Good News, I Transmigrated, But What the Heck is a Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character? - Chapter 22

The crimson setting sun filtered through gnarled, ancient trees, casting dappled light and shadow on the bloody battlefield.

The Flame-Winged Tiger roared, tearing large bites from the fattest hind leg of the Red-Striped Demonic Wolf. Visible faint red blood qi overflowed from the demonic wolf’s corpse, blending into its charred fur.

The wounds torn by the wolf’s claws were wriggling and rapidly healing under the nourishment of the blood qi.

Yu Wanwan leaned against a gnarled, withered tree, her face slightly pale.

She took a scarlet Minor Rejuvenation Pill the size of a longan. The pill melted instantly upon entering her mouth, and a warm current swiftly spread through her limbs and bones.

She closed her eyes and focused, guiding the wisp of crimson-golden Phoenix True Fire within her body to travel through her damaged meridians.

Wherever the True Fire passed, it burned away stagnant hidden injuries and impurities, repairing tiny cracks, bringing a strange sensation that intertwined itchiness and burning heat.

She could feel her strength slowly but steadily recovering.

“Tsk, such minor injuries still require so much time to recover? Back then, when this Grandpa was chased by a seven-headed snake and half his tail was bitten off, he still ran faster than the wind!” A lazy, slightly disdainful childish voice echoed in her Sea of Consciousness.

Yu Wanwan’s lips twitched imperceptibly. She responded with her divine sense: “Yes, yes, yes, you, old hero, are unparalleled. But what does that represent? A hero doesn’t boast about past glories. Aren’t you still just reminiscing about the past now?”

From her sleeve, a tiny snake, thinner than her pinky finger, entirely covered in fine golden scales, poked its head out. Its vertical golden pupils shimmered with a cold and wise light in the dim forest.

Its small head turned agilely, as if searching for a suitable path.

“Hmph, you little girl, stop using provocation. This Grandpa doesn’t fall for that.” The little golden snake flicked its scarlet tongue, its tone tinged with annoyance and anger. “Three li ahead, see that crooked-necked tree that looks like it’s been chewed by a dog? Turn right, there’s a beast path covered by vines that leads directly to a cliff. From the middle of the cliff face, there’s a crack where you can take a shortcut down, directly reaching the outer area of the Blazing Rift.”

“Back then, this Grandpa… ahem, this Grandpa shook off an annoying three-eyed toad there!”

“Oh? So you shook it off, not that you were chased so frantically that you jumped down without thinking?” Yu Wanwan opened her eyes, a mischievous smile in them, deliberately dragging out her words.

“Bullshit! That’s called a strategic transfer, it’s tactics, do you understand tactics?!” The little golden snake was so angry it rolled around in her sleeve, its golden scales rubbing against the fabric with a faint rustling sound. “If you dare mention that again, this Grandpa will drill into your bed tonight and tell you three hundred times the history of how I transformed from a little snake into a Golden-Scaled Flood Dragon, guaranteed to make your soul leave your body from listening!”

“Alright, alright, tactics, definitely brilliant tactics!” Yu Wanwan suppressed her laughter, placating this bristling little mud loach.

She patted the Flame-Winged Tiger’s massive head, “Go back and rest.”

The Flame-Winged Tiger obediently returned to her Sea of Consciousness.

As the last crimson rays of the sun set like blood behind the distant mountains, Yu Wanwan had no choice but to find a secluded cave to rest in first.

The cave mouth was not large, half-concealed by a few weathered boulders, its location quite hidden.

Just as Yu Wanwan set up her makeshift grill to roast demonic wolf meat for dinner,

“Rustle… crunch…”

A clear sound of dry branches breaking suddenly came from not far outside the cave mouth, accompanied by deliberately suppressed conversations.

“Big Brother, look! There’s firelight in this cave.” A slightly sharp voice rang out, with the excitement of discovering prey.

“Tsk, how darn unlucky. Even hurrying, someone still got here first.” Another rough voice spat, his tone full of impatience and greed.

No sooner had he spoken than two figures pushed aside the vines at the cave mouth and squeezed in.

Both were dressed in hunting attire made of beast hide, stained with mud and suspicious dark brown smudges.

Leading them was a tall, burly man like an iron tower, his face covered in rough flesh, a gruesome scar slashing diagonally from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth. He carried a heavy steel fork on his shoulder, which still had some undried bloodstains and animal fur on it. Following him was a short, stout man with small, beady, darting eyes that gleamed with shrewdness. Several coils of dark, gleaming steel spears were wrapped around his waist.

When the flickering firelight illuminated the cave, especially when it shone on Yu Wanwan’s face, which, though travel-stained, still couldn’t hide its refined and peerless beauty, an undisguised astonishment and greed flashed simultaneously deep in their eyes, like hungry wolves seeing fresh meat.

“Oh ho!”

The tall, scarred man grinned, revealing a mouthful of crooked, yellowed teeth. His gaze boldly swept over Yu Wanwan: “Tsk, tsk, tsk, a little Qi Condensation fourth-layer tenderling, dares to venture into this Myriad Beast Valley that devours people without spitting out bones? Should I say you’re brave, or inherently brainless?” His tone was frivolous, carrying blatant threat and teasing.

The short, fat man licked his slightly chapped, thick lips, the gleam in his beady eyes intensifying. He interjected, his voice oily: “Little sister, this Myriad Beast Valley is no joke. At night, there are many venomous insects and fierce beasts, and also those mountain imps that specifically drain people’s essence… How dangerous it is for you alone. How about joining us brothers? We’ve been roaming this area for over ten years, we know the ropes. We guarantee your safety, and you might even gain some benefits.” As he spoke, he subtly moved half a step, vaguely blocking the direction of the cave mouth.

A cold glint flashed and disappeared in Yu Wanwan’s eyes, but her face instantly bloomed into an innocent, even slightly foolish, sweet smile, as if she hadn’t understood the filth in their words at all.

“Oh dear, so you’re two experienced hunter big brothers.” Yu Wanwan’s voice was clear, with just the right amount of surprise and dependence. “Little sister Yu Wanwan, I’m new here and was just worrying about finding guides who know the roads well. This is simply wonderful!”

As she spoke, she enthusiastically tore off a large piece of demonic wolf hind leg meat, sizzling with oil and fragrant from the fire, and generously tossed it to Sun Da. “Two big brothers, you’ve worked hard. Have some food to fill your stomachs first. By the way, what are your names, big brothers?”

The tall, scarred man caught the greasy wolf leg. Without formality, he took a big bite, mumbling indistinctly: “This old man is Sun Da! This is my brother Sun Er!” He casually wiped his greasy hands on his beast hide trousers.

The two quickly exchanged glances, a hint of wild joy and cruelty flashing in their eyes.

This girl truly had no worldly experience, actually revealing her name. It was like searching high and low for something and finding it effortlessly.

Sun Da and Sun Er were the local thugs of Myriad Beast Valley, constantly active in this area.

Besides seeking heavenly materials and earthly treasures and hunting demonic beasts, they had also done their fair share of killing people and robbing their goods.

This time, they had taken on a big job from Zhao Tieshan: to intercept and kill an outer sect disciple of the Plum-Winged Sect named Yu Wanwan.

As for the reason for the interception, they didn’t care. They were just working for money.

They only needed to kill Yu Wanwan and bring her contracted spirit beast back to Zhao Tieshan to receive 500 low-grade spirit stones.

Killing a little girl at the third layer of Qi Condensation was simply too easy for them, two old hunters at the fifth layer of Qi Condensation.

Although the Tier 2 Flame-Winged Tiger was difficult to deal with, it was ultimately just a cub, and newly contracted, so it was not a cause for concern at all.

Sun Da chewed on the wolf leg, his face gleaming with oil, and boasted: “Little sister, you’ve certainly asked the right people for directions. In this Myriad Beast Valley, there’s no place our Sun brothers don’t know. But you want to go to the Blazing Rift? Hiss—”

He deliberately gasped, an exaggerated look of terror on his face: “That darn place is extremely strange. There are earth fire pits everywhere. Who knows when it’ll boom and erupt fire. Back then, my brother and I personally saw a peak Qi Condensation disciple get caught directly by a sudden eruption of earth fire. He didn’t even have time to scream once. The whole person sizzled and turned into charcoal. A gust of wind, and not even ashes were left! That scene, tsk tsk tsk, miserable.”

He shook his head and sprayed saliva as he spoke.

Sun Er’s beady eyes darted. He suddenly leaned closer, mysteriously lowering his voice, as if sharing some huge secret: “But danger aside, great wealth comes from great risk! Little sister, seeing as you shared wolf meat with us, big brother will tell you a secret.”

He licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with greed: “Deepest in that Blazing Rift, it’s said that the legendary Thousand-Year Earth Core Fruit is hidden. That thing is a true essence of heaven and earth. It’s said that one bite of its flesh can increase your lifespan by ten years out of thin air. Selling it to those old monsters who are about to kick the bucket, it’s like a hundred thousand spirit stones is nothing.”

Within her sleeve, the little golden snake, which had been silently observing, suddenly let out a disdainful scoff in Yu Wanwan’s Sea of Consciousness: “Heh, two idiots who don’t know what’s coming to them! Thousand-Year Earth Core Fruit? That thing does exist, and it is indeed a great supplement. But…”

Its tone changed, carrying a chilling coldness: “That thing loves to absorb the brain marrow and essence of cultivators, especially preferring delicate, tender young girls who haven’t lost their virginity! It can naturally create illusions to lure prey into desperate situations. These two fools, they only know a superficial bit, and they’re coveting the bounty, wanting to use you as cannon fodder to lead you to the ginseng demon’s mouth to die. They’re truly stupid and vicious!”

Yu Wanwan’s smile, after hearing this, became even more brilliant and innocent, even carrying a hint of naive admiration. She clasped her hands to her chest, her voice sweet and soft: “Wow! Big Brother Sun knows so much, even these secrets. So amazing! Is that Thousand-Year Earth Core Fruit easy to pick?”

Sun Da looked at Yu Wanwan’s “simple and easy-to-deceive” appearance, his smugness growing even stronger, as if the fifty thousand spirit stones were already in his pocket.

Even the Thousand-Year Earth Core Fruit seemed within easy reach.

He patted his chest, speaking boldly: “Don’t worry, little sister, with us brothers here, we guarantee you’ll see that treasure. As for whether it’s easy to pick, that depends on whether you cooperate or not.”

In his eyes, greed and killing intent intertwined. His gaze at Yu Wanwan was already like looking at a dead person, or a piece of merchandise worth fifty thousand spirit stones.