"Great! Just what I wanted to hear," Alex thought sarcastically. "Next, I'll ask it for directions. 'Excuse me, Mr. Tunnel Wrecker, do you know the way to the nearest exit? Maybe a nice worm-friendly café?'" 

Mortimer shot him a look, but Alex could see a hint of amusement in his eyes. 

As they observed, Alex noticed something peculiar. The Tunnel Wrecker seemed to be drawn to the crystals, sniffing at them and pawing at the ground. "It's like it's looking for something," he mused. "Maybe it's not just a mindless predator? Maybe it's a gem enthusiast?" 

Mortimer nodded, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Maybe it's protecting something. If we can figure out what it wants, we might be able to negotiate our way out of this." 

Just then, the Tunnel Wrecker let out a loud roar, causing Alex to jump. "Geez, it's not a concert, buddy!" he thought, trying to steady himself. The creature turned and began to dig at the base of one of the larger crystals, revealing a hidden cache of shiny objects buried beneath the dirt. 

"Great! Now it's a treasure hunter too," Alex whispered. "What's next? Is it going to start an Instagram for its crystal collection?"