I Am The Swarm

Chapter 419: Departure

“Elder Humes,” Sarah began, her tone steady, “I understand your curiosity. The Swarm was born in this star region, grew in this star region, and has always existed here from ancient times to the present.”

Humes’ question was difficult to answer directly, so Sarah opted for an ambiguous response, one that left room for interpretation. The rest she left to the imagination of those hearing it.

Interestingly, Sarah’s statement wasn’t entirely untruthful. The Swarm indeed originated in this region. As for where the Iphieash egg had been before Luo Wen’s emergence, even he didn’t know—and it hardly mattered. Humes had asked about the Swarm, not about Iphieash’s origins.

Humes stared intently at Sarah, attempting to discern the truth through her subtle expressions. Unfortunately for him, his skill in micro-expression analysis was misplaced. Sarah’s composure was impeccable; her gaze unwavering, she calmly returned his stare.

Such tactics were futile against the Swarm. The figure Humes was scrutinizing was merely a Swarm body. Sarah’s consciousness, if she wished, could disconnect and engage in a completely unrelated activity, like playing a game with Luo Wen, while still maintaining her presence here.

Sarah’s fearless, steady gaze seemed to convey confidence and conviction, leading Humes to potentially misjudge her intent. He began to delve into the possible implications of her words.

The first part was straightforward, but why had the Swarm Empress emphasized the phrase “from ancient times”?

The Swarm’s recorded history spanned only a few centuries—hardly enough to justify using the word “ancient.”

Moreover, Humes had never believed that a civilization focused on biotechnology could achieve its current level of advancement in such a short period. Biological technology was notoriously challenging to develop compared to mechanical pathways.

If it were so easy, why hadn’t any of the 200-plus civilizations in the Interstellar Technological Confederation produced a race like the Swarm?

Could the Swarm’s history be far older than it appears? Humes considered this possibility, though it seemed unlikely. This star region had been under Ji surveillance for tens of thousands of years, and no anomalies had ever been reported.

Could the monitoring personnel have failed in their duties? He made a mental note to investigate the historical records thoroughly upon his return,

By all accounts, Humes was a thoroughbred descendant, though he disliked the faction’s behavior and chose to align with the neutral party instead. His neutral stance had unintentionally propelled him into the Elders’ Council.

Humes also shared an intriguing tidbit with Sarah: due to the constant power struggles between the descendent and immigrant factions within the Ji, any Elder dispatched to negotiate treaties with new civilizations was invariably chosen from the neutral faction.

“He’s not bad,” Luo Wen replied, his tone calm yet contemplative. “Let’s hope he gives us a few pleasant surprises.”