I Am The Swarm-Chapter 672: The Second Choice

The pod lids closed silently as the team adjusted the control pods to stealth mode.

During the initial development of the equipment, researchers had envisioned a variety of scenarios. Since the Z-series squads were part of the fleet’s defense teams, their deployment usually meant that enemies had already infiltrated the ship’s interior.

At that point, the ship’s interior would no longer be safe, and the Z-series squad members, who relied on remote-controlled robots for combat, would have no means of protecting themselves.

To address this, the control pods were not only exceptionally sturdy but also equipped with multiple modes for different situations. The stealth mode, which had just been activated, was one such option.

Once this mode was engaged, a hatch opened in the metal floor beneath the control pods, allowing them to sink into the floor. The floor then resealed, and the room returned to silence, though it now felt much emptier.

However, what the squad didn’t know was that the very thing they feared the most was often the most likely to happen. A tiny possibility had been magnified infinitely.

In the corner of the room’s ceiling, a faint glimmer of light flickered. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an extremely small crawling insect.

The technological level of the Komok race, though at the bottom tier among mid-ring civilizations, still placed them as a mid-ring civilization—a level that all outer-ring civilizations looked up to with awe.

With such advanced technology, many of the early technological systems that relied on pipelines for wiring had been replaced by more sophisticated solutions.

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For example, energy transmission channels, which were once separate cables, had evolved into integrated designs. These transmission channels were now embedded directly into the ship’s structure through specialized manufacturing processes.

This ensured that the ship’s body and energy transmission channels were seamlessly integrated, leaving no gaps for outsiders to exploit. However, certain design requirements of the ship’s structure, combined with the physiological limitations of intelligent beings, meant that the ship couldn’t achieve perfect seamlessness. Buffer zones, ventilation ducts, and other features still left vulnerabilities.

To minimize the risk of infiltration, these passages had been made as narrow and complex as possible. Yet, this still couldn’t stop small reconnaissance bugs from slipping through.

Although the squad’s control pod storage room was well-hidden, it had an exhaust duct leading to it. The Swarm, as always, preferred to know their enemy and fight with an information advantage.

Thus, the Brood Queen, mutated from the nanoseed that had infiltrated the ship, immediately began producing a large number of reconnaissance units. These small scouts didn’t require much material, and with their rapid growth, they could quickly join the battle after hatching, providing information support to the Swarm forces inside the ship.

This particular scout had already made its way into the room earlier but, finding nothing unusual, had gone dormant. The squad’s recent actions, however, had been recorded by the scout. The faint glow earlier was a sign of accelerated information transmission, a result of energy activation. This only occurred in overload mode and wasn’t normally visible.

Suddenly, the three types of Z-series robots stationed in a nearby passageway trembled. The humanoid robots’ eyes lit up, indicating that someone had taken control of them again.

The team members quickly communicated with each other and began moving in a specific direction. Along the way, they encountered some Swarm units. Perhaps because the Komok had already surrendered, and the designated time hadn’t yet passed, the Swarm didn’t attack the robots as long as their movement direction wasn’t suspicious.

Taking advantage of this, the squad moved boldly through the passageways. They needed to secure a strategic position near the command bridge and wait for the right moment to act.

Time passed, and the half-hour deadline given by the Swarm had come and gone. After capturing the ship’s energy hub earlier, the Swarm had gained a significant boost in energy. By conserving resources, they had managed to produce a fully equipped Red Fang Breaker—the first and only one on the ship so far.

Such an important combat unit couldn’t be wasted posing for a show like its downgraded counterparts. It needed to make full use of its equipment.

At that moment, this Red Fang Breaker appeared at the entrance of the control room where the squad was hiding. The Swarm had no patience for those who didn’t follow the rules and had no further value. They never wasted time on such individuals.

The Red Fang Breaker extended its right claw, which seemed to be enveloped in some terrifying energy. It lightly scratched the tightly sealed door a few times.

To avoid alerting these troublesome individuals and causing them to relocate, which would waste more effort, the Swarm didn’t communicate with the ship’s captain. Instead, they took matters into their own hands.

The negative energy on the blade neutralized the positive energy, and the sturdy alloy door was sliced open as easily as tofu. The violent door-breaking triggered the room’s alarms.

By now, the squad had successfully completed their tactical objective, using their familiarity with the ship’s layout to reach a favorable position and set up an ambush.

They also discovered that as long as they didn’t make their robots perform offensive actions, the Swarm wouldn’t pay attention to these metal lumps. Of course, they would soon learn that the Swarm’s indifference wasn’t for the reason they thought.

The intrusion alarm in their room woke them up. At this point, only the Swarm would be breaking into their room. But the Swarm’s entry didn’t necessarily mean they had been discovered.

So, the team members chose not to act rashly. They still trusted their race’s technology and the stealth mode of the control pods.

The team secretly activated the room’s surveillance system, and the results initially pleased them. Just as they were unfamiliar with the Swarm’s tactics, the Swarm seemed equally unfamiliar with their technology. Even though the Swarm had taken control of the command bridge, the squad’s access permissions hadn’t been revoked, and they could still view the surveillance feeds.

However, their joy was short-lived. Through the high-definition footage, they only saw some spider-like Swarm units rushing into the room. Then, within three seconds, the surveillance feeds went dark one by one, indicating that the devices had been destroyed.

This gave them an ominous feeling. The Swarm seemed far too familiar with the ship’s layout. Before they could react, a desperate cry came through the communicator.

“No!…” A roar echoed, followed by the groans of someone dying.

“What happened? Are you okay?” The squad leader asked anxiously.

But instead of his teammate’s response, he heard the dying screams of another team member.