The long-lost thrill of solo exploration stirred a sense of nostalgia in Luo Wen.
Back then, he had been much weaker, injured, and could only dig tunnels underground to move forward cautiously. Now, however, his self-preservation capabilities had vastly improved. Even if he encountered the yellow earth ant legion head-on, his superior vision would allow him to escape in advance.
The sight of countless insects in the brood nest waiting to be fed had made him restless, eager to take risks for a quick return. But once outside, the cold wind cleared his mind.
After all, those insects were nothing more than mindless tools. Even the brood nest was expendable if necessary. When it came to a choice between his life and everything else, his survival would always come first.
As long as he lived, he could rebuild everything. That brood nest was merely a month’s work. Starting over with his experience would make recovery swift.
Of course, avoiding loss was preferable. His thoughts were merely a contingency plan for the worst-case scenario.
If it were just him, survival wouldn’t be a concern. Luo Wen could subsist on tree bark and sap. Since drinking the fluid of a foul-smelling earthworm previously, he had absorbed certain genetic fragments and evolved accordingly. In extreme circumstances, he could even eat dirt, extracting minerals and organic matter to sustain himself.
However, such measures were a last resort. To his human soul, “eating dirt” was far from appealing. Still, he considered incorporating this trait into his new brood members to prepare for future crises like the current one.
Having resolved these thoughts, Luo Wen felt more at ease. His initially hurried pace slowed to a more measured crawl.
Staying above ground offered a better vantage point for observation. If he encountered insurmountable obstacles, digging a tunnel could always be a fallback option.
As the sky’s light slowly brightened, the land ravaged by the yellow earth ants remained desolate. Even the insects’ usual calls were absent.
He crawled for what seemed like an eternity through this barren wasteland. Not even the foul-smelling earthworms he once found inedible were in sight. Luo Wen clicked his mandibles in astonishment—the yellow earth ant legion must number in the tens of millions to have caused such widespread destruction.
Along the way, he encountered a few stray yellow earth ants and promptly sent them to “meetings” in his stomach. With food replenishment, his fatigue vanished.
Ahead, the sound of rushing water reached him, and the air grew increasingly humid. As he pressed on, the moisture became visible as a mist, and the sound of water grew deafening.
A short distance further, Luo Wen discovered the source of the commotion. The ground ahead abruptly dropped off, forming a sheer cliff tens of meters high. The underground river cascaded over the edge, creating a waterfall that plunged into a small lake below, sending mist into the air and generating a thunderous roar.
Carefully, Luo Wen crawled to the cliff’s edge. Back when he was human, he had a fear of heights—just looking down from the fifth floor could make his legs tremble. The last time he was hurled into the air, the surrounding darkness had obscured the height, so his fear hadn’t been triggered.
After cautiously peeking over the edge, he realized his acrophobia hadn’t resurfaced this time. Apparently, the problem had miraculously resolved itself after he became an insect.
Acrophobia, at its core, was a psychological barrier. Perhaps the experience of his previous fall had instilled confidence that a mere drop wouldn’t kill him. With that belief, the fear naturally dissipated.
This small victory brought Luo Wen some joy. After all, overcoming a personal weakness was worth celebrating.
The scene below was somewhat blurred. The cliff was beyond Luo Wen’s clear vision range, forcing him to rely on patches of indistinct colors. He inferred that the waterfall fed a lake surrounded by a band of green.
Those green patches were plants. Unlike the devastation above, the area below remained untouched by the yellow earth ants, preserving its ecosystem. Perhaps the cliff had diverted the ants’ path.
Now, Luo Wen faced a new challenge: how to descend safely. The rocky cliff beneath him rendered his burrowing limbs useless. Should he simply jump? After all, a fall wouldn’t kill him.
Deciding to scout further along the cliff edge, Luo Wen ruled out the idea of leaping from the initial spot—it was directly above the lake. Without any water combat experience, he would be helpless against aquatic threats.
Crawling several hundred meters along the edge, he finally saw something different. Below him was no longer the blue-gray of water but the vivid greens of treetops. This area was farther from the waterfall, and the cliff’s surface was rougher, unlike the smooth, water-eroded rock he had seen before.
Examining the area carefully, Luo Wen looked for a way down. His six hind limbs, equipped with sharp hooks, could help him descend if the cliff wasn’t entirely smooth.
Spotting a crack in the rock filled with rubble and moss, Luo Wen carefully latched his claws onto the surface and began his descent.
His sturdy shoulder and back plates, while providing excellent defense, added significant weight. While this hadn’t been an issue on solid ground, the strain became evident as he hung suspended.
Fortunately, his hooked claws, though slender and seemingly fragile, were incredibly durable. Coupled with his powerful limbs, they kept him securely anchored to the rock.
As he descended closer to the ground, his vision gradually clarified. Proximity to the water source had created a lush, verdant landscape below. The soil was entirely covered in green.
The vegetation here was distinctly different from the barren landscape above. Luo Wen wasn’t a botanist, so he couldn’t classify them. However, their appearance clearly indicated a unique ecosystem.
The vibrancy of the scene excited Luo Wen. The dense foliage promised not only an abundance of resources but also a diverse array of insect species and genetic fragments.
From the undergrowth came unfamiliar insect calls, piquing Luo Wen’s excitement. Finally, he would meet new “friends.” Hopefully, they’d appreciate his Luo-style combat techniques.
But just as he neared the ground—five or six meters away—a sudden movement from a crevice caught his eye. An indigenous creature launched a surprise attack.