American TV series: Starting with exploiting young Sheldon

The dwarves considered themselves Gandalf's "friends," so Bilbo, who knew Gandalf, was naturally also their "friend."

After cheering, the group of dwarves bypassed Bilbo and rushed unceremoniously toward the restaurant behind them, which was filled with the aroma of food.

"I'm sorry, my people are a bit unconventional. But they're not bad people..." Relatively speaking, Whitebeard Balin was the most polite among the group of Durin dwarves.

He stayed behind and explained to Bilbo, “Gandalf told us that you would be a qualified ‘flying thief,’ but I’m not quite sure why.”

"And the mark you mentioned, it's right here. It's because of it that we were able to find this place..."

With that, Bahrain opened the door wide and gestured for Bilbo to look behind it.

There, the circular mark left by Gandalf is faintly glowing in the night.

"Trouble has come after all..." Although he had a premonition, Bilbo's heart sank after seeing the mark.

When he turned back again, Balin had already gone to the dining hall. He was now methodically directing the dwarves to fetch more food and drinks from the storeroom.

As for Mike, who was already in the restaurant, he watched all of this with a detached, indifferent eye, like an outsider.

Perhaps because his aura was so powerful, the dwarves didn't dare to provoke him.

“What is Gandalf doing? He turned my house into a refugee camp…” Bilbo couldn’t help but come over to Mike and complain in a low voice as he saw the dwarves make a mess of his beloved house in no time.

"Who knows?" Mike shrugged, indicating that he didn't understand either.

It's worth noting that, according to Gandalf, Bilbo's elders had a good relationship with the old wizard.

And that's exactly what he did to Bilbo.

For every hobbit, having their cozy little home "ruined" by outsiders is nothing short of a disaster.

Unfortunately, these Durin dwarves knew nothing of politeness and practically emptied all of Bilbo's stored food and drink from the warehouse.

The carpets, the kitchen, the living room... wherever the dwarves went, everything was turned into a mess.

It must be said that the Dulin dwarves, who were driven out of Lonely Mountain and even the Moria Mines, have a remarkable ability to adapt.

Half an hour later, with the dwarves working together, all the food in Bilbo's warehouse was prepared and served, and barrels of wine were ready.

The restaurant was decorated to resemble a party venue.

Just then, there was another knock on the door, and needless to say, it was Gandalf who came this time.

Bilbo opened the door with a hint of resentment.

"Hello, I'm Kiri (Philip). It's nice to meet you~"

Two well-dressed dwarves stood at the entrance, and unlike other dwarves, they possessed an innate air of nobility.

The smiles on their faces made them look very polite.

The two then separated, revealing a dwarf behind them who exuded an aura of "kinghood".

“I am Thorin Oakenshield, grandson of Thor, the dwarf king of Durin.” Thorin nodded slightly, then looked at Bilbo with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Hello, I am Bilbo, Bilbo Baggins." Seemingly forced by the other party's circumstances, Bilbo stammered through his self-introduction and then stepped aside.

"It seems you two get along well~" Just then, a tall figure appeared at the doorway, bathed in moonlight.

The visitor was none other than Gandalf.

He walked past Chili and Fili, and approached Thorin and Bilbo, saying, "Please allow me to solemnly introduce you again. This is Thorin Oakenshield, a descendant of the royal family of the Durin dwarves. This journey to Lonely Mountain is to help him reclaim his ancestral homeland..."

Then Gandalf pointed to Bilbo and said, "This is Bilbo Baggins, a nimble hobbit. He will be our 'Flying Thief'."

"Also, that's Mr. Mike over there. He possesses magical powers and will also become a member of the Lonely Mountain Adventure Team."

Taking the opportunity, the old wizard introduced Mike, who was watching the commotion, to Thorin and the other dwarves.

"It's not so easy to share in the dwarves' wealth..." Thorin glanced at Bilbo again, then at Mike beside him, his expression seemingly dissatisfied.

However, he knew that this mission was difficult, so he didn't say anything more.

Then Thorin was surrounded by the dwarves and sat down at the head of the table.

Chapter 591 Separation

Thorin, as a guest, sat down in the head seat without saying a word, and then his gaze swept across the entire room like that of a "king".

The dwarves became obedient under his gaze.

Bilbo, who should have been the host and greeted everyone, seemed intimidated by Thorin's regal aura and sat down next to Mike with his head down, behaving like a quail.

In the awkward atmosphere, Gandalf, who had initiated this adventure, had to break the silence: "Let us raise a glass to this gathering, and to the adventures to come!"

“Cheers!!!”xN

Putting everything else aside, the dwarves, with their forthright and unpretentious personalities, were very good at creating a lively atmosphere. After the old wizard finished his opening remarks, they quickly set the mood.

Amidst the lively scene, even Thorin, who was usually quite composed, raised his glass.

After a couple of drinks, the dwarves' spirits soared, and they began to reminisce about the glory days of Lonely Mountain.

Then, he began to complain about his miserable life over the years.

Yes, the once incredibly prosperous Durin dwarves were driven out of Lonely Mountain by Smaug, a dragon who loved gold coins, and then by orcs from the Moria Mines, where they depended on for survival.

The several wars during that period caused them heavy casualties, and in the end, only a dozen or so of their people were left, who went to human towns to make a living.

Even Thorin, a descendant of the royal family of the Durin dwarves, has been able to make a living as a blacksmith for humans in Gray Alley all these years.

Their plight can be aptly described as "the rise and fall of a great dynasty," "a journey to a foreign land," and "a life of wandering and displacement."

Fueled by alcohol, these dwarves would reminisce about their glorious past one moment and complain about their current lives the next, their emotions fluctuating wildly.

……

"Gandalf, I don't think they're the companions I need. So I'm sorry." After meeting the Durin dwarves, Mike finally decided to travel alone.

"Why? Don't you want the treasure in Lonely Mountain?" Gandalf seemed to have misunderstood something and tried to persuade him: "You know that the wealth accumulated by the Dwarves of Durin over generations is there, far more than you can imagine."

At the banquet, the shared experiences and bloodlines of the Dulin dwarves naturally formed a circle among them.

Mike, Bilbo, and even Gandalf were excluded from this circle.

The old wizard had been sitting quietly to one side, smoking his pipe, with Mike and Bilbo on either side of him.

Upon hearing Mike's words, the old wizard even stopped smoking.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t go to Lonely Mountain, I just didn’t want to be with the dwarves…” Mike explained.

The dwarves might have some fighting ability, but compared to their terrible character, that fighting ability was nothing to Mike.

“This…” Gandalf was stunned; he had never imagined that Mike would have such thoughts.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. The treasure of Lonely Mountain is right there, and you don't necessarily need to cooperate with the dwarves to get it.

Just as the old wizard was trying to find a reason to persuade Mike again, a loud crash suddenly came from the dining table.

Thorin slammed his glass on the table, glared at Mike, and said, "The treasure on Lonely Mountain belongs only to the Durin Dwarves. Anyone who tries to take it will become our enemy!"

Clearly, the dwarves had overheard what Mike had just said to the wizard.

At the same time, the other dwarves also glared at Mike with a shared sense of righteous indignation.

As a result, Gandalf and Bilbo, who were standing next to Mike, were also implicated.

“If I remember correctly, the Lonely Mountain and its treasures now belong to the dragon Smaug.” Unlike Bilbo, who was afraid of Thorin, Mike calmly said, “Moreover, you who were driven out of the Lonely Mountain have never thought of taking it back in the past sixty years.”

“Even this time, if it weren’t for Gandalf taking the lead, I guarantee you wouldn’t have had the courage to go to the Lonely Mountain and face Smaug.”

This is what it means to kill someone by destroying their spirit.

You can say dwarfs are rude, but you can never say they are cowardly.

Thorin, his sore spot touched, suddenly stood up and shouted, "Nonsense! You are insulting the people of Durin!"

Seeing Thorin's anger, many dwarves began searching for weapons to prepare for battle.

Only Balin with his white beard remained rational. He stopped the other dwarves and then said to Thorin, "Calm down, Thorin. He was sent by Gandalf. We shouldn't fight amongst ourselves. Besides, without a map or clues, no one can take our treasure."

After Smaug occupied Lonely Hill, he sealed off all entrances and exits, so even if ordinary people reached Lonely Hill, they could not enter.

"Is that so?" Seeing that the dwarves had given up on fighting, Mike continued, "I can tell you're hostile towards me, and I don't think much of you either. Rather than forcing yourselves together, why don't you go your separate ways and rely on your own abilities... Or are you afraid?"

"Dwarves are not afraid of challenges!!" Now that the conversation had gotten to this point, Thorin was clearly not going to back down.

"Then we'll meet at Lonely Hill. I hope you won't keep me waiting too long." After saying that, Mike got up and walked outside.

Things changed so quickly that by the time Bilbo, the owner, realized what was happening, Mike had already left the house.

So Bilbo quickly chased after him.

"It's already dark. Where are you going? And are you really planning to take Lonely Mountain?" The kind-hearted Bilbo wanted Mike to stay, at least not to leave alone at night, and he also felt great sympathy for the plight of the Durin dwarves.

"Don't worry, my power is beyond your imagination~" Mike chuckled, then conjured a protective orb of light and threw it at Bilbo, saying, "This is to thank you for treating me. This protective orb of light will help you withstand a fatal blow if necessary."

And good luck!

Given Bilbo's kind nature, it was inevitable that he would help the dwarves.

Mike couldn't bring himself to dislike someone with such a noble character, so he offered a little help.

“I knew it, you’re a wizard too…” Bilbo looked surprised as the ball of light merged into his body.

How could someone who walks alongside Gandalf be an ordinary person?

Mike, who was already preparing to leave, smiled and shook his head without offering any further explanation.

“Alright, Bilbo. Let me say a few words to Mr. Mike.” Gandalf, who followed behind, patted Bilbo on the shoulder, then looked at Mike with a complicated expression and said, “Perhaps you are quite strong, but Smaug, as the last dragon of Middle-earth, is a force that no ordinary person can withstand.”

"Therefore, if we want to retake Lonely Mountain, we should unite everyone's strength."

“If you change your mind, I can go back and explain to Thorin and the others…”

Even at this point, the old wizard was still working hard for the adventure team.

It's clear that he genuinely admires Mike's talent. But on the other hand, he doesn't really understand Mike.

“Thank you for your kind offer, but as I said before, I’m not on the same page as the Durin dwarves.” Mike waved casually, flew into the sky, and said, “Well then, see you next time, Gandalf. Let’s go find Tom for a drink sometime.”

As the sound faded into the distance, Mike's figure flew further and further away in the moonlight.

"I really underestimated him." Watching Mike disappear into the moonlight, Gandalf truly regretted it this time.

In his view, he had the opportunity to keep Mike and have him join the adventure team; he just needed to "try" a little harder.

However, it's too late to say anything now.

Meanwhile, the dwarves were talking badly about Mike behind his back.

Mike wasn't wrong; the dwarves did indeed dislike him. Or rather, because of the elves, the dwarves disliked anything handsome.

Moreover, Mike was even "good-looking" than the elves, so it was inevitable that the dwarves of Durin would dislike him.

"That guy's face is completely bald, not a single hair on it. He's obviously not someone you can trust..."

"Where we live, no woman would like him..."

Dwarves value ruggedness as beauty, and in their view, the more body hair and beard one has, the better. In this context, even female dwarves often have thick beards for the sake of beauty.

In the eyes of dwarves, a pretty boy like Mike is not even as good as a woman.

"And that hobbit named Bilbo, he looks so cowardly, how could he possibly be the 'flying thief' we're looking for..."

"I don't know what Gandalf was thinking, always sending us such unreliable people..."

After killing Mike, the dwarves turned their attention to Bilbo and Gandalf.

Listening to the increasingly outrageous discussions among his people, Thorin, sitting to the side, made no attempt to stop them; in fact, he felt a little smug.

Chapter 592 Green Dragon Tavern

"Enough! Aren't you all causing enough chaos already?"

The dwarves' naturally loud voices meant that all the bad things they said about the crickets behind their backs were overheard by Gandalf and Bilbo upon their return.

At this moment, not only did the old wizard look unwell, but even the good-natured Bilbo's face darkened.

Seeing that the dwarves still seemed unconvinced, Gandalf continued, "Mike is right, you are not only rude but also arrogant."

"This is no longer the time when the Durin dwarves were powerful, a hundred years ago. No one owes you anything; on the contrary, you want to reclaim your homeland and need the help of others..."

Compared to Mike, the dwarf's behavior of making a mess of someone else's house as soon as he walked in was indeed unappealing.