I Am The Swarm

Faced with the situation, the astronomy, astrophysics, and computational experts on hand were at a loss. Perhaps specialists in marine biology and atmospheric studies could offer more informed suggestions.

No one had anticipated this scenario. The Swarm had landed on numerous planets without detecting any signs of life, yet this single moon concealed living organisms.

Luo Wen wasn’t even sure if any of the Intelligent Entities in the Swarm were experts in these fields. In the early days, he had overseen the “gatekeeping” role for new recruits, but as their numbers grew, he had delegated this task to the Lookouts.

Thankfully, the Lookouts maintained detailed records. With a mere thought, Luo Wen connected to the Swarm Network without delay, accessing the information instantaneously.

The Lookouts, creations of the Brood Nest, performed their assigned duties with strict precision. They quickly provided a list of relevant experts and pinpointed their network nodes within the Swarm.

“Hey, Monte, you’re here too?” A male Ratfolk with gray-white fur looked in surprise at another male Ratfolk with black-gray fur seated nearby.

“Carlos, I’m an aeronautics designer. Attending a public lecture on aerodynamics isn’t unusual for me. But you’re studying atmospheric environments—what are you doing here?” Monte scoffed.

“This lecture is by Professor Guna. She’s young but exceptionally knowledgeable. While the focus is aerodynamics, she might include some extras. Her last lecture covered atmospheric layering, which is helpful for my field,” Carlos said as he casually seated himself beside Monte, humming contentedly.

“Hah! You’re attending this just for a slim chance of hearing something relevant? You’re never this enthusiastic about your core subjects,” Monte teased.

“Come on, look around. This room’s full of male Ratfolk. Besides the serious listeners, the rest are clearly here for the same reason. Do I need to spell it out?” Monte sneered.

“What’s wrong with that? Professor Guna is only a few years older than us, she’s pretty, kind, and brilliant. Why not appreciate her while learning something?” Carlos replied confidently.

If Luo Wen were present, he’d undoubtedly be speechless. Guna, having lived an entire previous life, was old enough to be these Ratfolk’s grandmother, and then some. He wondered how they’d react upon learning this truth. Should they excel in their fields and uncover the world’s true nature, their stunned expressions might be worth witnessing.

For reasons unknown, Swarm Intelligent Entities returning to Ratfolk society tended to favor young adult bodies: females typically chose forms around 20 years old, while males preferred 30 to 40 years old.

To Luo Wen, apart from their fur colors, they all looked alike. Without the node identity markers, he couldn’t distinguish one from another.

As the two young Ratfolk whispered, a poised female Ratfolk entered the classroom, placing her materials on the lectern. She smiled softly at the students and clapped her hands to get their attention. Before she could speak, however, she suddenly collapsed without warning.

The previously lively classroom fell silent as if paused. A moment later, the stunned students erupted in chaos, rushing toward the podium.

“Call an ambulance! Professor Guna has fainted!”

“Make way! Don’t block the airflow!”

Amid the clamor, the scene descended into complete disorder.

Similar incidents occurred simultaneously across the Ratfolk Empire. Numerous experts in atmospheric and marine studies suddenly lost consciousness.

Later, they all regained consciousness at nearly the same time. While some considered the coincidence suspicious, the Empire’s higher-ups suppressed any public uproar. Dissenters were swiftly silenced.

These individuals, all Swarm Intelligent Entities who had re-entered Ratfolk society, had their consciousness forcibly extracted by Luo Wen and brought into the group dedicated to the A7B5 mission.

Summoned by their Swarm Overlord, these entities felt no resentment—only pride in being chosen.

After learning about the situation, they joined the ongoing discussions.

Specialists quickly proposed new insights based on their expertise.

“Overlord, we hypothesize that since this organism can swim through air like a marine creature in water, it might have a specific adaptive range,” one Ratfolk entity suggested.

“Go on,” Luo Wen prompted.

“Just as shallow-sea fish cannot survive in deep-sea conditions and vice versa, this organism’s body is likely adapted to its environment. If it lives in the less dense air of high altitudes, its structure must be extremely lightweight. Denser, low-altitude air could act as an impenetrable barrier, akin to solid rock. If the Spore Capsule descends further, the organism might be unable to continue its pursuit.”

Communication through thought was rapid. Despite pulling in reinforcements and having extensive discussions, only a brief amount of time had passed.

The Spore Capsule, under the atmospheric creature’s fourth grappling attempt and the increasing viscosity of lower-altitude air, had its descent speed reduced to 500 kilometers per hour.

One or two more attacks could enable the creature to fully capture and drag away the capsule. If it could maintain pursuit, even landing on the surface wouldn’t guarantee safety. The fungal carpet seeds and brood eggs were in a dormant state upon landing, and the capsule lacked defensive systems, leaving them highly vulnerable.

However, if the hypothesis about low-altitude air hindering the creature was correct, there was still hope.

Although the Spore Capsule had no built-in defenses, it could feign intimidation through other systems.

As the capsule continued descending, the atmospheric creature displayed signs of agitation. The blue arcs along its body became more active, flashing more frequently.

This behavior lent credence to the specialists’ hypothesis. At that moment, the atmospheric organism caught up for the fifth time, extending its tendrils to ensnare the Spore Capsule.

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