Chapter 106

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On a rainy night, at Viktor's Ripperdoc clinic.

Sasha obediently stood behind Tang Yu, looking around the clinic, which was not too large but fully equipped for surgeries.

What intrigued her most were the boxing trophies and certificates on the wall cabinet.

It seemed that the charismatic voiced uncle Viktor, the Ripperdoc before them, used to be a boxing master.

From the tone of Mr. Tang and Viktor's conversation, it seemed they had a great relationship.

However, Sasha wasn't entirely sure, since, as far as she knew, Tang Yu only talked to three people.

Michiko, his boss of high status.

The sweet and gentle fortune-teller, Misty, the fiancée of Tang Yu's good brother.

And Viktor, the charismatic voiced uncle, who was a good friend taking care of Tang Yu.

Slowly understanding everything, Sasha began to wonder why they were visiting a Ripperdoc; wasn't Mr. Tang a natural-born human?

Soon, Tang Yu cleared her confusion.

"Viktor, Sasha is my assistant. I brought her here for a full checkup," Tang Yu explained directly, not mincing his words even in Sasha's presence.

Bringing Sasha to Viktor was to thoroughly understand her background.

If Michiko had indeed tampered with her, it was best to be prepared in advance.

With his previous life's experience as a hacker and Viktor's advanced cyberware technology, he believed nothing could stay hidden.

Regardless of whether Sasha had any issues, Tang Yu wouldn't harm her. After all, Sasha was originally just a girl with a hard fate, transformed into what she was now due to various circumstances.

Mistakes were made by Arasaka, the corporation, not her.

Upon understanding, Viktor immediately grasped the situation, knowing Sasha was an assistant sent by Arasaka to Tang Yu, possibly with some hidden catch.

He stood up from his stool and guided them towards the surgery chair.

Sasha found it odd to undergo a full checkup without any apparent reason but, out of complete obedience to Tang Yu, followed Viktor without resistance to the surgery chair.

Tang Yu, seeing Sasha seemed a bit nervous, casually patted her on the head and assured, "Don't worry, it's just a check. Close your eyes for a moment, and it'll be over soon."

Sasha nodded solemnly and then lay down on the surgery chair.

She accepted two neural data cables from Viktor, connecting one to her wrist and the other to the back of her head, at the base of her skull.

Viktor sat in front of the diagnostic monitor, starting his operations.

"This deep check will involve your vision, circulation, immunity, nervous systems, and more. You need to grant the highest level of access."

Hearing Viktor's words, Sasha looked at Tang Yu for approval to grant the highest level of access.

"Tang Yu, please confirm opening the highest user authority," Sasha requested confirmation from Tang Yu.

"Tang Yu, confirm the opening of the highest user authority," he replied firmly.

"Sasha has confirmed, the highest user authority is now activated. Under this mode, you have the rights to access, set up, and edit the fundamental database..."

After confirming, Sasha seemed to enter a stand-by state, slowly closing her eyes and falling into a sleep, with only her breathing indicating she was still alive.

Viktor also began to click on the screen, accessing Sasha's base-layer database information.

Although the access results hadn't come out yet, Viktor had already sensed something unusual upon seeing Sasha entering sleep mode and inquired.

"What's the situation with this child?"

Tang Yu looked at Sasha, who resembled a sleeping beauty, and felt deeply for her condition. Once a lively being, she was now neither purely human nor a full cyborg, an uncanny existence.

"V, you've noticed the anomaly, right?"

Viktor responded gravely, "This child's background isn't simple."

Tang Yu introduced, "Her name's Sasha Yakovleva, sent by the company's upper echelons to assist me."

"I'm not entirely sure about her background either. The company provided nothing but a name and her presence."

"She must be a product of Arasaka's black tech. How she ended up like this is anyone's guess."

"God knows what she went through. Anyway, I'm still figuring it out, so I brought her here for a checkup."

The access to Sasha's base-layer database was still in progress, given the large scale of her data pool and the need to diagnose the structure of her consciousness and AI condition, it would take a while.

However, biometric data and entire cyberware implant data had already been fully displayed.

Viktor commented softly, "This child's body harbors many secrets."

"Her body is not only installed with top-end combat cyberware like the Lynx, but also heavily equipped with hacking modules, a netrunner deck, RAM management, enhancers, and brain-neural cortical support."

"The implant versions and models are complex, not merely upgrades, but their compatibility and coordination are notably fine. Overall, it's geared more towards hacking functionalities, with combat systems secondary."

Tang Yu examined the screen, quickly assessing the situation, "V, there are no signs of secondary cyberware implants on Sasha. Could it be that she underwent cyberization before joining Arasaka?"

Viktor agreed with Tang Yu's speculation, "Her cyberware has largely been kept original, which doesn't exclude this possibility. However, most of her native organs have been replaced with synthetic ones, maintaining the biological entity's operation."

This, Tang Yu found odd. Why replace the organs without changing the cyberware? Indeed, there were doubts.

Organ replacement often happens due to damage or failure, indicating she might have experienced severe injuries and had to undergo synthetic organ transplants to save her life.

Tang Yu speculated, "Perhaps before entering Arasaka, she was grievously injured and had to receive synthetic organ transplants. After surviving, Arasaka might have forcibly cyberized her."

V, pointing at the brain area display on the screen, earnestly said, "Now, this child's body is fully functional, except for her brain."

Tang Yu noticed that Sasha's brain still showed signs of blood and oxygen supply, albeit weak, proving its originality and survival.

"Is it a case of pseudo-death for the brain?"

Viktor was also puzzled. It seemed unnecessary to keep the original brain if she was cyberized.

"Yes, though the brain is alive, it's evidently 'asleep', possibly controlled by an implanted AI. We'll need to access the base-layer database for confirmation."

Tang Yu pondered over the inevitable link between Sasha's original brain and Arasaka's black tech. Even removing the brain and implanting an AI wouldn't impact Sasha's functions and actions.

It was like an AI-driven cyborg using a human's body, something easily achievable by Arasaka.

To keep the brain alive while injecting electronic consciousness data, Tang Yu could only think of one thing: the Relic.

Based on the Soulkiller program experiences, Arasaka has ventured into various realms, possibly overcoming the technology to inject data consciousness into a native human brain.

Having once experienced Johnny's digital ghost, he was no longer surprised by any form of electronic spirit possession.

These were all Tang Yu's speculations without confirmation, hence he didn't share them with V.

Viktor explained, "This child's original consciousness is like that of a vegetative state, lying there motionless. It's unclear if she's still awake."

Tang Yu inquired further, "Can she still sense everything around her then?"

After a moment of contemplation, Viktor responded, "Theoretically, yes. Her original brain is still connected to the entire neural network."

"But with her brain in pseudo-death, she might have already fallen into a deep sleep, unable to perceive anything happening outside."

Yet, Tang Yu remembered the reaction from Sasha earlier that morning when discussing something with her. It seemed there was something different in her eyes.

Earlier, Misty had Sasha draw a Tarot card - The Hanged Man, bound upside down.

Could it symbolize the original consciousness of Sasha trapped in the brain in pseudo-death, unable to escape?

Physical isolation of consciousness is perfectly plausible in biomedical theories.

In truth, Tang Yu preferred to believe that the Sasha inside the pseudo-death brain had already fallen into an endless dark slumber, waiting for the brain to atrophy and die off naturally, bringing an end to everything.

If Sasha's original consciousness still existed, it might feel even more suffocating than Johnny's situation.

It was like being locked in a transparent cage, watching a movie that's supposedly her own story, yet having someone else make all the decisions."V, is there a chance of cure for synthetic brain death, or could this possibly awaken the original consciousness?"

Viktor shook his head helplessly, explaining.

"The possibility is minuscule. Humanity's understanding of the brain does not yet extend to resurrection from death. The brain's trillion synaptic connections and billions of neurons are far too vast and complicated."

"In short, it's better to believe in the spontaneous awakening of consciousness one day than to attempt to actively awaken a dormant brain. Even if you were to cut it open, you wouldn't be able to find where that original consciousness is hiding."

Tang Yu also agreed with Viktor that the hope for the awakening of original consciousness was slim.

Given Sasha was his special assistant, if her original consciousness were to awaken, Tang Yu couldn't guarantee whether she would be a friend or foe.

In any case, Sasha, as she now was, best met his needs.

This issue was like a thorn that didn't affect you much, but knowing it's there made it more annoying.

Suddenly, Tang Yu remembered seeing Sasha take a white pill on the street corner earlier.

He retrieved a transparent bag from Sasha's clothing, containing five white pills.

Tang Yu took out one and handed it to V.

"Check this pill for its components, she took one today."

Viktor took the pill to a workbench and began to analyze it. With the help of instruments, it wasn't long before he had the results.

"It's a neuropharmaceutical, mainly used to suppress brain activity while aiding the recovery of damaged nerves to some extent. Its specific components are quite complex; I've seen biotech companies produce similar products before."

Tang Yu understood why Sasha would take the white pill, to slow the process of brain death.

It was essentially keeping the brain alive while forcing it to remain dormant.

"V, if she stops taking the medication, it's doubtful that Sasha's original consciousness would awaken."

Viktor returned to the operating table and said, "Correct. The original brain is already damaged; awakening would only worsen the symptoms. Suppressing activity instead prolongs the brain's lifespan."

"Of course, there's another possibility. If the brain autonomously completes its repair and, under certain circumstances, is stimulated to awaken, that would be up to fate."

With that said.

Tang Yu couldn't simply treat Sasha as an artificial being anymore. From any perspective, Sasha was very much alive.

He put the remaining white pills back into Sasha's pocket. The medication itself wasn't a problem and could be acquired through legitimate channels.

Michiko, unlike the artificial beings Tang Yu was accustomed to using, which he would just switch off and toss into the storeroom, was different with Sasha. He couldn't just discard or affect her, creating a dilemma for Tang Yu.

Soon.

The electronic screen displayed that access to Sasha's underlying data was successful, and all data had been read.

The underlying data's algorithm structure is fundamental to the system's operation. If Sasha had any issues, they wouldn't escape Tang Yu's notice.

Despite Sasha being 'newly created,' her diligent learning and the continuous expansion and optimization of her algorithm structure made her increasingly humanlike.

What surprised both of them more, however, was that this artificial intelligence program seemed to be actively adapting to its body, with system parameter adjustments aligning with physical preferences.

It was undeniable; Arasaka's research on digital consciousness had reached cutting-edge levels.

Given this trend, this AI would increasingly resemble the original consciousness and might even 'replicate' a Sasha.

Viktor began scanning the database for vulnerabilities or hidden viruses that could fundamentally and maliciously alter Sasha's underlying algorithms, posing a potential threat to Tang Yu.

After a thorough scan across various domains including language, emotion, and personality, the underlying database appeared clean.

Viktor stated, "I can confirm there are no issues. Her database's core algorithm is indeed set to prioritize human command as the highest user authority."

"You are now recognized as the sole highest authority user, which will prevent any accidental modifications. This is her operational base logic. Without this, data flow would become chaotic, leading to malfunction."

Tang Yu could see that Michiko hadn't deceived him; Sasha was clean.

This meant that from the moment Sasha was 'manufactured,' she was intended as a gift from Michiko to Tang Yu.

This special assistant, Sasha, existed solely for this purpose. All her learning and growth centered around this objective, making the 'gift' feel overwhelmingly heavy.

Even if the girl was sent to Arasaka and cybernized just before her death, it wasn't truly her wish.

Tang Yu couldn't address all the injustices in the world alone.

As Viktor continued to analyze the electronic screen, he noted, "Interestingly, the underlying database contains a guideline, codenamed Company Protocol."

Company Protocol?

Tang Yu also scrutinized the code on the screen, carefully interpreting the logic behind the algorithm's operation.

This Company Protocol was somewhat familiar, resembling the unwritten rules of Arasaka Tower, emphasizing a hierarchical respect.

As Tang Yu's special assistant, Sasha was obliged to adhere to the Company Protocol to ensure that her assistance didn't lead to insubordination, providing a certain degree of protection for him.

After a thorough review, the basis of the Company Protocol still centered around Tang Yu, seemingly posing no significant issues.

In summary.

Sasha was clean and free of issues as Tang Yu's special assistant.

This left Tang Yu in a quandary. If they could find a flaw in Sasha, he might have been more relieved.

But the fact that neither he nor Viktor could find any problems was somewhat troubling.

Was Michiko truly just giving a 'gift'?

It wasn't that Tang Yu was overly suspicious, but he couldn't trust anyone from the Arasaka Family.

At this juncture.

Tang Yu had no choice but to keep Sasha, lacking a better alternative.

An artificial being entirely devoted to Tang Yu, without his acceptance, her fate would only be bleaker.

Suddenly, Viktor discovered an odd issue.

"Tang, even though we've checked the database thoroughly, we haven't located her electronic consciousness core, which is indeed strange."

Tang Yu also noticed this issue, likening it to a fully functional person who eats, attends school, chats, and sleeps normally, but whose source of all these behaviors is untraceable.

Tang Yu then thought about Sasha's biological signs; her original brain still maintained basic blood supply, oxygenation, and bioelectricity release.

Could it be that?

Controlling Sasha was not an AI, but a digital consciousness imprint using Sasha's original brain as its vessel to control the entire body.

Sasha's purity and simplicity, always centering around Tang Yu and appearing naïve, were entirely due to this significantly edited digital consciousness imprint, requiring only the minimal biological functions of the original brain to operate.

And all the AI algorithms served this consciousness, reducing the original brain's burden.

This meant Sasha would learn and understand more over time, but her personality would never mature.

Like a naïve girl controlling a giant mech; no matter how powerful the exterior, the girl inside controls it.

Arasaka's research in biological brains and consciousness digitalization was shockingly advanced.

Tang Yu concluded; Sasha held secrets of great significance, closely related to Arasaka's relic project development.

For now, investigations into Sasha had to halt.

If Michiko discovered that Tang Yu recognized the hidden secrets behind Sasha's original consciousness.

Not just he and Sasha, but also V, would face extreme danger.

Sasha was likely a semi-finished product of the experiment, no longer contributing further to research development, hence chosen by Michiko for Tang Yu.

Tang Yu couldn't speculate on Michiko's intentions, but it likely bore no relation to the Arasaka Family.

Had he already revealed any clues, it wouldn't be Sasha arriving but an army of Arasaka ninjas, clamoring to dissect him for research.

Tang Yu hastily stopped V's further investigations; continuing might deepen their entanglement in the looming storm.

He truly needed more time to prepare.