From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Deep in the dense forest, ancient trees reach for the sky, blocking out the sun.

The intertwined branches coil like dragons, and the vines entwine, forming natural barriers.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, which made a "rustling" sound when stepped on, and the damp air was filled with the smell of decaying leaves.

Holding map fragments, Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu carefully navigated through the maze, as if they were in a giant labyrinth.

"This map is so abstract, it looks like a primary school student's doodle," Yan Ruyu complained, reaching out to push aside the spider webs blocking her path. "Are you sure we can find treasure in this godforsaken place?"

The male protagonist, Xu, had sharp eyes as he carefully compared the map fragments with the surrounding environment.

"The map marks a valley, surrounded by three oddly shaped boulders," he said, reaching out to grab a thick tree trunk, and with a slight effort, leaping onto a protruding rock to gaze into the distance.

The jungle was silent, broken only by the occasional bird call.

A tense atmosphere filled the air, as if something was lurking in the shadows, waiting for its chance to strike.

Yan Ruyu unconsciously tightened her grip on the dagger in her hand and looked around warily.

Just then, a chilling laugh broke the silence of the jungle.

"Hehe, it's like finding a needle in a haystack! Little beauty, hand over the treasure obediently, and I might spare your life!"

A burly man with a full beard emerged from the bushes, holding a gleaming curved knife in his hand.

It was none other than the infamous pirate Zhou.

Behind him followed several fierce-looking henchmen, each armed with weapons, glaring menacingly at Yan Ruyu and Xu Nanzhu.

"Zhou the pirate!" Yan Ruyu's eyebrows shot up, her anger blazing. "You actually dared to follow us!"

“Following? Little beauty, that’s called the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.” Zhou the pirate grinned maliciously, approaching step by step. “If you know what’s good for you, hand over the treasure now, or you’ll suffer some physical pain!”

"Don't even think about it!" The male protagonist, Xu, shielded Yan Ruyu behind him, his eyes icy cold. "You think you can take our things?"

Zhou the pirate laughed loudly, "Kid, you've got some nerve! On this deserted island, might makes right! Brothers, charge!"

The narrow jungle terrain was not conducive to large-scale battles, so Zhou's pirates had to advance one by one to engage in fierce combat with Xu's male protagonist.

Swords clashed and leaves fluttered in the air.

Yan Ruyu was not to be outdone, and drew her dagger to engage in a fierce battle with Zhou the pirate.

"Heh, little beauty, not bad at all!" Zhou the pirate leered as he parried Yan Ruyu's attacks. "Once I catch you, I'll definitely treat you well!"

Yan Ruyu and Zhou Haidao staggered back a few steps and crashed into a tree, wincing in pain.

"Dream on!" Yan Ruyu sneered, a cold glint flashing in her hand as she brandished her dagger...

“Wait a minute,” the male protagonist Xu suddenly spoke up, “don’t you think…”

Yan Ruyu's lips curled into a sly smile. "Little brat, you're still too green to fight me!" With that, she lightly touched the ground with her toes and nimbly dodged to the side.

Suddenly, the ground behind Zhou Haidao collapsed, revealing a deep pit. Caught off guard, he fell headfirst into it.

"Ouch! What the hell!" Zhou Haidao's scream came from the bottom of the pit, accompanied by crackling sounds, clearly indicating that Yan Ruyu had triggered a trap.

A cloud of smoke rose up, choking Zhou the pirate and causing him to cough repeatedly.

"Where's my Italian cannon? Let's fire it!" Yan Ruyu winked playfully, like a little fox who had just pulled off a prank.

The male lead looked at her lively appearance with eyes full of doting affection.

"As expected of my little rascal." He approvingly ruffled Yan Ruyu's hair.

The other henchmen panicked for a moment upon seeing this, but quickly surrounded them menacingly.

"A mere trick! Brothers, ignore him, charge!"

However, as soon as they took a step, they felt their feet sink into the ground and fell into a pre-set trap.

For a moment, screams and curses rose and fell, like a comical symphony.

Yan Ruyu and the male lead Xu exchanged a smile and gave each other a high five.

"Whoosh! Take off!" In the jungle, the originally dull air seemed to come alive. Birds chirped merrily, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light. Everything was full of life.

Just then, the male protagonist Xu tightly grasped Yan Ruyu's hand, conveying a firm strength to her.

Yan Ruyu grasped his hand in return, her eyes resolute, as if to say, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a golden glow on their clasped hands, creating a warm and beautiful scene.

“Next, we…” Yan Ruyu was about to speak when her expression suddenly changed, “Wait, the map…”

Yan Ruyu looked down and saw that a thin crack had appeared on the edge of the originally intact map fragment, and the crucial route information had been damaged!

"Damn it!" she cursed under her breath, a chill running from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

The male protagonist, Xu, also noticed something amiss, and his expression immediately turned serious.

"It seems someone doesn't want us to find the treasure."

They looked around, and the dense jungle seemed like a giant monster, ready to devour them.

Beneath our feet lay a muddy swamp, reeking of a nauseating stench, with bubbles rising from it every now and then, making a "glug-glug" sound.

If you're not careful, you can get caught up in it and be unable to get out.

In the distance, the steep slopes looked as if they had been carved by a knife and axe, with jagged rocks and an extremely precipitous terrain.

The once clear path has now become blurred and fraught with danger.

"What should we do?" Yan Ruyu's voice trembled slightly; she felt so helpless for the first time.

The male protagonist held her hand tightly, giving her strength.

"Don't be afraid, we will definitely find a way out." However, a trace of anxiety could not be hidden in his tone.

The air around seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.

A sense of despair permeated the air, like an invisible hand gripping their throats.

Just then, Yan Ruyu's gaze suddenly fixed on an inconspicuous stone.

On the stone was carved a strange symbol that was extremely similar to a pattern in her memory!

"Wait!" She suddenly looked up.

Upon seeing this, the mysterious person observing from the shadows couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Impossible! How could she know..." The male protagonist, Xu, looked at Yan Ruyu, "You're incredibly clever!"

Following the new clue, they arrived at a hidden cave.

The cave entrance was dark and deep, like the mouth of a giant beast, with a faint, eerie light shining through it.

A sinister aura emanated from the depths of the cave, sending chills down one's spine.

Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu exchanged a glance, both able to sense the tension and anticipation in each other's hearts.

“Let’s go.” Yan Ruyu took a deep breath and took the lead into the cave…