From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

After a deafening roar, a massive beast slowly emerged from the depths of the jungle.

Its body is covered with thick black fur that gleams with a metallic sheen.

A pair of scarlet eyes, like two burning will-o'-the-wisps, stared intently at the tree where Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu were hiding, radiating a chillingly fierce light.

Its thick limbs, as if cast in steel, caused the ground to tremble slightly with every step it took.

Sharp claws, reflecting a cold light in the sunlight, seemed ready to tear their prey apart at any moment.

Hiding behind a big tree, Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, dared not breathe, their hearts pounding as if they were about to leap out of their chests.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze, eerily silent, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind adding to the terrifying atmosphere.

Yan Ruyu could even feel Xu's palms sweating as he gripped her hand tightly, as if he wanted to crush it.

"What should we do?" Yan Ruyu asked Xu the male protagonist with her eyes.

Instead of answering, Xu did something that Yan Ruyu didn't expect.

He bent down, picked up a stone, and threw it sharply in another direction.

"What are you doing?!" Yan Ruyu almost exclaimed, but thankfully she covered her mouth in time.

The sound of the stone hitting the ground broke the silence of the jungle and successfully attracted the attention of the wild beasts.

It suddenly turned its head, its scarlet eyes fixed on the direction where the stone had fallen, and let out a low roar, as if warning the intruders.

Seeing that the beast had been lured away, Xu, the male protagonist, revealed a subtle smile. He took Yan Ruyu's hand, crouched down, and moved silently in another direction.

"We..." Yan Ruyu was about to ask when Xu, the male lead, interrupted her.

"Shh!" The male protagonist put his index finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.

The two continued their stealth until they completely disappeared into the dense jungle.

The beast, attracted by the stone, gained nothing and paced restlessly, letting out low growls.

Suddenly, it seemed to sense something, abruptly raising its head and looking in one direction...

The male protagonist, Xu, moved with the agility of a cheetah. Using the cover of the jungle, he leaped around to the back of the beast in a few bounds.

He picked up a sharpened twig from the ground, seized the opportunity, and thrust it sharply into the back of the beast's neck.

A deafening howl shattered the tranquility of the jungle.

The beast was like an enraged volcano, its fur standing on end as it thrashed about wildly.

Its thick tail lashed the ground like a steel whip, raising a cloud of dust.

But the intense pain completely robbed it of its reason, and it could only charge around wildly, no longer displaying its former might.

Having landed a successful blow, Xu, without lingering in the fight, leaped back to Yan Ruyu's side with a few more leaps.

The two hid behind a huge ancient tree, watching the enraged beast spin wildly in place before finally fleeing in disarray, leaving behind only a mess on the ground. They couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright?" Yan Ruyu frowned with concern as she looked at the beads of sweat on Xu's forehead.

She picked up a large leaf from the ground and carefully wiped away Xu's sweat.

The rough texture of the leaves contrasted sharply with her gentle movements, warming Xu's heart.

"It's nothing, this little thing is no problem for me." The male protagonist Xu's lips curled up slightly, and his dark eyes gazed tenderly at Yan Ruyu, as if he wanted to imprint her deep in his heart.

In the jungle, sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, casting dappled shadows on the two figures, as if gilding them with a golden halo.

At this moment, the two of them seemed like a divine couple who had mistakenly wandered into the mortal world, beautiful and romantic.

"What do we do next?" Yan Ruyu asked softly, breaking the warm atmosphere.

The male protagonist did not answer, but pointed in a direction.

There, several seabirds were circling and flying, and not far away there seemed to be an open area.

The two exchanged a glance and were just about to set off when they suddenly heard a commotion, mixed with rough laughter, coming from the beach ahead.

Xu's face darkened. He took Yan Ruyu's hand, quickened his pace, and walked towards the direction of the sound.

The two pushed aside the dense bushes, and a bright and open space appeared before them.

A white sandy beach came into view, with azure waters gently lapping against the shore, and several seabirds soaring freely in the air.

The scenery is picturesque, but it hides deadly dangers.

A dozen or so menacing-looking pirates were sitting around a campfire, eating meat and drinking wine.

The leader was Zhou the Pirate, whose face was full of scars and a hideous scar on his left cheek made him look even more ferocious.

He held a gleaming curved blade in his hand, the edge of which seemed to still bear traces of blood, sending chills down one's spine.

Upon seeing Yan Ruyu and Xu Nanzhu appear, Zhou Haidao's lips curled into a greedy smile, like a hungry wolf spotting its prey, a chilling sight.

"Oh, isn't this our 'distinguished guest'? It's like finding a needle in a haystack!" Zhou Hai said sarcastically, his eyes brazenly scanning Yan Ruyu as if he wanted to devour her alive.

Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, exchanged a glance, both secretly thinking that something was wrong.

The beach was completely open, with no cover whatsoever, so they had nowhere to hide.

"System, is there any way to escape?" Yan Ruyu silently prayed in her mind.

"Ding! The system has detected that the host is in danger and has activated the emergency plan. The illusion creation skill is ready. Would you like to use it immediately?" The system's voice rang in Yan Ruyu's mind.

“Use it!” Yan Ruyu answered without hesitation.

The next second, Zhou the pirate and his men suddenly felt a blur before their eyes, and the surrounding scenery changed instantly.

The once sunny beach has been transformed into a gloomy and terrifying jungle.

The enormous trees blocked out the sky, and the vines entwined them, as if they might devour them at any moment.

"What's going on? Where is this place?" Zhou's men shouted in panic, running around aimlessly like headless flies.

Zhou Haikou also sensed something was wrong. He rubbed his eyes hard, but found that the surrounding scenery had not changed.

He had a bad feeling in his heart. Could it be that he had been bewitched?

Just as Zhou the pirate and his companions were being deceived by the illusion, Yan Ruyu and Xu the male protagonist seized the opportunity and quietly left the beach.

The two ran all the way until they were far away from the beach before stopping to rest.

"Phew... thank goodness for the system's help, otherwise I would have really been finished this time," Yan Ruyu said with lingering fear.

The male protagonist nodded without speaking, but his gaze fell on the ground.

There were some strange footprints, deeply imprinted in the soil, with peculiar shapes that did not resemble human footprints.

Yan Ruyu also noticed the footprints. Her heart sank, and an ominous premonition welled up in her mind.

“These footprints…” Yan Ruyu was about to speak when she suddenly heard Xu’s deep voice: “Someone is coming.”