Chapter 758: Erosion
"Observation satellites in position. Commencing full-spectrum scan," the Navigation Priest reported.
The main screen switched to a composite image transmitted by the three observation satellites.
The panoramic view of Mar Sara showed the virus cloud spreading outward from the deployment point, forming an ever-expanding, gray-green fan-shaped zone.
Satellite sensors began monitoring changes in atmospheric composition, surface bio-signal intensity, and any anomalous energy fluctuations.
"Viral diffusion rate aligns with projections," a Tech-Priest analyzed the data. "Current coverage area is approximately 450,000 square kilometers. Primary diffusion is eastward along the westerlies. Estimated to cover the entire temperate zone of the eastern hemisphere in eleven hours."
Ryo's optical lenses stared intently at the screen. The test had begun. Next was the time for observation and recording.
During the first hour after viral deployment, no visually significant changes occurred on Mar Sara's surface.
The three observation satellites continuously transmitted data streams.
Atmospheric composition analysis indicated that the concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and several complex hydrocarbon gases within the virus cloud zone were slowly rising, but the increment was still within the range of natural fluctuation.
Surface bio-signals—primarily from the Swarm's creep and units—remained active, showing no large-scale attenuation.
"The virus is in the initial replication and diffusion phase," the Tech-Priest from the biological research group analyzed. "The design characteristic of the 'Reaper-7' variant is high concealment. Initial infection symptoms are indiscernible to prevent premature detection by the host's immune system or external intervention. Only once it reaches a critical mass within the host will it erupt suddenly, completing the decomposition process in an extremely short timeframe."
Ryo received the information calmly.
This aligned with weapon design logic: a highly efficient biological extermination is best achieved when irreversible infection occurs before the target even realizes the threat.
By the second hour, changes began to manifest.
The westerlies had pushed the virus cloud eastward by approximately 700 kilometers.
Subtle anomalies appeared in the Swarm activity data within the covered zone.
The expansion rate at the edges of several creep clusters decreased by twelve percent. The movement trajectories of some Drone units became erratic, and their efficiency dropped.
The bio-signal intensity curve showed minor but persistent fluctuations.
"The virus has begun infecting Swarm biomass," the Tech-Priest brought up high-resolution imagery. "Sporadic, irregular faded spots have appeared on the creep surface; these are early signs of cellular structural dissolution."
"The metabolic rate of infected Drone units has risen abnormally, yet resource transport efficiency has decreased, indicating their internal biochemical processes are being disrupted."
In the third hour, the infection effect accelerated.
The virus cloud's coverage expanded to one million square kilometers.
Approximately one-quarter of the Swarm-controlled zones in the eastern hemisphere's temperate region had been exposed to the viral environment.
Footage transmitted by the observation satellites showed that the faded spots on the creep were beginning to connect, forming patches of gray-white necrotic zones.
In some areas, slight, blister-like protrusions even appeared on the creep surface—an early manifestation of gases generated by internal organic decomposition.
Anomalies in Swarm units became more pronounced.
Not just Drones, but Zerglings and Hydralisks also began exhibiting symptoms: movement speed slowed, aggressiveness decreased, and some units wandered aimlessly or remained entirely stationary.
Bio-signal intensity began to experience regional declines.
"The virus's transmission efficiency through the Swarm network is higher than anticipated," the Tech-Priest reported. "The connections between Swarm units via pheromones, bio-electric signals, and their probable collective consciousness are paradoxically accelerating viral diffusion. The infection appears capable of secondary transmission through the Swarm's internal network."
Ryo noted this observation.
The collective nature of the Swarm endowed them with tremendous coordination capabilities, but it could also become a fatal weakness—once a threat could propagate through this connection, the entire network could rapidly fall.
By the sixth hour, the virus had spread across the entire eastern hemisphere.
Infection symptoms erupted entirely.
Vast expanses of creep completely lost vitality, transitioning from a resilient purple biomass into dry, gray-white, brittle necrotic layers.
The necrotic zones expanded at a visible rate, like a wildfire burning massive gray-white holes into the purple carpet.
Swarm units began collapsing en masse.
The carapaces of infected Zerglings and Hydralisks lost their luster, viscous decomposition fluids oozed from their joints, and their mobility plummeted sharply until they were completely paralyzed.
Many units simply collapsed onto the creep, their bodies softening and liquefying at a staggering speed, ultimately dissolving into pools of yellow-green sludge that released pungent gases.
The deaths of the Drones were even more productive—driven by instinct, they returned to the nearest Hatchery or resource node before dying, carrying the virus directly into the core of the Swarm's infrastructure.
"Massive biomass decomposition signals detected." The Tech-Priest's voice carried a trace of data-induced excitement. "Within the infected zones, the conversion rate of organic carbon into short-chain alkane gases has increased by three orders of magnitude."
"Methane, ethane, and propane concentrations in the atmosphere are surging."
"Simultaneously, massive accumulations of biomass sludge have appeared on the surface. The primary components are decomposed proteins, lipid residues, and inorganic salts."
On the satellite imagery, the once-purple Swarm-controlled zones were being replaced by two new colors: expansive gray-white necrotic areas dotted with pools of yellow-green sludge.
The Swarm's activity signals dissipated rapidly like a receding tide.
By the twelfth hour, the virus crossed the equator and began invading the western hemisphere.
The Swarm in the eastern hemisphere had essentially lost all organization.
Sixty-five percent of the creep was necrotic, and seventy-eight percent of Swarm units had lost their life signs.
The remaining Swarm units were sparsely distributed in areas not yet fully infected, but they appeared to have descended into chaos. Some attempted to attack their decomposing kin, some wandered aimlessly, while others gathered around uninfected Hatcheries as if seeking sanctuary.
The Swarm was not without reaction.
In the uninfected regions of the western hemisphere, some adaptive changes were observed: the creep secreted more slime, seemingly attempting to block viral adhesion.
Some Swarm units began actively avoiding infected zones. A small number of Hydralisks were even observed spraying acidic spores into the air, likely a primitive, ineffective attempt at countermeasures.
But the virus's transmission speed far outpaced any potential Swarm evolution or adaptation.
The Swarm's collective will might be able to direct billions of units in coordinated combat, but faced with this micro-scale biochemical threat replicating at an exponential rate, their response appeared sluggish and inefficient.
"The Swarm lacks effective defense mechanisms against micro-scale biological threats," Ryo analyzed. "Their evolution focuses on physical confrontation and environmental adaptation, but they have no ready-made solutions against a virus that directly attacks their biochemical foundation. The collective will might attempt to reallocate resources or alter physiological structures, but that requires time—and the virus does not grant time."
By the eighteenth hour, large-scale infection symptoms began appearing in the western hemisphere.
The diffusion of the virus cloud was slightly slower than in the eastern hemisphere due to atmospheric circulation patterns, but once it arrived, the effects were equally lethal.
The purple creep rapidly turned gray-white, as if splashed with a potent bleach. Swarm units collapsed in swaths, dissolving into sludge and gas.
The global atmospheric composition had undergone a significant alteration.
Methane concentrations had risen to 3,800 times normal levels, and heavier hydrocarbon gases like ethane and propane were also rapidly accumulating.
Satellite atmospheric transmittance scans showed that the global atmosphere's absorption capability in specific infrared bands had sharply increased—a clear signal of combustible gas accumulation.