From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The aftershocks of the battle slowly subsided, leaving behind the lingering smell of gunpowder and a sense of relief at having survived a catastrophe.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an stood side by side, their joy of victory not yet fully faded, but the surrounding space began to stir restlessly.

It was an extremely subtle, yet impossible-to-ignore, tremor.

It's as if beneath the calm surface of a lake, a turbulent undercurrent is lurking.

The air felt as if it were being gently touched by an invisible hand, bringing a tingling sensation that made one's scalp tingle.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Lin'an tensed up almost simultaneously, their smiles replaced by seriousness.

The once peaceful environment was instantly enveloped by an invisible sense of oppression, and even the air became thick and sticky.

This is definitely not a good sign!

Sure enough, the next second, the space in front of them rippled like water, and figures suddenly appeared in front of them.

These people were dressed in uniform black outfits, exuding a powerful aura, like walking human weapons, their eyes revealing a naked greed for treasures and books.

Their gazes seemed to want to devour the two of them alive and then claim the treasure for themselves.

"Is this... a group coming to give away experience points?" Yan Ruyu wondered to herself, but dared not relax her expression in the slightest.

Xu Lin'an narrowed his eyes slightly, and his originally gentle and refined face became serious.

He gently took Yan Ruyu's hand, and the cool touch sobered her up a bit.

The air seemed to freeze, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The two sides were on the verge of conflict, and the atmosphere was so tense it was suffocating.

A new storm is brewing.

Just then, a mechanical voice suddenly rang in Xu Lin'an's mind: "Beep—System activated, new threat detected, activate auxiliary mode?" Xu Lin'an's eyes flickered slightly, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on Yan Ruyu's hand, but his expression remained unchanged: "These people... seem a little different."

A glint flashed in Xu Lin'an's eyes, like a cheetah spotting a weakness in its prey.

His lips curled slightly upward, forming a confident arc, as if these menacing men in black were nothing more than fish on a chopping board, at his mercy.

"Assist mode, turn on," he silently told himself, but his face remained expressionless.

When Yan Ruyu saw that Xu Lin'an looked strange, she knew that he must have some kind of trick up his sleeve.

She moved quietly, as lightly as a cat, close to Xu Lin'an's back.

Xu Lin'an sensed Yan Ruyu's approach.

A faint, ambiguous atmosphere filled the air, like a gentle, intoxicating spring breeze.

Even the tense atmosphere around them seemed to ease a bit because of the two's little gestures.

"Beep—Target locked. Weakness analysis: The men in black are all puppets with a single mode of action. They are vulnerable to spiritual attacks, and their heads are the core control points." The mechanical voice sounded again, concisely and powerfully revealing the enemy's fatal weakness.

Xu Lin'an's smile deepened, like a whirlpool in an abyss, drawing people in.

He gently patted Yan Ruyu's hand, his tone light and cheerful, as if discussing the weather: "Don't worry, they're just paper tigers, they'll break easily."

Sensing Xu Lin'an's relaxed confidence, Yan Ruyu felt relieved. She gave a light snort and said haughtily, "I thought you were going to run away at the last minute!"

Xu Lin'an chuckled softly and said nothing more. He leaned down slightly and brought his lips close to Yan Ruyu's ear, his breath warm and ticklish: "Now, watch my performance." After saying that, he suddenly looked up, his eyes sharp as knives, staring directly at the man in black opposite him.

As if receiving some kind of command, the men in black stopped waiting and surged towards the two like a tide.

"These guys are really impatient..." Yan Ruyu muttered to herself. The next second, she saw Xu Lin'an launch an attack, his figure as fast as a ghost, bringing with him a gust of cold wind.

Xu Lin'an moved like a ghost, fast as lightning, and struck the black-clad leader with a palm.

The palm strike was fierce, accompanied by a whistling sound, and stung people's faces.

The man in black was not to be outdone. He quickly raised his arms to block, and his arms collided with the palm wind, producing a muffled "bang" like a heavy hammer striking a drum.

The man in black was forced back several steps, the ground beneath his feet cracking inch by inch, demonstrating the immense force of the palm strike.

The onlookers couldn't help but feel a chill for Xu Lin'an. This man in black didn't look like someone to be trifled with, yet his palm strike felt like a mere tickle.

But Xu Lin'an's attack had only just begun.

He flashed and instantly appeared behind another man in black, his five fingers joined into a claw, aiming straight for the back of his neck.

The man in black reacted quickly, turning around abruptly and throwing a punch at Xu Lin'an's chest.

Xu Lin'an smirked and dodged the attack, simultaneously kicking the man in black in the stomach.

The man in black groaned and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground and unable to get up for a long time.

"That's it? I thought you were some kind of expert, but you're just a weakling in a group fight." Xu Lin'an smiled contemptuously, his tone laced with sarcasm.

His figure was elusive, moving among the men in black like a ghost, each move precise and aimed directly at vital points.

Although the men in black outnumbered and outmatched, they were utterly powerless against Xu Lin'an's attacks, their faces bruised and swollen, and they cried out in pain.

The surrounding trees were affected by the energy waves of the battle, shaking violently and their leaves fell like a rain of leaves.

The ground was shaken so badly that cracks spread out like a spider web.

Just then, Yan Ruyu also made a move.

She flashed and appeared beside a man in black, a dagger suddenly appearing in her hand. With a flash of cold light, the dagger precisely pierced the man's head.

The man in black fell to the ground without a sound, twitched a few times, and then went still.

"Beautiful!" Xu Lin'an exclaimed.

Just as the two were gaining the upper hand, the leader of the men in black suddenly pulled out a mysterious magical artifact from his pocket.

The magical artifact was entirely black, emitting an eerie light, like stars twinkling in the night sky.

A powerful force surged from the magical artifact, and the surrounding air instantly turned icy cold, as if one had fallen into an ice cellar.

Xu Lin'an and Yan Ruyu stopped what they were doing at the same time, looking warily at the magical artifact in the hands of the leader of the men in black.

"What is this thing?" Yan Ruyu asked, frowning, her tone tinged with unease.

Xu Lin'an did not answer, but stared intently at the magical artifact in the hands of the leader of the men in black. The surrounding trees began to wither, and the ground became dry and cracked, as if all the life force had been absorbed by the magical artifact.

"Watch out!" Xu Lin'an suddenly pulled Yan Ruyu behind him, protecting her.

The leader of the men in black gave a sinister smile and slowly raised the magical artifact in his hand...