The Female Supporting Character Refuses to Be Human Again - Chapter 212.1

“So, this is what a wooden house looks like, huh? It actually seems pretty good,” the tribe members said as they inspected Meng Changjin’s wooden house. But despite their approval, they still had doubts.

“Can you really live in it, though?” someone asked skeptically. “Those wooden walls look so thin—won’t it be cold inside?”

Most of the Yan Tribe remained uncertain. They were used to the thick stone walls of their caves, so compared to those, the wooden planks seemed flimsy. Meng Changjin didn’t pay much attention to their concerns. She knew that while the walls might look thin in comparison to the cave’s stone, they were actually quite sturdy. Plus, the wooden house was well-sealed, so there wouldn’t be much of a draft.

Over the next three days, Meng Changjin completed the remaining details of the house. She added walls, a wooden door, and finished the roof. She layered bamboo tiles as shingles and covered the roof with thatch to help insulate the house and provide some soundproofing during rainstorms.

When the house was finished, it looked surprisingly decent, much better than anyone had imagined. Just as Meng Changjin finished her work, the salt trade group returned to the Yan Tribe, which conveniently shifted everyone’s attention away from her wooden house.

Instead, the focus turned to how much salt the trade group had managed to bring back. If the amount was too little, there wouldn’t be enough to preserve all the meat they had. It was almost funny to think that the Yan Tribe had reached a point where they were worried about not having enough salt to cure their meat.

Meng Changjin was also concerned. She was planning to make smoked meat, and without enough salt, that wouldn’t be possible. She did have some salt stored in her spiritual space, but she couldn’t just take it out and use it openly—it would be impossible to explain where she got such a large quantity of salt.

She also didn’t know if the salt in her spiritual space was the same as the salt from the Jing Tribe. If there was a noticeable difference, using her salt would be too risky. For now, she would have to be discreet.

Meng Changjin followed the rest of the tribe to where the salt trade group was gathering. The salt they had brought back was laid out on the ground. Using her spiritual sense, she quickly scanned the amount of salt they had managed to secure.

To her surprise, the salt was quite fine and pure, almost as white as the salt she had in her spiritual space. Realizing that the Jing Tribe’s sacred fire had produced this high-quality salt didn’t seem too shocking to Meng Changjin. After all, with such a mystical power, creating fine salt was not beyond its capabilities.

This discovery was actually quite convenient for her. Now, she could take some salt from the trade and use her own stored salt more freely. No one would know exactly how much salt she had exchanged, so she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone keeping track of her usage.

The salt was traded using the hunters’ game, so everyone who wanted salt from the group had to offer meat in exchange. While it did cost slightly more than directly trading with the Jing Tribe, it was still a reasonable amount that everyone could afford.

Meng Changjin went to her cave to “retrieve” some meat to trade for salt. When the trader saw that it was Meng Changjin, he generously gave her an extra handful of salt.

She accepted the gesture without hesitation but, as she turned to leave, she discreetly sent a pulse of spiritual energy into the trader’s body. She knew that he had an old injury from hunting. Although it seemed healed on the surface, it still caused problems. Thanks to the spiritual energy, his injury would completely heal within a few days.

Sometimes, returning kindness didn’t always have to involve material things. There were other ways to repay someone’s good intentions.

With the salt secured, Meng Changjin began the process of making smoked meat. She started by curing the meat in large stone jars filled with salt, which would take about five days.

Not wanting to waste time while the meat was curing, Meng Changjin saw that everyone still had plenty of salt left over. So naturally, the tribe decided it was time for another hunting trip into the forest.

Of course, Meng Changjin joined the hunting party again. By now, no one objected to her participation. The first time she went hunting, the Wu had reminded her to protect herself and to follow the Chieftains’ lead in the forest. But this time, the Wu’s instructions were different.

“Give the newcomers a chance to grow,” the Wu told Meng Changjin. “Don’t remove every challenge for them. Opportunities for struggle are the soil in which they grow stronger. Without those challenges, the Yan Tribe’s future will be in jeopardy.”

Meng Changjin nodded in agreement. The Wu’s concerns were valid. New hunters could easily lose their lives during these expeditions. However, when Meng Changjin was part of the hunting team, the risk of anyone dying was nearly non-existent.

Still, Meng Changjin understood the Wu’s point. If she continued to shield the tribe members from all danger, they might grow too dependent on her presence. Her role wasn’t just about protecting everyone at all times; it was also about letting them develop their own strengths.

This time, Meng Changjin decided to adopt a different approach. She planned to observe the hunters carefully, intervening only when absolutely necessary. She knew that sometimes allowing a person to struggle a little was the best way to help them grow.

She started by focusing on the newcomers, protecting them just enough to keep them safe but allowing them to face the challenges of the hunt. Her goal was also to scout the forest for any edible wild plants to bring back to the tribe.

Meng Changjin set a strict time limit. She had five days to cure the meat properly, so she planned to only observe the hunting team for the first three days. If they were successful, she wouldn’t interfere. However, if they struggled to bring in enough game by the end of the third day, she would step in.

Despite her initial hands-off approach, the hunters were surprisingly upbeat. The idea that Meng Changjin was letting them handle things on their own seemed to boost their confidence.

🌟 Kliraz’s Tidbit: The Salt of the Tribe and Tough Love Tactics (≧◡≦)

Salt, glorious salt! The Yan Tribe’s struggle to get enough salt to cure their meat reminds me of how salt was once more valuable than gold in the ancient world. Meng Changjin’s clever trading is really leveling up the tribe’s survival game!

And did you notice how the Wu’s advice to Meng Changjin was basically the ancient version of “tough love”? This strategy is found all over the world, like in Sparta, where young warriors were trained under harsh conditions to build resilience. The famous “agoge” system was all about teaching them to survive by facing real dangers (Cartledge, P. (2003). The Spartans: An Epic History. Vintage Books, p. 65-67). Looks like the Wu knows a thing or two about building a warrior tribe! 💪

Meng Changjin’s wooden house project and her decision to let the newbies fend for themselves in the forest are a brilliant mix of innovation and strategic thinking. She’s not just leading the tribe; she’s preparing them to lead themselves. Now that’s what I call future-proofing the Yan Tribe! (¬‿¬)