"Bone-Rot Soldier Ants."
Ye Chuqi hissed.
Even Ye Chuqi, a newcomer, had heard of Bone-Rot Soldier Ants. In the travelogues she had read, they were one of the dangers every protagonist training in the Lost Forest inevitably encountered.
They lived in colonies and ate anything they caught. Nothing grew where they passed, so they often migrated through the Lost Forest, leaving behind only scattered remains and nests with tunnels running in every direction.
Adventurers who encountered them were fine if they got away in time. But once the ants caught their scent, they would pursue them relentlessly. Herbs could mask the scent and shake them off; a long chase cost the ants too much, and something else would soon draw their attention.
The worst thing was accidentally killing one. Then the entire colony would swarm out and fight until one side was dead.
Xiaojiu had spotted only a lone Bone-Rot Soldier Ant, but lone ants were usually scouts. The colonies often sent them out to search for food. Though omnivorous, they preferred meat.
Once a scout found a target, it left a mark and a scent trail, then rejoined the colony. The ants would feed on their targets in order of proximity.
They did not know whether the ant had noticed them, but Xiaojiu had seen the mark it left on the ground. As for the scent trail, even his nose was not that good.
To be safe, they had better leave.
Ye Chuqi quickly packed up. Neither of them had eaten a proper meal in days, and she had planned to make something hot. But if these really were Bone-Rot Soldier Ants, they were highly sensitive to smells. The aroma of food would attract them like nothing else.
They left at once.
Ye Chuqi took out a small cloth