NOVPUB“Doesn’t the Swarm empress know the dangers involved?” the deputy asked. In truth, he knew that the Swarm empress was certainly aware of the risks.
What puzzled him was, given her supreme status within the Swarm, what could possibly compel her to make such a choice?
“Of course she knows, and it’s likely her own decision,” the superior interjected, as if anticipating his deputy’s question. “According to some intelligence, due to the Swarm’s unique societal structure, the empress’s supreme status isn’t just a title—it’s earned through her own capabilities. In such a system, no one can force her to do anything, let alone something that could endanger her life. Therefore, the Swarm’s agreement to the Confederation’s demands must have been the empress’s own decision.”
“Isn’t she afraid of death?”
The superior was about to respond but suddenly hesitated, then shook his head. “I’m not sure, but I imagine she is. After all, the higher one’s status, the more one tends to cling to life. But no matter how powerful, wealthy, or prestigious someone is, they all have their own troubles. It’s likely that the Swarm empress has her own reasons for making this choice, reasons she can’t avoid.”
“But if something happens to her, wouldn’t the damage to the Swarm be even greater? If the Confederation’s plan succeeds, they’ll definitely scrap the so-called agreement and immediately mobilize their forces to annihilate the Swarm, eliminating this major threat.”
“You’re absolutely right. That’s why this is a gamble. Perhaps the Swarm is facing some major crisis, and for the empress, losing the gamble would only mean the Swarm’s demise a few years earlier.” 𝘯𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
After a moment of thought, the superior added, “Or maybe I’m overthinking it. The reason could be simpler: the Swarm empress is fully confident in her ability to thwart the Confederation’s plans and turn this gathering into a genuine signing ceremony.”
“If that’s the case, will the Confederation honor the agreement?”
The superior shook his head. “I don’t know. The situation is very complicated. A hundred years might not mean much to any member of the Confederation, but the Swarm… we know so little about them. It’s hard to gauge their potential and limits. The chance of the Swarm reaching the Ji race’s level of development in a hundred years is slim, but it’s not zero. Faced with such an enemy, I can’t predict what the higher-ups will choose to do.”
“Doesn’t the Swarm know this?”
“They definitely do, but this is also part of the gamble. Perhaps they desperately need time. But the more urgently they act, the more it stirs up other thoughts within the Confederation.”
“But…” The deputy was about to ask more, but the superior cut him off.
“Stop overthinking it. We’re only a few days away. Let’s just wait and see how it plays out.”
“Yes, sir,” the deputy replied promptly. However, such matters aren’t so easily dismissed. Sometimes, the more you try not to think about something, the more your mind fixates on it.
Seeing his deputy’s unfocused gaze, the superior shook his head but didn’t interrupt his thoughts. Instead, he took another sip of his drink, his own eyes gradually losing focus as he sank into contemplation.
Similar conversations and exchanges were taking place across the Confederation—whether in Star System One, frontline bases, or the territories of various races. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the upcoming signing ceremony. The contents of the agreement and the fate of the captives had become secondary. What truly captured the attention of the Confederation races was how the Confederation would make its move and how the Swarm would respond.
Moreover, this time it was the Ji race taking action. Although the Ji’s artificial intelligence had appeared in previous battles, this could be considered the first true confrontation between the Ji and the Swarm.
“Everyone, pay attention! Conduct another full check of all ship systems, especially energy, propulsion, and weapons. Be thorough, and then double-check! If a fight breaks out and something goes wrong, I’ll personally deal with whoever’s responsible!” On the bridge of another unnamed warship, a giant of a man bellowed with an unusually loud voice.
The man was dark-skinned, built like an iron tower, and exceptionally burly. The crew on the bridge shared a similar physique—muscular men sitting at consoles, performing clerical work, creating a somewhat incongruous scene.
This was the Black Tower race, the origin race of Elder Sade of the Ji race, the one who resided in the Potling castle. As a powerful inner-circle civilization, they naturally had a place at such an important event.
“Captain, if a fight really breaks out, what should we do? Should we coordinate with the Ji forces?” asked a crew member, also muscular but with a slightly lighter, grayish complexion—a characteristic of Black Tower females. Judging by her position, she was likely the captain’s deputy or assistant.
“Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how many troops are on the other side? And since they agreed to the Ji’s conditions, they must have prepared something. Who knows what they’ve set up here? Come on, tell me—we only brought twenty ships. How are we supposed to coordinate with the Ji? Do you want to stay and test out the Swarm’s new trump card?” The Black Tower captain showed no mercy, his booming voice and a spray of spit raining down on his deputy.
After berating her for a while, the captain, though still not fully satisfied, couldn’t bear to look at his teary-eyed deputy. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself and continued in a softer tone, “What should we do? Besides turning tail and running, what else can we do? As for the Ji? Let them deal with it themselves.”
With that, the captain turned and saw the crew watching the spectacle. His temper flared again, and he roared, “What are you all staring at? Get back to checking the systems! I want my ship in perfect condition. If anyone slows us down when it’s time to run, I’ll deal with them first!”
Although the captain’s threats sounded serious, the crew didn’t seem too concerned, responding with a few chuckles. It seemed this kind of threatening talk was part of the captain’s daily routine, and its intimidation factor had long since worn off.
Nevertheless, the crew took their ship inspections very seriously. After all, their lives depended on it. If a fight broke out and the ship malfunctioned, even if the captain’s threats were just bluster, their fates wouldn’t be pleasant.
