Chapter 296: Impact
Although these intelligent mines were equipped with a friend-or-foe identification system, this system only prevented them from activating their tracking mechanisms when friendly units passed nearby. However, if a friendly ship blindly collided with a mine, the mine would unlikely tolerate the intrusion.
Thus, corridors were deliberately left between minefields to allow friendly units to traverse quickly.
“What are those things?” Sarah asked, her eyes fixed on the image before her.
The Riken’s assumption that the Swarm lacked advanced optical observation technology was purely self-assured delusion.
When radar technology lagged, the Swarm had focused heavily on developing optical observation systems linked to visual perception. The earliest observation organs inside Swarm meteors relied entirely on this system.
The Giant-Eye Bugs once stationed at the Red Moon Base could observe scenes light-years away and perform close-range scans of areas spanning tens of thousands of kilometers. With several rounds of updates since then, the Swarm’s capabilities in this field had grown even more advanced. Primordial bodies of significant size were retrofitted with upgraded detection organs as standard.
Consequently, the Riken’s stealth coatings were virtually useless against the Swarm. The moment these small objects were deployed across space, they were instantly detected.
“Your Majesty, according to the intelligence provided by nearby Intelligent Entities, these are automated, self-destructing devices capable of seeking targets,” Tella reported after accessing the Swarm Network for more information. She also relayed the Riken’s speculations about Swarm technology.
“…” Sarah silently processed this information. These devices functioned similarly to a type of Swarm bug from the past. If left unnoticed, they might cause minor trouble, but now that they were identified, their threat was minimal.