From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

"Who?" Yan Ruyu called out in a low voice, her slender figure tense as if on a bowstring.

The back alley was dark and damp, filled with the smell of decay, a world apart from the bustling geisha house's front courtyard.

The towering walls on both sides seemed to press in, with only the dim yellow oil lamps swaying in the wind, casting mottled light and shadows, like ghostly dances.

She held her breath and listened intently, but could only hear the whistling of the wind as it passed through the narrow alley.

Is it an illusion?

Yan Ruyu frowned slightly, but alarm bells were ringing in her heart.

The secrets of the geisha house were deeper than she had imagined, and she had to be even more careful.

She lifted her skirt lightly, her footsteps so soft they barely made a sound on the cobblestones.

He walked cautiously with each step, as if there were an abyss ahead.

Just then, a dark shadow flashed past the corner of the wall, so fast it was like an illusion.

Yan Ruyu's heart tightened, and she gripped the dagger hidden in her sleeve, its cold light flashing in her eyes.

"Come out!" she shouted, her voice clear and sharp, yet carrying an undeniable authority.

From the depths of the alley, three men in black slowly emerged, blocking her path.

They were burly men with fierce faces, and the gleaming blades in their hands reflected a chilling light in the dim light.

"Little girl, don't wander into places you shouldn't be." The leader of the men in black spoke rudely, his eyes sweeping over Yan Ruyu with contempt, as if she were a lamb to the slaughter.

"I'd like to see what place I can't come to." Yan Ruyu sneered, meeting their gazes without fear. "Who are you people? What are you doing lurking here like this?"

"You're about to die and you're still spouting so much nonsense!" The man in black had clearly lost his patience. He waved his hand, and the two men behind him immediately closed in on Yan Ruyu.

A murderous aura permeated the narrow alley.

The wind howled stronger, and the oil lamp flickered more violently, as if it might go out at any moment.

At this critical moment, Yan Ruyu smirked, "With just a few of you worthless cowards..."

Before Yan Ruyu could finish speaking, her figure had already moved like a ghost.

She lightly touched the ground with her toes, her figure swaying erratically, moving among the three men in black like a butterfly flitting among flowers.

The "Lingbo Weibu" skill redeemed by the system worked wonders at this moment, allowing her to move freely even in a confined space.

"Ouch!" One of the men in black was unable to dodge in time and was kicked in the shin by Yan Ruyu. He immediately winced in pain and dropped the knife in his hand.

"What's going on? How come this girl is so slippery?"

Another man in black swung his knife, but only struck air.

Yan Ruyu had already slipped behind him and lightly patted the back of his head.

The man in black suddenly felt dizzy and fell straight down.

"That's it? You call that rotten fish and shrimp? I think it's just three little shrimps." Yan Ruyu smiled contemptuously, clapping her hands as if brushing off dust.

Upon seeing this, the leader of the men in black changed his expression and roared, "Attack together!" However, even with the three attacking her, Yan Ruyu remained at ease. She was agile and her attacks were precise, each strike hitting the vital points of the men in black.

Soon, all three men in black collapsed to the ground, groaning incessantly.

Yan Ruyu clapped her hands and revealed a confident smile that shone brightly in the dim alley.

"Got it! Looks like I've got my midnight snack sorted out for tonight."

Meanwhile, outside the geisha house, the male protagonist, Xu, stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the direction of the back alley.

His deep eyes were filled with worry, as if he could sense that Yan Ruyu was in danger.

Although he pretended to be nonchalant on the surface, his clenched fists betrayed his inner anxiety.

While Yan Ruyu was fighting with the man in black, she seemed to sense the concern from the male protagonist, Xu. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

The male protagonist paced back and forth outside the geisha house, glancing into the back alley every now and then, his unease growing stronger.

He desperately wanted to rush in and protect Yan Ruyu, but he couldn't easily expose himself.

This feeling of powerlessness was incredibly agonizing for him.

After dealing with the three men in black, Yan Ruyu continued deeper into the alley, sensing that an even greater secret was hidden there.

At the end of the alley, she found a tightly closed wooden door with no markings on it, making it seem particularly mysterious.

She pushed the door gently, but it didn't budge.

"Looks like I'll have to find a way to get in and take a look..." she muttered to herself.

Yan Ruyu took out a delicate little knife from her waist, the blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

She squinted, carefully observing the crack in the door, searching for a way in.

She had this knife made by a craftsman when she had nothing else to do, and she never expected it to come in handy today.

There was a slight "click" sound and the door lock opened.

Pushing open the door, one finds a small room with only a dim oil lamp casting a faint glow.

The room was filled with all sorts of clutter, covered in dust, and filled with a musty smell.

Yan Ruyu covered her nose and carefully walked in.

Suddenly, her gaze fell on a locked wooden box in the corner.

Her heart skipped a beat; her intuition told her that something important must be hidden inside.

She pried open the box with a knife, and inside was a thick stack of papers.

"Great! Looks like we've had a good haul tonight!" Yan Ruyu flipped through the documents, her eyes growing brighter and her smile deepening.

These documents document various secret transactions of the mysterious organization, and even include a list of its members.

Upon seeing this, the envoy, who was observing from the shadows, turned deathly pale.

"Oh no! She's discovered our secret!" He turned and ran in a panic, wanting to go back and report to the organization.

At that moment, in the lobby of the geisha house, Midori was humming a little tune, feeling exceptionally happy.

She didn't know what had happened, but she felt that the air was exceptionally fresh tonight, as if something good was about to happen.

Yan Ruyu studied the document carefully, her brows furrowed, her mind racing.

"So that's how it is, they actually wanted to..." She suddenly realized something, and her expression changed drastically.

The messenger hiding in the shadows also realized the seriousness of the situation.

"Could she...could she have already guessed our plan?" He trembled with fear, cold sweat pouring down his face.

Hua's mother was filled with doubt as she observed Yan Ruyu's recent unusual behavior.

"This girl has been acting all mysterious lately, what on earth is she up to?"

Yan Ruyu took a deep breath. "No, I have to stop them!" She knew that time was of the essence and she had to act quickly.

Members of the mysterious organization also began searching for Yan Ruyu's whereabouts.

"Find her! We must find her!" They looked around nervously, the atmosphere extremely tense.

The male protagonist, Xu, stood outside the geisha house, his gaze deep, as if he could see through the walls to the inside.

He clenched his fists, ready to rush in and protect Yan Ruyu at any moment.

"Wait for me, I'm coming..." he whispered.

Yan Ruyu hid the documents, pushed open the door, and went out.

"Hongmei, who are the guests tonight?" she asked casually.