From cannon fodder villain to beloved heroine

"Poisonous? Really?" someone exclaimed, their voice trembling as if they were about to collapse at any moment.

"Someone poisoned the water! How can we drink this?" Someone cried out in despair, clutching their head as if the end of the world had come.

Panic spread rapidly like a plague, throwing the caravan members into chaos. The once orderly procession instantly became a noisy mess.

Some people were pale and retching, clutching their stomachs; others were panicked and looking around as if searching for an escape route; still others clung tightly to their water bags, as if they were their last lifeline.

Fear and unease filled the air, like a taut string that could snap at any moment.

Boss Ma's brows were furrowed, and his face was so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white and the veins on his forehead bulged.

This sudden turn of events disrupted all his plans.

Without water, in this vast desert, they were like lambs to the slaughter, utterly lifeless.

He looked around, his gaze sharp as a knife, trying to find the culprit in the crowd.

Unlike the panic around her, Yan Ruyu remained unusually calm.

Her brows furrowed slightly, her gaze sharp as she carefully observed everything around her.

The system's voice sounded at the right time: "Abnormal energy fluctuations have been detected in the surrounding area. Does the host need to activate the scanning function?" Yan Ruyu silently recited in his mind: "Activate."

Just then, a sarcastic voice came from the crowd: "Hey Boss Ma, why did the water suddenly become problematic after Miss Ruyu joined us? Could it be that she poisoned it?"

It was Liu Er who spoke. He had a sly grin on his face.

"Liu Er, stop talking nonsense!" Yan Ruyu's eyes turned cold, and her tone was icy.

"I'm talking nonsense? Who here doesn't know that you're closest to Boss Ma? Who knows if you've conspired to kill us?" Liu Er got more and more excited as he spoke, fanning the flames and trying to point the finger at Yan Ruyu.

Whispers began to ripple through the crowd, and suspicious glances were cast at Yan Ruyu.

Li wanted to speak up for Yan Ruyu, but he didn't know where to begin, so he could only look anxiously at Boss Ma.

After a moment of contemplation, Ma Laoda glanced back and forth between Yan Ruyu and Liu Er, and said in a deep voice, "Miss Ruyu, this piece of fabric..." He handed the fabric from Guard Li's hand to Yan Ruyu, "Do you have anything to say about it?"

Yan Ruyu took the fabric, a cold smile playing on her lips. Her gaze fell on the exquisite embroidery on the fabric. "This fabric... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before..."

Yan Ruyu's eyes sparkled, and a confident smile curved her lips, as if she had everything under control.

She gently picked up the fabric, her gaze sweeping over Liu Er and his cronies with a sharp, piercing intensity. "The pattern on this fabric... I remember it's a custom-made piece by Brother Liu Er, isn't it? You can't buy it on the market." She paused, her tone becoming more serious. "Coincidentally, I found similar fabric fragments in a pile of debris near the water source, contaminated with the same poison as in the water. Is this a coincidence, Brother Liu Er?"

Liu Er's expression changed drastically. His smug look froze instantly, replaced by panic.

His eyes darted around, and he stammered, "This...this is just a coincidence! This fabric...many people have it!"

"Is that so? Then how do you explain these pieces of cloth stained with poison, Brother Liu?" Yan Ruyu pressed on relentlessly, her tone sharp as a knife, directly piercing Liu Er's sore spot.

She took out the evidence from the system scan and displayed it to everyone.

The evidence is conclusive and cannot be denied.

Upon seeing this, Liu Er's confidants turned pale, their legs went weak, and they nearly collapsed to the ground.

He looked at Liu Er in horror, and Liu Er glared at him fiercely, but he was powerless to refute.

The caravan members suddenly realized what was happening, and their gazes toward Liu Er were filled with contempt and anger.

They never expected that this seemingly honest and kind second-in-command would be so vicious.

"So it was you! You dared to poison us!"

"You can never truly know a person's heart just by looking at their face! And we trusted you so much!"

The crowd was filled with righteous indignation and condemned Liu Er, causing a brief period of chaos.

Night falls and the stars are shining.

Yan Ruyu sat alone outside the camp, gazing at the starry sky, her heart filled with longing.

She gently stroked the jade pendant in her hand, a token of love given to her by the male protagonist, Xu.

The jade pendant's warm, smooth texture felt like the male protagonist's comforting embrace.

She recalled every moment she spent with the male lead, and a sweet smile unconsciously crept onto her lips.

However, a touch of sadness mingled with the sweetness.

I wonder when I will be able to see him again?

In the distance, several members of the caravan watched Yan Ruyu's figure. They knew that the person Yan Ruyu longed for was someone they, ordinary mortals, could not reach.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away at the Xu residence, the male protagonist of the Xu family was staring blankly at Yan Ruyu's portrait.

His long, slender fingers gently stroked the face of the woman in the portrait.

"Yu'er, when will you be able to return to my side?" he murmured softly, his voice trembling slightly.

Looking at the chaotic situation before him, Boss Ma secretly made his own plans.

Although he knew the truth, he did so in order to maintain balance within the caravan...

He walked to Yan Ruyu's side and said in a deep voice, "Miss Ruyu, about this matter..."

Boss Ma sighed heavily, patted Yan Ruyu on the shoulder, and said earnestly, "Miss Ruyu, let's leave it at that. I know that Liu Er is a wicked fellow, but we need people right now, so we shouldn't have internal strife. I'll give him a good talking-to and make him behave himself."

Liu Er lowered his head, but a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He couldn't swallow this insult!

"Hmph, a gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years! You just wait!" he cursed viciously in his heart.

Yan Ruyu keenly caught the sinister glint in Liu Er's eyes, and alarm bells rang in her mind.

She observed Liu Er's every move discreetly, secretly becoming more vigilant.

It seems this turmoil is far from over.

“Boss Ma, we can’t just sit here and wait to die. The water source is polluted, we must find a new water source as soon as possible, otherwise…” Yan Ruyu’s eyes were firm, and his tone was calm and composed.

"But where can we find water in this vast desert?" a caravan member said with a worried expression.

"I have a plan," Yan Ruyu said with a confident smile.

She redeemed the "Water Source Detection" skill from the system and quickly found a small oasis hidden under the sand dunes.

As Liu Er watched Yan Ruyu lead the group to the water source, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, wishing he could tear Yan Ruyu to pieces.

The caravan members cheered and expressed their gratitude to Yan Ruyu.

Their gazes toward Yan Ruyu were filled with admiration and trust.

Yan Ruyu once again became a hero of the caravan.

However, the good times did not last long.

Just as the caravan continued on its way, a group of men in black suddenly appeared in the distance. They rode tall horses, wielded sharp blades, and approached menacingly.

"Oh no! They're bandits!" a member of the caravan exclaimed.

The caravan members panicked immediately, looking in terror at the approaching figures in black.

"Prepare for battle!" Boss Ma drew his sword and shouted.

In the distance, the leader of the men in black revealed a ferocious smile, "Brothers, charge! Rob money, rob food, rob women!"

Guard Li walked up to Yan Ruyu and whispered, "Miss Ruyu, be careful..."