From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The system's cold notification echoed in Yan Rugo's mind: "Warning! A new crisis has been detected, related to the previous market incident. Danger level: High." Yan Rugo's eyes sharpened instantly upon seeing the new system notification, like an alert cat ready to pounce on its prey.

Her initial relaxed and cheerful mood vanished, replaced by a strange unease, like a fine needle pricking her nerves.

She subconsciously quickened her pace, almost jogging forward, her fingertips icy cold, yet her palms were sweaty.

"What's wrong?" Xu, the male protagonist, keenly noticed her unusual behavior and asked with concern, his voice tinged with worry.

Yan Rugo did not answer, but stared intently ahead, her breathing becoming rapid, as if something terrifying was approaching.

The surrounding noise seemed to disappear, and all that remained in the world was the rapid beating of her heart and the cold warning from the system.

Suddenly, a cold voice broke the eerie silence: "Oh, isn't this Miss Yan? Why are you in such a hurry? Where are you going?"

Yan Rugo suddenly looked up and saw Li Si appear out of nowhere, with a sinister smile on his face. Behind him were several burly men, each of them fierce and menacing, clearly not good people.

They blocked the way, like a pack of hungry wolves, eyeing their prey with predatory intent.

Yan Rugo's heart sank suddenly, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

Just what I feared most happened; it's like my enemy has run into me on a narrow road!

That Li Si is like a persistent ghost; it seems the lesson he learned last time hasn't taught him a lesson.

"Li Si, what do you want to do?" Xu, the male protagonist, stood in front of Yan Rugo, his tone icy and his eyes sharp, like a drawn sword, exuding a dangerous aura.

Li Si sneered, his eyes filled with malice: "What do I want to do? Of course, I'm here to get justice! Miss Yan, you humiliated me last time, and we should settle this score today!"

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder; a fierce battle was about to break out.

Yan Rugo gripped Xu's hand tightly, her fingertips turning white from the pressure...

The male protagonist, Xu, stood tall and straight, like a sturdy pine tree blocking Yan Rugo's path. His gaze was sharp as he coldly swept over Li Si and his group. His thin lips parted slightly, and his voice was firm and resolute: "In broad daylight, you dare to block the road and commit violence! You are truly audacious! Let me give you a piece of advice: stop now, and you can still save some face. If you persist in your folly, be careful that you end up with a ruined reputation and endless regret!" Although his tone was calm, his words carried an undeniable authority, like an emperor reigning over the world, exuding power without anger, inspiring fear in those around him.

Li Si and the others were intimidated by Xu's aggressive demeanor. Their arrogance instantly diminished, and they looked at each other with hesitation and doubt in their eyes, as if they had been put on pause.

They probably never expected that a seemingly weak and powerless young master from a noble family would possess such awe-inspiring courage.

However, Li Si was a scoundrel after all, and he quickly recovered from his shock. Enraged, he roared, "Stop pretending here! Brothers, get him! Teach this arrogant bastard a lesson!" At his command, the burly men immediately became like they had been injected with chicken blood, swinging their fists and swarming towards Xu Nanzhu like a pack of hungry wolves pouncing on their prey, their momentum fierce, as if they wanted to tear him to pieces.

Upon seeing this, Xu's eyes sharpened, but he remained calm. He moved with the agility of a raccoon, dodging left and right to avoid the opponent's direct attack.

He moved with incredible speed, seemingly casually weaving through the crowd, but in reality, every step he took contained ingenious calculations.

He used the opponent's force against them, using bamboo poles, wooden planks, and other objects from street stalls to defend and counterattack. Occasionally, he would seize an opportunity to deliver a surprise elbow strike or sweeping kick.

The passersby who were watching the commotion on the street were instantly terrified by the sudden fight and scattered in fear of being caught in the crossfire.

Their eyes widened in horror, their mouths agape in disbelief, as if they had witnessed something incredible, and they gasped in astonishment.

Yan Rugo looked at Xu, the male protagonist, who was struggling in front of her, her brows furrowed, her heart filled with anxiety. Her fingertips turned white from the force, and her eyes became more and more serious as she secretly made plans.

"This is bad..." she muttered to herself, watching Xu's agile figure.

Yan Rugo watched as the male protagonist Xu gradually became more and more exhausted, and knew that things could not continue like this.

A sly glint flashed in her eyes, and a confident smile played on her lips, as if she had everything under control.

"System, exchange for 'Eye of the Mist' for me!" she silently prayed.

In an instant, a strange light flashed in Yan Rugo's pupils, and an invisible energy emanated from her body.

Li Si and the others felt a blur before their eyes, and the surrounding scenery instantly became blurry, as if covered by a thick fog, making them unable to distinguish east from west, north from south, and feeling dizzy, as if they were in a maze.

Their fierce expressions instantly turned into blank stares, their waving fists lost their direction, and some even foolishly punched their own people, creating a chaotic and disorganized scene.

"Holy crap, what's going on?" Li Si rubbed his eyes, looking around in disbelief, trying to figure out what had happened, but everything was still blurry and he couldn't see anything. He panicked.

Taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the male protagonist Xu grabbed Yan Rugo's hand and pulled her away from the battle.

"Hold on tight!" His deep voice carried a hint of urgency as he gripped her hand tightly, as if trying to etch her firmly into his palm.

Yan Rugo felt a warmth in her palm, a current instantly coursing through her body, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

She could feel the warmth and strength of Xu's palm, which made her heart race, like a deer pounding in her chest.

She secretly glanced at Xu's profile and saw that his brows were furrowed and his gaze was firm, like an unbreakable fortress protecting her.

Although her heart was pounding like a rabbit, Yan Rugo knew this wasn't the time for sentimentality. She gripped his hand tightly and together they weaved through the chaotic crowd, fleeing swiftly.

Behind them, Li Si and the others seemed to have recovered their senses. They roared and chased after them relentlessly, like a pack of enraged wild beasts.

The two ran all the way and finally managed to shake off the swarm of annoying flies.

Panting, they stopped, only to find themselves in a dark alley.

The alley was lined with towering walls that blocked out the sunlight, leaving only shadows that made it seem particularly deep and oppressive.

The air was filled with a damp and musty smell, which was unpleasant.

"Ding! Warning! Danger has not been eliminated. Please be careful, host!" The system's notification sounded again, casting a shadow over Yan Rugo's heart.

Yan Rugo and Xu Nanzhu exchanged a glance, both able to see the seriousness and wariness in each other's eyes.

They took a deep breath and cautiously walked deeper into the alley, where the surroundings were eerily quiet.