Chapter 60 – MetaCraft Cybernetics (7)
The general’s skeletal remains were buried in his chair, staring at the floor.
“A commander who has lost all troops.”
I also have led a number of troops during my active duty, and I have experienced losing subordinates who had learned their faces after eating a bowl of rice.
The emotions he felt at that time were anger, sadness, and fear.
Since they weren’t close friends, those feelings weren’t so big that they invaded my daily life, but they were more vivid than any other memory.
What if you lost close associates?
What if the loss of a subordinate is repeated and the memories of the loss pile up in your heart, like getting your clothes wet in drizzle?
Looking at the CCTV footage, I saw security robots searching the 5th research building in teams of two.
“Looking at it like this, it’s really nice to have robots around.”
[I guess so. It is stronger and more efficient than an army made of humans.]
Artemis said as if it were natural.
“That’s the same, but what I want to talk about is another part.”
There are several robots lying a few tens of meters away from here. It is a collection of aircraft that were greatly damaged in the fierce battle.
When the operation is over, we plan to take it back to the shelter and repair it.
“I’m about to embark on a dangerous journey into a dangerous world, and I don’t get confused when I lose troops.”
I picked up the dropped pistol.
〈K5 Pistol*1ea〉
An acquisition alarm appeared on the PDA.
Under normal circumstances, you would search the general’s corpse for something like a security card, but you don’t have to.
My authority as Reserve Commander has taken control of the entire base, which has been transferred to Artemis.
“Show me the video of each district. Have all the infected been wiped out?”
Artemis showed an enlarged image on a CCTV monitor divided into dozens.
A few infestations are seen roaming what appears to be a sewer system, wearing hard hats and work clothes.
[There is, but you don’t have to worry about it. I’m stuck in a cistern down here. You can leave it as it is.]
I thought about sending a squad to wipe it out, but I let it go.
I don’t know what will happen if I’m in the middle of the day.
“Turn on the lights in the underground lab, and run the air conditioner at full capacity. The air here is half rotten, and the gunpowder smoke is thick.”
[Okay.]
With Artemis’ answer, the CCTV monitors all blinked white, and then slowly returned to sight.
When I looked again with the brighter interior lighting, I could see detailed traces immediately after the spread of the infection that I hadn’t seen before.
What draws attention are the bloody handprints etched on the walls of the glass lab.
When I played back the CCTV video record at the time of the infection, it was really a big deal.
The soldiers who went around each research building and shot the test subjects trapped in the experiment table were attacked by the infected from both sides and died in chaos.
A soldier who shoots mutant infectants that move at great speed and then grinds them to the same side.
A soldier lying on his stomach while covering his head was attacked and with one arm stretched out through a gap between the infected, then faded away.
A soldier staring in disbelief at his hand that pierced his chest from his back during the engagement, then pours blood into his mouth.
The researchers, mixed with the infected, run away and collapse as they become hives.
At that point, the few remaining soldiers seemed unwilling to tell whether they were shooting monsters or survivors.
A researcher attempted suicide by hanging himself with an improvised rope in a corner laboratory.
The problem was that he failed to commit suicide as the place where he tied the rope was broken, and he was found out while he was screaming after falling to the floor.
It was horrendous to see him desperately tying the rope to the ceiling again and screaming as the door was broken and he was dragged away by the infected.
[The area has been secured. Biological reactions not detected. It’s safe here.]
A report came in from a squad that was searching for Research Building 5.
“Okay, move.”
I took the gun I had put down for a while and headed for the last research building.
It is the moment to achieve the final goal that came to this institute.
At the end of the tunnel, there was even an informal checkpoint like a military one.
I think that putting the disaster prevention room in the middle was not simply for operational reasons, but to further strengthen security with military troops in the middle.
As soon as I entered the last research building, I was stunned by the sight I saw.
“I see, there must have been a reason to wrap it up like this.”
[This is more like a group operating room than a research building.]
As Artemis said.
Research Building 5, the last place, was more appropriately described as a field hospital.
No matter where you looked, you could see operating tables, and looking at the surgical tools and restraints everywhere, it seemed that the procedure was not performed according to normal procedures.
On each operating table lay a cable, the end of which was stained with dried blood.
The cables converge in the center of the research wing, where a huge machine is placed.
“Is this the machine used for neural acceleration research?”
[To be precise, it’s a prototype virtual reality experience machine. It’s not an indirect method like VR, it’s a device that transfers the entire human mind to a virtual space.]
The appearance of the machine was completely different from what I had imagined.
I imagined a very large computer or an MRI machine like you would see in a hospital, but I guess my imagination was lacking.
“Isn’t this a brain in a vat?”
Literally.
In front of my eyes was a glass barrel large enough for an adult elephant to fill, and inside it was a brain enough to fill about 30% of the barrel.
Cables extending from each operating table go into a glass tube and connect to a long bundle of spinal cord at the base of the brain.
The scene where the spinal cord bundle, which is a living tissue, and the cable, which is an inorganic material, are connected.
Should we be amazed at its technology?
Or should I feel terrible?
It would have been even more spectacle if there were also test subjects intertwined here and there.
While I was observing the brain in the vat, Artemis received all the data from this research building.
[I looked around all the research journals. Early research was about linking the human brain to a computer like the Matrix. Well, should I say it’s an extremely ordinary idea without anything special?]
“Result?”
[A catastrophic failure. Contrary to the simple idea, the difficulty of realization is enormous. The mind derived from the human brain, which is a biological tissue, is compatible with machines. It’s easy to say, it’s something that can only be done in a movie. At least with the current technology.]
That’s not wrong.
Android.
Artificial intelligence with self.
Commercialized nuclear fusion power generation.
We have achieved many technologies that people just a generation ago thought would be impossible, but not everything is possible.
Among them, the most difficult wall to overcome was ourselves.
Unlike technology that is developing out of control, the only way humans command it is in an analog way.
A lot of research has been done to solve this problem, but nothing has been achieved.
That’s because there were so many gaps between living organisms and machines.
[Then the scientists here changed their minds. “If it is difficult to assimilate a living body and a machine, wouldn’t it be possible to assimilate a living body and a living body?” Even if it is a biocomputer with a neural network like the human brain.]
“How did you make that?”
Its appearance and size were completely different from those of the human brain.
[That brain was made elsewhere and sent here. I’m sorry, but I don’t know because the source has been expunged. I am also very curious.]
“Are you alive?”
The huge brain was encased in a gurgling bubble, seemingly in good condition.
[No, according to the records, he stopped functioning and died biologically two days after the infection. It seems to require very careful management in order to maintain it.]
“Wouldn’t it be nice to take this off and take it with you?”
It seemed to be of considerable value for research use. I don’t know, but Artemis might be able to get something out of it.
[There is no need for that. It’s too big to take away, and it’s already rotted inside, so it’s useless. We have secured all the contents of the neural acceleration research, so the results are satisfactory.]
All research data on neural acceleration was obtained from computers connected to a giant brain.
It is said that the technology itself was completed before the outbreak of infection.
Since then, he has been researching faster reaction times and ways to alleviate the nerve burden that would result.
[Let’s go back home. We did a great job.]
I nodded my head at Artemis’ words.
“Withdraw.”
There was a sense of elation for completing the first outdoor exploration, and excitement about returning home.
And one more thing, my heart beats with anticipation.
The tremendous movement that the mutant infectants showed. He had a new technology that made it possible.
Implant surgery, which guarantees stronger fighting power and survivability, has always been a target of envy for all soldiers.
But because of the huge cost, I can’t even dream of it for a while.
It’s like the exclusive property of wealthy people, like his comrade who was the son of a general.
It’s painful to compete with a guy who wears that and starts his military life.
This is because the gap is widening in the most important promotion for soldiers for reasons separate from effort or talent.
Now, the world has become meaningless with military and promotion, but I got the strengthening implant procedure that I always longed for.
The feeling was that of being a child who was presented with a toy he had wanted for so long.
