In the darkness, Thorin Oakenshield's eyes sparkled, and his eyes contained the desire to regain his homeland - the kingdom of Erebor in the Lonely Mountain and the countless gold and silver treasures buried deep in its underground.

and ambition.

"We are gathering here to discuss our plans to conquer the Lonely Mountain and take back our kingdom from our evil enemy!"

Before Thorin could continue speaking, his voice was drowned out by the confident and drunken cheers of the surrounding dwarves.

Thorin's two young nephews, Fili and Kili, shouted: "With the dwarf army in the Iron Hills here, we will be unstoppable! No one can stop us from taking back our homeland."

The proud words of the two brothers seemed to express the feelings of all the dwarves present, and it was nothing more than why they were so proud.

After all, the dwarf army in the Iron Hills - the Iron Foot army commanded by Thorin's cousin "Ironfoot" Dyne, is an iron-blooded army that has gone through many bloody battles and killed the northern Orcs who dare not invade south!

With such a friendly force accompanying them, the optimistic dwarves have a better chance of winning, even when facing the evil enemy that occupied their prosperous and wealthy dwarf kingdom at the foot of the Lonely Mountain more than 170 years ago - the evil dragon Smaug.

It also looks very impressive.

Soon, led by Balin's stern face and not smiling at all, the dwarves realized that something was wrong with the atmosphere. When they calmed down and became quiet again, everyone discovered Thorin's angry face hidden in the shadows.

The expression of an aggrieved man who has been betrayed by his trusted accomplices.

"The dwarf army from the Iron Hills will not come. They hold the same opinion as the envoys of the other six dwarf clans. Only we will participate in this expedition."

As soon as Thorin said these words, they exploded in the hearts of all the dwarves like thunder in the winter.

The dwarves, who had been very optimistic about this expedition just now, suddenly realized why Thorin had a sad face since he announced the bad news.

Not only that! Without the help of the dwarf army from Iron Hills, how could their expedition team of thirteen dwarves fight against the evil dragon Smaug who slaughtered the entire dwarven kingdom under the mountain in its heyday?

The chances of winning this trip are probably almost zero! In other words, they are simply going to die!

"Are you planning to go on an expedition?" As a participant in the meeting, Bilbo asked curiously.

Thorin quickly caught the loophole in the Hobbit's words.

"We, no no no! It's us! You also want to participate as a member of our team. Gandalf recommended you to us as a snitch. You will be of great use."

Do you want to participate? Go and leave your hometown with this group of stupid and reckless dwarves, and travel thousands of miles to the foot of the remote lonely mountain to fight the giant dragon, or to die?!

No, he, Bilbo Baggins, would not do such a stupid thing!

Seeing Bilbo's evasive eyes full of resistance, Gloin, a member of the dwarf expedition who was already in a bad mood, couldn't help but taunted emotionally:

"Hmph! What, are you scared? Coward! Before we came, Gandalf said that you, a hobbit, are very powerful. In fact, if Gandalf hadn't personally brought us here, I would have thought we had found the wrong person.

With your chubby body and clumsy posture running around, you don’t look like a snitch at all, but more like a cowardly, submissive grocery store clerk!”

Hearing the dwarf's provocative language, Bilbo's reckless and fearless spirit from his mother, the Hobbit family of Took, took over.

This time, the hot-blooded Hobbit would rather be burned to ashes by the evil dragon Smaug with dragon flames, or fight to the death with the Orcs, than to let the dwarves in front of him admit that he is a ferocious one.

Guy.

Bilbo retorted with an unprecedented force: "Excuse me, you should go to Gandalf about the snitch! I have never heard him say anything about it beforehand. As for my chubby body shape, I am not suitable for that.

Snitch, let's wait and see, one day I will prove it to you!"

Halfway through his words, when Bilbo's passion and courage were gradually draining away, he saw Thorin Oakenshield across the table stand up and extend his hand to him.

"What are you doing?" The hobbit was confused and confused.

"Why prove the future? My Lord Bilbo Baggins. Welcome to join our expedition!"

In this way, Bilbo Baggins fell into the dwarves' trick and joined this strange Lonely Mountain Expedition.

...

The night was still long, and the dwarves' meeting about the arrangements for the expedition was still going on.

Ever since he found out that he really joined the Lonely Mountain Expedition where the dwarves almost died, Bilbo lay down at the dining table with regret and fell into autistic state.

Of course, he still listened carefully to the discussion between the leader of the dwarves, Thorin, and the other members.

"Oh, by the way, Bilbo." Hearing Thorin talking to himself, Bilbo raised his head in frustration.

"Please allow me to solemnly introduce to you this human being, eternity, and the newly-consecrated Baron Charles, Duke Stark, the guardian of the northern territory of the Kingdom of Cintra!"

The new Baron Charles??

After Thorin's reminder, Bilbo turned his attention to Gu Xiaoheng, a human who had hardly spoken since he came in.

In fact, it’s not that he didn’t pay attention to Gu Xiaoheng and Maeve, who was sitting next to him and talking quietly with him. This angel sister Maeve, who has always shown herself as a human, is so beautiful that even by the hobbit’s aesthetic standards

It's also impeccably beautiful.

Not to mention the white-haired and golden-eyed Geralt sitting next to Gu Xiaoheng. At first glance, he looks like a heroic guest with quite a story. With Maeve and Geralt as a foil, Gu Xiaoheng left Bilbo with nothing but a handsome face.

The only impression left is "mystery".

"Hello, Bilbo. It's an honor to meet you again as Baron Shire! You have a very distinguished life experience, Bilbo. Whether it is as a Baggins or as a Took." Gu Xiaohengbin

Smile politely.

As he said, Bilbo's bloodline can be said to be very prominent. Whether it is the Baggins family on his father's side or the Took family on his mother's line, they are both prominent families that are leaders among the hobbit groups in the entire Shire region.

Wealthy, famous, and well-connected... These qualities that are difficult to combine can be found in these two families.

As a direct descendant of the two main families, Bilbo's status as a hobbit is actually much more than his ordinary appearance. Otherwise, you would think that the house he lives in was designed and built by his parents.

Where did the luxurious cave come from? Every brick and tile is a gorgeous proof of his wealth and power!

Gu Xiaoheng's sudden words made Bilbo a little confused. He really couldn't figure out what the polite human baron in front of him wanted to do.

However, thinking of Thorin on the side, the initiator of the expedition, a bad idea flashed through Bilbo's mind and he shouted in shock: "Wait a minute, Mr. Eternal, are you also going to participate in this?"

An expedition?"

"Of course, my two companions will also participate with me."

Bilbo was even more frightened when he received a positive answer from Gu Xiaoheng.

"Could it be that... you are going to use the baron's noble power to force the recruitment of hobbit legions in the Shire to join you on an expedition... to defeat the evil dragon Smaug? God, you can't do this

Do it! There are almost no professional soldiers in the Shire. Everyone is a farmer, a handicraftsman, a grocer, a vigilante who maintains law and order...but there are no soldiers who can fight!"

Hearing this, Gu Xiaoheng himself felt speechless for the hobbit in front of him who was so imaginative.

"Of course not, Bilbo. I'm not that stupid. As Baron of the Shire, I won't do any stupid things that harm the interests of the people of my fief, okay? What's more, you and I both know that the Shire has always been a hobbit.

autonomy, and the barons conferred by the Kingdom of Cintra are more inclined to fulfill their commitments to protect the charr as usual."

After receiving Gu Xiaoheng's reply, the hobbit finally realized his panic and rudeness just now.

"Sorry, Eternal Baron. I mean, I just lost my temper..."

"It's okay, Bilbo. You'd better go to bed early tonight. Let's call it a day. We have to leave early tomorrow morning! We need to rush to Rivendell to visit an elf. He is the only one who can understand our expedition to the Lonely Mountain.

The scholars used the runes on the secret passage map."

At Gandalf's urging, Bilbo hurriedly found a place for everyone to sleep.

After settling the numerous guests, the exhausted hobbit returned exhausted to his little bed.

Lying on the bed, he heard Thorin humming a song belonging to the dwarf clan softly in the bedroom with a big oak bed next door:

Passed over - the cold misty mountain pass,

The stone hall has no bottom and the ancient caves are deep and secluded.

The morning light is faint, chasing north,

The gold you seek has been lost for a long time.

.....

Bilbo fell asleep to the singing that lingered in his ears.

When he woke up again, it had already been dawn for a long time.

Outside his door, several constables, mayors and other prominent people in the Shire region were talking to Gu Xiaoheng, the newly appointed Baron of the Shire.

Seeing Gu Xiaoheng talking easily and skillfully with the officers who had managed the Shire for countless years, Bilbo couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for him.

Many of the sheriffs and mayors were his distant cousins ​​from the Bilbo family or the Took family. He knew only too well how shrewd and difficult these people were. But at the moment, Gu Xiaoheng was handling it with ease, as if everything was fine.

Just like it's under his control.

"Then Eternal Baron, please forgive me for being rude. I would like to ask how your arrival will help strengthen the defense force of our Shire region? As you know, there are rumors in human towns recently that winter is approaching and the world is changing.

There will be trouble. The residents are very afraid that the security and defense forces in the town are not enough."

Hearing the requests of his distant cousins, even Bilbo, who was an observer, couldn't help but sweat for Gu Xiaoheng.

Please, isn't this embarrassing? Do these Sheriffs and Mayors want Gu Xiaoheng, the new Baron, to conjure up an army out of thin air for them that can protect the entire Shire area? That is simply a fantasy!!

Just as he was about to stand up and say a few words for Gu Xiaoheng, Bilbo, as a member of the Shire region, hesitated:

In fact, he also understood the painstaking efforts of these cousins ​​to boldly propose this proposal. They did not mean to embarrass Gu Xiaoheng, the newly appointed Baron of the Shire. In fact, they, a group of hobbits who were better at production than fighting, were the main residents.

The Shire region has had no shortage of resources since ancient times, but it only lacks the protection of a powerful army.

Having a strong military to protect it is the biggest reason why the Shire region surrendered to the powerful neighbor in the surrounding area - the Kingdom of Cintra.

At present, the important task of providing garrison strength has been thrown on Gu Xiaoheng, the newly appointed Baron Charles.
To be continued...