At the edge of Chet Forest, in Brie Town, in a simple street house, the atmosphere at the moment is a little weird.
"Gandalf, you are making me very embarrassed." A tall and handsome human with black pupils and black hair looked at an old man in a tall hat with a gray beard and an unkempt face, but there was a hint of embarrassment on his mouth.
"You have to know that if you want me to help, you have to pay the corresponding price. If you don't have money, you will be embarrassed."
"Although we are old acquaintances, our brothers have to settle accounts. Since you want to help these dwarves, you have to obey the rules."
Gandalf looked at the handsome young man in front of him, with a smile on his face, but he cursed in his heart, this guy, as expected, still has this virtue, he needs money for life and death, can he still treat him badly?
After thinking about it, he still said: "Carl, I know your rules, it's not about money, you don't have to worry about this at all, if you can help these dwarves take back their territory and drive away that evil dragon, then, what do you think? Isn't it just a matter of how much it costs?"
"You must know how the dwarves like to collect gold coins. Think about the scene where the gold coins are piled up in the dungeon of Lonely Mountain. If you get there, how much wealth will be waiting for you."
Gandalf wanted to say something, but the handsome young man named Carl interrupted him: "Fart, Gandalf, you are clearly trying to trick me."
"Who doesn't know that the wealth of the King under the Mountain is piled up like a mountain in the basement of the Lonely Mountain, but now, you have seen that person successfully steal a gold coin from there."
After Carl said, he smiled again, "Smaug the dragon is not a kitten or a puppy locked behind a human's house. Besides, if I have the ability to kill him, why would I take you and those greedy dwarves with me. What? Wouldn't it be better for me to occupy it myself?"
"Haha" Gandalf looked a little embarrassed, but he didn't give up, and continued, "Carl, don't be so pessimistic, the dwarves I brought this time are not the ordinary guys you imagined, you should believe in their strength. If, plus you, if you are willing to lead them to go together, I believe that you will be able to take back those wealth and territories from the dragon."
Carl is the most famous and the most powerful ranger warrior within the radius. If he joins their team, then the difficulty of this mission will undoubtedly be greatly reduced.
Gandalf had been fortunate enough to cooperate with Carl several times, so he knew very well Carl's ability. Although this guy was just an ordinary human on the surface, his strength and various methods of confronting the enemy were endless, making it impossible to guard against.
So, whatever he said, he had to pull Carl in.
Carl rolled his eyes slightly, causing Gandalf, who had been paying attention to his expression, to take a half step back.
Gandalf had seen this familiar look several times, and every time Carl's eyes started rolling, it meant that he must have come up with something else, and he couldn't help but be on guard.
Carl looked at Gandalf who had taken a half step back, still maintaining a graceful smile on his face: "Okay, Gandalf, it's not that I can't agree to your request, but it is."
After all, Carl stopped suddenly, but Gandalf was in a hurry. He knew that this fellow Carl did it on purpose and was now waiting for him to ask.
Helpless, he had to ask cautiously: "But what?"
"Hehe, can you lend me your ring to watch for two days? If you agree, then I." Carl was interrupted by Gandalf before he could finish his words.
"Dream! Don't even think about it, you boy, you are still thinking of my ring, and let me tell you, there is no way." Gandalf couldn't help scolding.
This kid Carl doesn't know what's going on. Once he accidentally saw the ring he was hiding, he kept thinking about it, but can he give it to him? The answer is, of course, no.
This is the Ring of Fire, one of the three elf rings. He himself is reluctant to wear it at ordinary times. How could he give it to Carl, a greedy boy?
"Don't be like that, Gandalf, why are you so stingy, you old fellow, just watching for two days!" Carl's displeased voice came.
"Wait, watch it for two days. You have used the Elf dagger I lent you last time for three years and you still haven't returned it to me!" Gandalf couldn't help but scold again.
"Watch your tongue, he'd be really stupid if he believed Carl."
"Okay, okay, really, just kidding you, so serious! Who cares about your broken ring?" Seeing Gandalf being so determined, Carl waved his hand.
Gandalf: "..."
After a speechless argument, the two finally reached an agreement to discuss again, and they calmed down again.
Carl said: "You said those dwarves outside the door are not ordinary people, then let me guess."
"You haven't seen anyone yet. Can you guess?" Gandalf looked suspicious.
Although he knew that Carl's mind was indeed witty, he could guess the conclusion without any observation, that only Iluvita could do.
"Hehe," Carl said slowly, with an inexplicable smile on his face, "Gandalf, you are not a doer for no reason. There are only two reasons for you to help others. One is that the person is your friend, and the second is to help him in order to prevent certain events that will cause disaster in Middle-earth."
"And this time, you are not far away, and you came to beg me. Obviously, this is not a simple matter, so it is the second possibility."
"Recently... Middle-earth suddenly gave birth to a lot of dark aura, especially in the Misty Mountains, there are many strange things happening, you have a lot of anxiety in your heart," Carl smiled.
"And there is an evil dragon over the Lonely Mountain. It is so close to those dark auras. You are worried that these things are related to it, or you are worried that something wants to use the dragon to disturb Middle-earth, so you want to drive it away. Is it?"
Hearing Carl's analysis, Gandalf's eyes flashed a hint of surprise. This guy, Carl, had guessed what he was thinking.
That's right, he was so worried because he sensed the inexplicable dark aura of the Misty Mountains.
"And then?" asked Gandalf, squinting slightly, continuing to look at Carl.
Sometimes he has to admit that although Carl hates this guy, his analytical skills are strong and nothing to say.
"It's obviously unrealistic to rely on your old bones to drive away the dragon of the Lonely Mountain." Carl glanced at Gandalf, saw Gandalf's mouth twitching, but smiled again, "So, you must be looking for help."
"So, who is the best helper?"
Carl asked himself and answered: "Of course it was the dwarf who was driven away by the dragon from Lonely Mountain and stole his home. As far as I know, the dwarf who escaped from there was the Thorin dwarf."
"Since you said that the visitor this time is not an ordinary person, then, presumably, his identity is extraordinary. He has an extraordinary identity and is ready to retake the Lonely Mountain. Those who can have this strength and mind, except... Thorin Oakenshield, I really can't think of anyone."
Aside, Gandalf let out a long sigh.
"Carl, if I hadn't known you were a human being, I would have thought you were a messenger from heaven," Gandalf looked at Carl and said silently.