While Legolas found an Elven merchant ship and sailed with Mike towards Long Lake Town, the Dwarf Adventure Squad, who had arrived earlier, was caught red-handed trying to steal from the Long Lake Town Master's armory.
The Dwarves had previously escaped from the Sindar Elves, and their weapons had been confiscated by Thranduil.
Not wanting to face Smaug, the Dragon of the Lonely Mountain, empty-handed, they reverted to their old habits—stealing.
However, this time their luck seemed to have run out. Hindered by Kili, who had injured his leg, they were caught by the Long Lake Town guards and subsequently brought before the Town Master.
At this time, the Long Lake Town Master was leading his personal guard in judging the despicable actions of the Adventure Squad in the Long Lake Town square.
Long Lake Town is a lakeside town situated between the Lonely Mountain and the Black Forest. Most of its residents are refugees who fled from the Kingdom of Dale, which was destroyed by the Dragon Smaug.
Due to Long Lake Town's geographical location, there is no suitable land for cultivation, making life very difficult for the residents.
Only the bald Town Master, by trading with the Elves of the Black Forest, had amassed a fortune.
Even so, the insatiable bald Long Lake Town Master remained a stingy and greedy fellow.
The Dwarves stealing his wealth had certainly provoked the Town Master's ire.
Therefore, after criticizing the Dwarves' immoral behavior in the center of the square, the Town Master decided to sentence them to hanging.
This was partly to vent his anger and partly to intimidate the residents of Long Lake Town.
As for the already numb residents of Long Lake Town, they gathered in the square merely to watch the spectacle. No one thought the Town Master's judgment was wrong, nor did anyone consider helping the severely treated Dwarves.
"Please wait, Mr. Town Master. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Thorin, grandson of Thror, King Under the Mountain. This time I have returned to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim the wealth belonging to our Dwarves…" At the critical moment, Thorin, seeing the Town Master's greedy nature, stepped forward.
"What? You're the grandson of the King Under the Mountain…" The bald Town Master was indeed drawn in by Thorin's words and said, "I heard that your Dwarf race has countless treasures hidden in the Lonely Mountain. Is that true?"
Without a doubt, the Town Master's greed had been ignited.
His grayish-brown eyes seemed to glow green, staring intently at Thorin.
"Indeed, there are countless treasures in the Lonely Mountain." Thorin showed a proud expression and then said, "As long as you can help us. Once the Dwarves reclaims the Lonely Mountain, we will share its treasures with you."
"That's not important. I just want to know, if I let you go, how much wealth can you give me?" What King Under the Mountain, what grandson of Thror, none of that mattered to the Town Master; he only wanted to know how much money he could get.
"One-fourteenth… Yes, anyone who helps us can share one-fourteenth of the wealth in the Lonely Mountain." Thorin looked at the surrounding Long Lake Town residents and incited, "With that money, you will no longer suffer from poverty and can live a prosperous life forever!!!"
At this, the numb residents were no longer numb and shouted:
"We support the Dwarves in reclaiming the Lonely Mountain, it is their territory to begin with…"
"Long live the Dwarves! Long live the grandson of Thror!!! Let them go to the Lonely Mountain quickly!!!…"
"…"
Amidst the shouts of the people, the Dwarves of the Adventure Squad knew that they had once again overcome a difficulty.
Only Bilbo in the crowd looked as if he wanted to speak but held back. After all, the contract he had signed with the Dwarves stated that he would share one-fourteenth of the Lonely Mountain's wealth.
So, if Thorin wanted to redistribute the Lonely Mountain treasure, he should have promised the Long Lake Town residents one-fifteenth of the wealth.
However, after a change in expression, Bilbo still chose to remain silent and did not expose Thorin's secret.
Just then, several Rangers, dressed distinctly from the Long Lake Town residents and with weapons at their waists, walked out of the crowd and asked, "Grandson of Thror, if we go to the Lonely Mountain with you, can we also share your wealth?"
These were the Rangers organized by the Half-Elf Sophia, who had come to the Lonely Mountain to seek cooperation with Mike. However, compared to Mike, who was still nowhere to be seen, they clearly favored the Dwarves.
"What do we do, Boss? Should I call them back?" Sam, a tall figure in the crowd, looked unkindly at those Rangers who had "betrayed" them.
"No need, it's their freedom to choose." Sophia shook her head and said, "Compared to the Dwarves, I'd rather trust that ill-tempered fellow."
The ill-tempered fellow the Half-Elf referred to was naturally Mike.
At the same time, the dozens of other Rangers gathered behind Sophia clearly also trusted the "Troll Slayer" who had proven himself in the Northern Highlands.
Further to the side, Strider, also hidden in the crowd, was also waiting for Mike's arrival and scoffed at the Dwarves' promise.
In short, although the Long Lake Town square was lively at this moment, everyone had their own thoughts.
"Of course, I said that anyone who helps the Dwarves can share our wealth." Thorin, looking at the few Rangers who had stepped forward, thought for a moment and then smiled again, giving his promise.
However, that smiling face looked utterly disingenuous.
Of course, these details were equally unimportant to the Rangers who had stepped forward. Wanting only to get rich, they were clearly already swept away by Thorin's promise.
Just as everyone was "rejoicing" and urging the Dwarves to depart quickly, a tall man stepped forward, standing between the Dwarves and the people, and loudly reprimanded, "Have you forgotten that the Dragon Smaug sleeps in the Lonely Mountain? If the Dwarves go there, they will surely awaken him."
"Do you want to see the tragedy of the Kingdom of Dale from decades ago repeat itself in Long Lake Town?"
The newcomer was Bard the Bowman, a descendant of King Girion of Dale.
Because his grandfather had failed to stop Smaug from destroying Dale, Bard, after drifting to Long Lake Town, no longer mentioned his ancestor's name but instead made a living as a ferryman and vendor, becoming an ordinary resident of Long Lake Town.
This time, the Dwarves had sought his help to come to Long Lake Town.
However, Bard did not know before that these Dwarves were actually planning to reclaim the Lonely Mountain.
Although Bard, as a descendant of the Girion family of Dale, was down on his luck, he had not forgotten the glory of his ancestors and had been silently protecting the survivors of Dale.
Now, the Dwarves' actions could very likely ruin the lives of the Long Lake Town residents once again, so this descendant of Girion naturally disagreed.
And at his reminder, the residents of Long Lake Town quickly recalled the terror of the Dragon Smaug, and their gazes towards the Dwarves were no longer fervent.
"Are you going to stop me, Bard?" Seeing the situation was not right, Thorin looked coldly at the man who had helped him and said, "We are not just for ourselves. Think about it, there are countless treasures in the Lonely Mountain. With those treasures, the residents of Long Lake Town will no longer have to worry about their livelihood…"
"If you stop me, you're stopping them from living a better life."
As Thorin spoke, the Long Lake Town residents, living in hardship, their eyes glowed with renewed fervor.
Yes, what could be more terrifying than poverty!!
So, some people, in order to drive away the troublesome Bard, began to criticize his grandfather for failing to stop the Dragon Smaug back then.
They attributed the current difficult lives in Long Lake Town entirely to Bard's grandfather.
On the other side, the Long Lake Town Master, whose greed had long been aroused by the Dwarves' wealth, even ordered the guards to arrest Bard.
"My great-grandfather Girion did his best back then; he almost killed that Dragon…"
At this moment, listening to the accusations of the people, a half-grown boy came to Bard's side, defending his great-grandfather.
He was Bard's son, and the blood of the King of Dale also flowed through his veins.
Then, this half-grown boy, along with his father, was surrounded by the guards, who were preparing to arrest them and throw them into prison.
Just then, a huge Elven merchant ship broke through the thin ice on Long Lake and arrived at the Long Lake Town dock.
"Yo, Thorin, long time no see. Looks like we're on the same starting line again!" Mike, jumping off the merchant ship, greeted Thorin in the center of the crowd with a smile.
However, upon seeing Mike again, Thorin did not seem so happy.
Having just managed to settle things with Bard, his expression instantly turned even uglier.
"Are you also here for the Lonely Mountain treasure?" The Long Lake Town Master looked at the Elven squad and Mike, who subsequently disembarked, and said with a chuckle, "If I allow you to go to the Lonely Mountain, how much money can you give me?"
Yes, the greedy Long Lake Town Master wanted more.
If there were two teams going to the Lonely Mountain at the same time, there would be competition. With competition, the Long Lake Town Master would naturally support the highest bidder.
Mike glanced at the bald Town Master, and after greeting Bilbo in the crowd, he retorted, "Even if I get the Lonely Mountain treasure, why should I share it with you?"
This bald Town Master was adorned in gold and silver, yet the residents of Long Lake Town, despite winter approaching, didn't even have a thick winter coat. This showed that the Town Master was not a good person.
He was not much better than the despicable former King Fengel of Rohan.
"This…" The bald Town Master was stumped by Mike's question, then quickly his eyes darted around and he said, "Since you're unwilling to share the treasure with me, then to cross Long Lake Town, you will need to pay me enough toll, otherwise you won't pass through here."
Long Lake Town, though called a lakeside town, was actually a large water fortress with many checkpoints on the lake.
To go to the Lonely Mountain, one needed to pass through these water checkpoints first.
The bald Town Master was exploiting this point to extort money.
"And why do you think I would obediently pay?" Mike suddenly flashed in front of the Town Master, placing a Nandor Elf longsword against his neck.
"M-mercy… I don't want money anymore…" Feeling the coldness on his neck, the bald Town Master instantly cowered.
Accustomed to being superior, he was worse than an ordinary person when his life was threatened, and his pants were visibly wet.
Seeing this, Mike said disdainfully, "How can a useless person like you be a Town Master? Why don't you give up your position and let someone more capable take over?"
As he spoke, Mike looked at Bard in the crowd.
The current situation in Long Lake Town, for its residents to live well, did not necessarily require the Lonely Mountain treasure.
But it certainly required a more capable and good Town Master.
"Are you Mr. Healer, who saved Gondor and Rohan?" Bard, feeling hope, asked.
Bard might have heard a little about Mike's resistance against dark creatures, but he was more interested in what Mike had done at the Gondor Line of Defense and in Rohan.
Those were real acts of saving many ordinary people.
"It's me," Mike smiled and nodded, saying, "I think you're a good person. Perhaps the position of Long Lake Town Master should be yours."
Ultimately, people still have to rely on themselves. Whether the residents of Long Lake Town can live a good life depends on them and Bard's choices.
"If I become Town Master, what do you plan to do with the previous Town Master?" Bard cautiously asked in return.
"Kill him, or imprison him, either is fine. Once you become Town Master, this matter should be under your jurisdiction." Mike suggested, "You can even distribute his property to all the residents of Long Lake Town, so they can have an easier time this winter."
At least they should have a thick winter coat.
The residents of Long Lake Town, who had always been oppressed by the bald Town Master, had never imagined that they could improve their lives by "beating the local tyrant."
Mike had given them a new idea.
So, the residents of Long Lake Town no longer paid attention to the Dwarves but instead looked at Bard with expectant eyes.
Perhaps at this moment, they recalled the goodness of King Girion's family of Dale.
"Let's do it!" Trusting Mike, Bard stepped onto the high platform and loudly declared, "Listen, residents of Long Lake Town, if I become Town Master, I promise I will make sure you live a better life than ever before…"
With just this simple promise, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the Long Lake Town residents below.
With the bald Town Master as a precedent, how bad could a new Town Master be?
Moreover, Bard had the blood of the King of Dale flowing in his veins, making him a natural leader.
Afterward, the Long Lake Town guards also defected, and under the command of the new Town Master Bard, they arrested the bald Town Master and sent him to prison.
"Well done, Mike!" Watching Long Lake Town come back to life, Aragorn, hidden in the crowd, came to Mike's side.
"Strider, why are you here?" Mike looked surprisingly at the descendant of the Gondor royal family.
"I heard you were going to challenge that Dragon in the Lonely Mountain, so I came." A faint smile appeared on Aragorn's face.
Like Mike, Aragorn wanted to return to Gondor and reclaim his kingship. Besides needing strong personal abilities, he also needed a good reputation.
Then, as Mike and Aragorn chatted, the Half-Elf Sophia also brought a team of dozens of Rangers to Mike's side.
After more than half a year, Sophia's impression of Mike seemed to have improved significantly.
Although Mike didn't need help fighting the Dragon Smaug, out of appreciation for Sophia's long journey to help, he still accepted her and her Ranger team.
"Are you sure you want to go to the Lonely Mountain to deal with that Dragon Smaug?" On the other side, Bard, who had handed over the affairs of Long Lake Town to the former Town Master's lackey, Freyrja, then came to Mike's side, full of worry.
"Why not?" Mike asked with a smile.
"Then please take me with you. My grandfather once faced that Dragon, and as his descendant, I might be able to help a little." Then, Bard also sent his eldest son home to retrieve the only Black Arrow left by his grandfather when he fought the Dragon.
It was said that this Black Arrow could pierce the hard dragon scales on the Dragon Smaug's body.
With everything ready, the group grandly boarded the Elven ship and set off towards the Lonely Mountain.
On the other side, the Dwarf Adventure Squad, no longer the focus of attention, also found a small boat and went to the Lonely Mountain a step ahead of Mike and the others.
It is worth mentioning that the Dwarf Kili, who had injured his thigh, was left behind in Long Lake Town by the Adventure Squad.
And Tauriel, who was with Elf Prince, after learning of this situation, also voluntarily chose to stay and take care of him.
"I've heard of you, Bard the Bowman of Long Lake Town. That Black Arrow in your hand looks good. Later, would you like to compete with me to see who can kill that Dragon…"
"I've heard of you too, Legolas. I accept your challenge…"
"Although I'm not good with bows and arrows, I think I'll kill the Dragon Smaug before you…"
"…"
Perhaps due to mutual admiration, Legolas, Bard, and Aragorn quickly became close on their way to the Lonely Mountain.
So much so that Legolas almost forgot about the female Elf Tauriel.
After all, a woman who doesn't love him is not as good as brotherhood.
Thus, after half a day, the Elven squad led by Legolas, the Long Lake Town guard led by Bard, and the Ranger team led by Sophia, plus Mike and Aragorn, The group crossed Long Lake by boat and soon arrived at the main gate of the Lonely Mountain.
At the same time, Thorin's Dwarf Adventure Squad, following the map's guidance, also went to the side of the Lonely Mountain, searching for the hidden side entrance to the Lonely Mountain.