Rebirth: I Became a Maggot 2

Watching the sun set, I waited for the right moment, thinking I would just quietly wait for the opportunity to become a fly.

But to our dismay, just as we were watching the ants carrying food home, an alarm suddenly went off.

When I heard that voice, my heart skipped a beat and I was in my throat. Could something terrible have happened again?

Have the termites attacked again? Are they trying to steal my food?

I looked anxiously toward the ant that had brought the message, and saw that the ant was standing on a high platform, calling out anxiously.

Then the ant cried out anxiously, "A cold front will be hurtling towards us tonight, possibly accompanied by torrential rain and showers. Everyone be prepared."

As soon as the ant cried out, the ants that were about to return to their nest immediately stopped and crawled towards the crooked tree.

I watched with great frustration as those ants, without any direction, spontaneously climbed towards the crooked tree.

"What's going on, 12 cents?" Dafu asked, sitting next to me.

"It's going to rain. The ants will probably start moving house soon." I looked at the gloomy sky. Just a moment ago it was sunset, and now it's covered with dark clouds. The weather really changes quickly.

Just then, a soldier ant hurriedly appeared in front of us and said anxiously, "Distinguished guests, we need to be evacuated immediately. I will escort you."

I looked outside and saw countless ants carrying food, crawling towards the crooked tree not far away.

I even saw the queen ant, escorted by a large number of soldier ants, crawling towards the crooked tree. It seems I have to go today.

Seeing the densely packed ants crawling towards the crooked tree, I quickly followed the ants and caught up with the main force.

There's something I really don't understand: why do ants move their nests every time it rains when they could just find a high place to build their nests from the start? Isn't that a waste of time and resources?

Moreover, especially during the rainy season, it rains frequently, so they have to move house often. What's even more troublesome is that they might encounter dangers on the way to move. Didn't these queen ants think of that?

I had a feeling before that ants moving house and swallows flying low were signs that rain was coming, after all, that's animal instinct.

But after I became a maggot, I realized that animals are far more intelligent than humans think. Anyway, there have been countless news reports online about animals being hit by cars, with one animal waiting by the side. I've seen too many of these kinds of news stories.

What's even more obvious is that after I became a maggot, I saw so many intelligent animals. So the ants moving house must not be just because of rain. Could there be other reasons?

So I asked the ants around me, puzzled, "Why don't you just choose a high, safe place where you won't get flooded to build your nest? That way you won't have to move so often."

"Is that what you think?" the ant asked as it led us on our way.

"Yes, is it wrong to think that way?" I asked, quite puzzled.

"Since that's what you think, do other ants think the same way? If ants think this way, do other animals think this way too?" The ant didn't answer my question, but instead asked me several questions in a row.

"Well... I guess so," I replied guiltily, already guessing what the ant was about to say.

"The better the place, the more animals will fight for it. The better the place, the more likely it is to be envied. Since there is fighting, there will be war. And with war, there will be casualties. At that time, we hadn't even started living there before we were bitten to death by other ant colonies," the ant explained.

“You maggots are different. You can just stay in the toilet and be fine, but we ants have to find food. Only by surviving can we have the right to live,” the ant walking in front of me said with great emotion.

Suddenly, I felt that the ant's silhouette was so tall and imposing, as if it could utter such philosophical words.

After hearing what that ant said, I finally understood. So that's why. If you want all the good places, then you have to have the qualifications and strength to get them.

Otherwise, we'd be courting death. But then again, if we can't go there, what would be the point of going to that high ground now?

So I voiced my doubts: "Since that high ground has already been occupied by others, what are we going there for? Is there somewhere for us to stay?"

"Yes, our ant alliance has a rule that when an ant colony is in trouble, as long as we hand over a certain amount of food, we can stay for a while, and after the rain stops, we will go back to rebuild our home," Nami explained to us.

Hearing this, I suddenly realized that there was such a connection. I wondered if the ants always carried so much food with them when they moved house, as if it were offerings and the rest was for their own consumption?

I was saying that no matter how heavy the rain, as soon as the weather stops, those ants will start frantically searching for food again. It turns out they've started rebuilding their homes.

The spirit of these ants is truly admirable! Those so-called experts would never have imagined that there's such a connection between ants moving their nests and this.

We are now like an expeditionary force, a vast and mighty army marching towards the crooked-necked tree.

The crooked tree wasn't actually that far from us; it was only about 20 or 30 meters away if we were walking.

But for ants, it's a very long distance. Not to mention the dangers they might encounter, the insects in the ancient forest and the potholes along the way are not an easy task.

Anyway, we set off. We had to get to the crooked tree before the rain started. Once we got inside the tree hole, we would be basically safe. If we could survive the rain, the ants would be able to rebuild their home.

I joined Dafu in heading towards the large group of ants.

At this time, the sky began to darken slowly, and the wind started to pick up.

"Everyone, try to stay close to the ground, stay with the group and don't get separated. Find a place to walk against the wall so the wind won't blow you away," an ant-like figure shouted energetically from one side of the group.

"Take as much food as you can carry. First, to increase your weight so the wind won't blow you away. Second, we'll need food when we get there, and we don't know how long this rain will last," the ant leader continued to shout.

The north wind in winter is not only strong, but also cold, and it is even more exaggerated when rain is about to come. Although it does not snow in the south, the cold in the south should not be underestimated.

Haven't you heard what others say? I'm a wolf from the north, but I've frozen like a dog in the south.

It is clear that the northerly winds in the south should not be underestimated.

Just then, a drop of water landed on me, icy cold...