I Am The Swarm-Chapter 689: Approaching

The border between the Swarm and the Confederation, spanning dozens of light-years and crossing more than a dozen star systems, had fallen into an eerie calm. However, beneath this calm surface, undercurrents were stirring.

Both the Swarm and the Confederation continued to reinforce their borders. Perhaps to avoid disrupting the atmosphere of the impending ceasefire agreement, both sides exercised restraint while increasing their military presence. Troops were stationed within their respective territories, with almost no incursions into sensitive areas or reconnaissance activities that could easily be misinterpreted.

Time passed slowly. By the 91st year of the New Era, the agreed-upon date for signing the ceasefire agreement was drawing closer. The route between the Swarm’s Star System One and the Confederation’s LKDW262 and LKDW263 star systems gradually reopened. Personnel from the relevant departments of the Confederation began arriving in Star System One ahead of time to set up the venue and conduct safety assessments.

After all, the Ji elders and the high-ranking officials of various races were prominent figures. Their safety had to be ensured when they entered Swarm territory.

The Swarm, for its part, did not forcibly disrupt these diplomatic protocols. Instead, they chose to follow tradition, opening up certain routes and ports. They even designated a specific area for the Confederation’s warships to dock.

According to the agreement, during the signing period, the Swarm’s military presence in Star System One would not exceed 200 million units of 500-meter-class forces. Simultaneously, the Confederation could deploy and station approximately 20 million warships in the designated area to ensure the safe evacuation of relevant personnel in case of emergencies.

As a result, the largest force in Star System One became the captured troops, whose numbers exceeded 2 billion ships. Both the Swarm and the Confederation’s forces paled in comparison.

However, neither side paid much attention to this seemingly formidable force. The Swarm had already completed the rapid and standard version unit switch within the ships, effectively taking control from the inside. These ships had now become metal prisons, immobilized and confined the captives, turning them into space-bound detention centers.

The Swarm openly demonstrated this to the Confederation, even allowing access to many of the ships’ camera systems so the Confederation could monitor the captives’ daily lives in real time.

This approach was intended to make the Confederation abandon any thoughts of attempting to reclaim these metal prisons. The message was clear: sign the agreement and move on.

The Confederation undoubtedly understood the Swarm’s intentions, but they still made some covert moves. The Swarm, in turn, did not hold back. Any Confederation forces attempting to infiltrate the metal prisons were dealt with thoroughly.

After several special operations teams were obliterated, the Confederation finally became more compliant. From then on, personnel entering Star System One behaved much more cautiously.

Time flew by, and soon it was early in the 92nd year of the New Era. The signing of the agreement was less than a month away. All preparations were nearly complete, and the two sides had almost finalized the procedural details. Everything was set for the big day.

The signing of this ceasefire agreement took place against the backdrop of an unprecedented war. Although the truly powerful inner-circle civilizations and the Ji race had yet to fully engage, the scale of this conflict and the number of captives were unparalleled, not just for the Swarm but also in the recorded history of the Confederation.

As a result, this gathering attracted the attention of almost every faction and race.

“Sir, do you think the signing of this agreement will go smoothly?” A deputy asked his superior on the command bridge of a massive warship.

“How could it? When have you ever seen the Confederation suffer such a loss?” The superior scoffed.

“True. When I saw the Swarm’s conditions, I was shocked. I thought no one in their right mind would agree to such terms,” the deputy recalled, still shaken by the memory.

A few days later, to his astonishment, the Confederation unexpectedly accepted the Swarm’s conditions. The unpredictable turn of events left his young mind reeling.

“So, something is bound to go wrong,” the superior said with the calm of a seasoned veteran, as if this were just another routine matter.

“Sir, what do you think will happen?” the deputy asked humbly.

The superior had been waiting for this question. He returned to his captain’s chair, took a sip of an unknown beverage, and said leisurely, “The Confederation agreed to the Swarm’s conditions but added some extra demands. The trouble will likely stem from those.”

“You mean the Swarm empress?”

“Exactly. I don’t know what they’re planning, but it’s definitely related to the Swarm empress.”

“Now that you mention it, that makes sense. But wouldn’t the Swarm see through it?” The deputy asked, genuinely puzzled. While he had pretended to be clueless earlier to let his superior shine, this question and its implications truly baffled him.

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“Ha, the Swarm isn’t an easy opponent. They’re exceptionally intelligent and cunning, and this isn’t just talk—it’s backed by their combat record. Look at their achievements: they’ve never lost a battle, not even against the Coalition of hundred races. I may be a bit arrogant, but I’m not delusional. I know my limits. If even I can see it, the Swarm must have noticed it too.”

“But if that’s the case, why did they agree to the Confederation’s demands?” the deputy asked, voicing his true confusion. He couldn’t understand why the Swarm would willingly walk into such an obvious trap.

The superior frowned and thought for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m not sure. Only the Swarm knows the real reason. From what I’ve heard, the Confederation had prepared many follow-up measures to force the Swarm into compliance, but these were never used, leaving many smart minds scratching their heads. However, the most popular theories are that the Swarm is facing some internal crisis, their rapid troop production has hidden flaws, or they’re on the verge of unlocking new legacy technology. All of these would require time to resolve or capitalize on. When the Confederation offered time as a condition, the Swarm jumped at the opportunity.”

“But I still find it strange. Don’t they realize that their empress would be in grave danger? According to past records, the empress holds the highest position in the Swarm. If anything happens to her, the Swarm would be thrown into chaos.”