I Am The Swarm

“Teacher, is this the Divine Kingdom?” Sarah asked Morgan as they stood within the Swarm Network.

Over the years, the Swarm Network had undergone several updates. The most notable improvement was the ability for intelligent beings within the network to manifest physical forms, rather than appearing as mere glowing orbs.

As the Deity Faith Sect grew increasingly powerful and more Ratfolk discovered the “door” to the network, Luo Wen could no longer personally oversee every individual entering it. He didn’t want to end up playing the role of a doorman.

To address this, Luo Wen assigned a team of Blades to handle the Ratfolk Intelligent Entities entering the Swarm Network. To distinguish them from the combat-commanding Blades, he renamed this group Lookouts.

Luo Wen established a set of rules for the Lookouts to evaluate each Intelligent Entity knocking on the “door.” Those who met the criteria were granted access to the network.

However, since the Lookouts’ rigid thinking and inflexible methods could miss certain exceptional talents, Luo Wen also appointed a secondary review team composed of Intelligent Entities to ensure no valuable souls were overlooked.

As the former Empress of the Kerrigan Empire, Sarah possessed extraordinary talent and had been injected with Affinity Serum. She easily found the door and, with her abilities, effortlessly met the entry standards, gaining access to the Swarm Network.

Morgan, as the first Ratfolk Intelligent Entity to enter the Swarm Network, had served as a steward for Luo Wen over the years, completing numerous tasks. His network privileges had been upgraded multiple times, granting him the ability to freely traverse between the Swarm Network and physical space.

Thus, the seemingly final farewell between teacher and student lasted less than two minutes. The two reunited within the Swarm Network.

Sarah’s exceptional talent was evident. When Morgan had first entered the network, he had been unconscious for a long time, only waking up after Luo Wen had implanted his consciousness into an insect body. As the first Ratfolk to enter the network, Morgan was no slouch in terms of aptitude.

Yet Sarah not only maintained consciousness upon entry but was able to casually chat with Morgan as if nothing had happened. Morgan felt a mix of awe and resignation—had he possessed such prowess, his initial experience wouldn’t have been so nerve-wracking.

“Yes, you can also call it the Swarm Network. We’re all part of it now,” Morgan explained.

“Amazing,” Sarah remarked as she tested her youthful virtual body. “It’s even more remarkable than I imagined. I’ve been looking forward to this for decades.”

Morgan shrugged. “Wait here a moment. I’ll make arrangements for your… affairs. Meanwhile, here’s some information for you to review—there are decisions you’ll need to make soon.”

“That’s a rather awkward way to put it,” Sarah muttered as she accepted the data packet. Despite her protest, she began reading.

Morgan, meanwhile, disconnected from the network and returned to his body in the Kerrigan Empire’s palace.

An hour later, Morgan re-entered the network and appeared beside Sarah. “Sarah, everything has been arranged. Your funeral will be exceptionally grand.”

“Of course, it was planned by me personally. But please, don’t overdo it.”

“I was merely trying to lift your spirits. After all, you’ve only just died—it must be quite distressing.”

“Thank you. I’d be even happier if you would stop talking,” Sarah replied with a graceful bow.

Morgan shrugged, ending their first round of banter within the Swarm Network. His expression turned serious. “Sarah, you should now have a general understanding of the situation. What is your decision?”

Sarah appeared to have made up her mind. Without hesitation, she replied, “I won’t return to the empire to make trouble for my nephew, who’s waited so long for me to pass. He was quite adorable as a child. I’ve dedicated my life to the Ratfolk. Now that I have a new identity, I’ll contribute to my new kin.”

“Well said, Sarah. Perhaps it’s time for you to meet the Overlord, the being you’ve long considered your god.”

“It would be an honor, Teacher.”

“Although the Overlord can reach us instantly within the Swarm Network, it’s only fitting for us to meet in person given our status,” Morgan explained.

Guiding Sarah through the Swarm Network, Morgan led her to the Red Moon Base. There, within one of the spore capsules, lay a body prepared for Sarah.

With Morgan’s assistance, Sarah entered a spore capsule containing a well-equipped female Ratfolk body with white fur.

When the capsule opened, Sarah stood up. She gazed at her body in a daze, gently stroking her fur. Although she had experienced a youthful form within the Swarm Network, the physical sensation of this body was far more impactful. ⱤᴀNÔBÈＳ

She opened her mouth but made no sound. Remembering Morgan’s earlier explanation that the lunar surface lacked air, Sarah recalled the method of telepathic communication he had taught her—a unique form of interaction among Swarm nodes.

With her exceptional talent, Sarah quickly mastered telepathic dialogue. Linking to Morgan, she said, “As incredible as it may sound, I must repeat how amazing this all is. Does this mean I’ve truly come back to life?”

“Of course. This is the Overlord’s immense power. Consciousness is your true self; the body is merely clothing. Your current body, for instance, is specially designed for space—it may look like a Ratfolk on the outside, but its internal structure is entirely different,” Morgan explained, pointing to her body’s protective magnetic field. He added, “Think of it this way: when clothing is damaged, it can always be replaced. As long as consciousness remains intact, we can achieve immortality.”

“What an awe-inspiring ability,” Sarah said with admiration. “No wonder the Deity Faith Sect is unstoppable. The allure of immortality alone is enough to drive many to abandon everything in pursuit of it.”

“You’ll grow accustomed to it, Sarah. The Swarm’s potential far exceeds your imagination.”

“So, Teacher, are we going to meet the god now? Does he have any taboos I should know about?” Sarah inquired earnestly.

After a moment’s thought, Morgan replied, “Don’t call him a god. Address him as ‘Overlord’ instead. And whatever you do, never refer to him as ‘Queen.’ That will incur punishment.”

“Why?” Sarah asked, curious.

“The Overlord is the source of the Swarm and, by our understanding, suited to maternal titles. But for some reason, he strongly rejects such names,” Morgan explained.

“What would happen if I called him that?” Sarah pressed.

“Oh~” Morgan drawled. “You might want to try it out—perhaps you’ll develop an appreciation for the cute little green bugs and their secretions.”

“Thanks for the warning. I’m officially not interested,” Sarah said, shaking her head. She wasn’t about to fall for such an obvious trap.

After chatting for a while, the two exited the spore capsule chamber and walked through a passageway.

In a massive chamber, they met Luo Wen. This time, Luo Wen was using a temporary insect body, as his original body was stored away with no pressing research tasks requiring its use.

Luo Wen had little impression of the Ratfolk’s first Empress. Most negotiations and subsequent dealings had been handled by Morgan. Knowing she was an unmarried old monarch, Luo Wen speculated that such individuals tended to be temperamental.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, he decided to adopt a slightly more imposing demeanor for their meeting.

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