I Am The Swarm

The dust from the initial impact and the volcanic ash from subsequent eruptions lingered in the atmosphere for decades before gradually settling back to the ground.

As the air cleared and the dust thinned, the earth once again basked in sunlight. Temperatures began to rise, and the frost on the ground melted. After a few heavy rains, life started to flourish again, and the airborne particles rapidly diminished.

Early in the morning, a few juvenile Tail Lard Rats crawled out of their burrows. Although the PM2.5 levels in the air remained high, they were no longer a barrier to outdoor activity.

[T/N: PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or smaller in diameter. These tiny particles can remain suspended in the air and are harmful to health when inhaled.]

These younglings were fortunate. The ancestors of their ancestors had only imagined what the sun looked like, and now, they could see it for themselves.

The Tail Lard Rats reproduced rapidly but lived short lives, rarely surviving beyond a decade. Over these decades, countless rats perished from natural causes, not to mention those lost to wars and accidents.

Their greatest enemy at the time had disappeared in the historical tide after battling them for over two decades during the calamity.

With no predators left, the population of the Tail Lard Rats exploded. They expanded their underground burrows and farms repeatedly, yet it was never enough to contain their growth.

Then, internal wars broke out.

In just a few decades, over a dozen civil wars erupted among the Tail Lard Rats, each costing countless lives. After every war, resources became abundant again, leading to a period of peace. However, this cycle of population explosion and civil conflict continued.

Until they discovered the light.

The surviving Tail Lard Rats could not comprehend the meaning of “light.” Just as they couldn’t understand the concept of the sun or the divine beings their ancestors had spoken of.

These tales, along with their language and script, were passed down from their forebears.

Legends told of their race and their ancient adversaries being primitive beasts before a “god” took pity on them, granting them intelligence and teaching them knowledge.

However, their ancestors were too foolish, angering this “god,” who then punished them.

A colossal fireball descended from the heavens, obliterating their homeland.

Much of what happened afterward is unrecorded, as few written accounts survived that time. Many were lost during civil wars. What remains now is largely oral tradition.

The legends describe the “god” as compassionate and merciful. In his later years, the sage who introduced agriculture revealed the truth: agriculture was not his invention but a gift from the “god,” who had not forsaken them.

Perhaps their infighting had once again angered the “god,” leading to his disappearance. Today, the younger generations only hear these tales as stories, dismissing the existence of the “god.”

The Tail Lard Rats emerging from their burrows faced a vast expanse of land, unrestrained by population limits.

At this time, there were over a hundred thousand Tail Lard Rats underground. After some deliberation, they divided into dozens of groups and set off in different directions.

The Tail Lard Rats had entered the tribal age.

Luo Wen carefully nurtured this seed of civilization. He realized that excessive interference might hinder their development. Thus, beyond some necessary guidance and assistance, he refrained from intervening in their affairs, including their civil wars.

After several generations, the Tail Lard Rats had become more intelligent than their ancestors. They had grown accustomed to using tools and adapted to walking upright.

In them, Luo Wen saw echoes of Earth’s early hominids.

The post-catastrophe planet was in ruins, but with no natural predators, the Tail Lard Rats rapidly spread across the continent. Their expansion was astonishingly swift.

The previous experimental area was now too small to contain this burgeoning civilization. Luo Wen decided to broaden the scope of his experiment, designating the entire continent as their new field of development. РÂ₦ộＢƐȘ

To avoid disrupting the Tail Lard Rats’ growth, Luo Wen removed all large insect beasts and fungal carpets from the continent, leaving only small ants and flying insects to serve as observational aids.

As for Luo Wen himself, he wasn’t idle. He headed to the ocean to further develop the swarm. At the very least, he aimed to maintain the strength needed to control the situation should the experiment spiral out of control.

The planet’s oceans were several times larger than its landmass, and despite the calamity, the seas still teemed with genetic samples.

Over the years, Luo Wen had not been idle, aside from observing his experimental subjects. He had gained new insights into his abilities and genetic composition.

However, escaping this planet remained a distant goal. Luo Wen was not one to pin his hopes on a single method. Within his capabilities, he explored multiple paths: self-evolution, discovering unique genes, and nurturing civilizations were just a few.

Heading to the sea to collect samples was only part of the plan. His second goal was to separate himself from the Brood Nest. Luo Wen had long been uneasy about being near the Brood Nest.

For the sake of the swarm’s future, he decided to leave the Brood Nest in an underground base that had been excavated to a depth of 2,000 meters over many years.

This task had not been easy for the swarm. Beyond a certain depth, each additional meter of excavation required extensive reinforcement work, which was exceedingly tedious.

Luo Wen’s main body, meanwhile, would move toward the ocean depths. He recalled his earlier knowledge that the challenges of developing the deep sea were on par with venturing into space.

Resisting the intense pressure of the deep sea was no simpler than surviving in space. Since space exploration was temporarily out of reach, he would first conquer the deep sea.

The immense pressure of the ocean depths, Luo Wen believed, would serve as a catalyst to push his innate abilities to their limits, enhancing his strength.

The rapid reproduction of the Tail Lard Rats also accelerated the progress of their civilization. With no natural predators, their population surged from a hundred thousand to over a billion.

This population boom strained resources and led to the emergence of social classes. Some clever Tail Lard Rats began employing others for labor.

Subsequently, trade practices emerged, leading to the birth of commerce.

At this point, the legendary “god” reappeared.

Several tribal chieftains and wise men claimed to have received the “god’s” favor, stating that the “god” had taught them numbers for calculation and trade.

They also claimed the “god” resided on the moon, and if they could reach it, they might meet him.

When asked what the “god” looked like, their descriptions varied widely. Some said it was a beautiful bird, others a kind of flying insect, and still others a giant ant.

The Tail Lard Rats doubted their claims, believing the “god” to be a fabrication. Yet the knowledge of numbers spread, facilitating trade. Meanwhile, the desire to reach the moon quietly took root in their hearts.

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