I Am The Swarm

The replicated monster’s unknown organ began functioning, producing a peculiar energy that traveled through a network of previously overlooked specialized energy conduits. The energy circulated throughout the body and eventually formed an energy membrane on its surface.

The entire process was excruciatingly slow, taking several hours to complete and rendering it almost impractical for any immediate use.

This energy transmission system was incredibly intricate, composed of countless convoluted conduits linked together. Fortunately, Luo Wen had meticulously replicated the monster’s original anatomical structure. Otherwise, the experiment could easily have gone awry.

The cost of producing this bug-like replica was exorbitant, and with Swarm bases still in their early developmental stages, the expenditure was difficult to justify. Additionally, the time required for this experiment was a significant drawback.

As for the strange energy, Luo Wen quickly realized what it was.

It was the very negative energy used to neutralize power and stabilize the wormhole’s passage.

Where there’s positive energy, there’s also negative. While negative energy is not uncommon in the universe, it is notoriously difficult to detect and even harder to harness. Even identifying and observing it is a challenge.

At present, the Swarm could only conduct limited observation and collection of negative energy, utilizing it in a rudimentary fashion—primarily as a protective coating for wormhole traversal.

The Swarm’s understanding of negative energy was akin to that of Stone Age humans who could recognize stones and use them primitively but had no knowledge of their origins, manufacturing processes, or deeper applications.

The Ji civilization was more advanced in this respect, at least capable of gathering negative energy far more efficiently than the Swarm. If the Swarm’s methods were akin to picking stones by hand, the Ji were operating excavators. Yet, whether the Ji could independently produce negative energy remained uncertain.

Now, Luo Wen had confirmed the existence of a civilization capable of manufacturing negative energy, and their expertise was rooted in the biological domain—an area in which the Swarm excelled. Could it be that the other side of the wormhole harbored a bio-tech-based advanced civilization?

Previously, Luo Wen had entertained a sliver of doubt regarding the unnatural origin of the wormhole. Observing the Botian civilization’s primitive state and the amateurish battles between monsters and Mecha Warriors, he had wondered whether his perspective was limited.

The vastness of the universe defies comprehension—just because he had never encountered something didn’t mean it couldn’t exist. Perhaps this small wormhole was indeed a natural phenomenon.

But that thought was now firmly dismissed. All the evidence pointed to the likelihood that the other side of the wormhole was controlled by a force far more advanced than even the Ji civilization.

This place was far too dangerous.

Luo Wen was acutely aware of the eerie and formidable nature of bio-tech civilizations. It was entirely possible that the seemingly unremarkable insects on the Botian homeworld were embedded with the other side’s surveillance. This could explain why he had been unable to locate any traditional observation devices.

If Luo Wen’s suspicions were correct, many of the Swarm’s tactics—effective against mechanical civilizations—might prove ineffective here. Worse, the opposing force might even discover methods to counteract the Swarm entirely.

Learning how to manufacture negative energy was a tremendous breakthrough for Luo Wen, filling him with excitement. However, it was too advanced to be of immediate practical use given the Swarm’s current technological level.

Yet, it was a stepping stone—a foothold similar to what gravitational control had once been. That, too, had been shelved for a long time due to its complexity, but once the Swarm grasped its principles, progress had been explosive, catapulting them beyond many long-established powers.

Luo Wen delegated a portion of the Intelligent Entities to begin researching negative energy, withdrawing his personal focus from the project. There were more pressing matters to attend to.

This place was simply too dangerous for prolonged stay.

The satellite, the gas giant it orbited, and even the entire star system held little strategic value for the Swarm. In situations where the potential gains could not outweigh the risks, Luo Wen had already decided—it was time to abandon this territory.

The Swarm’s bases on the Botian homeworld had expanded with reckless speed, their actions becoming increasingly bold as their understanding of Botian civilization deepened. However, under Luo Wen’s directive, the expansion slowed to a crawl, eventually nearing a complete halt. řΑꞐỘʙÊṤ

Previously, in the rush for growth, nearly all the energy harvested by the bases had been devoted to hatching reconnaissance units and Brood Queens. This left the bases poorly concealed, typically situated just a hundred meters underground.

To mitigate exposure risks, the Swarm began relocating its existing bases to far deeper underground locations as expansion on the Botian homeworld paused.

The Intelligent Entities embedded within Botian society also reduced their activity, adopting a low-profile approach. Similarly, reconnaissance units significantly restrained their operations.

In stark contrast, the Swarm’s actions in space became increasingly audacious. The situation was inherently precarious—every passing second carried immense risk. Luo Wen’s will was now intensely focused on this theater, ready to annihilate all node units in the region at the first sign of danger to prevent any potential information leaks.

Still, before taking such drastic measures, Luo Wen intended to push his efforts a little further.

On the far side of the star, the Swarm began constructing a Solar Orbital Base in close proximity to the star. Space lacked the complexities of the Botian homeworld’s environment, making concealment far more challenging.

To address this, Luo Wen deployed a massive swarm of Observer Bugs near the orbital base. The density and coverage of these units bordered on obsessive, forming a nearly impenetrable surveillance web. Even space dust would struggle to pass through undetected.

Under such intense monitoring, the orbital base rapidly grew and developed. Two megastructures were also added to the construction queue. Luo Wen planned to utilize these facilities to enable another long-range Fold Crossing, intending to escape before the unknown force on the other side of the wormhole could react.

By now, Luo Wen had come to a conclusion about his Fold Crossing ability, it involved high-dimensional interference and was fundamentally different from the wormhole’s mechanisms.

While the opposing force appeared capable of creating small-scale wormholes, Luo Wen surmised they likely hadn’t achieved higher-dimensional research capable of tracking Fold Crossings.

Even if they had, Luo Wen was prepared to abandon the region entirely if necessary. The universe was vast—surely it could provide a new refuge for the Swarm.

It was under these conditions that the wormhole on the Botian homeworld opened for the fourth time since the Swarm’s arrival.

Previously, Dr. Benba’s calculations for the wormhole’s activation times had been flawless. However, the arrival of the Swarm had introduced unforeseen variables, setting off a chain of disruptions. After being ousted from his position, unable to cope with the dramatic fall from grace, Dr. Benba had considered suicide. Before he could act, however, the Swarm found him.

No one paid attention to the plight of a disgraced figure. When Benba isolated himself in his room for days, people assumed he had succumbed to depression.

Little did they know that by the time he reemerged, he was no longer entirely human—he had become a member of the Swarm.

Benba’s ability to predict wormhole activation times with precision, based solely on patterns and parameters, was a testament to his intellect. With his expertise, the Swarm incorporated the variable introduced by the Flesh Pod into his formula, refining their predictions with each subsequent activation.

By the time the wormhole opened for the fourth time, the Swarm had already pinpointed its exact timing.

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