I Am The Swarm

The results were not promising.@@novelbin@@

But with Luo Wen’s limited knowledge of entomology, he couldn’t be certain if insects even possessed such things.

And even if they did, what would be the point? Setting aside whether there were others of his kind, what could he possibly do—engage in some dubious reproductive activities with another insect? Moreover, in his memory, male insects usually met tragic ends. A children’s film he watched growing up, one featuring a cat as the protagonist, contained certain scenes that remained a haunting shadow of his childhood.

Shuddering, he forcibly interrupted the trajectory of his thoughts.

Previously, he had assumed that the tiny opening at the tip of his rear end was an excretory outlet. That opening had been lost along with the three tail segments he had shed. Unexpectedly, a new one had secretly grown back, though it had remained unused and unnoticed.

But even this time, it wasn’t utilized. Instead, a small opening appeared in the middle of his lower abdomen for excretion, leaving the purpose of the rear-end opening still a mystery.

Drinking water to fill his stomach was barely effective, so Luo Wen turned his attention to the black moss-like plants around him.

Were they poisonous? And how resistant was his insect body to toxins?

Considering the grandiose name and reputation of his species, his reckless curiosity began to stir.

He cautiously moved closer, using his burrowing legs to scratch at the black moss a couple of times. Nothing unusual happened—no mysterious gas released, no unknown liquid sprayed out, and the hairs on his limbs showed no signs of corrosion.

He extended his mouthparts and lightly touched the black moss. No reaction. Then he used his small tongue to lick it. After waiting for a while, there was no numbness at the tip of his tongue.

Finally, he carefully took a tiny bite, lying still afterward as a precaution. He experienced no ill effects.

After gradually increasing the amount he consumed and lengthening the waiting period between tests, Luo Wen concluded that the black moss were edible and non-toxic—or toxic, but harmless to him.

While the energy provided by plants couldn’t compare to that from meat, it was certainly better than merely drinking water.

After eating his fill, Luo Wen climbed up out of the crevice to rest. The walls of the fissure became smoother the deeper he went. His clawed limbs weren’t well-suited for traversing or resting on such smooth surfaces.

Going deeper posed significant risks. If he lost his grip and fell, landing on rock might be manageable. But if he plunged into the underground river, who knew if he could swim? If not, that would be disastrous.

Most insects have specialized tracheal systems and unique operational mechanisms, making it difficult to suffocate them but relatively easy to drown them.

Unfortunately, Luo Wen’s current body used such a conventional system. If he fell into the water, would Ifiaesh’s adaptability allow him to evolve a new system in time to survive?

Luo Wen decided that anyone else was welcome to try such challenges—he certainly wouldn’t.

The first rule etched into his code of conduct was: “Don’t court death.”

Although Luo Wen aspired to grow powerful in isolation before venturing out, this clearly wasn’t realistic. While the area provided food, the efficiency of sustenance was low. As his size increased, he’d likely spend most of each day just eating.

Additionally, the black moss couldn’t add new genetic elements to his abilities. Staying here would merely enlarge his current form proportionally, without gaining any new functions.

Furthermore, he needed to learn more about this world. He couldn’t just assume invincibility and recklessly roam, only to be met with a missile or disintegration spell right away. It was essential to observe while he was still inconspicuous.

After much deliberation, Luo Wen devised a compromise. He would follow the underground river’s flow to wherever it led.

Water is the source of life, and he believed that following it would eventually lead him to other forms of life.

However, leaving this place meant he might never avenge the ants’ attack.

Not that Luo Wen was particularly vengeful, of course. He reassured himself it was merely a casual reflection.

And so, he embarked on a long journey along the underground river.

His days became a routine of eating, drinking, traveling, and resting in cycles. Occasionally, he would climb upward to search for any relatives of the white insect, but alas, he found none.

He avoided returning to the surface for now. His brief experiences there had been exceedingly unpleasant. The first time, he had only suffered minor burns, but the next two times nearly cost him his life.

As he continued along the underground river, its elevation gradually rose. The riverbed, once 50 to 60 meters below the surface, was now only about 20 meters deep.

Luo Wen’s body had also regrown to the size of a fingernail.

Honestly, his growth was slower than he had anticipated.

Besides the low energy conversion efficiency of his diet, most of his energy was expended on the heavy labor of digging.

He also suspected that his oxygen supply system was a significant limiting factor in his growth. He desperately needed a new, more robust oxygen delivery mechanism to replace the current one.

Time passed in unknown measure. The riverbed continued to rise, drawing nearer to the surface, while the rocky layer he traversed came to within a few meters of the ground.

Soil began to mix with the rock, and the layer of sand and gravel thinned to almost nothing. Occasionally, plant roots appeared, weaving through the soil. Luo Wen sensed that he might soon leave the desert.

When the rock layer was only a meter below the surface, the sand and gravel vanished entirely, leaving just soil. Plant roots grew thicker and more numerous here, indicating an abundance of vegetation above. Yet, he found no sign of white insects.

Unable to resist, Luo Wen finally tunneled out of the soil to the surface for a look.

His large, bulbous eyes finally proved useful, capturing the surrounding landscape with startling clarity. His field of vision extended to nearly 20 meters, seemingly having strengthened unnoticed.

Clusters of unknown shrubs dotted the land, interspersed with windblown sand, now reduced to a minor component.

Despite the vegetation, the area still felt barren. He saw no trace of insects or animals.

It was daytime. The scorching sun beat down on Luo Wen, but instead of the searing pain he’d felt before, he found the warmth rather pleasant. His fire resistance had clearly improved.

Cautiously, he crept to the nearest shrub. Its thick yellow-white trunk twisted upward, sprouting numerous slender branches adorned with countless tiny green leaves.

It looked delicious.

The black moss from underground had long disappeared, likely needing the deep subterranean environment to grow.

Luo Wen had spent two days surviving on water alone before coming across scattered tree roots. The juice extracted from these roots barely sustained him, with just enough surplus to scrape by.

Sticking to his plan, Luo Wen continued following the underground river. After all, seeking alternatives in such an environment carried significant risks.

Gradually, the roots became more abundant, until they were omnipresent. Luo Wen no longer had to worry about food, but a new problem arose.