I Am The Swarm

Chapter 38: The Migration (1)

Luo Wen deeply regretted his sharp eyesight and cursed himself for watching the entire process.

A rare delicacy—why did he have to witness how it was made? How could he bring himself to eat it now? It was a devastating blow to a foodie like him.

He turned away, determined not to look again, and focused on scouting the area.

With his view obstructed, Luo Wen managed to

This motley crew of disparate insects marched in harmony, united in their slow but purposeful advance.

The procession’s speed was inevitably slower than Luo Wen’s solo pace. At their current rate, it would take about a week to reach the cliff.

The Black Beetles fared relatively well, occasionally finding tender tree branches to sustain themselves. The ants, however, could only lick tree sap for hydration. Luo Wen wasn’t sure how long they could survive on just water.

Determined to ensure future resilience, Luo Wen resolved to incorporate soil-eating genes into the next batch of larvae. At least then, hunger wouldn’t be as dire an issue.

Each evening, Luo Wen led the insects in excavating a temporary burrow. The nights were chilly, and while the adults could manage, the larvae suffered. On the first night, Luo Wen overlooked this issue, resulting in the loss of all remaining eggs and several larvae. Pupae were unaffected, but two newly emerged adults also succumbed to the cold.

Insects, being protein-based, didn’t go to waste. Luo Wen ordered the others to consume the dead to replenish their energy.

As they journeyed onward, even the sparse Yellow Earth Ants seemed to vanish. Days passed without encountering a single one.

A week later, the migration army finally reached the cliff. Their numbers had dwindled from over a thousand to just over nine hundred.

Losses occurred daily due to various reasons. Most fatalities were larvae that failed to survive the inadequate nutrition, followed by weak newly emerged adults or individuals lost along the way.

Whatever the cause, those were now in the past. They had achieved their initial goal.

But ahead of them lay an even greater challenge.