Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 164 Two Choices (Fourth Update)
"What I accomplished was merely the repair of his physical body." Chen Yu's voice was calm, without the slightest emotional fluctuation. "Using the biotechnology I possess, restarting the basic physiological functions of his brain is technically feasible."

Furthermore, by feeding backed-up memory data into its neural network and applying specific sequences of external stimuli, it is theoretically possible to induce a completely new and complex conscious activity.

His gaze swept over the smooth curves, and he continued in that calm, almost cruelly objective tone: "Theoretically speaking, a 'new consciousness' that carries most of Barthemos's memory backups and has similar behavioral patterns and cognitive structures could very well be activated in this body and believe that it is Barthemos."

He paused slightly, as if giving the other person time to digest this astonishing fact, before clearly turning his attention to the core of the problem: "However, from the fundamental philosophical perspective of the continuity of consciousness, especially considering the paradox revealed by the 'Soul Killer' technology in the process of consciousness digitization, this new business idea that was artificially guided to be born is very likely not to be regarded as the 'resurrection' of Barthemos himself."

His virtual avatar appears to make an extremely slight, shoulder-shrugging motion.

"It's more like a meticulously crafted replica based on the original blueprint, an 'inheritor' that inherited all his data legacy. Of course," he added at the end, with a detached indifference, "this essential difference might be completely insignificant to a pure pragmatist."

After all, to the vast majority of outside observers, they are the same person.

Spider Murphy's projection clenched his fist tightly, his fingertips, made of data, turning slightly white.

“No!” Her voice was filled with suppressed anger and pain. “You can’t do this! Lucky is dead! He deserves to rest in peace! Not… not to be desecrated like this!”

Turn his body into... a vessel to hold a strange consciousness! This is not resurrection; it is the greatest insult to his very existence!

She couldn't accept the possibility of a strange consciousness possessing Lucky's face and using his brain; this terrified and angered her more than his body being reduced to dust.

However, for Chen Yu, her emotional outburst was merely one of the external variables that needed to be recorded.

Even though he is currently using a more human-like virtual avatar, his core remains that of a mechanical explorer who follows efficiency and logic.

Individual emotional needs carry very little weight in the face of grand pursuits of knowledge and optimization of resources.

“Your objection has been recorded.” Chen Yu’s voice was completely flat, as if what he had just heard was just insignificant background noise. “Now, based on the current situation, I offer you two options.”

He held up one finger, representing the first option: "Option one: Become my subordinate unit. In exchange for your loyalty, I will use my resources and technology to conduct a deeper investigation into the final state of Bartmouth, to confirm with near-absolute certainty whether he has truly and completely perished."

If death is confirmed, then the right to dispose of the restored body will be transferred to you.

You can choose to bury him as you wish, or you can try to revive him as you understand it.

Whatever your choice, I will respect it and will not interfere further.

Because by then, the basic research value of this body will have been largely exhausted for me, and the gene sample will have already been backed up.

If necessary, I can create multiple clones, and adjusting their appearance and basic parameters is not difficult for me.

His words were calm, yet they revealed a suffocatingly powerful sense of control.

To him, the remains of the legendary hacker were merely a research subject that could be copied and replaced.

Then, he raised his second finger, and the surrounding data space seemed to freeze and become more oppressive.

Option Two: Refuse my offer. This means you will be reclassified as an 'unfriendly contact.' At that point, I will no longer maintain my current communication style and basic etiquette.

Your fate will be very clear—you will become my research sample. Your consciousness structure, data composition, and survival mode as a wandering AI will all be thoroughly analyzed. As for Bartmos's body," his gaze swept over the vital signs on the nearby screen, "I will make the most of it. A 'resurrected' being with the name of a legendary hacker can be of considerable value, whether as a 'flag' in some sense, a special computing tool, or even a bombshell dropped into this world."

This has positive experimental significance for me to observe the world's reactions and test the stability of its system. Two choices were clearly laid out before Spider-Murphy.

On one hand, there is submission, in exchange for the possible "freedom" of Lucky's remains and a slim hope of investigation; on the other hand, there is resistance, facing an almost certain defeat, and watching Lucky's body be transformed into the very thing she least wanted to see.

The projection of Spider Murphy stood frozen in place, its long red data hair hanging listlessly.

The enormous contradictions were tearing her core logic apart.

To pledge allegiance to this mysterious and terrifying being?

This means losing freedom and facing an uncertain future.

But to refuse? She had no doubt that he was capable of doing everything he said he could.

She had witnessed the terrifying power of the firewall and could sense the unfathomable technological abyss behind this "young man."

Can this part of my consciousness, or even my true self outside the black wall, really escape?
And Lucky... how could she just stand by and watch his body be used like that? That would be more painful than destruction.

Just as she was caught in a deep dilemma, her core logic almost overloaded due to the conflict between emotion and reason, a deeper chill suddenly swept over her.

She suddenly realized that the previously calm data space around her was undergoing subtle changes.

It wasn't an attack, but rather... infiltration.

Countless tiny, almost imperceptible data streams, like living tentacles, are quietly spreading and encircling her from all directions.

They don't carry obvious malice; rather, they represent absolute control and blockade.

What terrified her even more was that this feeling of being watched and surrounded was not limited to the part of her consciousness projection she was in at that moment.

A chilling sensation, transcending physical distance, was subtly penetrating the barrier of the black wall, like an invisible giant net, enveloping her core entity in the chaotic ocean of data outside the wall!

He wasn't just threatening the part of her consciousness and data right in front of her.

He was clearly demonstrating his power—he had the ability to lock onto and threaten her very existence! And he was doing just that!
Without a doubt, if she chooses to refuse, the other party will not hesitate to attack and capture her, turning her into a research subject.

The data space was deathly silent.

Only that invisible encirclement was slowly but steadily contracting.

Chen Yu's virtual avatar continued to watch her calmly, awaiting her final decision.

Is it about becoming a valuable appendage in exchange for a chance to put the past behind you?

Or will it become a sample to be dismantled and analyzed, and witness the body of one's former beloved being thrown into the torrent of fate, stirring up unknown waves?

Spider Murphy stands at the crossroads of fate; every choice leads to a completely different, yet equally heavy, future.

(End of this chapter)