I Am The Swarm-Chapter 735: Concerns

The combat units of the Swarm were mostly equipped with high-molecular blades. Even the cheapest expendable units had at least two limbs transformed into blade-like appendages.

These appendages could cut through metal like butter, and even the Ji soldiers’ protective suits struggled to withstand such attacks. However, the primary function of the metal bunkers was defense. Even their weakest points were over two meters thick.

Combined with their super-hard materials, while the high-molecular blades could still inflict damage, breaching the bunker defenses required a significant amount of time.

From the moment the metal bunkers sealed all external openings and the Ji soldiers ceased fire, to when the Swarm tide broke through the remaining Ji defenses and reached the bunker walls, only a few minutes had passed. This brief period was insufficient for the high-molecular blades to cause severe damage to the metal bunkers.

However, amidst the Swarm tide were a few Red Fang Breakers. Faced with their Negative Energy Blades, the bunker walls, once impenetrable, became as soft as tofu, easily breached by the Red Fang Breakers.

Limited by the size of the Red Fang Breakers and the short timeframe, these breaches did not allow many Swarm units to infiltrate. Those that did manage to enter were quickly eliminated by the fierce firepower of the Ji soldiers.

Although the infiltrating Swarm units caused minimal trouble for the Ji forces, the holes punched through the metal bunker by the X-576 explosion left the Ji race deeply troubled.

Despite the Ji soldiers’ preparations and timely sealing of damaged rooms during the explosion, some Ji soldiers still suffered radiation contamination.

After the battle, these soldiers were injected with neutralizing agents to sustain their lives and were then transported out of the combat zone by K2N9s. The breaches made by the Red Fang Breakers also needed repairs, which was why repair robots were deployed.

“The damage to the metal bunker is easy to repair, and new combat robots and automated defense modules will be in place soon.”

“No rush. The Swarm’s rate of gathering forces is much slower than we anticipated,” one advisor remarked, reviewing the data in hand.

“Perhaps they haven’t produced many combat units using space-based biotechnology on this planet.”

“I think they simply didn’t expect us to have an area-clearing weapon like X-576.”

“That’s also a possibility.”

“However, the Burrowing Worms below are quite active. Not only do individual worms enter our instrument detection range, but they also linger outside the influence range of X-576.”

“Maybe they’re collecting samples, hoping to find a way to counteract the X-576 radiation.”

“We can’t let our guard down. Perhaps we should lay another minefield. If they charge recklessly, we won’t have much to stop them underground.”

“Indeed, we should set up some as a precaution.”

“One thing puzzles me—why isn’t anyone concerned about the target’s survival? Logically, she was at the epicenter of the X-576 blast.”

“The Swarm’s export-version bio-armor can block over 90% of X-576 radiation. With the enhanced version she wears, complete protection is guaranteed.”

“Correct.”

“But have you considered that earlier, to evade the beacon’s tracking, she had already removed that armor?”

“…”

This statement turned everyone’s faces grim. Indeed, how had they forgotten this crucial detail? No matter how powerful the bio-armor was before, it wasn’t currently on her.

“Perhaps the target has a backup suit of armor.”

“Given the target’s status as the most revered figure in the Swarm, it’s highly likely she carries a backup. But we can’t rule out the possibility that she doesn’t.”

“Even if she does, given her status, there’s a chance she wouldn’t carry it herself but would leave it with her personal guards…”

“Her bodyguard is already dead…”

“This is troublesome… Notify the marines. If they find any unidentifiable remains or solutions from collapsed Swarm genes during their search, they must report immediately!”

“Regardless of the target’s current status, until we have final confirmation, everything proceeds according to the original plan. Now, instruct the K2N9s to lay a new minefield defense line.”

“I believe, given the target’s status and intelligence, she wouldn’t perish so easily.”

“…”

Time ticked by slowly, and the search teams still had no news. Meanwhile, the assembly of the Swarm’s forces was unusually slow. According to their detection instruments, within a hundred-kilometer radius of the battlefield, there were fewer than a million Swarm units.

This number seemed large, but it was hardly enough to break through the Ji forces’ firepower blockade. Moreover, it was uncertain how many of these units were produced using space-based biotechnology.

“Their actions are baffling.”

“Indeed, puzzling. Their current behavior contrasts sharply with their previous stance. It’s as if…”

“…as if there’s no longer anyone or anything here worth rushing to rescue.”

“Exactly. That’s the feeling. Could the target really have been killed in the explosion?”

“Impossible, right?”

“If that’s true, this incident could become the biggest joke in nearly ten thousand years—or even hundreds of thousands of years. And we’d be the punchline, written into the shame-filled pages of textbooks about what not to do.”

The current situation appeared advantageous for the Ji race, but all their efforts aimed to capture the Swarm Empress. If they inadvertently killed her, it would undoubtedly mark a colossal failure for this operation.

“Perhaps this is just a false impression they’re creating to make us think the target is dead. If we begin to doubt and slacken our search, they might not even need to attack. They could simply wait five days, actually four and a half days now and we’d be forced to retreat on our own.”

“That’s possible. Tell the soldiers not to slack off. Deploy small terrain vehicles and drones to assist them in speeding up the search.”

Time flew, and soon a day had passed.

“The enemy still shows no intention of attacking. Did we really kill the target?”

“…” Everyone fell silent.

The current situation was indeed bizarre. A full day had passed. How could they be so certain that we couldn’t find their Empress? How dare they allow us to continue searching so freely?

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

“Perhaps the actual situation differs from what we imagined. The target may have escaped farther than we anticipated. Our search hasn’t yet reached her location, which is why the Swarm isn’t in a hurry.”

“That doesn’t fully explain it. Instruct the front lines to deploy more detectors. I want comprehensive underground data within a thousand-kilometer radius to better understand the Swarm’s movements.”

“Agreed. If necessary, detonate another X-576 to expand the radiation zone and push the Swarm further away. Let’s see if they remain calm and whether they can still hide.”