I Am The Swarm

Under Luo Wen’s ultra-high-resolution compound eyes, the Camouflage Bug had already revealed its true form.

Somehow, it had strapped a piece of bark to its back that didn’t fall off. Its actual body was a slender, wingless insect resembling a mosquito magnified dozens of times.

What was this weakling, with barely any exoskeletal armor, trying to do? Was it planning to challenge the “War God” one-on-one? That was pure suicide!

Luo Wen couldn’t help but ridicule, forgetting that he had once been an equally defenseless creature with an unprotected abdomen.

Suddenly, the Camouflage Bug, now behind the Black Beetle, extended its coiled mouthpart. The organ straightened to a length nearly equal to its entire body, resembling a steel needle.

The steel-like needle slipped slowly into the crevice between the Black Beetle’s shoulder plate and back armor. Yet the beetle remained completely unresponsive.

Moments later, the Camouflage Bug’s thin, shriveled abdomen began to swell. The Black Beetle, though outwardly unchanged, gradually stopped chewing on leaves.

“F***! This world is insanely dangerous!” Luo Wen cursed internally.

The Black Beetle had been the most imposing and majestic bug Luo Wen had encountered so far. Just yesterday, it had shown off its prowess by taking on multiple opponents single-handedly. Yet today, it was effortlessly taken out by a sneaky assassin.

This shattered Luo Wen’s perception of strength. He had quietly set the Black Beetle as his next evolution goal. Its sheer size, dozens of times larger than his own, was intimidating enough.

But now, this imposing beetle was slain by a sneaky Camouflage Bug. If anything, this suggested that strength was relative. Luo Wen figured that had the Black Beetle spotted its assailant earlier, it would have crushed the Camouflage Bug easily. The outcome of their encounter had depended entirely on the element of surprise.

So, what did it mean to be strong?

Luo Wen pondered this question. Even if he could someday kill a Black Beetle, what would stop another bug from emerging to counter him?

He thought of a movie from his human days about a superhero with an indestructible body, laser vision, freezing breath, supersonic speed, telescopic sight, and super hearing. Even that being had a weapon capable of neutralizing it.

Honestly, Luo Wen felt a bit lost.

Would the evolution of an individual ever have an endpoint? And even if there were one, could an individual’s strength alone reach it?

After some thought, Luo Wen dismissed the idea. He was just a bug the size of a fingernail. Worrying about such things was ridiculous. Survival came first.

The Camouflage Bug, its needle-like mouthpart now soft and coiled, perched motionlessly on the bark again, its massively swollen belly rendering its camouflage ineffective.

After careful observation and calculations, Luo Wen decided to take a gamble.

The Camouflage Bug’s only real threat was its mouthpart. While its size was much larger, Luo Wen believed he had an 80% chance of victory with caution. If things went south, its bloated body would likely hinder it enough for him to escape.

Luo Wen couldn’t account for every possible variable, nor could he plan a flawless strategy. But 80% was good enough for him to make his move.

Time was life. Having made up his mind, he didn’t hesitate.

He darted toward the Camouflage Bug, which, overly confident in its disguise, remained still as Luo Wen approached.

Taking advantage of its complacency, Luo Wen scurried under the bark it used as a shield. Bracing himself with his middle and rear legs, he lunged forward, sinking his jaws into the bug’s neck.

Luo Wen had no weapons besides his two mandibles. Against the much larger Camouflage Bug, his bite wouldn’t threaten most parts of its body. But the thin neck was an exception.

Catching the Camouflage Bug off guard, Luo Wen seized the opportunity. His attack landed on the most critical spot.

Panicked, the Camouflage Bug flailed its long, spindly limbs wildly, sending both of them tumbling off the tree trunk.

They wrestled on the rotting, foul-smelling ground. The Camouflage Bug repeatedly extended and retracted its mouthpart, aiming to pierce Luo Wen.

Luo Wen wasn’t about to make things easy. Every claw on his body clung tightly to the bug, keeping him locked onto its neck. No matter how the bug twisted and turned, Luo Wen held firm, immovable.

Due to Luo Wen’s small size and his position, the Camouflage Bug’s attacks missed their mark repeatedly.

Gradually, the connection between its head and body grew weaker. Its head drooped, and its struggles ceased, though its body twitched reflexively.

Luo Wen held his position for a while longer, only releasing when he was sure the Camouflage Bug was dead.

A gamble well taken. Now, it was time to reap the rewards.

Before feasting, Luo Wen climbed back up the tree to check on the Black Beetle. As he suspected, while its claws still clung to the branch, its insides were hollow—its muscles and organs liquefied and drained by the Camouflage Bug.

Satisfied that the beetle was truly dead, Luo Wen returned to the Camouflage Bug’s corpse.

Despite its large size, most of its body consisted of its elongated, shriveled frame. Without its swollen abdomen, it probably had less meat than a White Grub.

The bark on its back accounted for much of its apparent size. It had adhered so tightly that even their violent battle hadn’t dislodged it. Clearly, the Camouflage Bug was a seasoned ambusher.

Initially, Luo Wen had thought it might possess a chameleon-like camouflage ability. Instead, it relied entirely on external tools.

“Poor bugs evolve; rich bugs use gear,” Luo Wen joked to himself. Could this bug be an aristocrat among insects?

While amusing, the thought reminded Luo Wen that some bugs were highly intelligent. Humanity had risen to dominance on Earth through tool use. He couldn’t afford to underestimate other species just because of encounters with dim-witted creatures like the Stink Bug.

After devouring the Camouflage Bug’s flesh, it was time for the main course.

As a former human, Luo Wen found the thought of eating the bug’s swollen abdomen revolting. But pickiness wasn’t an option. What was normal food for insects had to become normal for him.

Though he understood this logically, actually doing it was another matter. His jaws opened and closed hesitantly, unable to commit.

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