American TV series: Starting with exploiting young Sheldon

The partially melted snow suggests that the harsh winter here has just ended.

The moonlight shone on the bare branches of the trees, which had few green leaves, making the scene seem somewhat desolate. Meanwhile, the faint howls of unidentified wild beasts could be heard in the distance.

“There seems to be some substance in the air that is slowly enhancing my physical and mental strength…” Mike stretched and said silently, “Interesting. The energy level of this world seems to be much higher than the world I was in before.”

"Similarly, this place should be much more dangerous than my original world..."

To use an appropriate term, the "spiritual energy" of this place is more vibrant than that of Mike's original world.

Therefore, it is best to be cautious until the situation is clear.

So Mike first took out a magnificent crown from his person and put it on. This crown was a gift from the king of Tidar when Mike went to play there.

Besides its magnificent appearance, this crown's function is to help the wearer maintain a calm mind, which is no less than a +10 to the intelligence attribute.

It has a special attack effect against berserkers.

Returning to Mike, after donning the crown, he then manifested the armor of light on his body, and finally, still feeling uneasy, summoned the Holy Sword of Flames.

"That should be about right~" After doing all this, Mike nodded in satisfaction and then used his flight ability to slowly fly into the sky.

My first impression was that this world is very green.

The moonlight did not obstruct Mike's vision, and he saw forests and vegetation everywhere, as if he had entered a boundless primeval jungle.

"There's a bonfire ten kilometers to the left front..."

The campfire was brighter than the stars in the sky at night. Ignoring the issue of "arson and life imprisonment," Mike quickly flew towards the campfire.

"Friend, since you're here, why not come and warm yourself by the fire?"

Mike had barely gotten close when he was spotted by the old man by the campfire.

The other person had a long white beard, was tall, wore a gray wizard's robe, and had eyes that were exceptionally bright even in the night.

At this moment, the old man was holding a pointed, wide-brimmed hat in one hand and a long pipe in the other, with a magic wand taller than a person at his feet.

Dried tofu!!!

Chapter 585 The Old Forest

"King? Ranger??"

Upon seeing Mike, who was wearing a crown and holding a giant sword, the old wizard first showed a surprised expression, then relaxed and said, "Sorry, I forgot that I should introduce myself before asking someone a question."

“My name is Orolin, also known as Mithrandi, but people are more used to calling me Gandalf—an elf with a staff.”

Sensing the gentle aura emanating from Mike, Gandalf smiled and gestured to his staff, which was taller than a person, at his feet, thus confirming his identity.

[Demigodlike Body (Trait)]...[Source of Magic (Trait)]...[Two-Handed Sword Mastery (Skill)]...[Illumination (Skill)]...[Explosive Magic (Skill)]...

[Ring of Fire. Fire Affinity (Trait)]...

The moment Mike met Gandalf, he knew he had arrived in Middle-earth. Here lived the unfathomably powerful creator god Ilúvatar, and the Great Song of Ainu he composed.

Gandalf, as a Maiar sent to maintain peace in Middle-earth during the Great Music, was naturally quite powerful, probably comparable to the fallen angel Lucifer.

"Mike, Mike Quinn. A... traveler." Mike was in a good mood after picking up a lot of attribute orbs, and then introduced himself.

“Mike the Traveler…” Gandalf thought for a moment, but couldn’t recall anyone by that name. Nevertheless, he smiled and invited, “Traveling through the jungle at night is very dangerous. If you don’t mind, you can spend the night by the campfire. I have some food to offer you…”

As he spoke, Gandalf pulled a small package from his wide robe, which contained honey and some unknown fruits.

"Thank you~" Mike replied without hesitation.

With a wave of his hand, he retracted the crown on his head and the greatsword in his hand into his body, and transformed the magnificent armor of light on his body into a medieval dress in the style of Genovese.

The material chosen is relatively rough linen, which is a bit like adapting to local customs.

Then he walked to the campfire and sat down opposite Gandalf.

"What an amazing ability." Gandalf exclaimed in genuine admiration as he watched Mike casually change his style.

Besides the Maiar and the Elves, Middle-earth is also home to many extraordinary people and beings.

Gandalf has been here for over a thousand years, so naturally he wouldn't underestimate anyone.

"Just some little tricks, nothing to brag about," Mike said modestly, then added with a smile, "By the way, I also have some food stored here, you might like it."

Reciprocity is key...

Mike then took out some cooked food and drinks from his personal space. These things might not be as nutritious as the food in this world, but with the help of technology and hard work, they certainly wouldn't taste bad.

"Very interesting processing techniques and brewing processes..." Gandalf commented after tasting the fried chicken and red wine, then suddenly asked, "As a traveler, where do you come from?"

Gandalf couldn't quite figure out the young man in front of him, so he wanted to find out more about him.

If circumstances allow, you might consider inviting them to join your Lonely Mountain Squad.

Sixty years is a cycle. Lonely Mountain, the origin of the Durin dwarves, was occupied by the dragon Smaug sixty years ago, causing great casualties to the dwarves and the humans of the surrounding Valley City.

Now, sixty years later, with the resurgence of evil forces, Gandalf senses that the dragon sleeping on the Lonely Mountain will awaken once more.

To prevent further bloodshed, someone must confront the awakened dragon.

At the same time, it suppresses the evil energy in the Central Plains.

The descendants of the Dorlin dwarves, who constantly sought to reclaim the Lonely Mountain, were the main force Gandalf planned to use against Smaug.

However, the Durin dwarves alone were clearly not enough to deal with Smaug, so Gandalf needed to mobilize more people to help at the Lonely Mountain.

“I come from a very far place and am not familiar with the area. So, Gandalf, could you tell me about the surroundings?” Instead of telling Gandalf where he came from, Mike took the initiative to control the pace of the conversation.

After a verbal exchange, the two of them each gained something.

Gandalf was certain that Mike was a powerful human being, exactly the kind of talent he was looking for.

Mike, on the other hand, realized that he was at the border between the Valley and the Shire...

Well, after probing each other for a while, they didn't actually get much useful information.

Finally, as dawn approached, the old wizard lost his patience, put on his large wizard hat, and took a nap.

When he was awakened again by the fragrance, the sunlight was already filtering through the treetops, making it a rare and beautiful day.

On the other side, Mike was forking several sausages and heating them over the campfire.

"Want to try some? It's a nutritious breakfast!" Mike handed over two grilled sausages, then took out some fluffy bread and milk to share with Gandalf.

Looking at the food in his hand, Gandalf felt that the humans in front of him were becoming more and more mysterious.

"By the way, where are you planning to go next... on a trip?" Gandalf asked casually after breakfast.

"I don't have any concrete plans yet, we'll just take it one step at a time," Mike replied honestly.

He hasn't really decided what he wants to do in Middle-earth yet.

"Is that so?" Gandalf replied. "If you don't know where to go, I have a suggestion. I wonder if you'd be interested?"

"What suggestion?" Mike asked knowingly.

"The treasure of Lonely Mountain..." Gandalf revealed, "I'm planning to assemble an adventure team to Lonely Mountain, and if you'd like to join, you'll get a share of the treasure there."

Lonely Mountain, the earliest home of the dwarves, was filled with countless gold coins and gems, which even attracted the covetous eyes of Smaug, the last dragon of Middle-earth.

This is no secret in the Middle Kingdom.

“Wealth?” Mike narrowed his eyes and said, “If there are suitable companions, I wouldn’t mind going on a fun treasure hunt.”

Mike had long discovered that the more powerful a race or individual was, the more faith points and corruption points they could provide.

The Middle-earth is even larger than Earth in the previous world, and it is home to powerful races such as dwarves, elves, and orcs.

If one can become a "legend" on this land, the power of faith and the points of corruption one gains will certainly be even greater.

Joining the Lonely Mountain Adventure Team is the best shortcut to becoming a legend.

Moreover, as far as Mike knows, Gandalf has a map to Lonely Mountain, and joining his adventure party would save a lot of trouble.

"Thorin and his men will satisfy you..." Gandalf gave a general overview of the adventure party. In his description, the descendants of the Durin dwarves were a group of generous and capable fellows.

“Let’s get going without delay. I’ve arranged to meet them in the Shire…” Gandalf seemed to be in a good mood and continued, “On the way to the Shire, I can also visit an old friend of mine. He, like you, possesses some amazing abilities.”

So, after extinguishing the remaining campfire, the two, led by Gandalf, headed northwest.

Despite Gandalf's wizard attire and demigod-like physique, his physical abilities are actually stronger than his magical powers.

In just half a day, he led Mike through hundreds of kilometers of rugged forest.

“Ahead lies the ‘Old Forest,’ where John and his wife Goldenberry live…” Gandalf began to explain as they reached the edge of the forest.

Strangely enough, unlike other forests that have just sprouted new buds, the 'old forest' in front of us is lush and verdant, as if it were already the height of summer.

Mike also noticed that Gandalf, upon entering the 'Old Forest,' was much more relaxed, both physically and mentally.

Chapter 586 Being a Guest

Apple trees laden with fruit, kumquat trees adorned with tiny lanterns, strawberry vines overflowing with wild strawberries…

Entering the old forest is like stepping into a large orchard, where the joy of harvest is everywhere.

Occasionally, figures could be seen making small movements among the trees.

The peaceful atmosphere makes this place feel like a paradise.

Gandalf seemed to enjoy the atmosphere. He casually picked two apples from the roadside, handed one to Mike, and said, "If there's any place in Middle-earth that's the safest, it's Tom's Old Forest..."

The wizard rubbed the apple on his clothes, took a bite, and continued, "It's just a pity that Tom has the ability to change his surroundings, yet he never dares to step out of the old forest..."

Middle-earth is home to many powerful and extraordinary individuals, but most of them, like Tom, are content to live their lives within their own small territory and have no interest in fighting.

Unfortunately, evil energy has now revived and is showing a growing trend.

This undoubtedly added a great deal of difficulty to Gandalf's "work".

"Oh, Gandalf. I heard you talking bad about me from afar..." As the branches swayed, a head suddenly peeked out from a fruit tree by the roadside and said in a mischievous tone, "All that preparation I made to welcome you was for nothing."

As if seeking praise, a figure peeked out from the fruit tree, one hand gripping a branch, the other covering his loose clothing.

This allows Gandalf below to see that he has many fruits in his clothes.

"Tom, Tom, I was wrong. I can feel your sincerity, please come down quickly!" Seeing this, Gandalf, as if afraid that the other party would fall from the tree, quickly ran to the fruit tree and stretched out his hands to welcome him.

"Haha..." The man in the tree was very satisfied with Gandalf's reaction and laughed heartily.

Then he deliberately performed a few "dangerous" acrobatic moves between the branches, which startled Gandalf repeatedly before he finally slid down the fruit tree with satisfaction.

"Oh, my friend, it's been decades since we last met. I'm so happy to see you again!!!" Tom, upon reaching the ground, ignored the fruit in his arms and immediately opened his arms to give Gandalf a big hug.

"The last time we met was sixty years ago..." Gandalf said cheerfully, "I'm so happy to see you still looking so energetic!"

Tom Bombardier, one of the most mysterious beings in Middle-earth, had already lived on the continent before Gandalf was sent there.

He looked very festive, dressed in brightly colored clothes and wearing a top hat.

His messy brown beard and ruddy complexion made him look even "younger" than Gandalf.

[Natural Force (Trait)]...[Wood Affinity (Trait)]...[Longevity (Trait)]...

[Natural Energy +1000w]...

Mike, who had unexpectedly obtained countless orbs of light and a large amount of energy, glanced in surprise at Tom, who was embracing Gandalf like a playful old man.

With the power of nature at his fingertips, Mike was certain that Gandalf would be no match for him in this ancient forest.

Middle-earth is indeed a land of hidden talents...

"Gandalf, you even brought a new friend this time! Introduce him to me!" Tom seemed to only notice Mike after hugging Gandalf.

However, the truth is that Tom, who possesses the power of nature, can become one with the old forest, and the surrounding trees are his eyes and ears.

When Mike walked into the old forest, he already knew.

However, Old Forest was not averse to this young man who exuded a gentle aura, and Tom naturally wasn't overly wary of him either.

On the contrary, in that brief moment, Tom felt a great sense of kinship with the young man in front of him.

“Mike Quinn, a traveler from afar, may become my companion later.” Gandalf introduced Mike, and then continued, “Tom Bombardier, a ranger, is the old friend I mentioned earlier.”

Through the wizard's introduction, Mike and the enthusiastic Tom shook hands.

It was this encounter that made Tom even more certain that Mike was also a human with powerful [natural] attributes.

In Middle-earth, being close to nature represents "justice" and is inherently associated with the light.