Gollum took Thorin, Carl, and the others, and successfully crossed the water without making any waves.
Throughout the journey, nobody spotted the so-called devil snake in its mouth—Uwali.
"We're safe," Gollum exclaimed, standing on the grass, a mysterious smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
At that moment, there was a sudden change behind them, and everyone turned to look towards the swamp they had just traversed. It was the wolf cavalry army led by Azog.
In the distance, the demonic wolf cavalry orcs had caught up and had begun wading into the water.
"Puff, puff!" Countless wolves splashed water, churning the once-peaceful swamp into chaos.
"Where are they? Don't let them escape!" Azog shouted.
All the orcs rushed towards the group.
However, just as all the wolves poured into the water, beneath the calm surface, there was sudden turbulence.
The water erupted, and a massive head burst out of the surface, followed by a body as thick as steel gradually rising. The sudden appearance caused the demon wolves to panic.
Sorin and the others glanced at it, unable to help but marvel.
"Is this Uvali?"
The demon snake Uwali has lived here for thousands of years. It carries the bloodline of the ancient dragon Glau. Although this lineage is very faint, it still sets him apart from other snakes.
With hard scales, a robust body, and sharp teeth, he possesses the strength to vanquish all small foes.
The orcs began to retreat, but Uwali wasn't willing to let go of these orcs who had disturbed its peace without authorization.
"Boom, boom, boom!" Its tail thrashed wildly, causing explosions in the water, and countless orcs were crushed into a bloody mess by its massive body and fell into the murky water.
"Damn it! Don't flee, kill this damn creature for me," Azog's anger boiled over, and he shouted furiously.
The dwarves were on the opposite side, with Thorin standing before them. As Azog looked at them, he felt like a clown, unable to bear being bested by them again, which drove him to madness.
These dwarves, returning to face him once more, felt like they were taunting and insulting him.
The orcs heard the command, suppressed their fear, and finally turned back. They obeyed the order and raised their weapons against Uwali.
Soon, the sounds of slashing, explosions, and roaring mixed together, painting the water's surface a deep crimson.
"Let's go!"
The dwarves turned and resumed their journey. Thanks to the demonic snake's obstruction, they faced less embarrassment this time and safely returned to Dasen Village.
The villagers of Dasen Village had been eagerly anticipating their return, and as Thorin and the others approached, they had already noticed them.
They saw who they had brought back.
"Ah, Moses, it's you, my child," the women hugged their children excitedly and thanked God loudly for bringing their child back to their side.
Of course, there were also those who couldn't find their children. Their eyes were filled with despair, pain, and constant tears.
"Thank you, heroic dwarves, for saving our children from the jaws of death," the representative of the villagers of Dasen Village, Captain Rogge, stood up and expressed his gratitude to Sorin and the others.
Looking at the dwarves covered in blood, he could imagine the hardships they had endured to reunite these families.
"This is what we should do," Thorin nodded. Seeing those poor children returning to their families, he felt a sense of relief.
They really should save people; otherwise, what terrible fate would await these people?
The villagers also began to express their gratitude and continued to offer worship.
As the crowd gradually settled down, Carl spoke up:
"Villagers, although we have helped you solve this crisis, the potential danger has not subsided. The orcs have been eyeing this place. We don't know when they will make a comeback. Therefore, I advise you to make a plan and leave as soon as possible."
Indeed, the Misty Mountains had become unsettled, and with the loss of the Lord of the Rings, Carl could only think in the worst direction.
Sauron had begun to wake up, his strength had begun to expand, and he had started recruiting troops, ready to continue his war of revenge.
And these innocent people living outside the mountains should not suffer such an unjust fate.
"Let's go? Mr. Carl, we have lived here for hundreds of years. But where can we go now?" The villagers looked around at a loss.
This place has become their home, the homeland where they live. They are used to the sunrise and sunset here. Now that they are suddenly asked to move out, they are naturally at a loss.
Before the tragedy happened in their village, didn't they also hesitate?
Carl looked at the villagers with reluctance in his eyes and could understand their reluctance, but now was not the time for indecision.
"If there is no direction, go south, where there is a powerful kingdom - Rohan Kingdom. They will accommodate you," Carl instructed.
The Kingdom of Rohan and Gondor are the two most powerful human kingdoms in Middle-earth. If you take refuge in them, security is at least ten times higher than staying in this vast grassland.
"Thank you for your suggestion, Your Excellency Carl," Captain Rogge nodded and began to discuss with everyone.
Eventually, they both decided, following Carl's advice, to go to Rohan.
They also felt the changes in the mountains and felt uneasy in their hearts. For this reason, they were willing to give up the home they had been living in.
The villagers began to pack their bags, large and small bags, and heavy objects were hung on the mules and horses. Then, they formed a long snake-like caravan heading south.
Under the setting sun, the peaceful village was already empty and looked somewhat desolate.
The dwarves packed up their belongings, eager to end their wandering life as soon as possible, seeing that the villagers in Dasen Village had found new homes.