Chapter 447: Return
From the moment of their birth, the Rat Folk had a clear purpose—they existed for the Swarm. Since their time as mere beasts, they had been observed and nurtured by the Swarm.
If the intelligent entities among the military, political, and commercial elite of the Riken were only 80% integrated, then for the Rat Folk, it was 100%. Thus, it could be said that the Swarm completely represented the will of the Rat Folk.
Moreover, the Rat Folk were entirely enveloped within the Swarm’s territory. These regions were not open zones, so scenarios like the Riken’s internal and external collusion could not occur.
At this point, however, the opinions of the Rat Folk no longer mattered.
The Koya Alliance exploited the Rat Folk to stir controversy. With prior experience, they skillfully crafted narratives, portraying the Rat Folk as pitiful victims. This civilization, which had initially surpassed the Ji in its development speed, had stagnated for centuries under the Swarm’s exploitation.
The Swarm once again played its old role: a ruthless and cold-hearted invader and oppressor. Thanks to the groundwork laid over twenty years ago, the Swarm’s villainous reputation was already deeply entrenched. As soon as this information was released, it immediately became a target for widespread condemnation.
The “altruists” were the first to act, leveraging massive public opinion to demand that the Ji amend the rules and make an exception to invite the Rat Folk civilization into the Confederation ahead of schedule. They also called for the Swarm to be expelled from the Genesis System and for aid to be provided to the Rat Folk to help them escape the shadow of the Swarm.
The Ji Council of Elders convened once again. Elder Humes, who had been stationed in the Riken Star System, once more sought an audience with Empress Kerrigan. Unlike before, Humes was now “one of us.” The bio-armor gifted to him by the Swarm wasn’t something that came lightly.
The last time he visited, the Swarm had secretly collected samples of his epidermis and completed the transformation during his cryogenic sleep. However, to better conceal his new identity, Humes continued to fulfill his duties as expected while secretly providing intelligence to the Swarm.