The Female Supporting Character Refuses to Be Human Again - Chapter 215.2

“You know, this panel of yours is really not that well-designed!” Meng Changjin said in her mind, while staring at the “Title” section on the display.

Xiao Si went silent for a moment after hearing her complaint. Then, to her surprise, the text on the ground flickered, and when it reappeared, Meng Changjin couldn’t help but facepalm.

Now the title read:

• Title: Senior Noob

Meng Changjin: …

She was completely speechless. If there were a message board in front of her, she would have surely typed, “This is ridiculous!”

Since venting her frustration didn’t seem to change much, she gave up arguing with Xiao Si about the difference between a “Senior Noob” and a “Beginner Noob.” Instead, she turned back to her wooden house.

Now that everyone in the Yan Tribe lived in wooden houses, the old caves were mostly used as storage rooms. Meng Changjin decided that once winter passed, she would take some time to explore the other tribes. She had heard that each tribe’s fire seed was unique, and she was curious to see how different they could be.

However, she knew that openly inspecting these fire seeds would be nearly impossible because most tribes valued their fire seeds greatly. The Yan Tribe was unusual in having its fire seed out in the open, visible on the ground. According to the Wu, most tribes kept their fire seeds well-hidden.

For example, in the Jing Tribe, it was said that their fire seed was concealed inside a cave, guarded by warriors, and only the tribe’s leader and the Wu were allowed access. Even though the Yan Tribe had traded salt with the Jing Tribe many times, no one from the Yan Tribe had ever seen their fire seed.

Likewise, the fire seed of the E Tribe remained a mystery to outsiders. In fact, many tribe names had connections to their fire seeds. The Yan Tribe’s name, meaning “flame,” referred to their fire seed, while the Jing Tribe’s fire seed was rumored to be crystal-shaped.

At first, Meng Changjin had thought about obtaining another tribe’s fire seed just for fun. But the more she learned about how vital these fire seeds were to each tribe’s survival, the more she realized that such an action would be harmful and cruel. She wasn’t a saint, but she also wasn’t a villain who would endanger an entire tribe out of mere curiosity.

She was curious, yes, but she was content to observe. If the tribes didn’t allow her to see their fire seeds directly, it wasn’t a problem for Meng Changjin. She could simply use her spiritual sense to sneak a peek.

Meng Changjin decided that once spring arrived and the first hunting expedition ended, she would accompany the salt exchange team to the Jing Tribe. Traditionally, the Yan Tribe’s first trip to trade salt each year occurred after the first hunt and before the second hunt of the season.

This was because, in the past, the Yan Tribe rarely had enough surplus food after winter to trade right away. They always waited for the first hunt to have goods to exchange. Now, however, with plenty of resources left over from winter, they technically could trade earlier, but the habit of waiting until after the first hunt was so ingrained that no one suggested changing it.

This winter was similar to last, with everyone in the Yan Tribe having plenty to eat and warm clothes to wear, and the wooden houses providing good protection from the cold. Compared to previous years, their living conditions were like night and day.

Without the icy winds cutting through them, the winter season that once seemed so unbearably long now passed by almost without notice. When winter ended, Meng Changjin decided not to participate in the first hunting expedition but waited for it to conclude so she could join the salt exchange group heading to the Jing Tribe.

The spring hunt was something Meng Changjin had skipped openly before, though this was technically her second time not officially joining. The last time she had secretly followed behind the group, ready to step in if needed. But no intervention was necessary, so she didn’t show herself. When the hunting party returned with their catch, everyone assumed that Meng Changjin had simply gone hunting on her own.

With this being her second time opting out, the hunting team felt a mix of relief and slight embarrassment. They knew that Meng Changjin’s decision to hang back was for their benefit. If she joined, they felt overly secure, which took away the challenge and excitement of the hunt. They couldn’t grow stronger if they always had her to rely on.

So even though they felt a little uneasy, they accepted that it was better for Meng Changjin not to join them on these hunts.

The first hunting expedition of the year lasted around ten days. After the hunters returned and rested for a few days, the salt exchange team gathered their goods and set off for the Jing Tribe.

Meng Changjin joined the team because, frankly, she would’ve gotten lost otherwise. Until now, she hadn’t realized how much farther away the Jing Tribe was compared to their regular hunting grounds. Along the way, they had to camp out in caves and faced the threat of wild beasts, proving that the journey was anything but easy.

While the salt exchange team typically avoided danger by hiding, Meng Changjin preferred a different approach. When beasts crossed their path, she made quick work of them, thinking they could trade the extra meat for even more salt. The team, being experienced hunters, wasn’t surprised by her actions; they were used to her taking down threats with ease.

When they finally reached the Jing Tribe, they saw other tribes leaving after their trades. As one of the Jing Tribe’s biggest customers in recent years, the Yan Tribe was personally greeted by the tribe’s leader. Meng Changjin took a look around with her eyes, scanning for signs of the fire seed but saw nothing obvious.

As a valued guest, when Meng Changjin expressed a desire to explore the Jing Tribe, the leader readily agreed, even assigning a guide to her. However, the guide turned out to be rather unhelpful, leading her around without giving a single explanation of what they were seeing.

🌿 Commentary Corner: Hunting Games, Tribal Tours, and the Perks of Leadership! 🌿

Ah, the thrill of exploring other tribes and Meng Changjin’s obsession with fire seeds! Her approach to understanding different tribes’ secrets feels a bit like an archaeologist’s curiosity. In ancient cultures, such as the early Mesoamerican civilizations, fire was not only a symbol of life and ritual but also seen as a powerful divine gift that must be guarded and protected (Coe, M.D. (2011). The Maya. Thames & Hudson, p. 98-100).

Meng Changjin’s internal struggle about taking the fire seeds also mirrors the ethical dilemmas faced by early explorers. In the 19th century, European archaeologists often debated whether it was right to remove artifacts from their native lands, much like Meng Changjin debated whether taking a fire seed was moral (Challis, D. (2013). The Archaeology of Race. Bloomsbury, p. 120-123).

And let’s not forget the concept of group growth versus individual strength. Meng Changjin’s decision not to join the hunts openly resonates with the teachings of various leadership strategies, where leaders step back to let their team develop self-sufficiency. It’s much like the “servant leadership” philosophy, which emphasizes empowering others to grow and take charge (Greenleaf, R.K. (1977). Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. Paulist Press, p. 60-65).

Meng Changjin’s blend of quiet support and strategic withdrawal is the perfect recipe for tribal development! And her future plans to observe fire seeds using her spiritual sense? Talk about a stealthy approach—Ninja-mode activated!