From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an stood back to back, gripping their weapons tightly.

Yan Ruyu's fingertips gripped the dagger's hilt tightly, her knuckles turning white, and her palms slightly sweaty.

Xu Lin'an then closed his folding fan, revealing the sharp fan ribs hidden inside, which gleamed with a cold light.

The two men's eyes were sharp as they warily scanned their surroundings, as if countless ghosts were lurking in the darkness.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, mixed with a strange, putrid odor that was nauseating.

In the darkness, something was wriggling, making a teeth-grinding grinding sound, like bones rubbing against rocks.

The sound grew closer and clearer, as if some enormous creature was awakening from its slumber.

"Here it comes!" Yan Ruyu shouted in a low voice, her muscles tensing as she prepared for battle.

A colossal figure slowly emerged from the darkness, towering like a mountain, blotting out the sky.

It was a monster that resembled a giant lizard, its body covered in hard scales that shimmered with a metallic sheen.

It has a gaping maw filled with sharp teeth, spewing out foul-smelling hot air.

A pair of enormous, scarlet eyes, like burning embers, stared intently at Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an, filled with bloodthirsty desire.

The monster let out a deafening roar and pounced on the two of them.

Its enormous claws swung, creating a gust of wind that whipped up the surrounding rocks and debris, forming deadly whirlwinds.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an nimbly dodged the monster's attacks, weaving and darting through the narrow passage like two agile swallows.

The monsters' attacks were fierce, but they could never hit them.

Inside the passage, stones flew and dust billowed.

The monster's giant claws repeatedly struck empty air, smashing huge craters into the ground.

The surrounding walls were also cracked by its attack, and rubble fell down with a deafening sound.

Xu Lin'an's eyes narrowed, and a playful smile appeared on his lips. "It seems this beast is quite strong and has thick skin. However..." He paused, his gaze falling on a few oddly shaped pieces of rubble scattered on the ground. "These things might come in handy."

A sly glint flashed in Xu Lin'an's eyes, like a cheetah that had been lying in wait finally baring its fangs.

He swayed, dodging another of the monster's pounces, his folding fan fluttering like a butterfly as he weaved through the monster's claws.

A cold smile played on his lips as he casually waved his fan, and several inconspicuous pebbles struck the monster's weak scales on its abdomen like precision-guided missiles.

"Awooo—" The monster let out a shrill scream, its huge body trembled violently, and its scarlet eyes were filled with anger and pain.

It wildly brandished its claws, as if it wanted to tear these two tiny humans to shreds.

Xu Lin'an's attack, though not fatal, was like a thorn in its heart, fueling its rage.

Where the pebbles struck, a bluish-purple tinge appeared, with faint traces of blood seeping out, further fueling its ferocity.

Seeing this, Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling like stars. "Xu Lin'an, well done! Give him a few more hits!"

Yan Ruyu's clear voice, like a resounding war drum, instantly ignited the passion in Xu Lin'an's heart.

He gripped the fan ribs tightly, and his aura suddenly changed. His smiling eyes became sharp as knives, like a drawn sword.

He took a deep breath, as if boundless power was surging into his body, making him move with lightning speed and agility.

The folding fan in his hand created countless afterimages, each strike containing immense power, hitting the monster's weak points with unparalleled precision.

The monster's roar grew louder, the air in the passage began to vibrate, and the surrounding stone walls began to sway, all seemingly infected by the fierce battle and the unspoken understanding between the two.

The sounds of gravel, dust, and the roar of monsters intertwined with the whooshing sound of Xu Lin'an's fan ribs cutting through the air, creating a thrilling symphony.

"It seems it's time to get serious..." Xu Lin'an murmured, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, his dark eyes gleaming with an unfathomable light.

He suddenly stopped attacking, took a deep breath, and his aura became strange and powerful.

He slowly closed the folding fan, his fingertips gently gliding along the fan ribs, producing a crisp sound that echoed in the narrow passage.

"The real show is about to begin."

The monster let out a deafening roar, and a strange green light gushed from the wound on its abdomen.

The green light spread rapidly, turning the entire passageway into a nauseating green.

The stone wall began to melt, dripping down with a hissing sound of corrosion, and the air was filled with suffocating poisonous gas.

Yan Ruyu felt dizzy and her breathing became difficult.

"What the hell is this?!" She covered her mouth and nose, trying to stay awake.

Xu Lin'an's expression was solemn. This green light clearly had strong corrosive and toxic properties, and the consequences of prolonged exposure would be unimaginable.

They are trapped!

Xu Lin'an roared to the sky, his folding fan shining brightly, and a powerful force erupted from his body, as unstoppable as a volcanic eruption.

"Break!" he roared, and the folding fan in his hand transformed into a golden light, stabbing fiercely towards the monster's head.

Where the golden light passed, the green light melted away like ice and snow, revealing the original passage.

The monster let out a shrill scream, and its massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The green light dissipated, and the air returned to its fresh state.

Yan Ruyu looked at the monster lying on the ground, breathed a sigh of relief, and felt a surge of joy at surviving the ordeal.

"It's finally over!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Xu Lin'an closed his folding fan, walked to her side, and gave her a faint smile. "I told you, the real show has only just begun..."

Just as the two were celebrating their victory, the treasure at the end of the passage suddenly emitted a blinding light, enveloping them.

"What's going on?!" Yan Ruyu exclaimed, instinctively closing her eyes.

Within the light, something seemed to be taking shape, emitting a low humming sound.

Xu Lin'an squinted, looking at the scene in the light.