Me? I was transported into a book? And I became a vicious villain?

The energy aftermath left by the giant beast lingered for a long time, as if mocking the powerlessness of the city defenders. Chu Mengmeng stood up from Xiao Yichen's arms, looking at the devastated battlefield, her heart chilled.

"It... is really gone?" Lin Wan'er's voice trembled, as if she couldn't believe the fact before her.

"No, it will come back." Su Mubai said in a deep voice, with a hint of fatigue in his tone, "and it will be stronger than it is now."

The guardian of the ancient ruins walked up to them, his old voice full of worry: "This land has been dormant for too long. Today's unusual movement is just the beginning. A greater crisis is yet to come."

His words were like a huge rock, weighing heavily on everyone's heart. The continuous battles and subsequent failures had exhausted these young city defenders both physically and mentally.

Chu Mengmeng drooped her shoulders weakly, and the scene before the giant beast disappeared kept replaying in her mind. If she could be faster and stronger, could she stop all this from happening?

Self-blame and a sense of powerlessness overwhelmed her like a tide, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.

"Mengmeng..." Xiao Yichen noticed her strangeness and wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know what to say. He himself was also confused and uneasy, but he knew that now was not the time to be depressed.

"Can we... really win?" Lin Wan'er's voice, with a hint of tears, broke the silence.

No one can answer this question.

The city defenders looked at each other, each of them was exhausted and confused. They once thought that they could protect the city and their loved ones with their own strength.

But the reality dealt them a heavy blow, making them realize that there was an insurmountable gap between themselves and those terrible enemies.

"Mengmeng, don't be like this. We will definitely find a way." Xiao Yichen gently held Chu Mengmeng's hand, trying to give her strength.

However, Chu Mengmeng seemed not to have heard his words. She just stood there blankly with empty eyes, as if she had lost her soul.

"Mengmeng?" Xiao Yichen's heart sank, and a bad premonition came to his mind.

What he didn't know was what kind of struggle Chu Mengmeng was going through in her heart at this moment.

She wanted to give up, wanted to escape, wanted to go back to that carefree world and be her carefree young lady.

But deep in her heart, there was a voice constantly reminding her:

She couldn't give up, couldn't escape, there were still people waiting for her to protect...

"Mengmeng..." Xiao Yichen noticed that something was wrong with her and wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know what to say.

"We will definitely find a way." He finally just gently held Chu Mengmeng's hand, trying to give her strength and also trying to convince himself. However, looking at her empty eyes, Xiao Yichen's heart was also filled with anxiety and confusion. The power of the beast was far beyond their imagination. Next time, can they really protect the city?

"Mengmeng, don't be like this. We will definitely find a way." Xiao Yichen repeated it again, but his tone was much less confident than before.

Su Mubai patted his shoulder, signaling him not to worry, then walked aside and looked into the distance. He seemed calm, but his clenched fists revealed his inner struggle. His former confidence and pride were gradually replaced by a sense of powerlessness in the face of repeated failures.

Lin Wan'er quietly wiped away the tears from her eyes and turned to look into the distance. She wanted to tell herself that all this was just a nightmare and it would disappear as soon as she woke up. However, the physical exhaustion and the pain in her heart reminded her of the cruel reality.

The guardian of the ancient ruins saw all of this, he sighed, turned around and walked into the depths of the ruins. He knew that nothing he said now would help. These young city guardians needed time and space to digest this failure and regain their faith.

And can they pull themselves together again and face the greater crisis that is coming?

The guardian of the ancient ruins hunched over and slowly walked towards the depths of the ruins, his cloudy eyes flashing with wisdom. He knew that these young city guardians needed time to lick their wounds, reflect, and find their lost direction. Excessive pressure would only crush them, and timely silence was the best medicine.

Chu Mengmeng was still immersed in self-blame and powerlessness. Xiao Yichen's call seemed to be thousands of miles away from her. She walked aimlessly and unknowingly came to a secluded corner. There was an ancient banyan tree with lush branches and leaves, covering the sky and providing her with a peaceful sky. Chu Mengmeng sat under the tree weakly, buried her head deeply in her knees, and let the tears flow freely.

Xiao Yichen followed her silently, looking at her thin back, feeling distressed. He knew that Chu Mengmeng had always been optimistic and cheerful, but now she was so depressed, which showed how big a blow this time was for her. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her that no matter what happened, he would be by her side. However, he knew that nothing he said now would be effective, and he could only give her time and space to let her get over it herself.

Su Mubai chose to stand alone on a high place, looking into the distance. He was always calm and composed, but the successive failures made him begin to doubt his ability. He clenched his fists, his nails deeply embedded in his flesh, but he was unaware. He needed to sort out his thoughts and find a breakthrough to lead everyone out of the predicament.

Lin Wan'er hid in a deserted corner, silently wiping away tears. She was not as lively and cheerful as Chu Mengmeng, nor as calm and wise as Su Mubai. She was just an ordinary girl who longed for a peaceful life and wanted to protect the one she loved. However, reality pushed her into the abyss of despair again and again.

Just as the city guardians were lost in thought, a familiar voice sounded in their ears, like a ray of dawn, illuminating their dark hearts.

"Children, cheer up! Have you forgotten your mission?"

The voice was old and kind, carrying a powerful force that instantly dispelled the haze that shrouded their hearts.

Who is it? Who is speaking? Could it be...

The city guardians suddenly raised their heads, a glimmer of hope ignited in their eyes...