I Am The Swarm

Neither the defensive warships nor the ships covering the retreat were in any condition to withstand another wave of the Swarm’s assault. They were battered beyond repair. Yet, Prince Diallo declared victory because the warships that had retreated earlier had now returned.

The travel time of electromagnetic projectiles and Mature Bodies was a crucial factor. Just as they were about to rejoin the battlefield, a barrage of crimson beams appeared from afar, shredding the 300 meter class Mature Bodies into fragments.

A massive fleet of Daqi warships abruptly braked near the battlefield. Their activated repulsion fields stopped the electromagnetic projectiles. Any stragglers that bypassed these barriers were obliterated by the laser defense arrays.

When over a thousand Daqi warships arrived, it marked the temporary end of this battle.

The Swarm, faced with such a vast fleet, could no longer mount a pursuit. Similarly, the Daqi fleet dared not linger in the area.

Thus, the battlefield that had been fiercely contested moments earlier suddenly fell silent.

As the Daqi fleet turned away, they retrieved survivors from the damaged warships while destroying any vessels too damaged to keep pace.

Massive energy streams erupted from their engines, spanning hundreds of meters. Sarah Kerrigan stood silently, watching the receding blue specks of light.

Luo Wen’s voice sounded beside her. “How do you feel?”

“Oh? What makes you say that?” Luo Wen asked.

“The Riken forces were too weak, and it made us arrogant.”

“It seems you’ve identified the problem,” Luo Wen said.

“Yes, Overlord. Without sufficient intelligence, our actions were too naive. We lost over half our forces right at the start.”

“That is indeed your fault. Remember, when facing an unknown enemy, you must remain humble and cautious. Always maintain a reverence for science and the unknown.”

Sarah nodded, indicating her understanding. The Swarm’s mode of operation guaranteed that they would face countless enemies in the future. Those enemies would vary in technological levels and tendencies, potentially wielding bizarre weapons capable of countering the Swarm.

“We’ll keep that in mind, Overlord. This battle taught us many lessons. Unfortunately, the Izumo base has been destroyed.”

“It’s good that you’ve learned something and made progress. The price we paid for this education is acceptable.” Luo Wen’s tone softened as he observed the growth of the Blades. It was akin to nurturing a strategy game, watching his subordinates level up—a satisfying experience.

Though the battle seemed costly, it might not have been a bad thing. A moderately strong enemy awakening the Blades to their flaws was far better than an unbeatable foe delivering that realization.

“Overlord, it’s a pity we let that alien commander escape. If their reinforcements had been five minutes later, I would have captured him!” Sarah said, frustration evident in her voice.

“There are no ‘ifs,’ Sarah,” Luo Wen chided before continuing. “But don’t dwell on it too much. Letting him go isn’t a big deal. If we encounter him again, a familiar commander is far preferable to a stranger.”

Sarah nodded. The Overlord was right. This battle had revealed the commander’s style. Next time, they would know exactly how to counter him.

However, Sarah noticed a contradiction in the Overlord’s teachings. Luo Wen had just emphasized humility and caution when facing enemies, yet his recent remarks seemed devoid of such qualities. Surely, the Overlord could not be wrong—it must be her misunderstanding. Thus, she voiced her question. ℞âNɵ฿Еš

“Sarah,” Luo Wen explained patiently, “I said to face unknown enemies with humility and caution. But they are no longer unknown, are they? Besides, their strength doesn’t merit the Swarm’s humility or caution!”

Sarah nodded as understanding dawned. This time, she grasped his meaning. Be cautious with enemies you don’t understand. Once you understand them, continue to be cautious if they are strong. But if they are weak? Feel free to flaunt your superiority.

At least, that’s what she thought he meant… probably.

Seeing her nod, Luo Wen smiled approvingly. “Good. You can reflect more later. For now, it’s time to deal with our old friends.”

The stalemate between the Swarm and the Riken had been broken due to the sudden interference of a third party.

Forced to reveal much of their hidden technology, the Swarm inadvertently exposed the Riken to the truth—that they had been little more than livestock. As a result, even though the Swarm’s base on Planet Izumo had been ravaged, the Riken acted like obedient children, remaining within their Twin Star Defensive Zone without any intention of exploiting the Swarm’s weakened state.

Hours later, reinforcements from the Stellar Orbital Swarm Base began arriving, initiating battlefield cleanup operations.

The void of space was filled with the debris of shattered warships. The Daqi fleet had lost both its flagship and elite escort ships. While the Daqi had activated self-destruct protocols on any ships they couldn’t retrieve, the destruction was limited to critical equipment, data storage, and key systems. The bulk of the ship hulls remained intact.

Although missing their most valuable components, the wreckage still offered insights. Even stripped to scraps, the Swarm never turned down salvageable materials.

The arriving Primordial Bodies dragged large chunks of ship remains into Planet Izumo’s orbit, while Mature Bodies and Larval Bodies cleared smaller fragments.

The amassed wreckage of over a thousand Daqi warships formed a new “satellite” around Planet Izumo. Swarm Brood Nest seeds were planted within it, and the satellite gradually turned a mottled purple-gray, wrapped in fleshy tissue that appeared to be digesting and assimilating the wreckage.

From within the satellite, tens of thousands of Swarm cocoons burst open. Newly emerged Intelligent Entities quietly began studying the Daqi warships under the cover of the fungal carpet.

With the battlefield arrangements nearly complete, the Swarm turned its attention to the nearby Riken and the spoils temporarily held in their possession.

The Riken’s response was swift and unequivocal, they submitted a formal surrender. This decision wasn’t solely due to witnessing the Swarm’s “true” combat prowess but was also heavily influenced by the Swarm’s covert manipulation. For a civilization whose leadership had been thoroughly infiltrated, capitulation was a foregone conclusion.

The prolonged standoff between the Swarm and the Riken had largely been Luo Wen’s deliberate ploy to see if any third-party forces might reveal themselves. Now that the fish had taken the bait, the bait itself was no longer useful. Luo Wen wasted no time in resolving the Riken issue.

Years of groundwork—sustained tension, psychological pressure, internal protests, media narratives, and even a public referendum—had prepared the Riken for this outcome. By the time the surrender was formally announced, the general populace found it surprisingly easy to accept.

After all, surrender meant an end to war, along with decades of wartime suffering.

Of course, the public’s acceptance was also aided by propaganda portraying the Swarm as not particularly brutal.

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