From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

That ray of light, which started as a thin line, as delicate as a spider's thread, suddenly tore through the sky, much like the eyes of a god in legend, coldly looking down upon all living beings.

Golden light streamed down, illuminating everyone's faces and the deep unease in their eyes.

This light was not the warm and gentle sunlight, but a strange and indescribable radiance that was unsettling, carrying an inexplicable sense of oppression, as if foreshadowing a great transformation that was about to occur.

Yan Ruyu narrowed her eyes, her gaze sparkling with curiosity.

She raised her hand to shield her eyes; the light was more dazzling than any she had ever seen, and even carried a hint of heat.

"What exactly is this thing?" she murmured to herself, her tone a mixture of excitement, unease, and a restless urge to try it out.

Xu Lin'an tightened his grip on her hand, a playful smile playing on his lips: "It seems our peaceful life is about to be disrupted again." There was no fear in his eyes, but rather anticipation, as if this strange light was the opening act of an exciting game.

The surrounding crowd began to stir, and the buzzing of voices echoed across the square like a swarm of bees.

"Is this an auspicious sign or a disaster?" "What is God trying to do?" "This looks really creepy..." Fear spread through the crowd, and worry was written on everyone's face.

“Let’s go take a look.” Yan Ruyu’s tone was firm, and her indomitable spirit came back to life.

Xu Lin'an naturally wouldn't object, and the two exchanged a smile, their understanding perfectly in sync.

However, before they could even set off, a chilling aura enveloped the entire square.

A group of men in black appeared out of nowhere. They were dressed in uniform black outfits, wore ferocious masks, and exuded a chilling murderous aura.

These people seemed like demons crawling out of hell, carrying a heavy aura of death that sent chills down one's spine.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an immediately became alert. They sensed the powerful energy emanating from the group of men in black, indicating that they were no ordinary martial arts practitioners.

The air seemed to freeze, a tense atmosphere permeated the entire square, and even the wind seemed to stop blowing.

"It seems someone doesn't want us to uncover the truth." Xu Lin'an's deep voice rang in Yan Ruyu's ear. He gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her not to act rashly.

Yan Ruyu nodded. She understood that this journey of exploration was destined to be anything but smooth sailing.

She gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, her eyes fixed intently on the man in black before her, ready for battle.

The men in black slowly approached, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder; a major battle was about to erupt.

Xu Lin'an's lips curled into a wicked smile as he whispered, "Yu'er, get ready for the show..."

Xu Lin'an had a wicked smile on his lips, but his eyes were icy cold.

With a slight movement of his fingertips, a golden light instantly condensed and darted into the crowd like a nimble snake.

Wherever the light passed, the men in black seemed to freeze in place, their movements stiff, and their weapons fell from their hands, crashing to the ground with a series of clattering sounds. The scene was chaotic for a moment, as if a pause button had been pressed.

"Holy crap, what is this thing?" A man in black with a crooked mask exclaimed. He tried to reach out and touch his stiff body, but found that even moving a finger was a luxury.

The ferocious masks on their faces could not hide their panicked expressions.

Clearly, this sudden turn of events left these self-proclaimed elite assassins completely dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning, losing their usual arrogance.

Yan Ruyu raised an eyebrow, a hint of appreciation flashing in her eyes.

This man can act like an innocent little rabbit, but when he strikes, he's like a tiger descending the mountain. He's a guy you can both love and hate.

She looked at Xu Lin'an, her smile deepening. This guy certainly hadn't disappointed her.

"How about it, my little Yu'er, are you captivated by me again?" Xu Lin'an turned his head, gave Yan Ruyu a flirtatious wink, and spoke in a light and flirtatious tone, completely unlike the cold and ruthless man from before.

Yan Ruyu rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't help but smile. This man never missed an opportunity to flirt with her.

"Stop being so vain, hurry up and deal with these troublesome guys."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Lin'an moved swiftly, weaving through the men in black like a ghost.

Each strike was incredibly precise. With each muffled groan, the men in black flew backward like kites with broken strings, crashing to the ground with a dull thud.

Just then, Xu Lin'an suddenly pulled Yan Ruyu into his arms, his arms tightly wrapped around her slender waist, pressing her close to him as if he wanted to merge her into his very bones.

Yan Ruyu's body stiffened, her cheeks flushed instantly, and her heart began to race.

She secretly looked up at Xu Lin'an's handsome face so close to hers, and felt a ticklish, sweet sensation in her heart, as if gently scratched by a feather.

"Yu'er, don't be afraid, I'm here." Xu Lin'an's voice was deep and gentle, with a captivating magnetism.

He lowered his head and whispered in Yan Ruyu's ear, his hot breath spraying onto her earlobe, making her even more aroused, and the blush on her cheeks spread to the base of her ears.

The surrounding air seemed to sweeten, filled with a faint, ambiguous atmosphere, and the screams of the man in black seemed to become background music.

Yan Ruyu leaned against Xu Lin'an's chest, feeling his warm embrace. All the tension and unease in her heart were completely dispelled, leaving only a deep sense of happiness and peace of mind.

However, just as the two were immersed in this brief moment of tenderness, the men in black who had fallen to the ground seemed to be summoned by some force and all got up from the ground.

Their originally ferocious masks now had a faint blue light, like will-o'-the-wisps, eerie and sinister.

Then, one by one, they began to mutter incantations in a strange tone, like some kind of ancient spell, which sent chills down one's spine.

Both Xu Lin'an and Yan Ruyu sensed that something was wrong.

The incantation chanted by the man in black grew faster and louder, like a death knell echoing across the square.

Suddenly, a huge black vortex appeared in the center of the square. The center of the vortex shimmered with an eerie blue light, like the eye of a demon, and exuded a chilling aura.

The blue light grew stronger and stronger, gradually spreading outwards like a tide.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an felt as if their heads were about to explode; the intense pain made it almost impossible for them to think.

Everything around them began to distort and deform, and the once familiar square became strange and terrifying, as if they were in a bizarre and surreal nightmare.

"Yu'er, hang in there!" Xu Lin'an gritted his teeth, enduring the severe headache, and protected Yan Ruyu behind him.

However, this force was too powerful, and even he felt dizzy and powerless.

Just then, a glint of light flashed in Yan Ruyu's eyes.

She bit her tongue, and the intense pain instantly brought her to her senses.

"Lin'an, this light... is an illusion!" she uttered with difficulty, her voice trembling, yet unusually firm.

Xu Lin'an suddenly looked up, a flash of understanding in his eyes.

He immediately mobilized his inner strength, injecting a powerful surge of true energy into Yan Ruyu's body to help her resist the erosion of the illusion.

As Yan Ruyu regained consciousness, the distorted scene around her gradually returned to normal.

Square, crowds, men in black...

Everything returned to normal.

However, the blue light emanating from the men in black was even more dazzling, as if mocking their overestimation of their abilities.

"Their weakness lies in their masks!" Yan Ruyu pointed to the masks on the faces of the men in black, her tone urgent.

She discovered that the blue light was emanating from the mask, while the man in black beneath it was unusually pale, as if he had suffered some kind of backlash.

Xu Lin'an understood immediately. A golden light flashed in his hand, and a sharp sword aura shot straight towards the mask of the man in black.

With a "crack," the mask shattered, and the blue light disappeared.

The man in black let out a scream and collapsed to the ground, convulsing in pain.

Just as they were preparing to press their advantage, a powerful pressure suddenly descended, like Mount Tai pressing down on them, making it almost impossible for them to breathe.

In the distance, a mysterious figure draped in a black cloak slowly approached, each step seeming to pound on their hearts, making them feel suffocated.

"Looks like things are about to get interesting..." The mysterious man's deep voice was like a summons from hell, carrying a hint of mockery, a hint of cruelty, a hint of...

excited.