I Am The Swarm

Chapter 289: Analysis

“Let’s start with a war of attrition—no rush,” Luo Wen commanded.

Under his will, the Swarm’s Primordial-class units, numbering less than 5,000 and accounting for less than 20% of the total deployed forces, began to stir and move toward the Riken Star System.

The Swarm’s movements were quickly detected by the Riken. After years of standoff, the sight of Swarm “warships” drifting brazenly in plain view was all too familiar.

The Riken’s initial cautious observation eventually evolved into overt study, with their ships coming perilously close to the Swarm fleet to investigate.

While the Riken had not developed many finished products from the ancient spaceship, they had accumulated substantial theoretical knowledge. Combining this with their re

Although stripped of command following his defeat in the Neighboring Star System, Masai retained his honorary rank and served as a senior advisor, being the only high-ranking officer to have directly engaged the Swarm.

The term “Swarm,” initially used for the primitive species on T853, was later reassigned to the intelligent species on T855 after the discovery of the Space Octopus, deemed more fitting of the name.

They still had no idea of ​​the connection between the two species of T855 and T853.

“Hmph, you’ve just been scared out of your wits!” barked Alcer, commander of the Third Fleet and a hot-headed war hawk with the rank of lieutenant general.

“Who are you calling a coward? If it were you, the expeditionary fleet might’ve been completely wiped out!” Masai shot back. Despite losing favor among the Riken, he remained unyielding, harboring pent-up frustration from being scapegoated as the cause of their current predicament.

“Ridiculous! If I had been in command, we’d have conquered the T85 System by now,” Alcer retorted angrily. He had long believed Masai had underhandedly usurped his rightful command of the expeditionary fleet.

Having voluntarily withdrawn from the fleet out of spite, Alcer unknowingly spared himself from the disaster that befell it.

Even so, he maintained that under his leadership, the Swarm would have suffered a crushing defeat. This grudge fueled his disdain for Masai, and he never missed a chance to mock him.

“Talk is cheap! You don’t understand the cunning of this enemy.”

“Funny, I used to think you were cunning. Now I just think you’re a fool.”

“Damn it! Want to settle this with a fight?”

“Bring it on!”

“Enough, enough. Masai has experience, and his concerns surely hold some merit,” another official intervened to de-escalate the brewing confrontation.