From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Ruyu took the lead and stepped into the cave entrance. After hesitating for a moment, the others followed her in, gritting their teeth.

The cave entrance wasn't pitch black; instead, it shimmered with a strange light, like countless fireflies gathered together, illuminating the path ahead.

However, this light did not come from friendly creatures.

The cave walls were covered with strange runes that emitted a faint blue light, and an unsettling atmosphere permeated the air, as if something terrible was lurking in the shadows.

"Where...where is this?" First Mate Lin's voice trembled slightly as he gripped the knife tightly in his hand and cautiously looked around.

Captain Chen's face turned deathly pale, and he kept chanting incantations to ensure his safety.

Even the usually composed male protagonist, Xu, frowned slightly and gripped his sword tightly.

The group walked forward cautiously, each step feeling like walking on a knife's edge.

The cave was silent, with only their soft breathing and footsteps echoing in the empty space.

Suddenly, the runes on the cave walls shone brightly, a gust of cold wind howled past, and the ground began to shake violently.

"Not good, something's coming!" Yan Ruyu shouted, drawing the soft sword from her waist and staring intently ahead.

A group of bizarre creatures emerged from the depths of the cave. They were enormous, with sharp claws and teeth, and exuded a nauseating stench.

These creatures, their eyes gleaming red, lunged at the group like demons from hell.

"Protect the young lady!" Xu, the male protagonist, shouted and rushed forward first. The long sword in his hand turned into a cold light as he fought with one of the monsters.

The crew members also drew their weapons and engaged in fierce battle with the monsters.

In an instant, the cave was filled with shouts of battle, flashing swords, and splattering blood.

These monsters are incredibly strong and have thick hides; ordinary swords and knives cannot harm them in the slightest.

Several crew members were unable to dodge in time and were struck by the monster's claws, letting out shrill screams.

"Damn it, what are these monsters?" First Mate Lin swung his broadsword, cutting down one monster, but soon more monsters surged up, keeping him busy.

While dodging the monster's attacks, Yan Ruyu observed the surrounding situation, feeling secretly anxious.

If this continues, they will eventually be worn down and killed by these monsters.

“This won’t do, we need to think of a way…” Yan Ruyu’s gaze shifted and she suddenly noticed a strange device on the top of the cave.

"Male Lead Xu, cover me!" Yan Ruyu shouted to Male Lead Xu, then leaped up and flew towards the top of the cave...

Yan Ruyu moved with the agility of a swallow, performing several flips in the air before landing steadily on the device at the top of the cave.

The device, composed of several enormous gears and a complex mechanical structure, exudes an ancient and mysterious aura.

She carefully observed the device's structure, and the special tactics provided by the system came to mind.

"First Mate Lin, attack the gear on the left! Captain Chen, bombard the mechanical arm on the right with your cannons! The rest of you, continue to hold off the monster!" Yan Ruyu's clear and powerful voice echoed in the cave, like a guiding light.

Upon hearing Yan Ruyu's instructions, the crew members immediately sprang into action.

First Mate Lin brandished his broadsword and slashed fiercely at the gear on the left, sparks flying everywhere.

Captain Chen then directed his men to aim the cannons at the mechanical arm on the right and fire with a roar.

The deafening explosion echoed through the cave, filling the air with smoke.

The magical creatures, which had been so aggressive, became disorganized and their attacks became chaotic after they lost control of the cave device.

They roared angrily, but could not break through the crew's defenses.

"That's it? That's it? I thought it was some kind of monster, but it can't even beat my Wangcai!" a young crew member mocked, his tone full of disdain.

Just then, a dark shadow flashed by, and the male protagonist Xu groaned, staggered backward, and covered the wound on his arm.

Blood flowed from between his fingers, staining his clothes red.

“Male Lead Xu!” Yan Ruyu’s heart sank, her eyes filled with worry.

She jumped off the device and landed next to Xu, anxiously asking, "How are you?"

Xu, the male protagonist, was pale, but he forced a smile despite the pain: "I'm fine, just a minor injury..." Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed, his gaze fixed on the depths of the cave, and he said in a deep voice, "Be careful!"

The magical creatures ceased their futile attacks, their red eyes gleaming with an eerie light, as if brewing some terrible conspiracy.

The leading, enormous monster roared to the sky, and rubble began to fall from the cave ceiling, filling the entire space with a suffocating sense of oppression.

"They...they seem to be about to unleash a powerful attack..." Captain Chen's voice trembled, and his face was even paler than before.

The magical creatures regrouped, no longer attacking in a chaotic manner, but arranged themselves into a strange formation, like a giant millstone, slowly rotating and crushing towards the crowd.

The creature on the edge of the millstone brandished its sharp claws, stirring up gusts of foul wind; its attack speed and power were several times greater than before.

"Holy crap, what kind of formation is this? It's like they're cheating!" a crew member exclaimed, nearly getting hit by the spinning claws.

The others also complained bitterly, as the attacks they could barely withstand before were now becoming unbearable.

Rocks kept falling from the top of the cave, and cracks appeared in the ground, making the entire space seem like it could collapse at any moment.

Yan Ruyu's eyes were sharp as she stared intently at the spinning monster millstone. Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck her: "Their weakness is in the center of the rotation!" She pointed to a relatively stationary area in the center of the millstone and shouted, "Attack there!"

Yan Ruyu launched the first attack, her figure as fast as lightning, her soft sword transforming into streaks of silver light, piercing straight into the center of the millstone.

The male protagonist, Xu, also endured the pain and followed closely behind, brandishing his long sword with sword energy crisscrossing the air.

Upon receiving orders, the crew members also concentrated their firepower on the center of the millstone.

The defenses at the center of the millstone were relatively weak, and under the fierce attack of the crowd, they finally succumbed and shattered.

As the central area collapsed, the entire millstone formation disintegrated. The magical creatures let out mournful howls as their bodies gradually dissipated, turning into specks of starlight and disappearing into the air.

"We won! We won!" The crew cheered, their faces beaming with the joy of surviving a disaster.

The group finally arrived in front of the treasure.

The glittering jewelry, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings were piled up like mountains, so dazzling that people couldn't open their eyes.

"We're rich! We're rich! We'll never have to worry again!" a young crew member shouted excitedly.

However, before they could even celebrate, a loud bang suddenly came from outside the cave, followed by Captain Chen's terrified shout: "Oh no! A storm is brewing at sea!"

The group rushed out of the cave, and the sight before them made them gasp in shock.

The once clear sky was now covered with dark clouds, and lightning flashed and thunder roared.

The sea was turbulent, with towering waves, resembling a monster ready to devour its prey.

Their ship was violently rocked by the huge waves and was in danger of capsizing at any moment.

"What...what do we do?" A crew member's voice trembled, his face deathly pale.

Yan Ruyu gazed at the rolling waves, her brow furrowed, and said in a deep voice, "We must get back to the ship as soon as possible..."