I Am The Swarm

Time passed, and Luo Wen’s consciousness returned to his primary body. According to calculations, he was still two hours away from “impacting” the yellow moon. However, given the numerous unexpected variables, these calculations were no longer reliable.

From this moment onward, he could land at any time. He had to remain vigilant, as his current velocity was near 3.5 km/s. A single moment of carelessness could result in a catastrophic crash on the moon’s surface.

To avoid distractions, Luo Wen connected over a hundred Blades to the Swarm Network, sharing his body’s perspective with them. He doubted any mishaps could occur with such robust support.

The view in space was stunning, but over time it became monotonous, with unchanging scenery and utter silence. Thankfully, with the Blades acting as high-level AIs to monitor his surroundings, Luo Wen had the luxury of some lighthearted banter over the network to stave off boredom.

He even took the opportunity to name the nearby planet “Genesis Planet,” as it was the birthplace of the Swarm. Luo Wen reasoned that as an insect destined to conquer the stars and seas, having a compelling backstory was essential. Titles like “Zhao Zilong of Changshan” or “Zhang Yide of Yan” inspired him.

Now that Genesis Planet had a name, he could proudly declare in future encounters, “I am Genesis F2A.” With some accomplishments under his belt, perhaps this name alone would strike fear into his enemies.

Before his imagination could spiral further, the Blades raised an alert. Luo Wen realized his trajectory was veering toward the moon. He quickly abandoned his banter with the rat folk and focused his full attention on the task at hand.

His orbital position was about 120 kilometers above the moon’s surface, and at his current speed of 3.5 km/s, a direct descent would take just over half a minute.

However, since he was approaching at an oblique angle, the time would be slightly longer.

The lunar surface expanded rapidly in his vision. Luo Wen needed to time his deceleration perfectly. Decelerating too early could leave him stuck in orbit; too late, and he’d end up a splattered mess on the surface.

At 20 kilometers from the surface, Luo Wen’s black insect body suddenly opened all forward-facing vents, expelling gas at full force.

His body, moving at extreme speed, was violently decelerated. The opposing forces of momentum and thrust nearly crushed his frame. Fortunately, his carapace had been reinforced with flexible cartilage inspired by deep-sea creatures. While this made him less resistant to physical attacks, it significantly enhanced his structural resilience under pressure.

Moreover, metallic ions within the carapace ensured his physical defenses were not entirely compromised.

Though 20 kilometers seemed far, at Luo Wen’s speed it passed in less than six seconds. Even with the intense braking, his landing velocity was still near 1 km/s.

A plume of lunar dust erupted from a vast crater on the moon’s surface, forming a hazy ring before gradually settling. The scene resembled a silent film, devoid of any sound.

“Overlord, what’s your status?” Morgan inquired. Luo Wen hadn’t shared his perspective with the rat folk. The sudden silence during their conversation hinted that Luo Wen was focused on his landing.

Morgan mentally calculated the time. The landing—whether successful or disastrous—should have concluded by now. Yet Luo Wen’s prolonged silence left him uncertain, eventually compelling him to ask.

At that moment, Luo Wen was assessing his injuries. Despite using his back—his strongest and most impact-resistant area—for the landing, the impact had still taken a toll.

Cracks marred the back armor, the magnetic field structure sustained damage, and a small section lost its protective field. Fortunately, the crater he created wasn’t deep, and his relatively compact body fit snugly within it.

Using surrounding lunar soil for cover, he could shield himself from radiation, though the extreme cold seeped through. His segmented structures near the damage site closed in time, but the chill was still uncomfortable. ȑἁNốᛒЕș

Luo Wen flexed his appendages. Both claw arms and his eight legs were intact, but many joints were damaged and required repair.

Elsewhere, his condition wasn’t critical, but the energy reserves in his tail lard storage organ had dropped by over 50%. Repairing his injuries would deplete them further, and in his current situation, replenishing energy on the moon wasn’t an option. Rapid depletion was an ominous prospect.

Fortunately, Luo Wen had contingency plans for such situations.

“Somewhat dicey, but I’m alive,” Luo Wen quipped, sparing a moment to reassure Morgan before mobilizing his body.

Turning to the crater he had created, Luo Wen began digging deeper. Excavation was second nature to him, and his movements were efficient and fluid. However, the moon’s surface consisted of only a thin layer of soft regolith, underlain by solid rock.

Luckily, his think tank had anticipated this. His claw arms had been upgraded with metallic particles, increasing their hardness significantly. They now excelled at both digging and breaking through rock.

Despite the enhancements, breaking rock was far more challenging than digging through soil. After laboriously extending the crater by two to three meters, Luo Wen paused.

After a brief moment of retching, his body expelled a small spore capsule, the seed for a Fungal Carpet. This enhanced version, designed for space environments, would determine Luo Wen’s ability to thrive in the cosmos.

He had meticulously prepared for this moment, choosing the genetic traits of a beast with four stomachs. This creature could rapidly consume large amounts of food and regurgitate it later in a safe location for gradual digestion.

While Luo Wen found the process distasteful, he valued its storage capabilities. Of the four stomachs, only one produced gastric acid; the other three functioned as storage spaces. This feature made it easy to store and retrieve items, even if the process was a bit unappealing.

For the dream of conquering the stars, Luo Wen was willing to accept such compromises.

Placing the Fungal Carpet seed at the bottom of the crater, Luo Wen covered it with loose stones and dust. Though the conditions were far from ideal—no water or fertilizer—the seed had a built-in nutrient pack stored within its capsule. This starter resource would allow it to take root and grow.

After ensuring the seed was buried, Luo Wen moved on to the next task at hand.

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