I Am The Swarm

The Burrower Ants were tasked with heavy labor, so their external skeletons had to be retained. Fortunately, on the moon, the Fungal Carpet was growing even faster than the insects, already covering a vast area.

The lunar base currently had an abundance of resources. Raising some larger insects wouldn’t be a burden.

As time passed, various models of Burrower Ants emerged from their cocoons. Once their exoskeletons hardened underground, they quickly began their intensive work.

Since insect eggs and larvae lacked magnetic field generators, they had to be shielded from radiation deep underground during their early growth stages.

The initial production of Burrower Ants was aimed at this goal. With their increased size, their work became much more efficient. Over three months, five simple, large underground bases had been roughly excavated. The subsequent finishing work would wait until more small Burrower Ants and Worker Drones were available to refine them gradually.

During this time, the number of Brood Queens increased to ten, with two stationed in each base, working tirelessly to replenish the workforce.

The lunar base gradually entered a stable development phase. As its supply systems and production units became more complete, its growth would only accelerate.

Thus, it was time to prepare for the next phase of plans.

Conquering a small moon was certainly not the swarm’s ultimate goal. If that were the case, Luo Wen might as well remain on the Genesis Planet and become a planetary lord.

However, Luo Wen couldn’t establish a rocket launch base on the moon. It lacked any industrial foundation and was devoid of certain critical raw materials. The Ratfolk’s rocket technology system was not applicable here.

Currently, the swarm could utilize a jet propulsion system to fly in zero-gravity environments until its energy reserves were exhausted. It could also glide a short distance using inertia.

But space was vast. A flight range capable of circling the Genesis Planet several times was negligible on a cosmic scale. Even though jet-propelled flight was several times faster than the Storm God’s flight speed on the Genesis Planet, it was still laughably slow when considering the distances between celestial bodies.

Naturally, Luo Wen would not choose such a mode of transportation. Otherwise, by the time his jet-propelled bugs left the star system, the Ratfolk might already have spacefaring ships.

Of course, this scenario would never happen. If the Ratfolk ever developed the ability to threaten the swarm, they would face extermination long before that.

Returning to the main topic, Luo Wen’s current idea revolved around the mantis shrimp dubbed the “Alien Mecha.”

This creature possessed several black technologies ideal for space travel.

For instance, the hyperbolic system on its hammer. Studies showed that if this system were magnified dozens of times with sufficiently strong materials to support its operation, it could generate kinetic energy so immense that it could hurl rocks directly to the moon in the absence of atmospheric resistance.

Luo Wen’s dual pincers utilized this system in a weakened form. It significantly enhanced their flexibility and, when fully powered, provided formidable attack strength. Although its activation required a substantial energy cost each time, its capabilities were undeniable. Luo Wen had relied on it to survive many life-or-death situations.

However, due to material limitations, even Luo Wen’s so-called full-power usage only unleashed a fraction of its potential.

But on the moon, with no air resistance and only minimal gravity, a well-designed version of this system could become the swarm’s most suitable transportation method.

The structure of the system required no modifications—for now, Luo Wen lacked the ability to enhance its capabilities. Instead, he focused on the materials. ɽἈꞐő฿Ɛṧ

Luo Wen chose to integrate plant cells into the hammer cannon’s material alongside its existing components.

Plant cells, with their thick, sturdy, and slightly elastic cell walls, could maintain their shape, increase mechanical strength, regulate osmotic pressure, and provide excellent defense.

Even so, the new material could only withstand one full-power operation of the hyperbolic system before self-destructing under severe overload.

Thus, Luo Wen designed the components as disposable modules attached externally to the Fungal Carpet.

The initial launch device resembled a massive fleshy lump, placed at strategic locations and connected to the Fungal Carpet. Nourished by the carpet’s nutrients, the device would grow into something akin to a single-armed trebuchet.

The Fungal Carpet anchoring it ensured stability, while the device’s own extensive root system penetrated up to a hundred meters underground for additional support.

When ready to launch, the Fungal Carpet would channel sufficient energy into the device to activate its hyperbolic ejection system, propelling the payload at an astonishing velocity.

After firing, most of the device’s structure would be destroyed by the extreme overload. Given its high cost, this method of launching was undeniably extravagant.

However, with the moon’s resources freely available to the swarm and no need to produce many combat units, most resources could be allocated to manufacturing these launch devices.

Because of its retro design and resemblance to a single-armed trebuchet, Luo Wen named the device the “Orbital Sling.”

The Orbital Sling’s payloads were also specially designed.

The payload consisted of a Spore Capsule encased in a lichen-like structure made from various rocky materials. This design gave the capsule the appearance of a meteor during its space flight.

This was a byproduct of Luo Wen’s earlier radiation experiments. While the material provided excellent radiation resistance, its rigidity and poor ductility made it unsuitable for mobility armor. However, it was perfect for camouflage.

Beneath the lichen layer was a heat-resistant nano-structure to protect against atmospheric friction during reentry on planets with atmospheres.

Inside was a highly concentrated nutrient layer encasing Fungal Carpet seeds, several Worker Drone eggs, and one Brood Queen egg.

Since the Spore Capsule lacked a magnetic field generator, the contents would enter a dormant state to endure extreme external conditions.

This design allowed the swarm to quickly establish a rudimentary base in new environments.

The research, manufacturing, and preparation of these devices took Luo Wen over a year.

Now, on the moon’s far side, three Orbital Slings “grew” atop a slightly elevated hill on the purple-hued ground.

Around one of the Orbital Slings, a dozen Ratfolk busily worked on final adjustments.

After so much preparation, it was time to test the system in action.

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