# 1255
Chapter 1256: City-Destroying Mountain Corpses
The Underworld.
Wails echoed across the land, ghost fires flickered.
Beneath the dark crimson sky, a pale skeletal palace stood silently at the end of the River of Suffering, resembling a mountain of white bones.
Countless jet-black crows seemed to emerge from nothingness, circling the skeletal palace before merging into a single cloaked figure who stepped onto the entrance stairs.
Loki brushed the scorched corner of his robes from the lightning strike, nonchalantly lifted his head, and walked straight into the skeletal palace.
As he ventured deeper, the surrounding light faded bit by bit, as if a massive mouth was greedily devouring all brightness. After an unknown time, clusters of eerie green ghost fires ignited overhead like stars.
By their faint glow, one could see that within the dim palace, not a single pillar existed. The hall's ceiling seemed to be held aloft by some mysterious force, floating majestically in the air.
"Is that you?"
A woman's voice rang out from the depths of the main hall. The moment the words fell, countless ghost fires surged toward the source of the sound, illuminating a corner of the darkness.
A tall woman in a dark green gown had somehow already stood at the depths of the hall, gazing intently at Loki.
"You're injured?" Her gaze fell on the scorched corner of Loki's robes as she spoke in surprise.
"Just a graze. As we anticipated, Thor has fallen into a rage upon his return." Loki said dismissively, "How is Sif?"
"She suffered a bit, but is now very compliant."
"Good." Loki nodded, "As long as Sif remains missing, Thor won't be able to settle down and compete with me for the throne of god king. After seven days, even if he realizes the truth, it will be too late."
"Why must it be seven days? What other arrangements do you have?" the woman asked.
"...Heh."
Loki gave a dry laugh and said nothing more.
"By the way, are those things all prepared?" He changed the subject.
Seeing Loki unwilling to explain, the woman frowned slightly, seeming somewhat displeased, but still raised her hand and gestured behind her.
The darkness behind her parted like curtains sliding open. The walls of the skeletal palace retracted upward toward the bone ceiling at a visible rate, revealing that the two were standing on a towering watchtower.
A mournful cold wind brushed against Loki's face. His gaze fell upon the distant horizon, his eyes narrowing slightly.
At the opposite end of the horizon, twelve mountains stretched in a continuous line. Dark crimson light scattered from the sky, casting these mountains in a bloody hue.
As the woman raised her palm, the twelve mountains trembled slightly. Giant heads slowly rose from the mountainsides. The screams of countless resentful spirits mingled with the clattering of bones colliding, passing by Loki's ears in the cold wind.
The earth quaked, rocks tumbled. The twelve magnificent mountains revealed their ferocious fangs in the bloody light.
"Twelve City-Destroying Mountain Corpses, all here." The woman spoke calmly.
Loki swept his gaze across them and nodded with satisfaction.
"Impressive as always, Hela."
Hela, Queen of the Underworld, gently lowered her raised hand. The twelve reviving City-Destroying Mountain Corpses curled back together, returning to silence.
"With these Mountain Corpses alone, you could sweep through most of Asgard. Are you certain about this, Loki?" Hela said gravely.
"Sweep through Asgard?" Loki laughed lightly, "Why would I do that?"
Hela froze. "You prepared these Mountain Corpses, not to compete for the god king's throne?"
"Thor can't beat me anyway. Since Asgard will fall into my hands eventually, why would I go to such lengths to destroy it?"
"Then why did you have me prepare all this?"
Loki's eyes narrowed slightly as a smile played on his lips, but he remained silent.
"You'll find out when the time comes..." Loki turned and slowly walked toward the exit of the skeletal palace.
The inner walls of the skeletal palace extended back down from the ceiling, concealing the distant scene once more. Darkness shrouded the hall once again. At that moment, a rumbling thunderclap echoed from the clouds.
Upon hearing this thunder, Loki's stepping foot suddenly froze mid-air.
He looked up in astonishment, seeing the falling lightning, and furrowed his brow.
"Is that Thor?" Hela said in surprise, "How does he know Sif is here?"
Loki said nothing, his expression simply darkened rapidly. That thick bolt of lightning struck the front of the skeletal palace. Dense lightning crackled and danced through the air as several figures slowly emerged from within.
"I sensed Loki's presence." Blind God Hodr gently released Lin Qiye's shoulder. Those closed eyes turned toward the interior of the skeletal palace.
Hearing this—
"Loki!" Thor gripped his silver hammer, dense lightning intertwining at the hammer's tip. "Come out and face me!!"
After a moment, two figures slowly walked out from the skeletal palace.
"How unexpected." Loki ignored the crackling lightning, his narrow eyes fixed on Thor. "How did you find this place?"
Before Thor could answer, his gaze landed on Lin Qiye and Number 22 behind him.
"Mm?" His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I will say this one last time... hand over Sif!" Thor's eyes flickered with deep blue lightning. His entire aura rose step by step, and a terrifying divine might descended abruptly.
"And if I refuse?" Loki said leisurely.
Boom—
Before Loki could finish speaking, Thor transformed into a towering shadow of lightning and charged directly toward the skeletal palace!
The pale lightning swept indiscriminately across the surroundings. The destructive power contained within made Lin Qiye's heart tremble.
Thor was indeed a Chief God at the top tier of the Norse pantheon. His strength was far beyond what other deities could match. Lin Qiye didn't doubt for a moment that even a single bolt of this lightning striking him would easily char him to a crisp.
"Hodr! Take Miles with you and use his prophecy to find Sif! I'll handle things here!"
Thor bellowed from within the lightning. Without hesitation, Hodr grabbed Lin Qiye's wrist before he could react, merged into the darkness, and vanished from the battlefield in an instant.
In Lin Qiye's perception, the terrifying lightning grew increasingly distant before quickly fading into silence.
After an unknown duration, Hodr brought him out from behind a massive boulder.
Lin Qiye looked back. Several divine forces clashed and collided in the distance. The dark crimson sky had already been shrouded by jet-black thunderclouds. Endless lightning crisscrossed like a forest amid deafening explosions.
If all went as expected, Thor, Tyr, Hela, and Loki were already engaged in battle. Meanwhile, Number 22, who wielded the [Royal Scepter], could only remain in the battlefield, waiting for an opportunity.
Though, the residual shockwaves from this battle were so terrifying that whether he could survive was truly uncertain.
Of course, Lin Qiye would be more than happy if he were crushed to death right there. That would be one less threat to himself.
At that moment, a low voice drifted from behind him:
"Begin your prophecy now, Miles."