When the towering golden beam of light completely dissipated, Thor and his companions found themselves in a completely different world.
Beneath my feet are polished white floor tiles, and all around me are towering skyscrapers with neon-like data light stripes flowing across their surfaces.
Various types of hovercars trace elegant arcs in the air, silently weaving between buildings.
Further away, you can even see people riding giant dragons or whizzing by on flame-breathing skateboards.
Above them, a magnificent, ethereal floating continent drifted silently, its familiar outline causing Heimdall, Valkyrie, and the others to slightly narrow their eyes.
Asgard.
"My God..." Valkyrie whistled, looking up at the sky city, then down at a little girl walking a small triceratops, a wide smile spreading across her face.
"This place is really awesome!"
Heimdall, gripping his guardian greatsword, silently observed everything.
His all-seeing eye swept across the entire city, seeing the diverse residential styles in the East District, the bustling shopping malls in the West District, the lively fighting arena in the South District, and the vibrant ecological park in the North District.
Science fiction and fantasy coexist perfectly here in an unbelievable way.
Hela's icy gaze didn't linger on the surrounding wonders for even a second; her eyes remained fixed on Thor's back, as if he were the only person in the entire universe worthy of her attention.
Just then, a huge holographic screen in the center of the square flickered, and a beautifully made-up, sweet-smiling host appeared on the screen.
"Good afternoon, citizens of Frost City! Breaking news! Our city's shining star, top singer Dazzler Alison's second album, ' Rebirth,' is about to be released citywide! The first concert will be held next Monday at the newly built Ice Sculpture Park in the North District!"
The host's voice was full of passion, and a huge QR code immediately popped up at the bottom of the screen.
"Ticket lottery is now open! With just a simple scan, you could have the chance to experience Ms. Alison's heavenly voice live! What are you waiting for? Grab your device and join the fun!"
The screen switched, and another message began scrolling and updating at the bottom.
"Latest battle report from the Terraria Continent! The top spot on the weapon rarity rankings has changed hands! Congratulations to Ms. Shayera Hall for successfully forging the rare weapon— the Holy Sword!"
"Furthermore, the Champion the 35th Frost City Infinity Fighting Tournament has been crowned! Congratulations once again to her— Hawkgirl Shayera, warrior from Planet Thanagar! She will receive a prize of three million Frost Coin from the City Lord's Mansion!"
Thor watched the messages on the screen with great interest, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
Hawkgirl Shayera... it seems she's doing quite well here.
He calculated in his mind that from the time he left until his return, Frost City had held thirty-five fighting tournaments, and considering the progress of the exploration of the Terraria Continent, at least a year had passed here.
It seems that the higher the cosmic energy level one goes to, the faster the flow of time in the Knowhere will be.
" Thor." The Enchantress Amora moved gracefully to Thor's side, her emerald eyes shimmering, and asked in a sweet, fragrant breath, "So... shall I live with you?"
She deliberately emphasized the word "you" very softly, carrying a subtle, ambiguous undertone.
However, no sooner had she finished speaking than a discordant voice rang out.
"Sister, you wish!" Lorelei squeezed between the two, unceremoniously taking Thor's other arm, puffing out her chest, and looking at Amora defiantly, "If anyone's going to stay, it'll be Thor and me. Who do you think you are?"
"You..." Amora's face instantly turned cold, and it seemed that a magical duel between the sisters was about to break out in the square.
Just then, a childish voice interrupted their argument.
"Hug me... You smell so good!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a little kid who looked no more than a year old sitting on the back of a miniature Triceratops, wobbling as it flew over.
She had strikingly bright red hair, and her small body was lifted by an invisible psychic force, flying straight towards Thor.
Before Thor could react, the little girl had already moved closer to him, reaching out her chubby little hand to curiously poke his cheek.
" Rachel! Get down! Stop fooling around!"
Two anxious voices approached from afar. Thor looked up and saw Cyclops Scott and Phoenix Jean running towards him in a panic.
Thor glanced at the couple, then looked down at the little one who was now nestled in his arms, sniffing him all over, and asked, "Your child?"
"Yes... yes." Scott ran over and looked at his daughter clinging to Thor, momentarily at a loss for what to do.
Thor reached out and gently touched the little guy's cheek; the soft touch pleased him.
The little girl felt comfortable being touched, squinted her eyes, and revealed a lovely smile.
"She's quite cute," Thor said. "Her name is Rachel, right?"
"Hmm." Jean arrived too, and smiled apologetically. "This child has been exceptionally energetic since birth, and his awakened ability is telekinesis, so he always likes to run around everywhere, causing you trouble, Thor."
Rachel...
Upon hearing the name, Thor instantly recalled relevant information.
Rachel Summers, Scott and Jean's daughter in another future, is also a host of the Phoenix Force.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment, realizing that he truly had everything he needed. Just considering the host of the Phoenix Force, including Jean and Madelyne, this was already the third.
And then there were the Kryptonian, making a total of three.
There's a wealth of talent here.
Jean reached out, wanting to take Rachel from Thor's arms. "Alright, Rachel, we should go back and have our milk. Say goodbye to Thor."
Unexpectedly, Rachel hugged Thor's neck even tighter, shaking her head vigorously like a rattle-drum, and said in her childish voice, "No~"
Qin was stunned.
This was the first time she had ever seen her daughter so attached to a stranger.
She looked at Thor with a puzzled expression, then tentatively extended her mental energy and gently connected with Rachel's consciousness.
She just wanted to ask her daughter why she wouldn't come down.
However, the next second, Qin's expression suddenly changed.
For the first time, her gentle eyes revealed a mixture of shock, confusion, and disbelief.
Her mental connection with Rachel lasted only a moment, but she received a message that nearly shut her down.
Qin raised her head, looking at Thor with a complicated expression, her voice dry and uncertain.
Rachel said...
"She sensed the power of the Phoenix Force within you."
Qin paused, as if organizing her thoughts, and finally added in an almost dreamlike tone, "And... there are two... one conscious, one unconscious."
"And Rachel thinks you... smell so good..."