From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The cave was dark and damp, filled with jagged rocks of various shapes, resembling menacing beasts.

Water droplets dripped from the cave ceiling, making a "drip, drip" sound that was particularly clear in the silent cave, as if it were a countdown to death.

Yan Ruyu and Xu Nanzhu moved forward cautiously, taking each step with extreme care.

Yan Ruyu's heart was pounding, and her palms were sweating.

She held Xu's hand tightly, as if only in this way could she gain a sense of security.

The male protagonist, Xu, also looked nervous, but he tried his best to appear calm, comforting Yan Ruyu from time to time: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Deep within the cave, a mysterious light faintly emanated, like a beacon in the darkness, or the eye of a giant beast, sending chills down one's spine.

The two held their breath and walked toward the light.

With a "click," the ground trembled slightly.

Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, immediately became alert.

Several dark figures suddenly emerged from the shadows, wielding sharp blades, and pounced on them.

"Watch out!" The male protagonist Xu shielded Yan Ruyu behind him, drew his sword, and engaged in a fierce battle with the man in black.

"Hmph, overestimating yourself!" A cold voice came from the depths of the cave.

The mysterious person has finally shown up.

He stood on high ground, looking down at the two of them, a mocking smile on his face.

"Who exactly are you? Why are you targeting us?" Yan Ruyu demanded sharply.

"Want to know? Then go to hell and ask King Yama!" The mysterious man laughed wildly and activated the mechanism in the cave.

In an instant, sand and stones flew through the cave, the ground collapsed, and countless arrows shot in from all directions.

Yan Ruyu and the male protagonist Xu dodged left and right, facing numerous dangerous situations.

"Damn it!" Xu cursed, slashing the incoming arrow with his sword.

He discovered that the arrowheads of these hidden arrows were coated with a deadly poison.

"Ruyu, watch out!" The male protagonist Xu pushed Yan Ruyu away, but he himself was shot in the arm by a hidden arrow.

"Male lead!" Yan Ruyu exclaimed and quickly helped him up.

"I'm fine..." Xu, the male protagonist, said, enduring the pain, "We need to find a way to get out of here..."

Just then, the male protagonist's gaze suddenly fixed on a jade pendant on the mysterious man's waist.

That jade pendant...

"Wait a minute..." the male protagonist said in a low voice.

The male protagonist's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, fixed intently on the jade pendant.

“That jade pendant… is the key to unlocking the treasure’s mechanism!” he said with certainty and a hint of excitement.

Yan Ruyu instantly understood his meaning, and the two exchanged a glance, a tacit understanding forming between them.

The male protagonist, Xu, feigned being forced back by the mysterious person, but in reality, he secretly approached.

The mysterious man was smug, thinking victory was in his grasp, but he didn't notice the male protagonist's subtle actions.

In a flash, the male protagonist snatched the jade pendant with lightning speed and struck the mysterious man in the chest with a backhand.

The mysterious man screamed, spat out a mouthful of blood, and fell to the ground in a sorry state. His arrogant demeanor vanished instantly, and he wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.

He stared at the male protagonist, Xu, in disbelief.

"That's it? That's it? That's it?" Yan Ruyu mimicked a popular comment from a short video platform, adding an eye roll as she went.

The two exchanged a smile, understanding each other perfectly with just a glance.

Inside the cave, the originally eerie light suddenly softened, as if cheering for their victory.

The male protagonist inserted the jade pendant into the groove on the stone wall, and with a loud "rumble", a huge treasure trove appeared before them.

Gold and silver jewelry, antiques and calligraphy and paintings, all displayed in a dazzling array, are a feast for the eyes.

More importantly, at the end of the treasure vault, they discovered a secret passage leading to the outside world.

"We won!" Yan Ruyu excitedly threw herself into Xu Nanzhu's arms.

The male protagonist hugged her tightly, resting his chin on the top of her head, feeling her soft hair, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

The air inside the cave seemed to warm up, filled with a sweet aroma.

The two embraced tightly, as if they were the only two people left in the world.

Just then, the mysterious man lying on the ground suddenly let out a chilling laugh: "You think you've won? Dream on! Even if I can't have it, I'll never let you have it!" He struggled to his feet, his eyes flashing with a crazed light...

The mysterious man's face was contorted with rage, and he burst into maniacal laughter, like a trapped beast struggling for its life.

"Even if I can't have it, you can't have it either!" He pulled a black porcelain bottle from his pocket, and a pungent sulfur smell instantly filled the air.

"This is my specially made 'Hellfire,' capable of turning everything to ashes!" he roared, making a move to smash the porcelain bottle towards the treasure.

Yan Ruyu and Xu, the male protagonist, both changed their expressions.

They had long heard of the power of this "hellfire," and the consequences would be unimaginable once it was ignited.

At the critical moment, Yan Ruyu sneered, "Is that all? You think you can fool your grandma with such petty tricks?" She had expected this old man to pull this stunt, so she had already moved the real treasure map and the entrance to the secret passage beforehand and covered up the traces with an illusion.

What is now presented to the mysterious man are nothing but worthless trinkets.

"You...you're playing me!" The mysterious man stared wide-eyed in disbelief, frozen in place as if struck by lightning, the porcelain bottle slipping from his hand and falling to the ground.

"Heh, all's fair in war, you can't be unaware of that, can you?" Yan Ruyu raised an eyebrow, while the male protagonist Xu took out a token from his pocket, which was the token of the mysterious man's family.

"You think you've hidden yourself well? Too bad, your every move is under our control. You are the true culprit behind the massacre of the Xu family—Zhou Tong!"

Zhou Tong's face turned ashen. He knew he had been completely exposed, and all his pretense had become a joke.

"The victor is king, the loser is villain. Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you!" He closed his eyes, looking as if he were ready to die.

"Don't worry, we won't let you die so easily." Xu's voice was icy cold, like a judgment from hell. "I will make you pay for what you've done!"

The two ignored Zhou Tong and turned to walk towards the real entrance to the secret passage.

With the sound of a mechanism turning, the secret passage slowly opened, revealing a path to light and freedom before them.

Aboard an ancient ship found in the treasure, the two set sail. The sea breeze gently caressed their faces, the blue waves rippled, and seagulls circled in the air, creating a peaceful and serene scene.

Yan Ruyu nestled beside Xu, their fingers intertwined, their hearts filled with anticipation for the future.

They knew that a new adventure was just beginning...

"I heard that many masters have gathered for this martial arts tournament..." The male protagonist, Xu, gazed into the distance, his eyes deep.

Yan Ruyu smiled slightly, "So what? We'll meet force with force, and we'll deal with water with water. Are we afraid of them?"

The two looked at each other and smiled, saying nothing.

The ship slowly approached the dock, and people began to move about, their voices rising in the distance...