I Am The Swarm

Chapter 478: Testing

What about the lack of native genetic samples for planetary invasions before this?

This issue was easily addressed. When the Swarm’s Recon Bugs appeared on a planet, obtaining native biological samples became a trivial task. These samples were uploaded through the Swarm Network to Luo Wen, who calibrated and modified the genetic data before sending it back. This allowed the Brood Queens to undergo genetic adaptation tailored to the local environment.

As time passed, reconnaissance ships from the Interstellar Technological Confederation repeatedly attempted to breach the Swarm’s blockade to uncover what schemes the Swarm might be plotting. However, with new Swarm units arriving on the front lines daily, the fleet achieved nothing but the loss of nearly a hundred scout vessels.

Meanwhile, inside the Daqi planets, an eerie calm prevailed, as though the war had already ended. Yet all the remaining Daqi inhabitants knew this was pure fantasy. The Swarm units gathered in near orbit were so numerous they almost blocked out the sunlight. They weren’t simply sunbathing; everyone understood they were plotting something ominous.

The heavy psychological pressure weighed down on the remaining Daqi, filling them with regret for their hasty decision to stay behind. Many wished they could turn back time and make a different choice. Now, isolated from the outside world, they could only wait helplessly for the inevitable outcome they so feared.

Months later, the long-standing silence was shattered by piercing alarms in an underground Daqi base.

“What’s going on?!” demanded the Daqi commander, his emotions a complicated mix of tension and resignation.

Hearing the alarms, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief, as though the guillotine hanging above him had finally dropped, ending the agonizing anticipation.

“Commander, something is rapidly approaching us!”

“Our sensors can’t identify it, but it’s big. It’s here!”

A deafening crash echoed through the base, causing the entire structure to tremble slightly.

“Sector B51 has been struck by an unknown object! The walls have sustained damage. Wait—it’s continuing its attack!” an operator exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the data displayed on their instruments.

“Sound the combat alarm! Deploy Teams One and Two to investigate. Engage immediately if you encounter hostile forces. The remaining teams, prepare for backup!” The underground base’s narrow corridors made it difficult for too many personnel to operate simultaneously, as crowding would reduce maneuverability. Two teams were the optimal choice for such a situation.

Outside the underground base, a massive Burrowing Worm, seven to eight meters in diameter, slammed into the exterior walls. It opened its colossal maw and bit deeply into the base’s reinforced structure.

The Burrowing Worm’s mouth was lined with three layers of interlocking, spiral-shaped teeth that gleamed ominously, their sharpness evident at a glance. Additionally, some of these teeth were connected to venom glands.

As the worm bit down, it secreted a potent acid designed specifically for breaking down metals. This acid rapidly degraded metal structures, softening and corroding them with terrifying efficiency.

The relentless assault on the base’s defenses was just the beginning of what the Swarm had in store.

The combination of razor-sharp teeth and potent acid allowed the Burrowing Worm to tear through the base’s thick outer walls with ease. Each time its massive maw opened and closed, large chunks of the protective walls were ripped away.

These fragments were swallowed and carried through its long digestive tract, where layers of grinding teeth reduced the metal to fine particles. The worm then expelled the metallic debris, which other Swarm units promptly collected and transported back to the hive for storage.

Though the underground Daqi base was heavily fortified with a nearly ten-meter-thick metal shell, it stood no chance against the Burrowing Worm’s specialized assault. In a surprisingly short time, the walls were breached.

The moment the wall gave way, a torrent of gunfire erupted from within the base. However, the small-caliber weapons of the Daqi soldiers proved laughably ineffective against the Burrowing Worm’s tough hide, akin to scratching an itch through a boot.

Unfazed, the Burrowing Worm widened the breach to a diameter of five or six meters before retracting its body and slinking off to another section of the wall. Its role in the assault was complete; it was time for the next act of the invasion to unfold.

Inside the base, the Daqi soldiers cheered, mistakenly believing their firepower had driven off the massive creature. Their celebration lasted only seconds before a smaller, half-meter-long insect with a spider-like appearance leapt into the breach.

This was the localized version of the Spider Combat Bug, known as the Raider, which had previously been deployed during the invasion of Great Dawn Planet’s Riken bases. ???o??Êš

[T/N: Great Dawn Planet is currently called Planet Neighboring. Don’t know why the author decided to rename it but I used it’s old name here because it makes more sense in this context.]

Though they had no role in spaceborne combat, Luo Wen had continued optimizing them over the years.

As the Raider’s role became more defined, its design underwent increasingly specialized modifications, making it an extreme yet highly effective combat unit.

Built with a cost-efficient genetic structure, the Raider sacrificed all non-essential armor and auxiliary abilities, such as stealth, to minimize production costs. This left them virtually defenseless against high-tech weapons.

However, the absence of armor dramatically enhanced their agility. With six spider legs tipped with hooked claws, they could dart and weave across most terrains with exceptional speed and mobility.

Their simple biological structure allowed each egg to produce multiple Raiders, and their growth cycle was astonishingly fast. With adequate energy, they could mature within just a few days.

Once mature, Raiders experienced an overproduction of adrenaline, granting them combat prowess far exceeding their baseline physical attributes. This came at a cost: their rapid metabolism led to extreme wear and tear on their bodies, resulting in a lifespan of no more than a year—even if they didn’t die in battle.

On the upside, Raiders had an incredibly high recovery rate. The remains of a single Raider could be recycled to produce 0.8 of a new Raider, making them a cost-effective and powerful expendable unit.

As the first Raider emerged from the breach, the Daqi soldiers froze in shock. Those with professional training quickly recovered, demonstrating their combat discipline. They ceased celebrating and immediately opened fire on the Raider, prompting the less experienced recruits to follow suit.

Under the intense barrage of concentrated firepower, the Raider only lasted two seconds before a direct hit obliterated it into a spray of greenish goo. The soldiers stood dumbfounded, astonished at how easily the creature was destroyed. Compared to the towering Burrowing Worm, this new foe seemed far less formidable.

As they began to wonder whether the Swarm was as fearsome as legend claimed, their optimism was crushed. In the next instant, a flood of Raiders surged through the breach, their sheer numbers turning the narrow passage into a writhing mass of black limbs.

The swarm of Raiders was so densely packed that their limbs became entangled, limiting their ability to evade incoming fire. Yet their overwhelming numbers made them appear like a dark tidal wave crashing toward the Daqi defenders.

“Open fire!”