The ants worked tirelessly, stripping the three wolf corpses down to the bone in just three hours. Every usable piece of meat, fur, and tendon was carried back to the colony. Unfortunately, no cores were found inside the wolves—what a pity. Gerhan had hoped to obtain something valuable from them, but it seemed not all creatures in this world possessed such treasures.
As the ants finished their task, Gerhan's controlled worker ant spotted something moving in the distance—a red bear. It looked eerily similar to the bear he had seen die before. So, this species roamed this part of the forest? That was concerning. If such powerful predators were common here, then his colony was still in grave danger.
Rather than risk confrontation, he ordered the ants to retreat. With the food secured, there was no reason to stay out in the open.
Back inside the colony, things were progressing steadily. The soldier ants and the single surviving army ant continued to recover from their wounds, while the diggers and uninjured worker ants focused on expanding the colony's tunnels, making the underground chambers more spacious and efficient.
Meanwhile, the mushroom farm was thriving. Gerhan had been carefully transporting droplets of water from the stream to create a humid environment for the garden, and the yellowish mushrooms with white spots were spreading rapidly across the cave walls. It was a promising food source, but he was careful not to overharvest. Only the ones at risk of overgrowing were collected, ensuring that the colony's supply remained sustainable.
Through his controlled worker ant, Gerhan watched himself munching on a piece of meat. The rich taste filled his senses, warm and satisfying. But as he ate, a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over him. His body felt heavy, his mind growing sluggish.
A strange warmth spread through him—comfortable, peaceful, safe.
Before he could think further, sleep claimed him.