I Am The Swarm

On the other end of the front line, the Sangqie Race, which had been intercepted by the Swarm, chose a vastly different strategy from the Yuntu after being encircled. Instead of attempting to break through the Swarm’s encirclement, they opted for a defensive stance, waiting for reinforcements. After all, in their direction, there were four allied forces coming to their aid, compared to only three for the Yuntu.

However, regardless of which side, the first wave of reinforcements would take about a year to arrive. During that year, the Swarm’s reinforcements continued to pour in relentlessly.

The Swarm’s forces, now doubled in size, continuously tightened the encirclement, squeezing the Sangqie’s room to maneuver. Finally, the appearance of Desolation-Class Motherships became the last straw that broke their resolve.

Compared to the Yuntu, the Sangqie commander was more indecisive. He failed to make timely and correct decisions, allowing the situation to deteriorate further.

Primordial Bodies breached the fleet, wreaking havoc. Mature and larval bodies roamed between the ships, taking advantage of open hatches to infiltrate the vessels, teaching the Sangqie the meaning of “invincible in close quarters.”

As more and more Primordial Bodies closed in, a chain reaction ensued. The defensive systems collapsed, and large swarms of Swarm units surged forward.

A wave of destruction followed…

By the end, the Sangqie ships, compressed toward the center, even caused large-scale collisions. Without the Swarm’s intervention, they had already suffered significant losses.

By the time the Interstellar Technological Confederation’s reinforcements arrived, the Sangqie’s once-mighty fleet of 60 million ships had been reduced to less than 10 million, struggling to survive.

This remnant force was immediately placed under strict confinement and surveillance. After a series of measures, they were sent away for inspection. Without their own people to support them on the front lines, their treatment was far worse than that of the Yuntu in similar circumstances.

Meanwhile, the Swarm forces from both directions, along with some supporting units along the way, recalled a total of around 800 million Primordial Bodies.

These Primordial Bodies, after spending some time at stellar orbital bases, would see their combat effectiveness increase severalfold. If the Swarm forces that had intercepted the Yuntu and Sangqie had been composed of the new-generation Primordial Bodies, the battle would have been over much sooner, without the need for such a prolonged conflict.

The simplest comparison: the original main cannons could only destroy a little over a thousand ships in a single volley. The new dark energy main cannons, in the same situation, could easily destroy tens of thousands of ships in a single salvo. Long-range attacks would once again surpass close combat as the Swarm’s primary method of assault.

However, for a period of time, the Swarm would be in a vulnerable state. Since the crucial dark energy furnaces evolved from the original atomic furnaces, during this transition, not only would the dark energy furnaces be non-functional due to incomplete development, but the atomic furnaces would also be unusable due to structural damage.

If the Confederation forces attacked during this period, the Swarm’s available combat units would likely be only 20% of their peak strength. Fortunately, thanks to the Swarm’s feints and the subtle guidance of their agents within the Confederation, the enemy chose a cautious approach, wasting this golden opportunity.

By the 64th year of the New Era, the Ketuo, Tia, and several other mid-tier civilizations had been stationed in the void for nearly a year.

During this time, they had waited for the remaining reinforcements. A total of seven mid-tier civilizations had gathered their forces at two rally points, amassing a combined force of nearly 400 million ships.

With 400 million advanced warships, based on previous Swarm combat unit parameters, they could easily contend with 2 billion Swarm units. Even if divided into two groups, they could still hold their own against 1.5 billion Swarm units.

During this waiting period, the Interstellar Technological Confederation deployed a large number of reconnaissance ships and instruments to the battlefield. Not only did they replenish the areas previously cleared by the Swarm, but they also significantly enhanced their surveillance capabilities.

With the help of these ships and instruments, the Confederation confidently assured that warp travel channels had been restored to normal and that there would be no repeat of the previous ambush by the Swarm. Even if they encountered minor Swarm harassment, it would be detected immediately, and warnings would be issued.

Moreover, based on their observations, the recalled Swarm forces had not delayed on their way back but had directly returned to the star systems within Swarm-controlled territory. The sudden retreat had not been part of any scheme. According to the observed data, those forces appeared to have run out of energy and had to return to the star systems to replenish.

Therefore, the Confederation ordered the seven civilizations to continue advancing into Swarm territory in two separate groups, with the assurance that additional reinforcements would follow.

However, the seven civilizations on the front lines had their own concerns. If the Swarm could set up such traps in the middle of the battlefield, who knew what kind of defenses they had prepared in their own territory?

Thus, they requested to combine their forces, concentrating their superior numbers to first capture a forward position and then gradually expand their control.

This request was quickly denied. The two rally points were located at opposite ends of the front line, separated by nearly 40 light-years. Even with warp travel, it would take nearly a decade to combine their forces. And if the Swarm interfered during the journey, the process could take over 15 years.

Given that the closest point between Confederation territory and Swarm territory was less than five light-years apart, and the seven civilizations’ staging areas were less than three light-years from their nearest bases, it was clear that merging their forces was not a viable option.

The seven civilizations had anticipated the Confederation’s refusal. Faced with mounting pressure, their home governments soon caved and sent orders to commence the offensive.

Energy systems began operating at high capacity, propulsion engines warmed up, and the streams of particles they emitted grew thicker and longer. While they couldn’t defy orders, they could use appropriate methods to mitigate risks.

Due to concerns about warp traps, the seven civilizations decided to use sublight engines to travel to Swarm territory. This extended the journey from a few months to over four years, but it allowed the fleet to maintain formation and respond more flexibly to any unexpected events.

The Interstellar Technological Confederation raised some verbal objections to this decision but did not press the issue further. The war against the Swarm was bound to be a protracted conflict, and a delay of a few years wouldn’t make much difference. Moreover, this approach would allow subsequent reinforcements to link up more seamlessly, preventing any disconnection in the war effort.

As for whether these decisions were influenced by the Swarm’s agents within the Confederation, only the Swarm knew for sure.