Troll [Seeking Recommendation Tickets]

"What do you mean?"

As Gandalf's words fell, Thorin Oakenshield felt a jolt in his heart and immediately pressed for an answer.

"You, and perhaps your entire line of Turin, are likely being hunted."

"Otherwise, the Orc would never have tracked us down so quickly!"

"As for the reason, you know it better than I do."

Gandalf spoke in a deep voice, and Thorin Oakenshield's heart sank instantly.

If it were truly as Gandalf said, and the entire bloodline of the Turin dwarves was being hunted, the Orc could indeed track them down by following the scent of their kin.

This would perfectly explain why the Orc scouts were able to find them so rapidly, not long after they had entered the range of Orc activity.

It was the only possibility.

As for the idea of it being a coincidence, that was simply impossible.

After a long silence, Thorin Oakenshield spoke in a low voice: "If that is the case, no, we must leave at once. The Orc could be upon us at any moment!"

Gandalf looked up at the sun hanging high in the sky and said casually: "They shouldn't come for now; the Orc do not like the sunlight."

"We should leave regardless. We must get far enough away before nightfall at the very least."

Thorin Oakenshield shook his head and started to walk toward the resting group.

"We just fought a battle last night and ran through the better part of the night. Do you really think we can continue on now?"

"Even if we could, the horses certainly cannot."

Gandalf continued, and Thorin Oakenshield stopped in his tracks.

After a brief silence, Thorin Oakenshield turned his head to look at Gandalf: "You have something to say, don't you?"

"We are very close to the Hidden Valley."

"We could easily continue our journey along the valley; the Orc would never dare to follow us there."

Gandalf continued, only to be cut off decisively by Thorin Oakenshield: "No!"

"I told you long ago, I do not want to go near that place!"

"Why?"

"Going there would not only allow us to evade the Orc."

"The Elves would help us. We could replenish our food, get a proper rest, and listen to the advice of the Elves."

Gandalf remained somewhat puzzled; it was a move that offered multiple benefits with no downsides.

"I do not need their advice!"

Thorin Oakenshield refused without hesitation.

"But King Elrond could help us decipher that map!"

"Do not forget, there are very few people in all of Middle-earth who can read that map."

"We have the opportunity now. Once we enter the Hidden Valley, all our current difficulties can be resolved."

Gandalf spoke in a deep, serious tone.

"Help us?"

"When the dragon Smaug attacked Erebor, did the Elves help us?"

"When those damned Orc raided Moria and desecrated our sacred halls, did the Elves help us?"

"No, they stood by and watched with cold indifference!"

"And now you want me to beg the Elves who abandoned my grandfather, abandoned my father, and abandoned my entire Turin kin?"

Thorin Oakenshield turned to face Gandalf, his expression firm as he shook his head and spoke coldly.

"But you are not them!"

"I gave you the map and the key, not so you could live forever in the past, nursing your hatred!"

Hearing Thorin Oakenshield's incredibly stubborn words, Gandalf's expression changed as he shouted coldly.

"That is the key to the Lonely Mountain, and you have no right to keep it."

Thorin Oakenshield continued, as stubborn as the hardest granite.

"Hmph."

Looking at Thorin Oakenshield's obstinate face, Gandalf was truly infuriated.

The party had been attacked just last night, they were now facing a hunt by the Orc, their food was nearly exhausted, and the members of the expedition were exhausted and weary.

And there was the biggest problem of all: the secret passage to the Lonely Mountain hidden within that map remained unsolved.

The entire party was facing so many difficulties.

It was clear that everything could be resolved simply by entering the Hidden Valley.

Yet, Thorin Oakenshield was so stubbornly turning a blind eye to it all because of a family grudge from years ago.

This was nothing short of a joke.

"Hmph."

"I hope you won't regret this."

Gandalf was so angry he laughed, let out a cold snort, and turned to walk away.

He knew the dwarves were stubborn, but he hadn't expected them to be stubborn to this degree.

This was no longer stubbornness; this was unreasonable.

Gandalf stormed out of the house.

The group of dwarves resting outside immediately looked over.

Everyone had heard the argument between Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield just now.

"Are you alright, Gandalf?"

"Where are you going?"

Seeing Gandalf walking away with hurried, angry strides, Bilbo stood up immediately and asked.

"To find the only rational person in this party!"

"Who is that?"

"Myself!"

Gandalf stormed off.

The previously relaxed atmosphere of the camp fell into immediate silence.

The party had been attacked by Orcs just last night.

Now, their leader, Thorin Oakenshield, had gotten into a row with the wizard Gandalf.

The group felt a sense of unease.

"Rumble."

At that moment, a deafening peal of thunder suddenly rolled across the sky.

The group was startled.

They immediately looked up.

They saw that the sky, which had been clear just a short while ago, was now blanketed in dark clouds.

The sky turned gloomy, and it looked like rain was imminent.

"Damn it, that gave me a fright."

"How did the weather change so quickly?"

"Quick, it's going to rain, let's set up the tents."

"Wait a bit longer, it shouldn't be that fast."

"Oh no, it's already starting."

"Quick, set up the tents; I don't want to get soaked in this weather."

Raindrops as large as beans began to fall rapidly.

The temporary camp was instantly thrown into a chaotic scramble.

In a small clearing in the woods not far from the camp.

Morgan's training had also come to a halt.

The discomfort brought on by the attribute enhancements had completely faded.

His White Crow Swordsmanship had also improved significantly thanks to the forced advancement.

As for his Archery, which had now reached LV3, he could just absorb the knowledge and train slowly from here on out.

"Pitter-patter."

This autumn rain came on very suddenly.

It hadn't even been half an hour from the thunderous change in weather to the start of the downpour.

Just as he brought his water flask to his lips, dense, rapid raindrops began to hammer down frantically.

"Damn it."

Morgan cursed, unable to spare the time to drink, and stowed his longsword away before grabbing his flask and sprinting toward the nearby camp.

This temporary camp had no caves or rock shelters to hide from the rain.

Morgan returned to the camp at a run and saw Bilbo struggling to pitch a tent.

Morgan immediately stepped forward to help.

By the time their clothes were more than half-soaked, Morgan and Bilbo finally managed to pitch the tent belonging to himself, Bilbo, and Gandalf.

"Where is Gandalf?"

Stripping off his leather armor, Morgan asked casually.

"I don't know either."

"Gandalf and Thorin had a disagreement, and then he went out."

Bilbo shook his head.

"Gandalf and Thorin had an argument?"

"When did this happen?"

Morgan turned his head to look at Bilbo.

"Just a moment ago, before the rain started."

As soon as Bilbo finished speaking, something clicked in Morgan's mind, and he immediately walked outside, bare-chested.

Then, he saw an abandoned, dilapidated wooden shack sitting in a corner of the camp not far away.

Staring at the abandoned shack, Morgan narrowed his eyes as memories of the plot flashed rapidly through his mind, and he murmured, "Troll."

Thanks to book friend Ge Jian Ye Ting Yu for the tip, thank you very much~~~