From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

Yellow sand filled the sky, and banners fluttered in the wind, but they could not conceal the desolation of the border military camp.

When Yan Ruyu and Xu Nanzhu arrived at the military camp, they were greeted by a haphazard array of soldiers, all of whom looked listless and wilted.

Some even sat on the ground, picking their toes and humming off-key tunes, their military bearing so lax it was astonishing.

"This...this is the elite force that protects our country?" Yan Ruyu's lips twitched, inwardly cursing: Is this all?

If the enemy comes, shouldn't you just surrender to ensure your safety?

The male protagonist, Xu, frowned, looking worried.

"The situation in this military camp is worse than I imagined." He gripped Yan Ruyu's hand tightly; his palm was icy cold.

Yan Ruyu grasped his hand in return and gave him a reassuring look.

But in his heart he was secretly thinking: This chaos needs to be dealt with properly!

She's no delicate little flower; she transmigrated into the book with a cheat code. If she doesn't stir up this mess, she's not Yan!

To find out what was going on, Yan Ruyu went straight to the quartermaster department.

There was a fat, greasy-faced quartermaster lying on a grand chair with his legs crossed, humming a little tune.

This man was none other than Wang, the quartermaster.

"Lord Wang, I would like to ask about the distribution of military supplies," Yan Ruyu said, getting straight to the point.

The quartermaster glanced at her sideways, not even lifting his eyelids, and said, "How dare a woman like you meddle in military supplies? Go play somewhere else!"

"A woman?" Yan Ruyu sneered. It had been a long time since she had heard such a term.

"I am here on orders to investigate, so Lord Wang would be better off cooperating."

"Ordered? Whose orders? I only obey General Li!" Quartermaster Wang curled his lip in disdain, his face resembling that of a proud peacock.

The surrounding soldiers dared not speak out in anger, and all lowered their heads, but their eyes flashed with dissatisfaction.

Yan Ruyu's eyes turned cold. This quartermaster Wang really wouldn't shed a tear until he saw the coffin.

She took a deep breath and said slowly, "Lord Wang, are you sure you want to talk to me like this?"

Yan Ruyu smiled confidently and pulled out an account book from her sleeve. It was none other than Wang Junshi's "secret account book".

With the help of the system, she "snatched" this ledger from under Wang Junshi's pillow. It clearly recorded every embezzled sum of money, and even evidence of his collusion with merchants in the city. It was practically "ironclad evidence."

"Lord Wang, do you need an explanation for the figures in this ledger?" Yan Ruyu's voice was clear and crisp, yet carried an undeniable authority, booming like thunder in everyone's ears.

The quartermaster's fat face jiggled three times, his complexion instantly turning deathly pale, as if coated with a thick layer of lime. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, his eyes darted around, and he stammered, unable to speak.

"This...this...this ledger is fake! Someone is framing me!"

The surrounding soldiers were dumbfounded, craning their necks like a group of curious weasels, waiting to see what would happen next.

They had long suspected Wang, the quartermaster, of embezzlement, but dared not speak out. Now, seeing the irrefutable evidence in the ledger, they were all filled with righteous indignation and wished they could rush up and beat Wang, the quartermaster.

"Framed? Lord Wang, isn't your excuse a bit too flimsy?" Yan Ruyu chuckled. "Every single item and transaction in this ledger is recorded clearly, and even bears your signature. What else do you have to say?"

Quartermaster Wang panicked completely, pacing around like an ant on a hot pan. More and more sweat beaded on his forehead, forming a small stream that flowed down his fat cheeks, making him look like a drenched chicken.

At this moment, the male protagonist Xu walked through the crowd to Yan Ruyu's side, gently took her hand, and said softly, "Thank you for your hard work." Yan Ruyu returned his hand, gave him a reassuring look, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

The surrounding soldiers all cast envious glances; they were completely convinced by this display of affection.

Yan Ruyu turned to look at General Li, her eyes resolute: "General Li, the evidence against Quartermaster Wang is conclusive. I ask you to decide how to deal with him." General Li's face was ashen. He had not expected Quartermaster Wang to be so audacious, and his anger burned fiercely.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from afar. A soldier rode up and shouted, "Report! Enemy attack!"

Upon hearing this, General Li's eyes widened in fury. Ignoring the matter of Quartermaster Wang's embezzlement, he waved his hand and roared, "All troops, attack! Leave no one alive!" Like a raging lion, he mounted his horse and charged ahead, completely ignoring the strategist Sun shouting behind him, "General! Don't underestimate the enemy! It might be a trap!"

As expected, after General Li led his troops in pursuit for some distance, they were caught in an encirclement set up by the enemy.

All around, banners fluttered and battle cries shook the heavens as countless enemy troops surged in like a tidal wave.

General Li then realized he had fallen into a trap, but it was too late. He was trapped in the center of the encirclement, with no way to advance or retreat.

Seeing this, the soldiers panicked and their formation began to break down.

At the critical moment, Xu, the male protagonist, remained calm and shouted, "Brothers, charge with me! Use the terrain to counterattack!" He moved nimbly, like a cheetah, leading a small squad of soldiers. Taking advantage of the valley's terrain, they cleverly avoided the enemy's frontal attack, outflanked them from the side, and successfully tore open a gap in the enemy's defenses.

Caught off guard, the enemy forces were thrown into disarray and began to flee.

The soldiers were greatly encouraged and fought bravely against the enemy, routing them and sending them fleeing in disarray.

General Li also broke through the encirclement and looked at the incredibly brave male protagonist Xu with admiration in his eyes.

The soldiers cheered and were filled with admiration for Xu, the male protagonist.

After the battle, Yan Ruyu took stock of the remaining military supplies, only to find that the actual quantity differed greatly from the records in the ledger, and the shortage of supplies far exceeded her expectations.

Her brow furrowed, a sense of foreboding rising within her: a greater conspiracy seemed to be lurking behind this.

Meanwhile, Deputy General Zhang hid in a corner of the tent, watching Xu, the male protagonist, being praised by General Li. He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh, and muttered to himself, "Xu, just you wait and see!"

As night fell, the border military camp fell silent, except for a few pairs of gleaming eyes watching everything from the darkness in the distance…

“Things seem to be getting more and more interesting…” a deep voice echoed in the darkness.