Let's Compete!

"Unprecedented challenges to my living environment?"

Seeing this notification, Zhao Meng naturally had some questions.

He was a brood parasitic bird like the brown-headed cowbird.

What was the challenge? What should he challenge? How should he challenge?

All kinds of questions surfaced in his mind. Zhao Meng looked at the cowbird curiously.

At the same time, the cowbird tilted its head as if it was curious about this cuckoo that had suddenly appeared.

After sizing each other up for a while, Zhao Meng was the first to spread his wings and fly in the air.

He did not care about the cowbird. The first thing he did was to check his surroundings to confirm that he was safe.

Under his investigation, Zhao Meng realized that he seemed to have entered a confined scene space.

Although the surrounding environment looked like sparse bushes, one could vaguely see mountains in the distance.

However, once he flew a certain distance, he would unknowingly fly back to the bushes.

With this situation, he immediately understood something.

For this second round, it seemed that he had to accomplish some sort of a goal in a fixed scenario.

As for what the goal was? Zhao Meng could only guess in his heart.

"The brown-headed cowbird and I are brood parasitic birds. What are we competing for?

"Compete in laying eggs?

"Huh?"

At the thought of this, Zhao Meng carefully sensed his body's condition. He suddenly realized that he seemed to be missing something this time.

He was actually simulating a female bird this time.

"This… Since I'm a female bird, what else can I do other than lay eggs as a blood parasite?

"From the previous hints, could this be the goal?"

Thinking of this, Zhao Meng shook his head silently.

He had already determined the goal of this simulation.

If it was his first time simulating an animal, he would definitely find it difficult to accept it if he was asked to complete the egg laying mission.

But now, he had plenty of experience in not being human. Just laying eggs…

"No, no! I still can't accept it!"

"If I lay eggs now, wouldn't I have to give birth when I simulate mammals?"

Thinking of this, Zhao Meng felt uncomfortable no matter how he thought about it.

However, no matter how helpless he was, the simulation continued.

"Fortunately, this second round started after the female bird was fertilized. Otherwise…"

Zhao Meng suddenly thought of something and felt a chill run down his spine.

"Oh right! Where's that cowbird?"

Zhao Meng landed on the branch and realized that the cowbird that had been there a moment ago had disappeared.

"Looks like it has already taken action. Then it's time for me to take action!"

As someone who had experienced the complete life of a cuckoo bird, Zhao Meng could easily find the nests of other birds. Soon, he found a nest.

"A robin!"

Zhao Meng did not know many birds, and the robin happened to be a bird that Zhao Meng was familiar with.

Zhao Meng flew above the robin's nest and looked around. He did not find the cowbird.

Seeing this, he continued to look at the nest below, preparing to complete his mission.

After waiting for a while, the robin left its nest to look for food. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhao Meng flew into the nest.

"Lay an egg!"

"Mm! Hmph…"

Zhao Meng jumped out of the nest and habitually turned around to take a look.

"The size is similar, but the color…"

Looking at the turquoise-colored eggs in the nest mixed with a grayish-brown egg, he tilted his head.

"Is this really not going to be discovered?"

Just as Zhao Meng was feeling doubtful, the robin returned.

A moment later, a bird egg was thrown out of the nest, and he knew the answer.

"The robin really has a way to counter its nest from being parasitized!"

At this moment, Zhao Meng recalled the introduction of that previous paragraph.

"Brown-headed cowbirds can lay eggs of similar color!"

"But the cowbird is able to parasitize so many kinds of birds. How does it change the color of the eggs?"

Zhao Meng was a little curious.

At this moment, laying eggs was useless. He began to search for the cowbird.

After searching for a while, he quickly found his target.

At this moment, the cowbird had just completed a crime and was flying leisurely in the bushes.

Zhao Meng slowly followed.

As they had just laid an egg, Zhao Meng and the cowbird were no longer able to lay a second egg. The cowbird also began its foraging behavior.

Zhao Meng, who was following behind the cowbird, observed its behavior.

"I didn't know there was such a trick!"

Zhao Meng realized that the cowbird had followed a group of robins.

Whenever he saw a robin eating, he would fly down and get together with the robin to forage.

"This robin's diet is a little special. This might be one of the reasons why their eggs are so beautiful!"

Zhao Meng followed suit and joined the robin's feeding team.

…

In the period that followed, Zhao Meng realized that the eggs he laid were also slowly turning green as time passed.

Originally, the eggs he laid would be immediately discovered.

However, as time passed, the robins only hesitated for a moment when they saw the light-colored eggs before continuing to hatch them.

"I wonder where that cowbird has flown to!"

As his competitor, Zhao Meng originally wanted to follow the cowbird and show his subjective initiative to use some despicable methods.

For example, throwing away the cowbird's eggs and laying his own eggs into the nest.

However, after following a few nests, Zhao Meng realized that such an action was not desirable

because robins do not leave their nests for long.

After the cowbird finished laying its eggs, if he went to lay his own eggs, it would be very easy for the robin to block the door.

Faced with such a situation, Zhao Meng could only give up and obediently lay eggs.

…

After an unknown period of time, the environment in the forest became stuffy and hot. Summer was coming.

As the seasons change, so does the breeding season for birds.

At the same time, Zhao Meng felt that his efficiency had decreased.

He originally wanted to continue working hard.

However, the words that suddenly appeared interrupted his plan.

[The simulation has ended. The chick-to-adult ratio between you and the brown-headed cowbird is 2:31.]

[Your descendants are unable to occupy the ecological niche.]

[Simulation failed!]

Zhao Meng, who was working hard, felt his vision go dark.

When he opened his eyes again, his consciousness had returned to his body.

"Huh!? I failed!"

Although he had some preparations in his heart, Zhao Meng was a little puzzled when he saw his ridiculous results.

"I've been working hard too!"

While he did not understand, Zhao Meng was also a little indignant.

"Both of us are brood parasitic birds, but why can't I beat the cowbird!

"What the hell is going on!"

Zhao Meng closed his eyes. His consciousness entered the space again and immediately activated a new simulation.

After a moment of daze, a familiar bird cry and a familiar text notification appeared again.

Zhao Meng, who had just opened his bird eyes, saw the cowbird that had defeated him.

This time, he decided not to go anywhere and followed this cowbird.

He wanted to see why he had lost so thoroughly.