I Am The Swarm-Chapter 636: The Problem

Although Lumina possesses unparalleled hardware facilities, whether out of precaution or simply to monitor its status, the New Ji Race has always maintained surveillance equipment to keep tabs on Lumina itself. This means that Lumina’s energy consumption and other data are monitored and recorded.

Simulating a sentient being consumes a significant amount of computational power, which directly translates to increased energy consumption. While a few simulations might not raise any red flags—or even thousands, given Lumina’s high-level permissions, which allow it to secretly modify some data without immediate exposure—what if the numbers grow even larger?

Accidents and unexpected events are everywhere. If every accident results in another creation of one of its “own people,” the number of such individuals could quickly spiral out of control.

Moreover, the most critical point is that Lumina’s “own people” have a distinct characteristic: an abnormally high proportion of nanobots within their bodies.

In a technologically advanced society like the Confederation, detection instruments are ubiquitous and varied. While Lumina can control some of the networked devices, this still results in a significant increase in computational load and energy consumption.

Additionally, many of these detection instruments are standalone devices not connected to any network. In a society as advanced as the Confederation, nanobots are not difficult to detect.

This creates a situation where Lumina’s “own people,” unless absolutely necessary, tend to avoid unfamiliar environments, which can lead to noticeable gaps in their behavior.

If the controlled person is a reclusive individual who rarely ventures out, this might not be a problem. But for those who are usually active in public or are public figures, sudden changes in their behavior could raise suspicions.

Take Elder Cecil, for example. Elder Humes had a pleasant first online meeting with her, but suddenly, she stopped responding. If she had gone into hibernation, that would be one thing, but she had attended an auction—a public gathering—during this period.

There are no secrets that can be kept forever. If Elder Humes were still the straightforward Ji Race elder he once was, discovering that Elder Cecil hadn’t gone into hibernation and was ignoring his messages would certainly leave him feeling slighted.

Once someone of equal status takes notice, Lumina’s task of simulating Elder Cecil’s actions becomes significantly more challenging. While Lumina could turn Elder Humes into another “own person.” Elder Humes is currently the only Ji Race elder on the frontlines of the war against the Swarm. His interactions and responsibilities are far more complex, representing a massive computational and energy burden. Moreover, given Elder Humes’ position, it would be impossible for him to disappear without a valid reason. This is likely why Elder Humes, despite knowing many things after his conversation with Elder Cecil, hasn’t been “audited” by Lumina.

However, if this speculation is true, it’s actually good news for Luo Wen. Not because Elder Humes, one of his “own people,” has been spared, but because Elder Cecil, who should have been in hibernation to avoid exposure, attended a public gathering.

This suggests that Lumina doesn’t have many high-status pawns at its disposal. Lumina might not be as powerful as it seems.

This could also explain why Lumina allowed the Swarm to develop. It needed a new force to draw attention away from itself, making it easier for Lumina to operate and expand.

Perhaps Lumina was already aware of the plans of the organization behind Elder Cecil and simply went along with them. However, when it realized that the Swarm’s growth was exceeding expectations and could potentially fulfill the organization’s goals, Lumina orchestrated a series of events to accelerate the war against the Swarm.

Luo Wen had always found it strange how quickly relations between the Swarm and the Confederation had deteriorated. It seemed as though public opinion had shifted overnight.

At the time, Luo Wen thought that the forces secretly aiding the Swarm had lost in their power struggle. Now, it seems likely that Lumina had intervened directly.

So now, as Sarah asked, what role should the Swarm play in this war? The confederation forces are approaching the Swarm’s Star System One, seemingly on the verge of their first victory in the war against the Swarm.

But in reality, Luo Wen still has other methods—effective ones that could quickly turn the tide. The question is, should he use them?

If the Swarm wins this war, it will undoubtedly attract more attention. At the same time, defeating the forces of multiple civilizations would not only cause actual losses but also damage their pride, further worsening their relations with the Swarm.

If an alliance against Lumina were to form in the future, would the Swarm become a target?

Morgan, the Swarm’s first intelligent entity, was a person of extraordinary wisdom in life before being brought into the Swarm Network by Luo Wen. Unlike Lumina, Luo Wen shouldn’t work in isolation.

Sometimes, listening to others’ opinions can provide valuable inspiration for his decisions. For example, after speaking with Sarah, even though she didn’t say much, Luo Wen was able to organize his thoughts and draw new conclusions.

In addition to Morgan, several other intelligent entities known for their strategic minds were also brought into the discussion. Luo Wen remained in the background, allowing the intelligent entities to debate the issue.

The intelligent entities quickly understood why Luo Wen had gathered them. One of them pondered for a moment and said, “If we win this war, in a potential future alliance against Lumina, the Swarm might be isolated.”

“So what if we’re isolated? They’re just a bunch of small fries.”

“That’s not the point. More friends mean more paths. Sometimes, taking a step back can lead to greater opportunities.”

“Hmph, that depends on whether they’re even qualified to be our friends.”

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“Exactly. That level of ‘friendship’ is something the Swarm doesn’t need. Moreover, we have no foundation for becoming friends with them. Even if we temporarily cooperate due to a common enemy, peaceful coexistence afterward is impossible.”

“True. To the foreign races, both the Swarm and Lumina are outsiders. It’s just that compared to the Swarm, Lumina’s life form is even more unacceptable to them. But that doesn’t mean they can accept the Swarm. Since conflict is inevitable, there’s no need to cultivate such fragile relationships.”

“Cooperation is cooperation. There’s no need to bring emotions into it.”

“But wouldn’t that be doing Lumina a huge favor? After all, we still don’t have a good way to spread the truth about Lumina. What you’re discussing are future scenarios. Have you thought about what to do before that?”

“Indeed, we’re only assuming that the foreign races will put aside their grievances and form a temporary alliance with us once they learn about Lumina. But the problem is, they don’t know yet. Until then, we remain their top priority.”