Bilbo, who entered the Lonely Mountain through a small side door, quickly found the warehouse where the dwarf ancestors stored gold coins and gems.
Finding that there was no danger there, he returned and brought the Durin's dwarves inside as well.
Gold coins piled up like sand, forming small mountains that stretched endlessly, interspersed with various precious gems.
And various exquisite ornaments made of gold were strewn everywhere like garbage.
This spectacular sight made the dwarves who arrived at the warehouse widen their eyes in astonishment.
Being fond of treasures, they had, without a doubt, arrived in paradise.
"Don't just stand there, hurry up and get to work. Mr. Mike might send someone over soon," Bilbo, who had scouted the way once before, called out, waking up the dwarves.
This act of helping the dwarves steal was not honorable, so the Hobbit were now very afraid of encountering Mike.
"Mr. Bilbo is right, everyone, hurry up and act. If we only take out a portion of the wealth here, it will be enough to re-establish the Kingdom Under the Mountain next to the Lonely Mountain…" The white-bearded Balin also began to plan the future for the Dwarves at this point.
Then, the dwarven group happily rushed towards the "gold mountain," taking out every pocket they had to hold things, and began to harvest gold coins and gems.
Just as the dwarves were engrossed in "grabbing" money, several arrows grazed their cheeks and plunged into the sea of gold coins.
The whistling of arrows "woke" the dwarves.
Looking back, the Hobbit responsible for standing guard had already been bound by the chains in the rangers' hands.
Beside them, Sophia also commanded the Elf squad, armed with bows and arrows, to surround the dwarves.
…
Before long, the bound dwarves and Bilbo were escorted to the Lonely Mountain Great Hall.
At this time, some of the people left in the Great Hall were digging dragon meat from the dead Troll.
Blood flowed everywhere and had not yet been cleaned up.
Amidst the strong smell of blood, the dwarves were also surprised by Smaug's miserable death.
Then, they were heartbroken to see the rangers, who were clumsily digging out dragon meat, damaging many intact dragon scales.
Waste is shameful…
Undoubtedly, in the eyes of the dwarves, who were skilled in crafting weapons and armor, Smaug's hard scales were definitely the best material for crafting defensive gear.
And the actions of those rangers were, without a doubt, a "crime."
"When we went to the warehouse, these dwarves were stealing your treasures…" After bringing the Durin's dwarves and the Hobbit before Mike, Sophia first described the situation in the warehouse earlier, and then asked, "How do you plan to deal with these people?"
It was then that the dwarves realized they had become prisoners, and each of them was too ashamed to look Mike in the eyes.
Only Thorin continued to glare angrily at the human who was sitting on the throne in the Lonely Mountain Great Hall.
"Mike, I know our actions this time were wrong, so I am willing to exchange the most precious gem for the dwarves' freedom…" Seeing the atmosphere in the Great Hall gradually become solemn, Bilbo had no choice but to step forward and plead for the dwarves.
Then, at Mike's signal, the Hobbit went to his side.
Next, the Hobbit pulled out a brilliant gem from their pocket that was larger than a fist.
"The Heart of the Mountain… Your luck is indeed good…" Mike took the gem in surprise, admired it for a while, and then casually embedded it into the slot at the top of the throne behind him.
Instantly, this most precious gem in Middle-earth shone brightly, illuminating the entire Great Hall with a crystalline glow.
And Mike, against the light, also became incomparably noble with the embellishment of this gem.
"Robbers… Bandits… That belongs to us dwarves…"
The dwarves, whose minds had been captivated by the appearance of the brilliant Arkenstone, now also came to their senses.
Thorin glared at the Hobbit with hatred, cursing, "Despicable thief, you betrayed us. The Dwarves will never forgive you…"
The Heart of the Mountain is also known as the Arkenstone.
This most beautiful gem in Middle-earth is also the symbol of the Dwarves's kingship. With it in hand, one can command all dwarves within the Seven Clans of Middle-earth.
This trip to the Lonely Mountain, if Mike had not interfered, the dwarves' plan was originally: to have the Hobbit enter the Lonely Mountain through a small door and help the dwarves steal back the Arkenstone.
Then, Thorin, holding the Arkenstone symbolizing the power of the Dwarf King, would gather the Seven Clans of Dwarf warriors in Middle-earth at once to jointly attack the Troll Smaug, ultimately achieving the goal of reclaiming the Lonely Mountain.
It's just that plans can't keep up with changes, and the dwarves always seemed to be one step behind Mike.
At this moment, even the Hobbit, who were not highly regarded by them, seemed to have betrayed the contract they signed with the dwarves.
"I… I…" The innocent and kind-hearted Bilbo originally wanted a win-win outcome for everyone, but now it seemed he had messed everything up.
Facing the dwarves' accusations, he was caught between a rock and a hard place and didn't know how to explain.
"Alright, Bilbo. Calm down. I wasn't going to do anything to the dwarves anyway," Mike comforted the emotional Hobbit, then looked at the dwarves and said, "For Gandalf's sake, I can give you two choices."
"One, the Lonely Mountain treasure can be shared with you, allowing your Dwarves to have the wealth to re-establish a kingdom…"
Even if the Lonely Mountain treasure were counted in billions, it would take a long time to count. Even if only one-thousandth or even one-ten-thousandth were given out, it would be enough for the Dwarves to live a prosperous life from then on.
The original goal of the Dwarf party was nothing more than this.
"I think we can agree to him, Thorin. With money, we will be able to re-establish the Kingdom…"
Among the crowd, the steady white-bearded Balin couldn't help but speak up and persuade Thorin when he heard this.
The other dwarves were also moved, all looking at Thorin, waiting for him to make a decision.
After all, being able to openly reclaim a portion of the Lonely Mountain treasure was already much better than the previous situation.
However, Thorin seemed to have other ideas. After shaking his head, he waited for Mike to continue.
"The other option is that I will return the Arkenstone to you, but you must also promise me that you will live in Moria afterward…" Mike again removed the Arkenstone from the throne, weighing it in his hand as he offered the dwarves the second option.
Going to Moria, the dwarves, with their talent for mining and forging, would naturally be able to support themselves.
At the same time, they could also benefit all humans in Middle-earth who needed weapons and equipment.
It could also be considered a contribution to the various races of Middle-earth in their fight against the dark forces.
Therefore, the second option, apart from the dwarves having to work harder afterward, could be said to be a win-win.
"Is there no third option? If you give me the Arkenstone to establish the Kingdom Under the Mountain, the Dwarves will become your most sincere ally…" Thorin, who wanted both, after struggling for a while, brought up the title of King Under the Mountain.
It was just a pity that the title of King Under the Mountain, or rather the dwarves' reputation, was not worth much to Mike.
"I, who possess the Lonely Mountain, do not lack allies…" Mike mercilessly rejected Thorin's request, and then continued, "It's alright, you have plenty of time to consider. When you've decided which path to choose, you can come to me anytime."
At the same time, Mike signaled Sophia and the others to untie the dwarves and see them out.
…
Three days passed in a flash. During this time, Thorin had not been able to decide whether to take the Arkenstone and live in Moria, or to take the gold coins and re-establish the Kingdom Under the Mountain in the Lonely Mountain.
Therefore, the Durin's dwarves had been wandering near the Lonely Mountain.
As for Mike, with the enormous wealth in the Lonely Mountain, he was not only "generous" to the dwarves.
In three days, he also shared the vast wealth of the Lonely Mountain with the ranger team led by Sophia, the Long Lake Town guard team led by Bard, the Elf Prince Legolas's party, and the lone ranger Aragorn.
The ranger team did not leave after receiving their share of the wealth and were subsequently incorporated by Mike into the Lonely Mountain Patrol.
As for Bard, who received the most wealth, he subsequently relocated the residents of Long Lake Town to the River Valley region, which is more suitable for human habitation, seemingly preparing to rebuild the River Valley Kingdom.
The River Valley region is located between the Lonely Mountain and Long Lake, with vast tracts of fertile land suitable for cultivation, making it ideal for the development of a human kingdom.
After relocating the residents of Long Lake Town here, Bard, to thank Mike for his generous assistance, signed a unilateral alliance treaty with him.
Finally, the Elf Prince and Aragorn, with a tacit understanding, both politely declined the Lonely Mountain treasures Mike offered to share with them.
The Elf Prince's reason for refusal was that the Elven race did not need gold coins. So he wanted to exchange that wealth for his mother's relic, the White Gem Necklace.
Moreover, the White Gem Necklace was originally a relic of his deceased wife, commissioned by Thranduil, the Sindar Elf King, for the dwarves to forge. However, due to the dwarves' greed, it was withheld by Thorin's grandfather, Thror, and kept in the dwarf treasury.
After Mike found the necklace in the Lonely Mountain treasury, he returned it to the Elf Prince.
As for Aragorn, who was still in a state where he alone was full and his whole family was not hungry, he did not have much need for wealth.
Therefore, he was the only one who completely refused the Lonely Mountain's wealth.
"I'm going to send David and Sam back to the Northern Highlands to bring more people to the Lonely Mountain…" Deep within the Lonely Mountain Great Hall, Sophia, the half-elf, who had gained a deeper understanding from Mike, seemed to have taken on the role of the Lonely Mountain's mistress.
Although the Lonely Mountain was not short of money now, its defensive capabilities were severely lacking.
A day earlier, Thengel, the new King of Rohan, had sent a messenger to the Lonely Mountain. On one hand, he congratulated Mike on his successful dragon-slaying and taking over the Lonely Mountain; on the other hand, he reminded Mike that Sauron's Orc army, showed signs of advancing towards the Lonely Mountain.
Since Rohan had regained its strength, the entire northern defense line seemed to have only the Lonely Mountain as a good breakthrough point.
Yes, although Sauron, had been banished to the Void, he would eventually return, so the dark creatures of Mordor had not given up their plan to invade Middle-earth.
Even Azog, the Orc leader known as the Pale Beast, had become more ambitious than before, eager to prove himself before the Dark Lord's return.
Mike did not deliberately conceal this intelligence from Sophia and the others, so Sophia was also worried about the current situation of the Lonely Mountain.
"Whatever you want, it's good to bring more people to the Lonely Mountain. But let me say this first, with me here, no matter how many Orcs come, I can handle them." Mike said indifferently.
Today, his titles, "Troll Slayer," "Healer," and "Dragon Slayer," had spread throughout Middle-earth, and a vast amount of Power Of Faith flowed in daily.
The mythical level had already progressed more than halfway.
Being three times stronger than before, it was simply like throwing an egg against a rock for the Orcs to try and use a human wave tactic against the Lonely Mountain.
"You only talk big. No matter how strong you're, there will always be times when you're careless and tired. It's never wrong to recruit more people to share the pressure with you…" Sophia was still not entirely at ease.
Many ants can kill an elephant. At least hundreds of thousands of Orcs were currently gathered in Mordor. The thought of them attacking the Lonely Mountain was terrifying.
"You're underestimating me, aren't you?" Mike looked at Sophia's expression and knew what she was worried about.
Her initial intention was good, but it could only be said that she knew nothing about power.
Just as Mike was about to raise his spear and fight again to let the half-elf know his prowess, a huge commotion suddenly came from outside the Lonely Mountain Great Hall.
"Don't let anything really happen, go out and see!" Sophia, already unable to bear the conquest, quickly took this opportunity to push Mike out.
"What's happening outside? Why is there such a big commotion?" Mike, fully dressed, came to the Great Hall and happened to meet Bilbo.
"The Elf King has arrived, bringing a lot of supplies. Aragorn and the others have gone out to greet him…" Bilbo explained.
When the dwarves left earlier, Bilbo did not follow them but remained in the Lonely Mountain to help with errands.
He was roughly similar to a messenger.
As for Aragorn, he had now become the temporary captain of the Lonely Mountain patrol.
When Mike walked out of the Lonely Mountain Great Hall, he saw countless carts of daily necessities, mostly various fruits and food.
And Thranduil, the Sindar Elf King, was talking to his son nearby.
He already held his deceased wife's relic, the White Gem Necklace, in his hand.
Further to the side, Aragorn was leading the Ranger patrol, maintaining order.
The objects being maintained were the Durin's dwarves led by Thorin.
These dwarves, who had a strong prejudice against the Elves, seemed eager to stir up trouble.
"Mr. Mike, thank you very much for your generosity in returning my deceased wife's relic to me…" The emotional Elf King Thranduil even bowed slightly to express his respect.
Seeing the object brought back memories of the person; that White Gem Necklace was of great significance to Thranduil.
"You're too polite, that was originally yours." Mike smiled and greeted him.
No kidding, Thranduil was indeed a man of principle.
Upon hearing that Mike had returned the White Gem Necklace, he brought a large amount of daily necessities this time, enough for tens of thousands of people to get through this winter.
It just so happened that Bard's rebuilt River Valley Kingdom was currently short of clothes and food, so some of it could be transferred to him later for support.
"Hypocrite…"
Just as Mike and the Elf King were having a friendly conversation, Thorin's dissatisfied voice came from the side.
"Are the Dwarves, who only repay kindness with enmity, not hypocritical?" Perhaps because he had finally retrieved his deceased wife's relic, the Elf King Thranduil's emotions were somewhat out of control, and he finally erupted in response to Thorin's accusation.
He looked at the dwarf, removed the covering from his face, revealing a face burned by fire, and said, "Do you think I didn't fight the dragon Smaug back then? When it entered the Lonely Mountain, I tried to stop it…"
Clearly, the Elf King Thranduil had always known why Thorin hated him.
But when Smaug invaded the Lonely Mountain back then, he had already tried his best to stop it, even before Thorin asked him for help.
Therefore, regarding the events of that year, it could be said that the Elf King Thranduil was not capable enough, but it could certainly not be said that he was unfeeling.
Having been misunderstood by Thorin for so many years, he finally chose to tell the truth today.
"That… that was Smaug's doing…" Thorin looked at the Elf King's burned face, and the answer was already in his heart.
Furthermore, the reason the evil dragon Smaug came to the Lonely Mountain back then was entirely because it was attracted by the treasures mined by the dwarves.
And the Elf King Thranduil, after Thror had withheld the White Gem, still helped the dwarves block the first wave of the evil dragon's invasion, which could be said to be the utmost benevolence.
Understanding everything, Thorin felt guilt towards the Elf King before him. However, his arrogant nature still prevented him from bowing to Thranduil.
So he could only silently lead the dwarves away from Thranduil's sight.
"Are you alright, Father?" Elf Prince Legolas was unaware of the old grievances, and it was even the first time he had seen his father's true "face."
This made the Elf Prince a little flustered.
"I'm fine, everything is in the past." Thranduil smiled with relief, then covered the burns on his face again, returning to his elegant appearance. "Oh, and thank you again, Mr. Dragon Slayer. You killed the evil dragon Smaug, which can be considered revenge for me."
Having vented, the Elf King seemed to be in a very good mood, even having the mind to joke with Mike.
Next, the Elf King also brought Mike the latest news that the Orcs were preparing to attack the Lonely Mountain.
He stated that he would then lead the Elven warriors to garrison the Black Forest border, and once the Orc army truly moved against the Lonely Mountain, he would promptly bring the Elves to provide support.