I Am The Swarm

The convoy of transport vehicles had stopped about 200 meters from the Burrowing Worm. While the distance wasn’t great, the chaotic screams and commotion from earlier had drowned out the shouted communication attempts, leaving the transport teams clueless about the situation.

“Squad leader Kuo Ben, what’s the situation up ahead?” one of the leaders from the convoy shouted, his voice tinged with urgency.

“Stop wasting time! Move faster!” Kuo Ben barked, completely ignoring the convoy leader’s question and urging his own soldiers to pick up the pace.

Meanwhile, the convoy finally managed to calm their panicked companions, leaving them with time to focus on what the combat team was doing. However, being ignored left them uneasy.

Several Daqi cautiously approached, intending to discuss a plan with the combat team. Being trapped in the tunnel wasn’t a sustainable option, especially with the Swarm potentially closing in from behind. They needed a way out—and fast.

As they moved closer, the combat team became visibly wary. Two soldiers stepped forward, blocking their approach.

“Squad leader Kuo Ben, what’s the meaning of this?” one of the convoy leaders asked, confused by the cold reception.

“There’s danger up ahead. We’re setting up explosives to try and blast through. Stay back,” Kuo Ben replied curtly, his weapon raised slightly, its barrel subtly pointed in their direction.

A Daqi engineer craned his neck to get a better look at the combat team’s actions. They appeared to be rummaging through the gear of another group’s wounded soldiers. Some were aimlessly moving about, while others were attempting to crawl under the Burrowing Worm. On the surface, it looked as though they were doing as Kuo Ben claimed.

Still, wanting to contribute in some way, one of the convoy members offered, “If that’s the case, we can carry the wounded back to the convoy. We have medics who can take care of them.”

The suggestion was well-meaning, driven by a desire to alleviate the combat team’s burden. After all, the wounded lying around could only hinder their operations. In such a critical situation, working together was paramount.

However, before they could take action, Kuo Ben abruptly stopped them. “No need,” he said coldly. “They’re as good as gone. Don’t waste your time. Just back off and clear a path for our vehicles when we’re ready to move.”

The convoy representatives were stunned. In their minds, they had simply been offering to help. Why would Kuo Ben refuse such an obviously beneficial suggestion? Moreover, his words left a bitter taste in their mouths—what did he mean by “as good as gone” and “don’t waste your time”?

A younger Daqi, his temper flaring, stepped forward and snapped, “Squad leader Kuo Ben, you’re not a medic! What gives you the right to make such a call? They’re our kin, and I won’t allow you to abandon them so callously!”

The atmosphere grew tense, the air heavy with an unspoken chill, as the young Daqi’s outburst hung in the air. Squad leader Kuo Ben’s cold gaze locked on him, and his companions couldn’t help but inwardly curse his bluntness. While the young Daqi had spoken the truth, voicing it so plainly in such dire circumstances was akin to a slap in the face.@@novelbin@@

In times of peace, such an exchange would have been manageable. But in their current situation—isolated, abandoned, and left to fend for themselves—who could say whether past rules and norms still held any meaning?

As the standoff dragged on, one Daqi soldier on the sidelines began noticing something odd. Out of curiosity, he had been observing the team supposedly placing explosives beneath the Burrowing Worm. However, despite the time that had passed, none of the soldiers had emerged. In fact, two more had gone in after them.

The soldier, a low-ranking vehicle mechanic with little knowledge of explosives, couldn’t help but feel suspicious. If the explosives needed to be concentrated for maximum effect, why couldn’t the soldiers outside simply pass them in? Why were so many entering, and what sort of space could accommodate them all?

Driven by his unease, he stepped back slightly, trying to find a better angle to see what was happening.

Suddenly, his voice broke through the tense silence: “There’s a passage over there! They’re trying to escape to the other side!”

Both sides of the standoff turned toward the voice, their attention snapping to the soldier pointing toward a narrow gap beneath the Burrowing Worm. His expression was a mix of shock and realization.

“You…” Several other Daqi quickly pieced together the truth. The combat team wasn’t setting explosives—they were using the gap to sneak through to the other side. The realization spread like wildfire, and the reason for their actions became clear.

“Shut up and come with us!” Kuo Ben hissed, his gun subtly shifting toward the soldier but never firing. It wasn’t compassion that stayed his hand—it was practicality. Shooting now would alert the convoy nearby, and the last thing they needed was more attention. Bringing a few extras wouldn’t make much difference.

The accusing Daqi hesitated, torn between their anger and their survival instincts. Before they could decide, the commotion had already drawn the attention of the convoy.

From their vantage point, the convoy had been watching this side closely, and the apparent dispute had not gone unnoticed. More Daqi began approaching, curious about the unfolding situation.

“Damn it!” Kuo Ben cursed under his breath, spinning on his heels and rushing toward the gap. His soldiers quickly followed, abandoning any pretense.

The tension boiled over as the convoy, now realizing what was happening, caught sight of the gap beneath the Burrowing Worm. Shouts of alarm and determination rippled through their ranks. Engines roared to life as the transport vehicles began surging toward the narrow opening, desperate to escape. RÅŊÓＢĚṣ

But at that moment, the unexpected happened.

The Burrowing Worm, which had seemed passive and uninterested so far, suddenly sprang to life. Its orders were clear: block the Daqi at all costs. While it had tolerated a few sneaking through, the sight of the entire convoy attempting to escape pushed it into action. It couldn’t allow such an open breach—it had its pride as a servant of the Swarm to uphold.

The Burrowing Worm tensed its massive body, then abruptly withdrew into the tunnel wall, clearing the path. For a brief, fleeting moment, the Daqi thought their escape had succeeded. But before they could celebrate, the worm struck again.

With a thunderous crash, the Burrowing Worm lunged forward like a massive pile driver, smashing into the tunnel with explosive force. A group of Daqi soldiers directly in its path was slammed against the metal walls, their bodies reduced to a blood-soaked mural. Kuo Ben himself was caught in the carnage, adding his own red streaks to the grotesque scene.

“Ahhh!!” Screams of terror and pain echoed through the tunnel as the Daqi scattered in panic, retreating to avoid the worm’s range.

From the other side of the tunnel, the combat team that had already passed through the gap heard the chaos. Seeing the situation deteriorate, they made the logical choice: retreat. Engines roared as their vehicles sped away, leaving the remaining Daqi behind.

Despair washed over those left behind. One enraged soldier who had failed to crawl through the gap leapt onto an assault vehicle, manning the heavy machine gun. With gritted teeth, he unleashed a barrage of fire on the Burrowing Worm, targeting its now-exposed face.

The worm’s mouth opened wide, its head retracting slightly. What had once been a face vanished, leaving only a massive, gaping maw. The energy rounds hit their mark, but the damage was minimal, serving only to enrage the creature further.

With a deafening roar, the Burrowing Worm lunged forward again, its massive body smashing into the vehicle. In one colossal strike, the assault vehicle, its occupants, and a large chunk of the tunnel floor were obliterated.

As the dust settled, the worm slowly retracted, leaving behind a gaping void where the vehicle had once been.