I Am The Swarm

Chapter 734: Speculation

Although another objective had been achieved, it was not yet time for celebration until the Swarm Empress was successfully captured and the ultimate objective completed.

“The radiation levels have decreased. The soldiers’ protective suits are now sufficient to withstand this level of exposure. We must locate the Swarm Empress before the Swarm launches their next assault!”

“It’s not a matter of trying—it’s a necessity. We likely won’t be able to hold back the Swarm’s next wave. We must seize this window of opportunity to capture the target!”

“Continue deploying mechanical soldiers and automated defense modules to take over defensive duties. All soldiers should focus on

“We can deploy more explosives to stop them!”

“That’s a last resort. Look here, here, and here. The previous 200 Burrowing Worms have already hollowed out extensive gaps in the subterranean layers. Detonating more explosives now could trigger widespread collapses. The resulting battlefield conditions would be unpredictable and potentially unfavorable to us.”

“What should we do then?”

“It’s a difficult situation. Although we possess large-scale underground combat equipment, deploying and assembling it in such a short timeframe is impractical. The best course of action remains capturing the target during this critical window.”

“My perspective differs slightly from yours,” interjected another Ji advisor, presenting an alternative viewpoint. “I believe those Burrowing Worms are no different from the earlier ones—still the standard versions. I even suspect the Swarm may not use space-based biotechnology to create these Burrowing Worms at all.”

“Oh? How did you arrive at that conclusion?” asked the challenged advisor, unperturbed.

Everyone was brainstorming for the mission’s success, and differing viewpoints could spark innovative ideas. Anticipating the Swarm’s next moves would help avoid being caught off guard and increase the chances of success.

“Consider our recent battlefield footage from the metal bunker’s cameras. Among the regular biological units, we observed many combat units based on space biotechnology templates. Their proportion was roughly 3% to 5%, which, while low, translates to a significant number when applied to the Swarm’s vast forces. Moreover, these space-based units included various types: Red Fang Breakers, Wild Boar Beasts, and even the giant spiders.”

The advisor paused, then continued: “This indicates that the Swarm does not deliberately separate units created by different technologies. It’s likely they apply the same policy to the Burrowing Worms.”

“You mean…?”

“Yes. If the Swarm possessed Burrowing Worms crafted using space-based biotechnology, they would have appeared in earlier battles. Under the influence of X-576, their performance would have stood out prominently. But unfortunately, we haven’t observed any such individuals—all the Burrowing Worms were affected by X-576.”

“Perhaps the Swarm intentionally concealed them?”

“That’s possible, but unlikely. Their Empress is under siege—a dire situation. In such circumstances, all nearby forces would rush in en masse. They don’t need to defeat us outright here and now; rescuing the target is their primary goal. Holding back reinforcements at this stage makes little sense. If there had been a few radiation-resistant Burrowing Worms earlier, the target might already have been rescued.”

“Your reasoning holds merit. Based on your estimated ratio, among 200 Burrowing Worms, there should be around 6 to 10 special individuals. Yet none appeared. Perhaps they truly don’t exist.”

“Or perhaps they simply weren’t nearby and only arrived after the initial assault.”

“That possibility can’t be ruled out. I’m merely presenting one viewpoint.”

“Fair enough. But in my view, if we capture the target during this window, any elaborate plans or hidden forces the Swarm might have will become meaningless.”

“But we must also prepare for the possibility of failing to locate the target and entering the next phase of battle!”

“Agreed. So, what’s the plan now?”

“That’s precisely what we need to discuss collectively.”

“…”

While the Ji combat command center debated fervently, the frontline was not idle. Large numbers of mechanical soldiers and automated defense modules were transported to the underground battlefield, accompanied by repair robots.