"Why are you here?"
In the vast, empty hall, ignoring Smaug cursing "cowards" in fury from beyond the wall, the expedition party held a small meeting.
"That's what I should be asking you, Li Wei. What are you doing here?"
Thorin demanded, "You shouldn't have been so reckless and awakened the dragon ahead of time. This isn't what we agreed on!"
"What you did nearly caused our expedition to fail. The key and map my father left behind would have been wasted!"
Li Wei shook his head and recounted what he had learned. "No, Thorin. That method no longer works. Your information is outdated."
"Smaug joined forces with the great enemy long ago. Do you remember the Necromancer Gandalf mentioned? He is the great enemy of the Free Peoples of Middle-earth—the Dark Lord, Sauron."
"He contacted Smaug long ago and formed an alliance with it. In truth, the dragon has been awake all along. It hid underground and pretended to sleep, waiting for you to come knocking."
At that, the anger on Thorin's face froze and slowly faded, replaced by an expression of unwilling disbelief.
Seeing Thorin's expression, Li Wei added, "Also, the Orcs and Wargs of Moria and the Misty Mountains have formed a joint army and are advancing this way. There are tens of thousands of them."
"They will crown Smaug the new King Under the Mountain and completely occupy this region."
"No, I am the true master here!" Thorin could not help saying.
"That's why we need to find a way."
Quietly processing this information, Thorin took a breath and said, "Since the dragon has awakened, we must face it. I declare the original plan void."
"Before the Orc army arrives, we must kill it. Otherwise, everything will be beyond saving!"
"And I must immediately seek aid