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Chapter 1072 Gandalf Becomes Demonic

"Ding, Gandalf has turned into a demon and has assassinated you from a distance. All your rewards and memories have been reset to 0."

"Ding"

"The designated scenario "The Lord of the Rings" is open"

When Zhao Wuji opened his eyes, he saw a brilliant starry sky, brighter than any night sky he had seen in the city. He sat up suddenly and found himself lying on a soft grass, surrounded by towering ancient trees, and the air was filled with the fragrance of flowers and plants.

"Where is this?" He looked down and saw that he was wearing an exquisitely crafted dark green robe with a short sword at his waist. What shocked him even more was that his ears had become pointed and long - a typical elf feature.

【Ding! Welcome to bind the group performance security system. 】

A mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his mind, almost making him jump.

"system?"

[Host Zhao Wuji, you have traveled to the world of The Lord of the Rings and are an extra in Rivendell. This system will ensure your safety, but you must abide by the rules of extras: you may not change the original plot in any way.]

Zhao Wuji's mind went blank. His last memory was being assassinated by Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. How come it was the Lord of the Rings version in the blink of an eye?

"How do I get back?" he asked anxiously.

[Choose one of the two conditions for returning: 1. The plot ends naturally; 2. Earn 100000 gold coins. Warning: Any attempt to change the original plot will be punished. ]

Zhao Wuji stood up and looked around. In the distance, the outline of Rivendell's buildings was vaguely visible, glowing softly in the moonlight. He pinched his arm, and the pain was real enough to be unmistakable.

"Wear it again"

[Initial funds have been issued: 10 silver coins. Please use with caution. Current time point: three months before Bilbo Baggins' birthday party.]

Zhao Wuji touched the small purse on his waist, and there were indeed a few cool silver coins in it. He took a deep breath and walked towards Rivendell. Since he couldn't go back for the time being, he had to at least find a place to stay first.

Walking into this city of elves, Zhao Wuji was shocked by the scene before him. The scenes in the movie were vividly presented before his eyes - elegant arch bridges, flowing waterfalls, and exquisite architecture that blends perfectly with nature. The elves on the road were all handsome and extraordinary, and they talked in the pleasant Sindarin language.

"Hey, new here?" A blond elf greeted him in Common Tongue. "I'm Karas, in charge of training new recruits."

Zhao Wuji nodded, thankful that the other party spoke a language he could understand. "Yes, I am uh, Zhao."

"It's a strange name," Karas smiled, "but it doesn't matter. Lord Elrond is kind and allows elves from all over the world to seek refuge in Rivendell. Come, I will take you to your residence."

Following Karas through the winding stone path, Zhao Wuji was placed in a simple but comfortable wooden house with a bed, a small desk and a silver oil lamp.

"Report to the training ground at dawn tomorrow," Karas said before leaving. "All guards must maintain combat skills."

After closing the door, Zhao Wuji slumped on the bed, trying to sort out his thoughts. He had become an unknown elf extra in The Lord of the Rings. The system guaranteed his safety, but prohibited him from changing the plot. To go home, he had to either wait for the whole story to end - which would take several years; or earn 100,000 gold coins - which was an astronomical figure.

"But..." A gleam of light flashed in his eyes, "I know what will happen in the future of the script. Isn't this the biggest advantage?"

The next morning, Zhao Wuji showed up at the training ground on time. Karas was instructing a dozen elves to practice archery. He handed Zhao Wuji a longbow.

“Let me see your level.”

Zhao Wuji awkwardly took the bow and pulled the bowstring clumsily, and the arrow flew out crookedly, not even touching the edge of the target.

The elves around laughed kindly. Karas shook his head: "It seems you need to start from the beginning."

In the next few weeks, Zhao Wuji received strict elven combat training during the day, and secretly recorded all the details of "The Lord of the Rings" that he could recall at night. He found that the system's restrictions on him were very specific-whenever he wanted to tell others about the future, his throat seemed to be strangled by an invisible hand; when he wanted to write down the key plot, his hands would suddenly stiffen. But he also found some loopholes. The system seemed to only prevent him from changing the "main plot" and did not interfere with those insignificant little things. For example, he could tell other elves which herb was more effective in treating headaches, or predict tomorrow's weather-these little things would not trigger system penalties.

A month later, Zhao Wuji was able to barely hit the target, and his swordsmanship had improved a lot. More importantly, he had learned the basic situation of Rivendell and made some elf friends. Most of them regarded him as a fellow elf who came from afar and had unfamiliar skills.

One night, Zhao Wuji heard several elves discussing the upcoming Midsummer Eve banquet in the tavern.

"I heard that the merchants of Lingu will bring silk and fine wine from the East," said an elf, "I plan to buy some for my love."

“Come on, those things are ridiculously expensive,” another elf shook his head. “Last time, a small bottle of perfume cost me half a month’s salary.”

Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up. He knew what would happen at the Midsummer Eve banquet - a sudden rainstorm would cause chaos in the open-air market, merchants would rush to close their stalls, and some valuable goods would even be left behind. This was an insignificant scene in the movie, but for him now, it was an opportunity.

On the day of the banquet, Rivendell was decorated with lanterns and merchants from all over the country set up tents in the square. Zhao Wuji took all his accumulated property - 30 silver coins, and walked through the market. He noticed a dwarf merchant who was displaying several exquisite jewelry.

"These ruby ​​rings come from the depths of Moria," the dwarf said proudly. "Each one is unique."

Zhao Wuji pretended to ask casually: "What if it rains? Won't these valuables be damaged?"

The dwarf laughed. "Elf, look at the clear sky! How can it rain?"

"I heard that dark clouds are gathering in the east," Zhao Wuji said mysteriously, "How about we make a bet? If it rains within an hour, you sell me a ring at half the price; if it doesn't, I'll pay you double the price."

The dwarf narrowed his eyes. "Interesting suggestion. Well, I'll take the bet!"

Zhao Wuji was secretly delighted. According to his memory, the rain would pour down in 15 minutes. He only needed to wait and he could buy a ruby ​​ring worth 30 silver coins for silver coins, and then he could double his profit by reselling it.

Time passed by, and the sky remained clear. The dwarf drank his beer proudly, casting mocking glances at Zhao Wuji from time to time. Just as Zhao Wuji began to doubt his memory, a cool breeze suddenly blew and thunder was heard in the distance.

"Impossible!" The dwarf jumped up and looked up at the sky.

In a blink of an eye, bean-sized raindrops fell, and the vendors began to pack up their stalls with exclamations. The dwarf cursed, but still kept his promise and stuffed a ruby ​​ring into Zhao Wuji's hand.

"Lucky for you, elf! 15 silver coins, give it to me now!"

Zhao Wuji was about to take out the money when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, as if thousands of needles were piercing his brain. He fell to his knees and the ring slipped from his hand.

[Serious warning! The host's behavior has affected the business transaction line, indirectly changing the dwarf Groin's future gift purchase plan, violating the group performance rules. Penalty: Confiscation of all property, headache lasting for one hour. ]

"No!" Zhao Wuji shouted in his heart, but the pain made him speechless. The dwarf looked at him in confusion, picked up the ring and shook his head.

"It seems that the elves can't stand the dwarves' good wine," he said to the people around him, causing laughter. "The deal is cancelled!"

The rain was getting heavier, and Zhao Wuji huddled in a corner, enduring the punishment of the system. When the pain finally eased, he reached for his wallet - empty. Weeks of savings had been confiscated by the system.

Zhao Wuji, soaked and penniless, staggered back to his residence and collapsed on the bed. He truly felt the cruelty of the system rules - any behavior that might affect the plot, even if it seemed insignificant, would be strictly stopped.

"One hundred thousand gold coins." He smiled bitterly and said to himself, "This is much more difficult than I thought."

Outside the window, the rain continued to fall. Zhao Wuji looked at the ceiling and began to think of a new strategy. The system prohibited him from changing the plot, but there must be a way to make money without breaking the rules. He had to be more cautious and smarter.

After all, the long years in Middle-earth have only just begun.