I Am The Swarm

Luo Wen had grossly underestimated the duration of his slumber.

Though it wasn’t unusual for a transcendent being from another world like him to possess peculiar talents, the shift in environment had caused his abilities to mutate beyond his control.

After Luo Wen’s disappearance, the insect swarm navy wreaked havoc along the coastlines for some time. However, without the ability to reproduce, they gradually faded into history. Arthropods and crustaceans once again claimed dominance in these areas.

Meanwhile, deep-sea fish began to venture into the shallows and even attempted to invade the land. Yet, they were no match for the armored, sharp-clawed crustaceans and arthropods that roamed the shores. Despite their agility, these fish remained at the bottom of the food chain.

On land, the ecosystem suffered catastrophic damage from the swarm’s devastating rampage, leaving behind no eggs or larvae. The disappearance of insects disrupted the ecological balance, giving plants an unprecedented opportunity to flourish.

Vegetation grew increasingly dense, absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide. As the carbon settled with the decay of plants, atmospheric carbon levels plummeted, leading to a drop in surface temperatures.

The plants withered, life dwindled, and the planet became shrouded in frost.

Luo Wen, who was supposed to awaken during this period, had consumed a frozen insect on a whim. This insect carried a hyper-hibernation gene that was triggered by Luo Wen’s condition and the surrounding environment…

Thus, Luo Wen fell into an even deeper slumber, one that was far more profound.

As time passed, the ice-covered planet amassed underground energy that could no longer be contained. The pressure eventually culminated in volcanic eruptions.

Molten material from beneath the surface broke through the ice, releasing vast amounts of carbon back into the atmosphere.

Volcanic ash blanketed the skies. Contrary to expectations of further cooling due to the lack of sunlight, the continuous volcanic activity raised the planet’s temperature.

Thick layers of ice melted into water vapor that ascended into the skies.

High above, the water vapor cooled and, mixed with volcanic ash, fell back to the ground as nutrient-rich rain.

Life seized this moment to thrive. Vegetation absorbed the abundant minerals and nutrients from the mantle, sprouting rapidly and releasing large quantities of oxygen.

The rising oxygen levels allowed marine organisms to once again attempt their migration to land. A peculiar species of deep-sea fish succeeded in making landfall.

The dominance of crustaceans and arthropods was upended by this new arrival. These fish had an epoch-defining innovation: the vertebral column.

Vertebrate animals, benefiting from the oxygen-rich environment, grew progressively larger.

In contrast, crustaceans and arthropods, though no longer constrained by respiratory limitations in a highly oxygenated atmosphere, faced another challenge. Their exoskeletal armor hindered their ability to grow larger without frequent molting.

In primitive conditions, molting required significant energy and left them vulnerable during recovery, ultimately dooming their attempts at gigantism.

The few arthropods that succeeded in growing larger did so by retreating to the ocean depths. On land, their efforts invariably failed.

Over time, these armored creatures were forced into the lower rungs of the food chain, their habitats encroached upon by the ever-expanding vertebrates.

Some vertebrates refrained from growing larger and instead occupied ecological niches formerly held by insects.

Others, exploiting the abundant oxygen, pursued gigantism, with some species developing thick keratin layers akin to exoskeletal armor.

Meanwhile, insects under pressure began to adapt. One day, certain species unfolded their elytra to reveal wings—a revolutionary adaptation that allowed them to conquer a new ecological niche.

This newfound ability to fly was one of evolution’s rare success stories achieved with minimal cost.

Flying insects, leveraging their unique talents, regained their foothold in the biosphere.

Some insects sacrificed their hard exoskeletons to achieve larger sizes, while others prioritized speed and agility.

Soon after, vertebrates also took to the skies. Unlike the insects’ seemingly effortless adaptation, vertebrates modified their forelimbs into wings.

With their larger sizes, flying vertebrates quickly dominated the skies, soaring higher and farther to become the new aerial overlords.

Thus, vertebrates came to dominate the land and sky. Only the oceans remained a bastion for a few large crustaceans and arthropods.

(This ecological evolution occurred on an unnamed alien planet. Any resemblance to Earth is purely coincidental.)

A green beetle, about two to three centimeters in size, buzzed its transparent, delicate wings as it searched for food in a patch of low-lying grass.

The intricate patterns on its wings were clearly visible.

A massive earthquake had recently devastated the area, destroying its familiar hunting grounds. Forced to explore unfamiliar territory, the beetle sought its fortune elsewhere.

Suddenly, a flesh-colored streak darted past, and the green beetle vanished.

Not far from where the incident occurred, a twenty-centimeter-tall giant frog with dark green skin was lazily swallowing something.

Its tympanic membranes swelled and contracted as it let out a satisfied “Gua-Gua,” its relaxed expression exuding contentment.

The frog’s ears, located behind its eyes, resembled small buttons from afar.

Its sensitive ears caught an unusual sound, but it didn’t move. Confident in its extraordinary dynamic vision, it believed no creature could ambush it.

This blind confidence proved fatal.

A violent gust heralded the approach of something fast and deadly. The frog, sensing danger, prepared to leap, but before it could act, an unknown force slammed it into the ground.

As the dust settled, the culprit revealed itself: a massive, fearsome claw-like appendage. Its surface was dotted with crater-like pits lined with fine hairs.

The claw’s sharp tip was embedded in the frog’s body. Though the frog wasn’t dead yet, its fate was sealed.

Following the appendage to its source, one could see it belonged to a sixty-centimeter-long giant beetle. Even in this oxygen-rich environment, such a colossal insect was a rare sight on land.

In addition to its massive claws, the beetle had eight spider-like legs—a peculiar combination that made it a true oddity among its kind, the undisputed dandy of the insect world.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!