I Am The Swarm-Chapter 691: The Venue

As the date drew closer, although the Swarm and the Interstellar Technological Confederation appeared to be on friendly terms, even the most oblivious races could sense the storm brewing beneath the surface.

“Overlord, the time is almost here.”

“Are you ready, Sarah?”

“Then go. Don’t disappoint me.”

—

“How’s the situation on the Swarm’s side? Has the Swarm empress been spotted?”

“Not yet, but their recent interactions with the surface have noticeably increased. There’s a lot of back-and-forth between the surface and space every day. However, as you know, with the Swarm’s stealth technology and their newly revealed mimicry tech, we can’t do much about it. Whether the Swarm empress has arrived or not is something only they know.”

“Damn it!”

“Don’t worry. The signing is just a few days away. Everything will be revealed soon.”

“Exactly. Instead of worrying about whether the Swarm empress has arrived, I’m more concerned about ensuring our evacuation route is foolproof. I don’t want my family to only see my uniform come back.”

“Don’t worry. We have twelve evacuation plans in total. One of them will suit you. Although we only have 20 million ships here, that’s more than enough to evacuate our hundred or so people.”

“My main concern is the surface part of the journey. The ships are in outer orbit, and distant water can’t quench immediate thirst.”

“Well, I have some good news for you. After observing the Swarm units up close these past few days, we’ve discovered that their main combat units, the octopus-like creatures, regardless of size, have difficulty entering the mid-to-low atmosphere of the planet due to their structural and mass limitations. The biggest threat in our surface evacuation plan has effectively been neutralized.”

“Hah, the Swarm choosing a life-bearing planet for the signing is like weaving a cocoon around themselves.”

“Exactly. They clearly have the advantage of being able to survive directly in outer space, yet they chose a location that’s disadvantageous to them. It seems that despite their fortunate inheritance of advanced civilization, their lowly biological instincts still bind them.”

“Not necessarily. Everyone, don’t underestimate the enemy. Countless past battles have shown that those who underestimate the Swarm and think they’re stupid end up realizing they’re the fools.”

“What do you mean? I feel like there’s something behind your words!”

“Sorry, I’m just stating the facts. If I’ve offended anyone, it’s purely accidental.”

“You!…”

“Enough, stop arguing. We’re all prominent figures from our respective races. Let’s not act like children here and make fools of ourselves.”

“Who’s going to laugh at us? Everyone here knows each other, and there are no outsiders. Although we’ve prepared many evacuation plans, plans can’t always keep up with changes. There’s always a chance for unexpected events. A little banter among us is just a way to lighten the mood before the battle.”

“That’s true, but we’re all in this together now. A little teasing is fine, but let’s not take it too far.”

“Hah, who here isn’t a tough nut to crack? Even if some of us are considered expendable by our races, none of us are pushovers. You’re worrying for nothing.”

“Good. But I don’t agree with the term ‘expendable.’ I fought for this position myself. This mission is dangerous, but with risk comes reward. If we succeed, the benefits will be enormous.”

The group fell silent. Their motivations for being here weren’t as simple as the rumors suggested—that they were here to make a name for themselves or leave a mark in history. While a small fraction of them might have come for those reasons, the danger of this mission was unimaginable. This was Swarm territory, and if something happened to the Swarm empress, they would be the closest targets for retaliation.

Although the Confederation had prepared nearly 20 million Ji warships to protect them and cover their evacuation, accidents on the battlefield were unpredictable.

This was a life-and-death mission. Even if they made a name for themselves, what good would it do if they died? As for leaving a mark in history, aside from the Rashudia race’s lunatics, few races were willing to trade their lives for that.

Despite the many noble reasons given publicly, most of the people here had been forced to come. They held prominent positions in their respective races, and the Confederation needed their prominence.

Only with enough high-profile figures would the venue appear secure, and the Confederation’s sincerity in signing the agreement would seem genuine. This would lure the Swarm empress to attend, allowing the subsequent plans to proceed.

In essence, they were bait, weights on the scale, used to catch the big fish—the Swarm empress.

“Humph, foolish. This matter isn’t as simple as you think,” one of the high-ranking figures muttered. Everyone perked up, expecting some big revelation, but he simply shook his head and said, “Ah, forget it. No matter how complicated things get, it’s not our concern. Our top priority is to protect ourselves.”

The implications of his words weren’t lost on the group. Those from powerful races with special information channels remained silent, while those without such channels could sense from the reactions of the others that this signing ceremony might be more complicated than they had anticipated. Some grew worried, while others felt a sense of anticipation.

On March 15th of the 92nd year of the New Era, the fourth planet in the Swarm’s Star System One enjoyed a rare day of clear skies and bright sunshine.

On a vast grassy plain spanning thousands of miles, a peculiar structure stood out. It was silver-gray in color and had a unique design. The building had no walls, and its interior was supported by over a hundred massive pillars, each over two meters in diameter and about fifty meters tall. These pillars held up a roof made of an unknown material that resembled a flowing piece of fabric, giving the impression of a giant sunshade.

From a distance, it looked like a massive canopy, exuding simplicity and artistic flair.

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This structure was the venue for the signing ceremony. The Confederation had strongly opposed holding the signing in the underground caverns dug out by the Swarm. After much debate, the Swarm reluctantly conceded, allowing the Confederation to construct this building under Swarm supervision.

Although the building looked humble and indeed served as a sunshade, it wasn’t just a simple canopy. Its primary purpose was to block visibility and attacks from outer space.

After all, with so many high-ranking figures gathered on the surface for the signing, if some lunatic decided to fire a shot from orbit, the consequences would be catastrophic.

While the probability of such an event was extremely low, the signatories were all individuals of great importance. As long as the risk wasn’t zero, precautions were necessary. Thus, this building was born.