression on Odin’s face, especially when he looked at the Valkyrie.

On the other hand, the loyal Valkyrie, head bowed, was still waiting for his instructions.

The Valkyrie found her meaning of existence in Odin’s order.

Holding his breath and unsure what order Odin was going to issue, Hao Ren looked at them anxiously.

“The Garden of Asgard has been destroyed in the war.”

Odin had spoken calmly, but his words had made Hao Ren and the rest of them breaking out in cold sweat.

Lily could not help but almost jump on her feet. “Old man, you shouldn’t–”

Before the husky maiden could finish, Vivian covered the husky’s mouth with her hand to stop her interrupting Odin.

“There was no winner in the war on the plains of Vigrid. The era of the gods of Asgard is over. The Nine Worlds have been completely destroyed in the Twilight of the Gods, and the situation in other places are even worse.”

The Valkyrie was quivering.

Odin suddenly stepped forward and reached out to hold up the Valkyrie.

“But you have completed the mission; Valhalla is secured, the last group of Valhalla army is alive, and the power of the Garden of Asgard has not completely disappeared. It was you that made the reconstruction possible in the first place. There is a group of human survivors from Midgard. Yggdrasil is also re-growing from its roots. The war is over, and it is time to rebuild. The army of Valhalla could be of help.”

Hao Ren had calmed down from his nervousness. Nangong Wuyue, feeling relieved, said, “The old man was gasping for air when he spoke.”

Odin took off his ring and gave it to the Valkyrie as a token. “Regroup the Einherjar, reopen the repair stations to restore the damaged Einherjar, and then send half of the Einherjar to Midgard to help with the reconstruction. Meanwhile, you are to lead the rest of them cleaning up the ruins and battlefield. There are still many things salvageable on the plains of Vigrid. Recruit some more souls as we need more helping hands.”

The Valkyrie took the ring solemnly.

“One more thing,” Odin said.

The Valkyrie listened attentively.

“I am going to abdicate,” Odin sighed. “I am too tired to rule of the Nine Worlds. From now on, she is your new master.”

The old man raised his hand, pointing at Vivian, who stood behind Hao Ren.

“What?” Vivian was stunned.

“Old friend, don’t say no to me,” Odin said, waving his hand after seeing Vivian’s expression. “I trust in your ability. I am too old, and the Asgard race isn’t immortal. The Nine Worlds need a nominal master. The ancient artifacts at the Rainbow Bridge and the Garden of Asgard, regarded as powerful to the human beings, need someone to look after. So too the Einherjar here. Consider this as a favor to an old man.”

“Are you sure that Battie is suitable for the job?” Lily could not help it. “Let’s not first talk about her forgetfulness and hibernation habit; she is a jinx, and you have almost nothing left now.”

Speechless.

Odin thought for a moment and felt that what Lily said made sense!

“Would you like to take up the job?” Odin said to Hao Ren after some pondering.

“What?” Hao Ren was stunned.