I Am The Swarm

The “corncob” structure was particularly well-suited to Luo Wen’s method of “knocking.”

He raised a pincer and jabbed it forcefully into the structure.

Unexpectedly, the interior was hollow. Luo Wen’s overzealous strike created a massive hole.

Dirt crumbled from the walls in a cascade, leaving Luo Wen momentarily stunned.

To avoid unnecessary conflict with his new “neighbors,” he decided to retreat for the time being.

With his eight long legs moving quickly, Luo Wen dashed fifty meters away in no time. Though one pair of legs had been slightly restructured, making them less effective on land, his overall speed remained unaffected.

What lay hidden within the “corncob” was still a mystery, and Luo Wen thought it prudent to exercise caution.

The dark opening in the mysterious structure loomed like a staring abyss, exuding an enigmatic allure. As time ticked by, a yellow cloud suddenly emerged from the hole.

Upon closer inspection, the yellow cloud turned out to be a swarm of insects, each about two to three centimeters long. Their heads were amber-colored, while their thoraxes and abdomens faded to a pale yellow.

They had mandibles at the front of their heads and resembled ants overall, yet something about them seemed off.

After a moment of contemplation, Luo Wen realized the peculiarity: these insects’ thoraxes and abdomens were fused into a single unit without visible segmentation.

Having seen countless ant species with diverse traits and colors, Luo Wen knew that despite their variations, their body structures were typically consistent, with distinct head, thorax, and abdomen sections.

More and more of the yellow cloud poured out of the hole, evidently enraged by the sudden damage to their home.

In mere moments, the number of Yellow Bugs climbing out exceeded 200,000.

Observing their familiar demeanor and reclusive tendencies, Luo Wen speculated that these creatures must have been cultivating something underground—either nurturing organisms or growing crops.

Otherwise, there was no way such a large number of insects could emerge from a single nest.

Such scenarios no longer surprised Luo Wen. After all, in this world, occupying territory required some unique skills.

Waving his antennae, Luo Wen signaled to the hundreds of Transport Bugs behind him, which carried over ten thousand Worker Ants. They surged past him, charging toward the “corncob.”

The Worker Ants raised their abdomens high and unleashed a barrage of ant acid as a “welcome gift” to the “neighbors.” Considering they had annihilated a 500,000-strong swarm detachment, a little payback seemed entirely justified.

However, Luo Wen was taken aback by the effect—or lack thereof—of the acid attack. It wasn’t that the damage was too severe but rather negligible.

Noticing the gradient in their yellow shells, from deep to pale hues, Luo Wen mused: Could the coloration indicate acid-resistant armor?

If these creatures indeed possessed acid-resistant shells, it effectively neutralized the swarm’s primary ranged attack method. In previous battles, the swarm’s ranged acid firepower had significantly reduced casualties.

It seemed this time, close combat would be unavoidable.

Luo Wen waved his antennae, signaling a temporary retreat.

One week later, due to the need to recalibrate unit composition after the failure of ranged attacks, additional time was spent mobilizing troops.

Out of respect for the situation, Luo Wen gathered a force of 15 million.

This was based on the precedent of the Big-headed Ants, who had cultivated 7 to 8 million soldiers underground. Assuming these new Yellow Bugs were also subterranean cultivators, their numbers were estimated to be in the millions. Luo Wen preemptively deployed twice their assumed strength and kept reinforcements on standby.

Initially, Luo Wen considered employing tactics. However, every Spy Bug sent out was wiped out. He eventually discovered that these Yellow Bugs communicated not only through pheromones but also through sounds generated by tapping their heads or limbs against the ground.

This was akin to humans speaking while simultaneously using sign language. The Spy Bugs understood one mode of communication but were clueless about the other, exposing them and leading to their demise.

Frustrated and embarrassed, Luo Wen abandoned complex strategies in favor of brute force. The extra days spent mobilizing troops were largely due to this realization.

For this direct confrontation, the swarm’s composition shifted dramatically. Over 80% of the force consisted of Soldier Ants, while only a small number of Worker Ants accompanied them for post-battle cleanup.

The massive army surrounded the “corncob” structure.

Luo Wen stepped forward, raising his double pincers. He jabbed the structure repeatedly, creating seven or eight large holes from various angles before quickly retreating behind his troops.

Moments later, a torrent of Yellow Bugs poured from the openings.

While Luo Wen was ready for a direct confrontation, he wasn’t about to wait for his foes to fully assemble. Waving his antennae, he commanded the army to attack, striking while the Yellow Bugs were still disorganized.

The enemy lacked large combat units. While their smaller soldiers were ineffective against the swarm’s larger ones, the latter excelled in executing swift, decisive strikes when supported by smaller units to distract and pin down enemies.

Moreover, the Yellow Bugs were numerically disadvantaged, and many appeared to be Worker Ants. Facing the swarm’s Soldier Ant-dominated force, they were quickly forced back toward the openings.

However, bottlenecking the enemy at their entrances was inefficient and negated the swarm’s numerical advantage. Under Luo Wen’s command, the troops pulled back, allowing the Yellow Bugs to pour out in greater numbers.

After several cycles of advance and retreat, the Yellow Bugs suffered heavy casualties.

At this moment, larger insects with darker, tougher shells began crawling out of the nest. They resembled beetles more than ants.

Each one raised its abdomen, assuming a posture Luo Wen found all too familiar.

Focusing intently, Luo Wen realized the moment of talent demonstration had arrived. He wasn’t about to miss this performance.

With a chorus of “pop, pop, pop” sounds, thick smoke rose as if the creatures were passing gas. Their abdomens acted like “shotguns,” spraying an unknown liquid in all directions.

These liquid “pellets” struck the swarm’s Soldier Ants with blistering speed. Where they landed, blackened, corrosive burn marks appeared on the ants’ carapaces, significantly weakening their combat ability. The unlucky ones died on the spot.

Luo Wen’s eyes lit up. The charred marks on the earlier battlefield had been caused by these insects. He had assumed their talent involved fire, but it turned out to be chemical weaponry instead.

Accompanying their attacks was an overwhelming stench. If these bugs ever fought dogs, this trait alone would ensure their victory.

This was utterly unsportsmanlike.

Despite the drawbacks, Luo Wen was thrilled. The swarm was about to acquire a new ranged attack method. After all, even the Yellow Earth Ants had acid-resistant armor.

A future confrontation with the Yellow Earth Ant Legion was inevitable, and having more options in the swarm’s arsenal could only be beneficial.

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