They eat so fast that my stamina definitely can't keep up with their marching speed.
They haven't caught up yet, probably because they're using up the food stored in my warehouse. I released all the pheasants when I came out, but whether they can escape is anyone's guess.
But I think it's better for me to release the pheasant than for those guys to get it for free.
The thought of it made me wince. I was worried about how to eat my food quickly. Now, it won't be long before it's all gone.
I don't know if it's because these ants are large, but most ants reduce their activity in winter and don't come out in large numbers to forage like this.
However, one thing is certain: their enormous size must require a huge amount of food to maintain normal function, which is probably the key reason for the sharp decline in biological resources in the eastern mountains.
I'm probably carrying more than 30 pounds now, and I'm completely out of breath after running for so long.
This can't go on like this; we need to find a way to get rid of those guys.
Otherwise, once they finish eating the food by the roadside, they'll go even faster, and it'll only be a matter of time before they catch up with me.
I dare not run around now. In this chaotic situation, all the animals may be fleeing like me. I need to be wary not only of the black ants but also of the ubiquitous beasts.
I'm completely distraught. I feel unsafe everywhere I go, but I'm powerless to do anything about it.
Actually, there is another way to get rid of those ants, but this method is very risky, tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin. If we are not careful, I estimate that we will still die without a trace.
But now my legs are so weak from running that I can't run anymore. Top keeps shouting from the branches to remind me to keep running.
I gritted my teeth and made up my mind: so be it. Dying in the water is better than being slowly skinned alive by these guys.
So I yelled at Top, "You go first, I'll come find you later."
As I said this, I turned and ran towards the lake. When Top in the tree saw me running towards the lake, he chirped and stomped his feet in a panic.
I'm not far from that bamboo grove now, so I need to hurry.
As I ran, I drew the machete from my body.
After arriving at the bamboo forest, I started cutting down the large bamboo stalks.
These bamboo stalks are nothing compared to the machete I forged, but now those ants are right behind me, and the time it takes to cut down a single bamboo stalk feels like an eternity.
I cut down the first bamboo stalk and quickly chopped off the large, useless section behind it. Then, without even having time to cut the branches, I moved on to the second bamboo stalk.
At that moment, I realized that Top had actually run over with me.
I glared at Top and shouted at him.
"Top, what the hell are you doing running back here! Hurry up and run for your lives with your companions!"
Because I know they can move through the forest with their agility, and they are very confident of escaping from ants or other wild animals.
"Squeak squeak squeak!"
Top stood on the bamboo, pointed to himself, then to me. He then violently shook the bamboo, bared his teeth at me, and barked fiercely.
This was the first time I had ever seen Top so angry. He looked so resentful that I had actually run away by myself.
I knew Top was worried that I couldn't run fast enough, so the monkeys had already run ahead of Top along the way, but Top would run a bit and then stop to wait for me.
Although it couldn't handle the huge ant colony, it still refused to give up on me. When it saw that I had actually run away, it was naturally furious.
At that moment, I felt a little guilty. Top truly considered me a friend, and I shouldn't have yelled at it.
I couldn't stop; I kept chopping bamboo, but my tone softened.
“I’m sorry, Top… you shouldn’t have stayed.”
When Top saw that my tone had softened, its body, which had been throbbing violently with anger, gradually calmed down. It didn't know why I had come to cut bamboo at this crucial moment.
But it still chose to believe me, because when I first killed that leopard with the wooden spear, it already unconditionally believed that I could defeat all the animals in this land.
Top didn't shout or make any further moves; he just sat on the bamboo as usual, watching me chop it with my knife.
I felt my eyes welling up with tears. In the human world, when faced with such a disaster, everyone would probably be too busy running for their lives to even think about it. But this stubborn monkey in front of me quietly risked its life to stay with me.
I didn't look up at Top again. Thinking about my past struggles to make a living and the disdain I received from others, my nose suddenly felt sore.
After a long while, I regained my composure and said, "Top, go and see if you can find some bamboo strips."
When Top heard that I asked it for help, it quickly climbed off the bamboo and started rummaging through the pile of bamboo strips in the bamboo forest.
Before long, it found some bamboo strips that I hadn't used up and dragged them all the way to my side.
At this point, I cut down the third bamboo, removed the tail, and got another suitable bamboo.
Top seemed very anxious at the moment. Its head kept looking eastward, and every now and then it would jump onto a branch and squeak.
But I must calm myself down now. If I get nervous at a time like this, the chances of making a mistake will be much greater, and Top and I will definitely die!
Ignoring Top's screams, I started weaving the bamboo strips in my hand onto the three bamboo poles.
"Squeak!"
Top's cries grew sharper and sharper, and my forehead was completely soaked with cold sweat. Large beads of sweat dripped into my eyes, but I didn't have time to wipe them away.
I've already woven the bamboo strips at an astonishing speed, but even so, I still feel it's too slow.
Just then, Top jumped onto my shoulder, pointing east and shouting loudly.
I know they're very close; I just need a little more time. Damn it! Give me a little more time!
At this moment, I can clearly hear the rustling sound of tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of ants walking on the ground.
As the ants approached, a foul, pungent odor wafted over on the wind.
Top has stopped chirping; its body is trembling uncontrollably. I think it has seen the huge, dark swarm of ants moving toward us.
At that very moment, a massive, dark army of ants appeared right in front of me!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com