Chapter 164: Two Choices
"What I have accomplished is merely the restoration of his physical vessel." Joric's voice was steady, betraying not a trace of emotional fluctuation. "Using the biological technologies at my disposal, rebooting the basic physiological functions of his brain presents no technical obstacles.
"Going a step further, by imprinting backup memory data onto his neural network and applying specific external stimulus sequences, it is theoretically entirely possible to induce a brand-new, complex consciousness activity."
His gaze swept over the stable vital sign curves as he continued to state facts with an objective tone so calm it bordered on cruel. "Theoretically speaking, a 'new consciousness' bearing the vast majority of Bartmoss's memory backups and possessing a similar behavioral model and cognitive structure could absolutely be activated within this shell, believing itself to be Bartmoss."
He paused slightly, as if allowing the other party time to digest this startling fact, before pivoting clearly to the core of the issue. "However, examining this from the fundamental philosophical perspective of consciousness continuity—especially referencing the paradoxes revealed by 'Soulkiller' technology regarding consciousness digitization—this artificially induced, newborn mind has a high probability of not being considered a 'resurrection' of Bartmoss himself."
His avatar seemed to make an extremely subtle motion, resembling a shrug.
"It would be more akin to a precise replica based on the original blueprint, a 'successor' inheriting all his data legacy. Of course," he added finally, his tone carrying a detached indifference, "this fundamental distinction might be utterly trivial in the eyes of a pure pragmatist.
"After all, to the vast majority of external observers, they would be the same person."
Spider Murphy's projection clenched her fists abruptly, her data-formed fingertips turning slightly white.
"No!" Her voice carried suppressed anger and pain. "You can't do that! Rache is dead! He should rest in peace! Not... not be desecrated like this!
"Turning his body into a... a container for a stranger's consciousness! That isn't resurrection; that is the greatest insult to his existence!"
She couldn't accept this possibility—letting a stranger's consciousness wear Rache's face, use Rache's brain. This terrified and angered her more than letting his body turn completely to dust.
However, her emotional outburst was, to Joric, merely another external variable to be recorded.
Even though he was currently using a more humanized avatar, his core remained that of the Mechanicus Explorator who adhered to efficiency and logic.
Individual emotional appeals held extremely low weight in the face of the grand pursuit of knowledge and resource optimization.
"Your objection has been recorded." Joric's voice held no ripples, as if what he just heard was merely irrelevant background noise. "Now, based on the current situation, I offer you two choices."
He raised one finger, representing the first option. "Option One: Become my subordinate unit. In exchange for your loyalty, I will employ my resources and technology to conduct a deeper investigation into Bartmoss's final state, confirming with near-absolute certainty whether he has truly, thoroughly perished.
"If death is confirmed, then the disposal rights of this restored body will be transferred to you.
"You may choose to lay him to rest according to your wishes, or attempt 'resurrection' as you understand it.
"Whatever your choice, I will respect it and intervene no further.
"Because by then, the basic research value of this body will have been largely exhausted for me, and genetic samples backed up.
"If necessary, I can manufacture multiple clones. Adjusting their appearance and basic parameters is no difficult task for me."
His words were calm but revealed a suffocating, powerful control.
To him, the remains of the legendary netrunner were just a piece of research material that could be copied and replaced.
Then, he raised a second finger. The surrounding data-space seemed to stagnate and become more oppressive.
"Option Two: Refuse my proposal. This means you will be reclassified as a 'Non-Friendly Contact.' At that point, I will no longer maintain the current posture of communication and basic etiquette.
"Your outcome will be very clear—you will become my research sample. Your consciousness structure, data composition, and survival mode as a rogue AI will be thoroughly parsed. As for Bartmoss's body," his gaze swept over the life indicators on the adjacent light screen, "I will make full use of it. A 'resurrected' entity bearing the name of the legendary netrunner—whether as a 'banner' in some sense, a special computational tool, or even a heavy bomb dropped into this world—can generate significant utility value.
"This holds positive experimental significance for observing the world's reaction and testing system stability."
Two choices, clearly laid out before Spider Murphy.
On one side, submission, in exchange for the possible "freedom" of Rache's remains and a slim hope of investigation. On the other, resistance, facing an almost certainly doomed fate, and watching helplessly as Rache's shell is transformed into the form she least wants to see.
Spider Murphy's projection stood frozen, her long red data-hair hanging listlessly.
A massive contradiction tore at her core logic.
Pledge loyalty to this mysterious and terrifying existence?
That meant losing freedom, a future unpredictable.
But refuse? She had no doubt the opponent had the ability to do everything he said.
She had witnessed the terror of that firewall and could sense the bottomless technological abyss behind this "young man."
Could this part of her consciousness, or even her main body beyond the Blackwall, truly escape?
And Rache... how could she watch his body be used like that? That would be more painful than destruction.
Just as she fell into extreme conflict, her core logic threads almost overloading from the clash of emotion and reason, a deeper chill struck suddenly.
She abruptly realized that the surrounding, originally calm data-space was undergoing a subtle change.
Not an attack, but... infiltration.
Countless data streams, subtle almost beyond perception, like living tendrils, were quietly spreading and closing in on her from all directions.
They carried no obvious malice, more like absolute control and containment.
What terrified her even more was that this feeling of being watched and surrounded wasn't limited to the partial consciousness projection she was currently in.
A terrifying perception transcending physical distance was faintly piercing the barrier of the Blackwall. Like an invisible giant net, it was descending upon her core main body in the chaotic data ocean outside the Wall!
He wasn't just threatening the part of her consciousness and data here.
He was explicitly displaying power—he had the ability to lock onto and threaten her fundamental existence! And he was doing it right now!
There was no doubt. As soon as she chose to refuse, the opponent would not hesitate to attack and capture her, turning her into a research sample.
Inside the data-space, dead silence reigned.
Only that invisible encirclement contracted slowly and firmly.
Joric's avatar continued to look at her calmly, awaiting her final decision.
Become a valuable accessory in exchange for a chance to bring closure to the past?
Or become a dismantled and analyzed sample, witnessing the body of her former love thrown into the currents of fate to stir up unknown waves?
Spider Murphy stood at the crossroads of fate. Every choice led to a starkly different, yet equally heavy future.
(End of Chapter)