From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

As night fell, a series of low, rhythmic sounds emanated from the side hall, echoing like ghosts throughout the temple.

Yan Rugo and Xu Yi'an pressed themselves against the outer wall of the side hall, their hearts pounding, but their eyes gleaming with determination.

Inside the side hall, the candlelight was dim, and shadows flickered on the walls, outlining an eerie silhouette.

The altar was filled with all sorts of strange objects, and the incense burner emitted a strong fragrance that made people uneasy.

Through the crack in the door, Yan Rugo could see several monks surrounding the altar, chanting incantations and making various complex hand gestures, as if they were performing some kind of forbidden ritual.

Yan Rugo clenched her fists, her heart pounding.

Although her eyes were tense, they also showed curiosity and determination.

She gently nudged Xu Yi'an, signaling him to look inside more clearly.

Xu Yi'an nodded, a hint of tenderness in his eyes, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'm here."

Suddenly, the strange sounds became more rapid, as if the ritual was reaching its climax.

Yan Rugo and Xu Yi'an exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of foreboding.

Just then, a cold gaze swept across the crack in the door, and their hearts almost stopped beating.

"Creak—" A slight sound came from outside the crack in the door. Several monks seemed to be startled and turned their heads to look at the doorway.

One of the monks glared at him fiercely, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Thief!" the monk shouted, his voice echoing in the side hall like a roar from the depths of the earth.

Xu Yi'an reacted quickly, pulling Yan Rugo behind him and shielding her.

He calmly watched the approaching monk, without a trace of fear in his eyes.

Yan Rugo clenched her fists.

The monks pounced on them like mad dogs, but Xu Yi'an moved nimbly to dodge, and at the same time, punched one of the monks in the face with his backhand.

The monk let out a scream and collapsed to the ground.

"Watch out!" Xu Yi'an whispered. He quickly dealt with one monk and then got into a fight with another.

Yan Rugo's heart raced, but she did not back down. Instead, she kept a close eye on everything happening in the side hall, trying to find more clues.

Suddenly, a figure darted out from the corner of the side hall and headed straight for the two.

Yan Rugo's heart tightened. She was about to signal Xu Yi'an when she saw that Xu Yi'an had already spotted the target and quickly dodged again.

"I didn't expect you to actually come." A deep voice came from the shadows, carrying a strong sense of threat.

Yan Rugo and Xu Yi'an exchanged a glance, and both of them felt a chill run down their spines.

Xu Yi'an clenched his fists, preparing to face an even greater challenge, while Yan Rugo stared intently at the source of the sound, secretly planning her next move.

"Master Huikong, what exactly are you up to?" Yan Rugo asked in a deep voice, her tone filled with unwavering determination.

Xu Yi'an moved with the speed of a cheetah, weaving among the monks, his fists and feet whistling through the air.

With a beautiful whirlwind kick, he sent a monk flying, sending him crashing into a pillar with a dull thud.

Immediately afterwards, he grabbed another monk's arm and, with a swift over-the-shoulder throw, left the man dazed and confused.

His movements were fluid and graceful, as if he were performing a powerful dance, leaving Yan Rugo dazzled. She thought to herself: This is no innocent little rabbit, he's clearly a human fighter jet!

While Xu Yi'an drew attention, Yan Rugo didn't sit idle either. She crouched down and searched around the side hall.

An eerie smoke wafted from the incense burner on the altar, making her frown, but she persisted.

Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to an inconspicuous wooden box in the corner of the altar.

She walked quickly over, opened the wooden box, and saw an old scroll lying quietly inside. The pages were covered with strange runes, like some kind of ancient script.

Yan Rugo's eyes widened with excitement, as if she had discovered a new continent. This was definitely the key to breaking the conspiracy!

She carefully picked up the book, her heart pounding. She seemed to hear a "ding" in her brain, a system notification sound: Task progress +10%!

The monks around witnessed this scene.

Xu Yi'an dealt with all the monks and strode over to Yan Rugo's side. Seeing that she was safe and sound, the tenderness in his eyes was almost overflowing. He hugged her tightly in his arms, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.

Yan Rugo felt Xu Yi'an's warm embrace, and her face instantly turned red. Her eyes were filled with shyness, but even more so with happiness.

An ambiguous atmosphere filled the air, and everything around them seemed to stand still, with only the sound of their heartbeats echoing in their ears.

"I'm glad you're alright." Xu Yi'an's voice was deep and gentle. He cupped Yan Rugo's face and looked into her eyes with deep affection.

Yan Rugo also looked back at him.

"Hehe..." That chilling laughter echoed in the side hall, shattering the brief moment of warmth.

Yan Rugo and Xu Yi'an quickly separated and looked warily toward the source of the sound.

The once innocent and naive young novice monk was now standing in the shadows of the side hall, a sinister smile on his face that was out of character for his age. Where was the trace of his former innocence?

His eyes were like poisoned blades, staring straight at Yan Rugo and Xu Yi'an as if they were two lambs to the slaughter.

"You think you've discovered something amazing? How naive!" His voice was shrill, tinged with a morbid excitement, as if he were the mastermind behind everything. "It's no trouble telling you, you're already caught in a huge conspiracy, and you can't escape it!"

Yan Rugo narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at the young novice monk in front of her with such a stark contrast. She was secretly on guard, but her face remained calm and composed.

She wasn't easily intimidated. Did some mere little monk think he could play tricks on her?

Xu Yi'an sensed Yan Rugo's nervousness, so he silently tightened his grip on her hand, conveying strength and support without a word.

The two stood side by side, like a sharp sword, ready to cut through any obstacle at any moment.

Yan Rugo took a deep breath and refocused her attention on the old scroll in her hands.

She carefully examined the strange runes on the pages, while the system raced through her mind, constantly providing clues for translation.

Her brows were furrowed, and she looked completely absorbed, much like a top student solving a difficult problem.

Xu Yi'an stood beside her, his gaze gentle yet firm.

Finally, Yan Rugo's eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, with a hint of smugness in her smile.

“I see. The runes recorded here are used to control people’s minds!” she said slowly, her voice soft but full of confidence. “Moreover, I see that Madam is not in good condition. She may be the next target!”

The young novice's expression changed. He hadn't expected Yan Rugo to decipher the secret of the runes so quickly. He glared at her angrily, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, "You...you won't ruin my plan!"

Yan Rugo sneered. She had no time to waste arguing with a brat. "Let's go. Protecting Madam is the priority!"

Xu Yi'an responded without hesitation and turned to leave the side hall. As soon as they stepped out the door, they suddenly saw Master Huikong standing in front of the Madam's residence not far ahead, talking to her.

Master Huikong wore a profound and unfathomable smile, his eyes so deep that they were impossible to see through.

The lady's expression was somewhat blank, her eyes vacant, as if she had lost her soul.

"Madam!" Yan Rugo exclaimed in surprise, her heart tightening.

She and Xu Yi'an exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with worry. They realized almost simultaneously that the lady might have met with some misfortune.

The two quickened their pace in unison and ran towards the lady.