From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yan Rugo's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, fixed on the direction where the dark figure disappeared—an abandoned side room in the backyard of the temple, dark and damp, as if hiding countless secrets.

The surrounding noise gradually faded from her ears, but the unease in her heart grew stronger.

It feels like playing a murder mystery game where you correctly voted for the murderer, only to discover there's an even bigger boss behind the scenes!

Those around were immersed in the joy of surviving the ordeal and were completely unaware of the fleeting shadow.

The lady held her hand, expressing her gratitude incessantly, while Miss Murong looked at her with envy, as if she were looking at a shining star.

Only Xu Yi'an keenly noticed the unusual expression in her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible concern.

Yan Rugo shook her head, suppressing her unease, and said casually, "It's nothing, I just feel a little tired and want to go back and rest for a bit." Of course, she couldn't drag everyone into this unknown danger; after all, protecting herself was the basic courtesy of being a beloved female lead!

"I'll go with you." Xu Yi'an said, about to follow, but Yan Rugo stopped him.

"No need, I can go by myself. You stay here and keep Madam company." Her tone was firm and left no room for argument.

Xu Yi'an looked at her, a hint of helplessness flashing in his deep eyes, yet also a trace of trust that was hard to detect.

People around them stared at them curiously, whispering among themselves, wondering why the two "lifesavers" would suddenly split up.

Ignoring everyone's gaze, Yan Rugo walked straight to the backyard. She had a premonition that the dark figure and the secret hidden in the temple were the real "big scoop"!

“Ru Ge…” Xu Yi’an’s voice came from behind, tinged with worry.

Yan Rugo turned around and gave him a reassuring look. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon." Her lips curled up slightly, her tone carrying a hint of confidence, as if everything was under her control.

After saying that, she turned and disappeared into the dimly lit corridor, leaving behind only a resolute silhouette.

Yan Rugo took a deep breath, her feet moving as lightly as a cat's, avoiding the noisy crowd in the main hall, and followed a secluded path to the backyard where the monks lived.

It was even more eerie here than the front yard, with a faint musty smell in the air, as if it were the fermentation of some unspeakable secret.

Several monks dressed in gray robes were gathered under an old locust tree, talking in hushed tones.

Their expressions were wary and gloomy, their eyes glancing around every now and then, like villains in an ancient drama plotting something bad.

Yan Rugo raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself: There's definitely something wrong with these monks!

She approached cautiously, taking each step with exceptional gentleness, afraid of disturbing the group.

She hid in the shadows of a corner, a narrow and damp place with a faint smell of urine in the air—it was practically a scene of utter debauchery.

Yan Rugo held her breath, her muscles tense, like a cheetah preparing to hunt, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

She cautiously peeked out, trying to hear what they were saying, but because of the distance, she could only hear some indistinct fragments, like listening to a foreign blockbuster without subtitles, which was incredibly frustrating.

Just as she was about to risk getting a little closer, a monk suddenly turned around, his sharp eyes seeming to pierce through her disguise. Yan Rugo was startled and quickly shrank back, feeling as nervous as a primary school student caught playing hide-and-seek.

Just when she thought she was about to be discovered, suddenly, a fat orange cat darted out with a loud meow, attracting the attention of the monks.

Their expressions instantly changed from gloomy to relaxed, as if they had just been fighting a boss, only to find that their teammates had instantly killed the boss with a kitten.

Looking at this sudden turn of events, Yan Rugo thought to herself: This cat is truly my "lucky charm"!

While the monks were all captivated by the cat, Yan Rugo quickly pricked up her ears and listened attentively.

"...The plan needs to be moved up..."

"...The people above can't wait any longer..."

"...This time we absolutely must get our hands on that thing..."

Yan Rugo's eyes lit up instantly, as if she had suddenly found a treasure.

She finally heard the crucial information: there was an even bigger force controlling this group of monks. This plot twist was even more exciting than the palace dramas I've watched.

Just as Yan Rugo was processing this information, a deep voice sounded in her ear: "What are you doing here?"

Yan Rugo turned around abruptly, and what came into view was Xu Yi'an's incomparably handsome face. He was looking at her with a worried expression, and his deep eyes seemed to contain a thousand stars.

Xu Yi'an's eyes were like a deep pool, reflecting Yan Rugo's figure. There was unyielding worry in them, as well as relief at surviving a disaster, as if to say, "Thank goodness you're alright. You really scared me to death." He held her hand tightly, the warmth of his palm burning like a flame, instantly igniting a warmth in Yan Rugo's heart.

She looked up at him, a sweet smile involuntarily spreading across her lips, like a kitten that had just eaten candy. Her eyes shone with happiness, and everything around them seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the silent warmth flowing between the two of them.

At this moment, even the air became quiet, as if afraid to disturb this rare and heartwarming moment.

"Why are you here?" Yan Rugo asked softly, her voice as gentle as a feather brushing against the heart.

Xu Yi'an didn't answer, but tightened his grip on her hand and gestured for her to hide in the shadows in the corner.

He pointed deep into the backyard and whispered, "Something's not right over there."

Yan Rugo nodded. She also sensed that the temple was eerie, like a giant maze that was hard to fathom.

She told Xu Yi'an the information she had overheard, and the two quickly reached a consensus—there must be a shocking secret hidden in this temple, and it must be related to that mysterious shadow.

"We have to go in and take a look!" Yan Rugo's eyes gleamed with excitement, like an explorer who had discovered a treasure.

The two walked carefully along the path deeper into the backyard.

They walked through a dark corridor and came to a tightly closed stone door.

The stone gate was surrounded by strange runes, and the air was filled with a decaying smell, as if an ancient tomb had just been opened.

The stone gate is riddled with various mechanisms; a slight misstep could trigger a trap, leaving no trace of the victim – it's practically a scene from "Resident Evil"!

Yan Rugo felt a chill run down her spine as she looked at the eerie and terrifying scene. She felt like a game character about to face the final boss, and the game would end if she wasn't careful.

Xu Yi'an stood beside her, his expression serious, the depth in his eyes seemingly capable of swallowing everything, giving her a strong sense of security.

The surroundings were deathly silent, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind adding to the tense atmosphere.

Just as they were preparing to carefully study the mechanism and figure out a way to enter the secret chamber, a strange "creaking" sound came from behind the stone door. The sound was like a mouse gnawing on wood, or like fingernails scratching glass. It was particularly eerie and chilling in the quiet night.

The sound came intermittently, as if from the depths of hell, striking straight to the soul and sending chills down one's spine.

Yan Rugo and Xu Yi'an exchanged a glance. They both saw solemnity and unease in each other's eyes. What exactly was hidden in the secret room?

What is that strange sound?

Countless questions swirled in their minds, and at that moment, their heartbeats began to accelerate uncontrollably, like the deafening pounding of drums.

Yan Rugo took a deep breath, and she and Xu Yi'an cautiously walked towards the secret room, their hearts beating faster involuntarily.