From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Following the instructions in the letter, Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an arrived at a remote valley outside the city.

Thick fog blanketed the valley like a giant gray curtain, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face, and the eerie atmosphere sent chills down one's spine.

The jagged, bizarrely shaped rocks, like monstrous beasts ready to devour their prey, lurked in the thick fog, and the air was filled with a nauseating, putrid smell.

"This place is eerily gloomy; something feels off." Yan Ruyu frowned slightly, gripping the sword at her waist with one hand and holding Xu Lin'an's arm tightly with the other, cautiously looking around.

Xu Lin'an chuckled softly, took her hand in return, and gave her a reassuring look.

"Don't be afraid, I'm here." His tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

With a "crack," the sound of a dry branch breaking came from the depths of the thick fog. Immediately afterwards, a strange sound came from afar, like the low growl of a wild beast, making people tremble with fear.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.

"It seems we've been targeted." As soon as Xu Lin'an finished speaking, a group of men in black emerged from the thick fog and surrounded them.

These people all had ferocious faces and menacing expressions. The swords and knives in their hands gleamed with a cold light, and they were clearly not good people.

The leader, with a hideous scar on his face, stared fiercely at Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an, as if he wanted to devour them alive.

"Hmph, you choose the path to hell when there's one! Today is your death day!" The scarred man's tone was cold and filled with murderous intent.

"You bunch of worthless scoundrels?" Yan Ruyu sneered, her eyes filled with disdain rather than fear.

Xu Lin'an stood beside her, a half-smile playing on his lips, as if everything was under his control.

The valley was narrow and easy to defend, making it difficult to attack. This terrain was very unfavorable for Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an.

The men in black pressed closer, completely surrounding the two, and a fierce battle seemed imminent.

Yan Ruyu looked around, her gaze falling on the steep mountain walls and dense forests, a sly smile playing on her lips.

"Xu Lin'an, how about we play a game?"

Yan Ruyu smiled slyly, her eyes darting around, and a plan came to her mind.

"Okay, what do you want to play?" Xu Lin'an asked with interest. Yan Ruyu took out a packet of powder from her waist and quickly sprinkled it on the ground as the man in black approached.

The powder is colorless and odorless. When it falls on withered leaves and soil, it instantly blends into the surrounding environment and is difficult to detect.

"Attack!" the scarred man commanded, and the men in black swarmed forward, brandishing their swords and knives, slashing at Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an.

The two fought and retreated, seemingly in a panic, but in reality, they had a hidden plan, intentionally leading the man in black to the ground sprinkled with medicinal powder.

"Ouch!" A scream shattered the tranquility of the valley.

The first few men in black who rushed forward slipped on the powder, fell flat on their faces, and their swords flew out of their hands, hitting their companions and causing chaos.

"What's going on?" The scarred man frowned upon seeing this, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

Before he could react, more men in black slipped and fell to the ground one after another, creating chaos. Screams and curses filled the air, like a farcical spectacle.

"That's it?" Yan Ruyu couldn't help but laugh out loud at the comical scene before her.

Xu Lin'an couldn't help but smile, his eyes full of admiration.

He had long known that Yan Ruyu would never choose a head-on confrontation; she always managed to outwit her and win through strategy.

"Now's the time!" Xu Lin'an shouted, grabbing Yan Ruyu's hand, and like an arrow released from a bow, they broke through the encirclement of the men in black and ran towards the depths of the valley.

"Chase them! Don't let them get away!" the scarred man roared angrily, but his men were all knocked down and unable to get up to give chase.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an sped along, the noise behind them gradually fading away, and the thick fog gradually dissipated, revealing a path leading deep into the valley.

"It seems we guessed right." Yan Ruyu looked at the path in front of her, a confident smile playing on her lips.

"The real challenge begins now." Xu Lin'an gripped Yan Ruyu's hand tightly, his gaze fixed firmly ahead, his tone carrying a hint of something unsettling.

"Wait..." Yan Ruyu suddenly stopped, her gaze falling on an inconspicuous stone tablet beside the path. "There seems to be something carved on it..."

Xu Lin'an's large, warm hand enveloped Yan Ruyu's slightly cool hand, their fingers interlocked, as if conveying unspoken encouragement and support.

Yan Ruyu felt the warmth from her palm, her heart warmed, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up slightly, a sweet smile spreading across her face.

The once gloomy valley now appeared gentle in their eyes. The birdsong was crisp and melodious, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows that danced on the ground like cheerful musical notes.

The two followed the path and finally arrived at the ancient ruins mentioned in the letter.

The gate to the ruins is made of massive bronze, engraved with intricate patterns and mysterious symbols. It has been weathered and worn over the years, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.

The gate was tightly shut, and the surrounding area was filled with various traps, sharp arrows, rolling boulders, and hidden snares, all of which indicated the danger of this place.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an carefully observed their surroundings, their brows furrowed. They knew that to enter the ruins, they had to first solve these complex mechanisms.

The two split up, with Yan Ruyu responsible for observing the structure and arrangement of the mechanism, while Xu Lin'an was responsible for finding clues to solve it.

Time ticked by, and the air around us seemed to freeze, the tense atmosphere making it almost impossible to breathe.

The low growls of unknown animals echoed from the depths of the forest, and the wind in the valley grew colder, as if some unknown danger lurked in the shadows, waiting for its chance to strike.

Just as the two were engrossed in studying the mechanism, the symbols on the gate of the ruins suddenly flashed with an eerie light, like stars twinkling in the night sky, yet carrying a hint of ominous premonition.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an simultaneously raised their heads, their eyes fixed on the symbols, which seemed to hint at greater danger and foreshadow a new adventure about to begin.

The surrounding darkness seemed to come alive, slowly spreading towards the two of them...

“These symbols…” Yan Ruyu murmured to herself, reaching out to touch them, but Xu Lin’an grabbed her arm.

"careful!"