From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

The sound of camel bells echoes amidst the endless yellow sand.

The scorching sun of the Western Regions baked the earth and also the slowly moving caravan.

Yan Ruyu, dressed in neat men's clothing, stood out conspicuously among the group.

She rode a chestnut horse, her back ramrod straight, her gaze fixed firmly ahead.

The tender farewell to Xu, the male protagonist, seems like it was just yesterday, but now they are worlds apart.

She secretly tightened her grip on the reins, determined to return from her journey to the Western Regions with a full load.

Most of the caravan members were rugged men, and they were filled with curiosity and suspicion towards Yan Ruyu, this "pretty boy" who had suddenly joined them.

His gaze swept over her like a knife.

Some whispered among themselves, "With such delicate skin, can he endure hardship?" Others sarcastically remarked, "Could he be some rich family's runaway young master?"

Yan Ruyu ignored the stares and comments. She raised her chin, a confident smile curving her lips. No matter how the wind and sand tousled her hair, they could not shake her inner resolve.

Leading the procession was Boss Ma, the caravan leader.

He was tall and burly, with a thick beard and a pair of shrewd, deep-set, and sharp eyes.

He appeared calmly gazing ahead, but in reality, he was subtly observing every move in the group, especially Yan Ruyu.

"Hey, isn't this our new little brother?" A high-pitched voice broke the silence of the group.

The one who spoke was Liu Er, the second-in-command of the caravan. He was thin and had shifty eyes, and he didn't look like a good guy at all.

He walked up to Yan Ruyu and said sarcastically, "What, Miss, are you here to experience life?"

Yan Ruyu glanced at him coldly, "What I do here is none of your business."

“How can it be unrelated? This is a trip to the Western Regions, not a sightseeing trip.” Liu Er pressed on, “If we drag everyone down, it won’t be a joke.”

“My affairs are none of your concern,” Yan Ruyu retorted without backing down. “As for you, you’d better mind your own business.”

The caravan members around them stopped and watched the conflict with great interest.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.

Seeing this, Boss Ma shouted, "What are you all doing! Hurry up and get going!" He seemed to be scolding everyone, but his gaze fell meaningfully on Yan Ruyu.

The procession moved forward slowly again; however, this was merely the calm before the storm.

Yan Ruyu looked up at the sky, and a sudden sense of unease rose in her heart...

"and many more!"

Yan Ruyu suddenly pulled on the reins, her voice urgent and firm, "A sandstorm is coming!"

Everyone was stunned and looked up at the sky.

At this moment, the sun is shining brightly and the sky is clear; there is not a trace of a sandstorm.

Liu Er scoffed, "Young man, are you talking nonsense? Where would a sandstorm come from on such a sunny day?"

Yan Ruyu ignored Liu Er's sarcasm and looked at Boss Ma, her tone calm, "Boss Ma, I once read in an ancient book that before a sandstorm arrives in the desert, there is often a brief period of calm, and the air is filled with a peculiar earthy smell." She took a deep breath, "Smell it, isn't the smell very different?"

With his extensive experience, Boss Ma naturally noticed the subtle changes in the air.

His expression changed as he realized that what Yan Ruyu said was true.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed that a line of yellow sand was indeed rolling in at an extremely fast speed on the distant horizon.

He made a decisive order: "Everyone, listen up! Change course and go around the sand dunes ahead!"

Although the caravan members were puzzled, they immediately carried out the order.

Upon seeing this, Liu Er's face turned somewhat grim. He hadn't expected that Yan Ruyu could actually predict the sandstorm.

He glared at Yan Ruyu fiercely, cursing inwardly: This pretty boy is actually quite capable!

Guided by Yan Ruyu, the caravan successfully avoided the sandstorm.

Looking at the sky swallowed by yellow sand in the distance, everyone couldn't help but feel lingering fear.

If Yan Ruyu hadn't given a timely warning, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

As night fell, the caravan set up camp to rest in a sheltered mountain valley.

The roaring campfire illuminated everyone's faces, dispelling the chill of the desert night.

Yan Ruyu sat alone by the campfire, gazing at the stars in the sky, lost in thought.

The scene of parting with Xu seemed to be right before her eyes; his gentleness and his smile were deeply imprinted in her mind.

She gently stroked the jade pendant at her waist, which was given to her by the male protagonist Xu before their parting, saying it would protect her and ensure her safe return.

A bitter smile appeared on her lips. Had she returned safely?

It's easier said than done.

This journey to the Western Regions was fraught with unknown dangers. She didn't know if she could complete the mission, nor when she would be able to reunite with the male protagonist, Xu.

"What are you thinking about, so engrossed?" Guard Li walked up to Yan Ruyu and asked with concern.

Yan Ruyu snapped out of her reverie and smiled faintly, "It's nothing, I'm just a little tired."

Looking at Yan Ruyu's lonely figure, Guard Li felt a little puzzled.

He always felt that this new junior colleague was somewhat mysterious, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong with him.

He shook his head, suppressing his doubts, and turned to continue his patrol.

Yan Ruyu looked into the distance again, her eyes resolute. "Wait for me, I will definitely come back..." She suddenly stopped, her gaze falling on Liu Er, who was acting suspiciously not far away. "What is he doing?"

Liu Er hid in the shadows, like a rat in a ditch, observing his surroundings with shifty eyes.

He lowered his voice and muttered to a few of his confidants, "That pretty boy is a jinx! The sandstorm was pure luck, don't be fooled by her! If we follow her, we're doomed sooner or later!" As he spoke, he gestured as if slitting his throat, his expression ferocious.

Several trusted confidants looked at each other, their faces full of hesitation.

Although they disliked Yan Ruyu, they knew that Liu Er had ill intentions.

Yan Ruyu saw all of this, but she did not immediately expose Liu Er.

She walked to the campfire, picked up a branch, and casually poked at the fire.

The firelight reflected off her face, flickering and adding to her mystery.

She spoke slowly, "I know some people are dissatisfied with me, thinking that I, a woman, will only be a burden to everyone. But I want to say that the road ahead will only be more dangerous, and we need to unite to survive." She paused, her gaze sweeping over everyone, "I suggest that starting tomorrow, Li and I will take turns being responsible for protecting the water source and distributing supplies to ensure fairness and avoid unnecessary internal strife."

Boss Ma nodded approvingly, "Miss Ruyu's suggestion is good, let's do it this way!" His imposing gaze swept over everyone, "If anyone dares to make any trouble at this time, don't blame me for being impolite!" Liu Er's face turned ashen, and he glared fiercely at Yan Ruyu, but dared not say anything more.

The other caravan members cast admiring glances at Yan Ruyu, impressed by her composure, calmness, and decisiveness.

However, the good times did not last long.

The next day at noon, when the caravan was about to replenish its water supply, they found that the water in the water bags was an abnormal color and had a faint bitter almond smell.

The experienced guard, Li, paled. "The water has been poisoned!" Upon hearing this, the caravan members erupted in panic and suspicion.

Boss Ma's face was solemn, his eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk, but he couldn't find any clues.

In the distance, the undulating sand dunes, like silent behemoths, shimmered eerily in the sunlight, seemingly foreshadowing an even greater crisis to come.

“Boss Ma, look…” Guard Li pointed to a small piece of cloth at the bottom of the water bag, his face becoming even more grim.