From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Ruyu and Xiao Lü stealthily sneaked into the backyard of the geisha house. A putrid and damp smell hit them, mixed with a heavy scent of cosmetics, making them feel nauseous.

Deep in the backyard, there was an abandoned stage. The tattered curtains fluttered in the night wind, making eerie sounds, like ghostly whispers.

The air was thick with a suffocating sense of oppression, making one's hair stand on end.

Yan Ruyu's eyes sharpened, but her steps became even more resolute.

Inside the stage, the darkness was as thick as ink, so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

Yan Ruyu and Xiao Lü groped their way forward, their feet creaking and groaning under the rotten wooden planks. The sound was particularly jarring in the quiet night, like the footsteps of death.

The walls were covered in moss and exuded a chill, as if countless eyes were secretly watching them.

Suddenly, a chilling laugh came from the darkness, sending shivers down one's spine.

"Yan Ruyu, you really came! It's like choosing the path to hell when there's a way to heaven!"

Before the words were finished, countless men in black emerged from the darkness around the stage and surrounded Yan Ruyu and Xiao Lü.

They all had ferocious faces, held sharp blades, and their eyes gleamed with a fierce light, like a group of demons from hell.

"Ha, is that all? I thought they were some formidable figures, but they're just a bunch of rabble!" Yan Ruyu sneered, showing no fear whatsoever. She slowly took out an exquisite jade pendant from her sleeve. The pendant emitted a faint glow, illuminating her beautiful face and the burning fighting spirit in her eyes.

"Hmph, you won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences!" At the command of the leader of the men in black, the crowd rushed forward, brandishing their sharp blades and slashing at Yan Ruyu and Xiao Lü.

"Little Green, hold on tight to me!" Yan Ruyu whispered, shielding Little Green behind her.

A slight, mysterious smile played on her lips: "Now, I'll show you what true strength is!"

The jade pendant's radiance grew ever brighter, as if it contained immense energy about to erupt...

The jade pendant shone brightly, and Yan Ruyu's lips curled into a confident smile.

System activated!

"Skill Exchange: Ten Thousand Swords Return to One!" She shouted softly, and the jade pendant instantly transformed into countless light swords, carrying sharp sword energy, shooting towards the man in black like a rainstorm.

"Ah!" "Ouch!" Cries of agony rose and fell as the men in black collapsed to the ground like puppets with their strings cut.

Just moments ago they were fierce and menacing, but now they were running away in terror, crying and begging for their parents, creating a rather comical scene.

"That's it? It doesn't even qualify as gua sha." Yan Ruyu smiled dismissively and patted non-existent dust off her hands.

Little Green, hiding behind Yan Ruyu, was completely stunned. She had never seen such power before, and her eyes were filled with admiration.

The other geishas who had been secretly watching also peeked out, their eyes filled with awe and admiration as they looked at Yan Ruyu.

Hongmei hid in a corner, her face deathly pale and her whole body trembling.

Just then, a figure rushed over and pulled Yan Ruyu into a tight embrace.

"Yu'er, are you alright? You scared me to death!" Xu's voice trembled slightly, yet was full of concern.

Yan Ruyu leaned against Xu Nanzhu's warm chest, feeling his strong heartbeat, and a happy smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.

"I'm fine. With you here, how could I let anything happen to me?"

Upon seeing this, the surrounding geishas all smiled like doting aunts, their eyes full of blessings.

Mother Hua wiped away tears with emotion, exclaiming, "What a perfect match!"

"Yu'er, who exactly are you?" the male protagonist, Xu, suddenly asked.

Yan Ruyu was slightly taken aback, then smiled mysteriously: "Guess?"

Yan Ruyu pushed open a hidden wooden door deep inside the stage, and a musty smell hit her, making her nose itch.

What comes into view is a mountain of boxes, covered in dust and cobwebs.

Suppressing her discomfort, Yan Ruyu casually opened a box, which was filled with account books and letters!

"My God! We've struck it rich!" She was so excited she almost jumped up. Weren't these records all the secrets of the geisha house and the mysterious organization?

She quickly flipped through the ledgers, which recorded huge sums of money transactions, and the letters revealed the inside story of a mysterious organization using geisha houses to conduct intelligence trading, which even involved officials in the imperial court.

Every page was shocking; Yan Ruyu felt as if she were in a giant vortex, her heart racing and her breathing rapid.

She felt like an archaeologist who had unearthed a priceless treasure!

At this moment, the man in black, who had been so aggressive, was now ashen-faced and wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.

They knew it was all over, the secret had been revealed, and their end was near.

"My goodness, Miss Yan, you're amazing!" Madam Hua rushed forward excitedly, grabbed Yan Ruyu's hand, and looked at her with admiration. "You're simply the savior of our geisha house!"

In no time, Yan Ruyu's name was widely circulated in the geisha house, and she became a legendary figure.

Guests flocked to catch a glimpse of her beauty, making the geisha house even more popular.

Hongmei hid in a corner, watching Yan Ruyu surrounded by everyone, her heart filled with jealousy and resentment, but even more so with self-loathing.

Little Green cheered and jumped for joy, feeling proud and honored for her friend.

As night falls, the geisha house is brightly lit and bustling with activity.

Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu stood side by side by the window, gazing into the distance with determined eyes.

The geisha house crisis was over, but they knew that even greater challenges awaited them.

In the distance, the winds and clouds shifted, and a bright moon hung high in the night sky, as if foreshadowing a new storm to come.

Further away, the outline of an academy looms faintly, appearing especially mysterious in the night...

"Yu'er," the male protagonist called softly, "Let's go."