From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

A blinding light surged forth like a tidal wave, and Yan Ruyu felt a white blur before her eyes, the world spinning around her, and a constant buzzing in her ears.

She subconsciously gripped Xu Lin'an's hand tightly beside her, feeling the warmth of his palm through her fingertips, which made her feel a little more at ease.

When the light faded, the two found themselves in a completely unfamiliar place.

The surroundings were dim, and the air was filled with a damp and rotten smell, which made people feel inexplicably oppressed.

"Where is this?" Yan Ruyu looked around, her tone tinged with unease.

Xu Lin'an frowned, warily surveying his surroundings.

The ground was covered with strangely shaped stones, and in the distance, some twisted trees could be vaguely seen, looking like ghosts baring their fangs and claws.

The sky above was also a hazy gray, with not a single ray of sunlight in sight.

"Be careful, something's not right here," Xu Lin'an said in a deep voice.

Just then, a dazzling light suddenly appeared in front of them.

Following the light, the two saw a huge treasure chest lying there quietly, its surface inlaid with countless glittering gems, exuding an irresistible allure.

Yan Ruyu's eyes were instantly drawn to it, and she walked forward involuntarily, as if bewitched.

"Wait!" Xu Lin'an grabbed her arm. "Don't go over there, this might be a trap!"

Yan Ruyu then came to her senses and felt a wave of fear wash over her.

She looked at Xu Lin'an gratefully and said softly, "It's good that you're here."

Xu Lin'an smiled slightly, but a subtle glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.

He took Yan Ruyu's hand and slowly backed away, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings with vigilance.

“Let’s leave here first,” Xu Lin’an said in a deep voice. “Everything here is too strange.”

However, just as they turned to leave, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed...

Xu Lin'an suddenly shielded Yan Ruyu behind him, and with a "whoosh," he opened his folding fan. "It seems we're already surrounded."

The surrounding air suddenly churned like boiling water, and an invisible force roared like a ferocious beast.

Yan Ruyu felt waves of intense shock coming from all directions, making it hard for her to breathe.

These monsters are truly "formless yet powerful," striking without drawing blood, yet causing her real pain that made her grimace.

She felt like a small leaf in a storm, about to be torn to pieces at any moment.

"Watch out!" Xu Lin'an shouted in a low voice, pulling Yan Ruyu behind him.

He waved his folding fan, creating afterimages as he tried to block the invisible attacks, only to find that they were completely unpredictable.

They scurried about in the cramped space like headless flies, their clothes torn to shreds by the shockwave, their hair a tangled mess—a true "disaster scene," utterly disheveled.

The entire space was trembling, and the stones on the ground were shaking as if they were about to collapse at any moment.

The twisted trees also emitted strange creaking sounds, like the low groans of demons, sending chills down one's spine.

Yan Ruyu's heart was in her throat. She had never encountered such a bizarre situation before; it was far more thrilling than any horror movie.

Suddenly, Xu Lin'an seemed to notice something. His eyes sharpened, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

“I think I know their pattern now.” He said, pulling Yan Ruyu along as they nimbly weaved through the invisible attacks, like performing a strange dance.

"Their power comes from spatial fluctuations; pay attention to the tiny tremors on the ground!"

Sure enough, under Xu Lin'an's guidance, Yan Ruyu gradually discovered the trajectory of these attacks.

She learned from Xu Lin'an, skillfully dodging during the gaps in the attacks, and her movements became increasingly agile.

As another force struck, Xu Lin'an suddenly swung his folding fan, and a sharp gust of wind struck a point in the air.

With a muffled "bang," as if the air itself had been shattered, the invisible attacks paused briefly.

The two took the opportunity to retreat to a relatively safe place, panting heavily.

Yan Ruyu looked at Xu Lin'an. This man was a perfect example of playing dumb to fool others. He usually acted like a harmless person, but when it mattered, he was more reliable than anyone else.

Xu Lin'an felt her gaze, smiled slightly, revealing an expression of "everything is under control," and gently closed the folding fan in his hand.

The next second, he suddenly turned his head to look in a certain direction, his eyes sharp as knives.

"It seems the game has only just begun."

Yan Ruyu looked at Xu Lin'an with sparkling eyes, just like a fangirl looking at her idol, her eyes full of admiration.

"He's truly my man, so reliable!" she thought to herself, wishing she could immediately award him a "Best Boyfriend" award.

Xu Lin'an sensed Yan Ruyu's dependence, and a slight smile appeared on his lips as a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

He gripped Yan Ruyu's hand tightly, his eyes resolute, as if to say, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." At that moment, his boyfriend-like protectiveness was overflowing, and he wanted nothing more than to give her the best of everything in the world.

The churning air around them seemed to sense the affection between the two, calming down slightly as if applauding their love.

However, the good times did not last long.

With a loud rumble, the ground shook violently, as if an earthquake had occurred.

Countless cracks spread out like a spider web, and the ground beneath their feet instantly crumbled.

"Watch out!" Xu Lin'an grabbed Yan Ruyu's waist and pulled her away from the danger zone.

Yan Ruyu was still in shock. Looking at the bottomless chasm below her feet, she felt a wave of fear wash over her.

If it fell down, it would probably be smashed into a pulp!

A chilling aura slowly rose from the chasm, like a cold wind from hell, sending shivers down one's spine.

This aura seemed to contain some kind of evil power, which instilled fear in people.

Just as the two were still in shock, a blurry figure slowly rose from the depths of the chasm.

The figure was hidden in the darkness, its exact appearance unclear, yet it exuded a powerful aura that made it hard to breathe.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an watched the mysterious figure warily, their hearts filled with doubt and unease.

The surrounding space became even more oppressive, as if something terrible was about to happen.

"It seems we're in big trouble..." Xu Lin'an said in a deep voice, opening his folding fan again, ready for battle.

The figure slowly rose, hovering in mid-air, looking down at them like a judge.

Suddenly, a deep, hoarse voice echoed in the space: "Who has disturbed my slumber?"