There was not much snow this winter. Instead, there were several heavy snowfalls at the end of February and almost March, as if to make up for the previous shortcomings.
Fortunately, the heavy snow at the turn of winter and spring did not affect the winter construction plan of the Ant Alliance. During the winter, the Pavement Ant engineering team had basically completed the second phase of the canal project, extending the two branches of the canal to the Black Forest and [Golden Beach City] area.
The difficult task of connecting to water becomes much easier because the water freezes in winter. Only some finishing work remains to be done in the second phase of the canal project.
The construction team in winter is composed entirely of pavement ants. Only pavement ants have unique racial characteristics that allow them to avoid being frozen by the lower temperatures outdoors in winter.
However, due to the physiological characteristics of insects, even pavement ants can only go out on days when the sun is still good and there is no wind or snow, not to mention other ants, which can only hibernate underground to survive the winter.
The original main force of the canal engineering team was a large number of burrowing ant, burrowing ant and Japanese black ant slaves captured by the ant alliance when they conquered the red fire ant country. After more than half a year of intensive labor, more than 100,000 slaves were lost on the construction site.
Before winter, less than 100,000 surviving slave ants are assigned to several secondary nests in the Black Forest area to overwinter. They will build up their strength and wait until spring to continue to be squeezed until they die.
The protagonist has no intention of digesting these ants as citizens of the Ant United Nation. These slaves have adapted to the ruling system of the Red Fire Ant Nation, and it is not easy to reverse it. Although the IQs of professional ants are not very high, it may be because of this that once they decide on something, they never look back.
There are also a small number of male ants among the slaves. Some male ants think faster. If they perform well and are willing to surrender, the protagonist also sets several examples, allows them to join the Ant Alliance, and even gives them a representative of a deputy nest meeting, The title of the representative of the ant tribe’s conference.
These surrendered slave male ants are alone. They have different experiences and ideas from other representatives of the same race. Without supporters, even if they have the title of representative, it is empty and they cannot make any trouble.
Such a model has made most of the other slave male ants more peaceful. In order to survive and to be recruited in vain, they led a large number of subordinates to work hard on the canal construction site, working hard and without complaint, and eating something that even the citizens of the Ant Alliance would look down upon. Food and shelter were provided in shallow caves dug temporarily for the night, and they could not catch their breath until winter came.
Because even though the male ants are slaves, they don't need to do heavy or dirty work, they are still acting as commanders, so they are willing to obey without making any mistakes.
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When the first clusters of bright yellow jasmine and forsythia bloom their petals, spring is coming quietly.
On this day, the protagonist wore a thick ant blanket and took a walk outside the ant mound at noon.
At this time, the outdoor temperature is not bad, and even ordinary ants can barely go outside. However, in order to avoid unnecessary damage, most ants still have to wait patiently underground for half a month before leaving the nest.
The protagonist has a very different physiology from other ants. He can breathe on his own and his body temperature is constant. He is fully clothed and can walk around outside at any time. It's just that he lacks bodyguards, and since he is in a high position, it is difficult to build a dangerous wall, so he doesn't go out very often.
Seeing the breath of early spring beginning to emerge from the bare land, the protagonist knew that the three-month rest period was almost over.
During this period of time, the protagonist really didn't do much other than studying food and exploring new territories. He slept until he woke up naturally every day and ate when he woke up. His brain didn't work very well and he was a bit sluggish!
Spring is here, what should you do first?
The protagonist shook his head and tentacles. Well, when it gets warmer, it's time to send flying knights to various lairs to convey orders.
Before winter, the flying knights have assigned tasks to various places, asking them to expand the ant colony as planned as spring approaches, and prepare to form new legions or labor teams to implement the winter production plan.
Now is the time for these plans to come to fruition.
Well, there should also be a joint conference of all ethnic groups. The conference has been suspended for three months, and the representatives have to gather together to discuss it. Even if the representatives are trapped in [Xinyang City] and cannot get out, they are all with the protagonist. There is also no work in winter, but the procedures still need to be followed.
So on March 8, the first joint conference of all ethnic groups this year was held. As the protagonist expected, there were no issues. In other words, the scientific research team came up with some results of research during the winter.
This result makes the protagonist very happy. The scientific research team has developed the technology of how to collect migratory locust eggs. This technical research is of vital significance for domesticating migratory locusts.
The hatching and domestication of migratory locusts are not difficult. The scientific research team has already conducted successful experiments on locust eggs found in the wild. The difficulty in domesticating migratory locusts is that they like to use their ovipositing tubes to penetrate deep into the ground to lay eggs. The eggs are safe, but they are difficult to collect.
The scientific research team's method was simple and crude. It was to cut off the ovipositing tube of the pregnant female locust that was finally captured in the wild, leaving only a small section. When locked in the nest, it could only lay its eggs on the ground.
Although the method is simple, it is effective. The protagonist commended the scientific research team, giving them a reward of one ant, a bowl of soy milk, and three drops of honeydew, and encouraged them to start trying to breed migratory locusts according to the experimental method after the beginning of spring this year.
The scientific research on the hatching and domestication of giant dragonflies and scarab beetles must also be stepped up. Each of these three beasts has its own merits. The scarab has the largest load capacity, but has the shortest range. The migratory locust has the best endurance and is easy to raise, but has the worst single load capacity. The giant dragonfly has average load capacity and endurance, and is nothing to do with being a ferocious insect. Other insects can pose a threat, but dragonflies require meat and are not very economical to raise.
Regardless of which of the beast-tamers is chosen as the main force for air transport in the future, there will still be new and more suitable beast-tamers, but at present, these three beast-tamers must at least accumulate technology first.
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In mid-March, spring finally gained the upper hand after the repeated tug-of-war with winter. The weather warmed, flowers bloomed, and vitality revived.
The Flying Knight began to go to various sub-nests as planned to convey instructions and announce the official start of construction this year.
Two days later, the flying knights from all over the country came back to resume their missions. Only the flying knights who went to several auxiliary nests in the eastern part of the Black Forest did not return.
The protagonist and the Flying Knight Commander then remembered that the Flying Knight who also went here before winter did not return. At that time, they thought they encountered bad weather, so they overwintered on the spot.
But now two consecutive groups of flying knights who came here have disappeared, more than three months apart. This is not a good sign, and may even be a sign of danger!
The protagonist urgently orders the nearby deputy nest to send ground troops to search the target nest to find out what is going on. The Flying Knights troop sends several riders to monitor in the air and do not get close to the ground to prevent danger.
Soon, the protagonist received investigation results that made him furious!
