I Am The Swarm

“Everyone, fall back! Retreat into the fortifications!” Realizing the terrifying power of the orange spheres, the commander quickly issued the order.

Retreating into the fortifications was not a good idea. If there had been any other option, the commander would never have given such an order. While the fortifications offered stronger protection, their heavy defenses also meant poor visibility inside. Moreover, there weren’t enough firing positions for everyone to engage the enemy.

Most importantly, retreating into the fortifications meant cutting off all other escape routes. They would have no choice but to hold their ground to the death.

But the Swarm’s numbers were incalculable, and their abilities were bizarre. There was no hope of victory. This move was merely delaying the inevitable.

However, they had already missed the best opportunity to retreat. Without air superiority, any attempt to withdraw would leave them exposed to the relentless fire of those cursed flying bugs. Once their protective suits were breached, it would be the end.

From this perspective, both options led to death. But retreating into the fortifications might buy them a little more time.

“Request reinforcements! Send them the footage of these flying bugs. Tell them we won’t last long. If they want to keep this sentry post, they need to send help immediately!”

Under the cover of flamethrowers, the Moto soldiers began to retreat into the fortifications one by one. Although flamethrowers had limited range, they were excellent defensive weapons, dealing massive damage to the Swarm’s cannon fodder units and effectively preventing the Raiders from taking advantage of the chaos.

But accidents always happen when least expected. One Moto soldier was firing while retreating backward. Unbeknownst to him, while the sentry post hadn’t been built with subpar materials, it was still constructed with ordinary materials. If even the special alloy used in their weapons couldn’t withstand the Swarm’s toxins, how could these ordinary building materials hold up?

The flamethrower operator’s fuel tank was shattered, and he collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, the flamethrower used separate containers for fuel and oxidizer, so even though the tank was breached, there was no explosion. However, the Moto soldier who had accidentally shot his comrade didn’t get back up.

“Watch your step!” The commander, who had been observing from a distance, noticed the accident. Though furious, he had no time to deal with the soldier’s mistake.

With the flamethrower operator down, the Raiders quickly surged forward. The soldier who had accidentally shot his comrade cursed loudly, then scrambled to his feet and ran over to the fallen flamethrower operator.

The flamethrower operator was lying face down. The soldier removed the damaged fuel tank, revealing that the operator’s back was soaked with an unknown liquid. Several wounds from the energy beams had been burned black, looking gruesome and emitting a smell of charred flesh.

“Hey! Are you okay? Wake up!” Though he already suspected the worst, the soldier shook his comrade, hoping for a response. But no matter how much he called, there was no movement.

At that moment, a Raider seized the opportunity and leaped onto the soldier’s back, raising its limb to stab at the back of his head. At the last second, the soldier tilted his head, dodging the strike. The limb pierced through his protective suit, leaving a gash on his ear.

But at this moment, his overwhelming guilt and rage caused his adrenaline to surge. His gums swelled with blood, and his ears rang, drowning out all sound. Even the pain seemed distant.

With his left hand, he suddenly reached back and grabbed one of the Raider’s limbs, trying to pull it off. But the Raider’s other limbs were firmly embedded in his back, having pierced through the protective suit and into his flesh. Blood seeped out from between the limbs and his skin.

Yet he felt no pain. With a roar, he reached back with his right hand as well, gripping the Raider with both hands and yanking with all his might. The Raider, being a stripped-down cannon fodder unit, wasn’t built to withstand such force. It was torn free and slammed into the ground.

Splat!

The Raider was smashed to pieces, its fluids splattering everywhere. It was dead beyond doubt.

But the soldier didn’t escape unscathed. The Raider’s limbs had already pierced his muscles, and their hooked claws had latched onto the flesh from the inside. When he ripped the Raider off, chunks of his own flesh were torn away with it.

Even with his pain receptors dulled by adrenaline, the soldier couldn’t help but twitch at the agony.

However, Raiders never fought alone. The whole point of cannon fodder was their numbers. As soon as the soldier finished venting his rage, more Raiders were already pouncing on him. ŕάΝŏꞖĚš

His earlier misstep had sprained his ankle, and even though he couldn’t feel the pain, walking was difficult. He glanced back at the entrance to the fortifications, where his comrades were waving at him. His communicator seemed to be buzzing with voices, but the ringing in his ears made it impossible to hear what was being said.

He turned back to the oncoming Raiders, as if making a decision. He bent down, picked up the damaged fuel tank, and cradled it in his arms. Then he pulled two grenades from his belt.

With a fierce bite, he yanked out the pins. His bloodshot eyes widened as he roared, “Die, you damn bugs!” Then he lunged forward, charging straight into the Swarm.

Boom! Boom!

Two explosions rang out almost simultaneously. Although the fuel tank had been designed with isolation measures, the two high-explosive grenades were enough to ignite it. Flames spread across the ground, blocking the Raiders once more.

The commander watched from a distance, sighing with mixed emotions. A hundred different feelings swirled in his heart.@@novelbin@@

The other soldiers, now careful of their footing, avoided further accidents. Except for a few who were too slow and were overwhelmed by the Swarm, the rest successfully retreated into the fortifications.

For now, the cannon fodder bugs were powerless against the thick, sturdy fortifications. Any attempts to breach through the observation ports or firing slits were repelled by the Moto.

The situation had reached a stalemate.

The interior of the fortifications was spacious, and even with all the soldiers inside, it didn’t feel crowded. Large lights on the ceiling illuminated every corner. The Moto soldiers, demonstrating their professionalism, quickly took up positions at the observation and firing ports, sniping at the approaching Swarm.

The remaining soldiers lay on the ground to rest. No one spoke, and the only sound in the quiet space was the sizzling of corrosion.

White smoke began to rise, and before long, the interior was filled with a hazy fog.