Chapter 39: The Migration (2)
Luo Wen led the migrating swarm to the safe route he had scouted earlier. After a bit of adjustment, the army began their descent.
At this stage, the Black Beetles were of little use. Luo Wen selected several large Worker Ants and positioned them around the Brood Nest. Each ant bit onto a corner of the nest, and together, they lifted it incrementally toward the cliff.
Luo Wen took the lead, acting as the base by propping the Brood Nest up from below with his body. Around him, seven or eight ants stabilized the nest, ensuring it didn’t tip over.
The rest of the insects began following suit, climbing down the cliff in an orderly manner.
As the swarm moved slowly along the cliff face, Luo Wen bore the immense weight of the Brood Nest with his mandibles and digging limbs. Despite his robust body and sturdy limbs, he found it increasingly difficult to bear the strain.
To make matters worse, as the swarm reached the midpoint of the climb, the previously mild winds began to intensify. The increasing wind pressure took a toll on the swarm.
The strong winds caused some ants to lose their grip, their mandibles releasing larvae or pupae, which were immediately swept away. Others couldn’t hold on to the cliff at all, plummeting into the abyss below.
Luo Wen couldn’t spare attention to the others—his own situation had become precarious. Two of the ants gripping the Brood Nest were blown away, while three others clung on with only their mandibles. Their bodies flailed helplessly in the wind.
The loss of several ants destabilized the Brood Nest’s center of gravity. The remaining ants, along with Luo Wen, struggled to keep it steady in the fierce wind.