I Am The Swarm

Having understood the context, Luo Wen was left speechless. Before encountering this spiritual entity, he had experienced numerous “invasions.” However, it seemed that the Rat Folk simply lacked sufficient mental strength. They could find the “door,” but couldn’t explain the reason for doing so, leaving Luo Wen unnecessarily paranoid for a long time.

It was akin to someone knocking on a door, and when the homeowner asked, “Who’s there?” the person outside remained silent but kept knocking. Naturally, the homeowner wouldn’t easily open the door. This time, though, the visitor responded with a vague “It’s me.” While not offering much information, it opened the possibility for dialogue. Weighing the situation, the homeowner might just decide to open the door.

Yes, that was the general idea… right?

Once the spiritual entity merged into the Swarm Network and acquired the status of a “node,” it became indistinguishable from other Swarm units. Due to its absolute loyalty to Luo Wen, he could effortlessly delve into its mind using telepathy to examine its past life.

Upon investigation, Luo Wen discovered that this spiritual entity was once Morgan, a mentor to the Queen of the Kingdom of Kerrigan and the former director of the royal research institute.

After confirming that this energy posed no further threat, Luo Wen released his restraints on it and granted it network access—albeit at the lowest level.

However, the recent activity seemed to have drained Morgan significantly, and he had not yet awakened.

Still, it wasn’t feasible to leave him perpetually confined within the Swarm Network, was it? Staring at the spiritual entity before him—a rare experimental subject—Luo Wen’s scientific curiosity ignited…

When Morgan had fallen off the ladder, darkness gradually enveloped him. He knew death was imminent. Although many things weighed on his mind, he had long come to terms with mortality, having lived a long life by Rat Folk standards.

What he regretted most was dying without ever knowing if “gods” truly existed—a deeply dissatisfying end.

At that moment, however, he felt something guiding him. Following this intangible sensation, he lost all awareness.

When he regained consciousness, everything had changed. He had become a bug!

It took him a while to accept this reality and adapt to his new body. Reflecting on his last, blurry moments before death, he wondered: Could this be the realm of the gods?

Luo Wen was unaware of the Rat Folk’s complex inner monologues. Although he could forcefully peer into their minds, he refrained from doing so. It had been far too long since he conversed with a sentient being. His previous encounters with the Rat Folk and Dinosaur People were more about playing tricks and less about true communication.

This Rat Folk might be the first subordinate capable of holding a normal conversation with him. For the sake of future cooperation—and out of respect for a fellow intelligent life form—Luo Wen decided not to invade Morgan’s thoughts.

Still, while Morgan was unconscious, Luo Wen had conducted a few experiments. He hoped Morgan would appreciate the body he had gifted him.

Morgan, untainted by exposure to web novels, had a relatively constrained mindset. Assuming he had entered the divine realm, he reasoned that many depictions of “gods” in historical records involved insect-like appearances.

After acclimating for some time, Morgan crawled through a passage and emerged from an exit, where he spotted a bug resembling him, silently watching.

In an instant, a profound sense of authority washed over Morgan. His body and soul both screamed that the bug before him held supreme importance. Instinctively, he linked to the other entity, receiving its approval.

Excited, Morgan exclaimed, “Are you God?”

Luo Wen was satisfied with Morgan’s attitude. He had waited for this moment for so long. Clearly, the Swarm Network’s modifications had been effective.

Just as he was deliberating his next words, Morgan continued, “No, you must be Her Majesty the Queen! I served the Queen in life and now serve another in death. What an honor!”

Had Luo Wen’s face not been covered by the exoskeletal armor of this bug body, it would have been contorted with confusion.

Dismissing his deep, mysterious act, Luo Wen addressed Morgan directly. Morgan was the first intelligent life form converted and was still in an experimental phase. Clearly, something had gone awry for him to spout such nonsense.

“What queen?” Luo Wen demanded.

“My body and soul tell me that you are the origin of our Swarm. Therefore, you must be…”

“Enough!” Luo Wen cut him off sharply, clearing his throat before introducing himself. “I am the Swarm Overlord, codename F2A. From now on, I do not want to hear any other titles.”

“But…”

“If you’d prefer to be remade, by all means, continue.”

Morgan, a Rat Folk well-versed in court and workplace politics, wisely decided against unnecessary trouble and promptly responded, “Understood, Overmind. I get it.”

Relieved, Luo Wen no longer fixated on titles. Listening to Morgan’s self-introduction, he cross-checked the details with his own knowledge. Everything seemed transparent—Morgan had concealed nothing and answered every question without hesitation. The Swarm Network had proven reliable, and this conversion was a complete success.

Originally, Luo Wen’s intention was simply to cultivate a civilization in secret, leveraging their capabilities for technological research. This unexpected development, however, prompted him to reconsider his plans.

Luo Wen began transmitting details about the Swarm’s structure and future goals to Morgan. Given Morgan’s previous status as a scholar, additional input could be invaluable.

After some time digesting the information, Morgan pondered aloud, “Overmind, under current circumstances, I believe a unified Rat Folk empire would greatly benefit our future progress.”

“Oh? Explain,” Luo Wen prompted.

“The technological competition between the two major kingdoms accelerates development but wastes immense human and material resources through redundant research. If we could consolidate their resources, it would dramatically advance your plans.”

Luo Wen deliberated for a moment before asking, “Without external threats or kingdom rivalry, how would we ensure that the new empire continues investing in relevant research? Should the Swarm play the role of antagonist? That might encourage technological advancement, but it would likely focus on weaponry. I’ve gone to great lengths to push space exploration—not to inspire anti-Swarm armament. Moreover, while the Swarm is powerful, we’re still confined to this planet. A hasty reveal could be risky.”

Morgan twitched his antennae thoughtfully. “Overmind, your concerns are valid. However, if the ruler of the new empire were one of us, all these issues would be moot.”

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!