I Am The Swarm

Luo Wen casually tossed a small black beetle into his mouth, followed by the others, ensuring he fully absorbed their genetic traits.

Having acquired what he needed, Luo Wen wasted no time returning to the Brood Nest.

Of the 500 new-generation Queen Ants ordered, 200 had already been produced. Luo Wen promptly integrated the newly acquired genetic fragments into the remaining Queens’ genetic database, securing a foundation for his aquatic unit production base.

As time passed, the 200 matured Queen Ants were transported to the front lines, where they were needed to manage a massive Big-headed Ant nest.

The original Big-headed Ant Queen and surviving Worker Ants, after demonstrating their utility, were consumed. The plantation, left untended, desperately needed new caretakers.

Three hundred older Queen Ants stationed near the area were reassigned throughout the Big-headed Ant territory, as the region was fraught with peril, bordered by over a dozen Red Ant nests.

Previously, the Swarm’s forces had been dangerously thin, making a large-scale Red Ant invasion difficult to repel. However, the Swarm’s strength across its 3,000 bases ensured that troop replenishment could be accomplished swiftly.

With forces in the region now exceeding 2 million, any Red Ant incursions, unless united on a massive scale, would be suicidal.

With the new Queens in place, Swarm cultivators were rapidly hatched and gradually assumed control of the plantation. Despite their efforts, labor shortages persisted, given the plantation’s size—large enough to sustain seven million Big-headed Ants—and the delicate nature of the fungal crops.

Fortunately, the older Worker Ants, based on the Black Ant template, unexpectedly demonstrated an ability to manage the plantation. Whether this was due to their learning capacity or some other factor, they quickly adapted to farming duties.

This eliminated the need to wait for the new Worker Ants modeled on the Big-headed Ant template. Large numbers of the older Worker Ants were reassigned to the Big-headed Ant nest, greatly alleviating the labor shortage.

As the new Queens matured, they were initially intended to support the front lines. However, with the older Worker Ants taking over the plantations, the new Queens were directed elsewhere.

New bases were established along the lake and riverbanks. Swarms of aquatic soldiers began deploying into the water. Resembling inverted boats, these units varied in size.

Smaller versions matched the original beetles at 2–3 centimeters in length, while larger ones, measuring up to half a meter, dwarfed even the Giant Scorpion, making them the largest Swarm units aside from Luo Wen himself.

These massive aquatic units were produced in limited quantities and primarily served as transport vessels, ferrying Scout Bugs across the river. Future large-scale production would depend on situational needs.

For the time being, the Swarm ceased territorial expansion. With the integration of agricultural systems, the Swarm’s carrying capacity had significantly increased. Burrower Ants were added back into the production lineup, with large numbers hatched to assist in reconfiguring existing bases.

Thanks to their efforts, the original bases were reorganized. Spiral corridors were added, and new plantations were excavated, modeled entirely after the Big-headed Ant nest.

The Big-headed Ants, with their long history in agriculture, were far more specialized than Luo Wen. For example, he had long wondered about the numerous small holes dotting the top of their nest. After taking over their nest and experimenting, he discovered these were ventilation shafts.

The fungal crops generated significant heat during growth. If this heat wasn’t expelled, it would harm both the crops and the ants. The spiral corridors, chamber designs, and ventilation shafts were integral to this heat management system.

Until the nest’s structure and potential hidden functions were fully understood, Luo Wen decided to replicate it entirely, refining his knowledge through practice.

In the following days, the Swarm entered a period of steady development. The northern army ceased exploration, and the other two armies slowed their advance.

The new agricultural system required significant manpower. While it took the Big-headed Ants an unknown amount of time to build up their numbers, the Swarm could capitalize on its innate advantages.

Luo Wen ordered a new batch of Queen Ants—2,000 in total. These Queens would not have their own territories but would instead act as production tools, replenishing manpower across existing bases.

This was only a temporary measure. Once the agricultural system was perfected and labor shortages resolved, the Swarm would resume its expansion. At that point, these Queens would receive their own territories.

By then, there would be not just three armies but a fourth—a new eastern army that would cross the river to claim new lands.

The river, now dominated by the Swarm, would no longer impede their expansion.

Time passed, and Luo Wen, his energy refocused, settled into a period of calm. Transport Bugs departed the former Big-headed Ant nest, distributing fungal crop seeds to various bases.

As the plantations at each base were established and began producing, the Swarm’s population grew rapidly. Previously, each base averaged 5,000 members; now, they housed 30,000 on average—a number far from their limit. Ȑ₳ꞐöꞖÊš

With over 3,000 bases, the Swarm’s population approached one hundred million—a staggering figure.

With such numbers, the Swarm would no longer engage in a grueling battle against a Big-headed Ant nest but would instead crush it outright.

During this time, five Red Ant nests near the former Big-headed Ant territory invaded Swarm lands. Luo Wen effortlessly mobilized 5 million troops from nearby bases, launching direct assaults on the Red Ant nests, reducing them to protein stores and claiming their territories—no subterfuge required.

The overwhelming defeats made these battles joyless for Luo Wen. As the Swarm grew ever stronger, the known enemies posed little challenge. Perhaps only the Yellow Earth Ant Legion, with its plague-like numbers, could provide a worthy fight.

Despite his growing confidence, Luo Wen remained pragmatic. While the Swarm had become far stronger, it still lagged several tiers behind the Yellow Earth Ant Legion.

To contend with them, the Swarm needed more time to develop. But with the Swarm’s potential, Luo Wen was confident that this time would be short.

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