Shadow of Mechanical Soul

The semi-transparent digits could only faintly discern the numbers "5325." These numbers refreshed every second, with each refresh resulting in a decrease by one. Fe Hung knew that when the count reached zero, this blurry number would vanish completely, plunging him into total darkness. This number was the final reminder from the built-in AI, as its reserve energy was nearly depleted, leaving it with no other means to alert its controller. Feringhee did not react at all. It wasn't that he was indifferent; he simply couldn't move, lying there like a corpse. In fact, he could no longer be considered human; all that remained human about him were his consciousness and memories—the complete memories and consciousness of a young man named Tom, which would cease to exist in less than an hour and a half. Unable to do anything, Tom could only watch as scenes from his memories flashed before his eyes. The human brain serves as the carrier of consciousness, and human consciousness is a quantum activity, existing at the quantum level. The consciousness and the brain are not an inseparable entity. With sufficient technological support and energy, and by finding a suitable carrier for the consciousness, humans can escape the constraints of their original bodies and freely replace them. Tom was twenty-five years old, and his life had been challenging. He grew up with divorced parents; after the divorce, his mother disappeared from their lives, leaving no trace. His father raised him alone. When Tom was in college, his father passed away in a car accident, a devastating blow that almost made him quit school. He persevered only with the persuasion of a few close friends. However, misfortune did not leave Tom's side. In his final year before graduation, he was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also known as motor neuron disease, a progressive neurological disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The disease gradually robs a person of their ability to move, eventually leading to total paralysis. Stephen Hawking was famously afflicted with this condition. Currently, there is no cure for ALS, and patients usually develop symptoms after the age of 40, with a survival rate of two to five years post-diagnosis. Tom's first reaction upon learning of his condition was to burst into laughter, shocking his classmates who feared he had lost his mind. After laughing, his subsequent words reassured them somewhat. "Don't worry, I'm not crazy, and I won't commit suicide. Though I'm not a tough guy, I can face this bleak life head-on. I'll live my life to the fullest, even if it's only for a few years." Tom spoke with such composure that there was no trace of hesitation in his eyes. But when his classmates left, and he was alone, Tom revealed a hint of despair, whispering to himself, "What a pity..." Tom finished his university education, working hard to earn money while he still could, hoping to accumulate enough funds for his future when he would lose all mobility. During this time, Tom received much help from his classmates, especially Qian Ruhai, his roommate and close friend, whose wealthy father provided significant support. A year ago, when Tom was already confined to a wheelchair, believing his life was at its end, two men dressed in black suits, resembling bodyguards, approached him. A proposal was presented to Tom. By signing the agreement, he would participate in a therapeutic experiment, where an experimental treatment would be administered to him entirely free of charge. The other party did not guarantee a cure for Tom's ALS and warned of potential risks. They briefly explained the nature of the experiment to him. Human thought processes occur at the quantum level, and sometimes they erroneously generate energy that promotes brain evolution. However, the human body and brain are not equipped for rapid evolution. The human body is a highly sophisticated machine, and any sudden changes can lead to systemic collapse. There is a balancing mechanism within the body that activates when certain changes occur too rapidly, manifesting as diseases like Tom's. The energy promoting brain evolution is suppressed by the body's balancing mechanism, resulting in a quantum-level battle that manifests at the molecular level. A protein, tdp-43, accumulates in the brain, leading to neuronal decline and the onset of symptoms. The experiment aimed to inhibit the production of this protein and subsequently restore neuronal function, allowing ALS patients to recover. After contracting ALS, Tom researched the disease extensively but had never heard of this explanation. Nevertheless, he was familiar with the protein mentioned, tdp-43, discovered by German experts, which does cause neuronal decline. After half a minute of contemplation, Tom signed the agreement. Whether the experiment cured him or not, he was already facing death; he had to try. But the glimmer of hope Tom had clung to did not dispel the misfortune shrouding him; instead, it led him down an even more tragic path. What is more painful than death? Tom finally understood after experiencing it throughout the entire experimental process. When he regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was a transparent glass wall. On the other side of the wall was the laboratory. Through the glass, Tom saw another version of himself, one that was completely unresponsive. No one could fathom the feelings Tom experienced at that moment, even though his emotions were weakened by over 90% due to his dwindling energy. Still, he couldn't help but shiver uncontrollably, the most pronounced reaction he could muster. A body glistening with metallic sheen had replaced his original form, and Tom's acceptance of this new body was nearly non-existent. He had no idea how he ended up inside the android's body. His control over this body was extremely limited, barely allowing him to turn his neck. People in white lab coats appeared by his side, inquiring about his current state. In exchange, Tom learned that the entire experiment was a ruse; there was no genuine treatment plan. Those people had no intention of releasing Tom and were unguarded towards him. To gain more insight into his current physical condition, they revealed everything to him. The more Tom learned, the more shocked he became. For a moment, he even suspected that they were still deceiving him. These individuals called themselves followers of the Fire Realm people, believing that Earth's extreme greed, ignorance, and reckless actions would inevitably destroy the planet. They believed it was better for the Fire Realm people to take control. This place was their laboratory and base. The experiment was solely for this consciousness-carrying android. They somehow acquired this highly advanced android that even the Fire Realm people found daunting. To uncover more about the android, the Fire Realm people needed to activate it. They conducted over twenty experiments, all of which failed. Whenever a quantum consciousness entered the android, it would dissipate. After numerous failures, researchers realized that not all consciousnesses could be implanted; only those with a high degree of compatibility stood a chance. Through blood sample analysis, Tom, a patient with motor neuron disease, caught the Fire Realm people's attention. The agreements, experiments, and treatment plans were all designed to quell Tom's resistance, as the transfer of consciousness required active cooperation. Faced with his only hope of survival, Tom gambled everything, only to lose it all. As the body's energy dwindled, signaling the complete dissipation of consciousness, Tom sighed with regret in the final moments of his miserable life. If only! If the Fire Realm people had supplemented his energy, relying on this miraculous android, he could have become a normal person, perhaps even a superhero with its unique capabilities. But how could the Fire Realm people relinquish such an advanced android to a mere "ant"? To maintain control over the android, they only provided enough energy to keep the consciousness from dissipating. The energy they provided never exceeded 1% of the android's energy reserve, but to gather more information, they infused energy four times over half a year. Every time they collected data from Tom, he would inquire why they didn't provide more energy. Their response was that the android's energy requirements were too immense for them to bear. While the Fire Realm people restricted Tom's energy intake, he withheld all he knew from them. In reality, the android possessed an auxiliary AI, through which Tom learned that it was an incredibly advanced android. Its functions seemed too sci-fi for Tom, but due to energy constraints, most of them remained dormant. Thanks to their tight control over the android's energy, they were unguarded against him, allowing Tom to access the base's terminal. Leveraging the AI's exceptional capabilities, he infiltrated part of the base's database, acquiring valuable secrets. However, no amount of secrets could conjure energy. Without sufficient energy, the android was nothing more than a pile of scrap metal. This limbo-like state persisted for half a year, until yesterday... Crash! Suddenly, the sound of the freight car's sliding door being pulled open jolted Tom from his reverie. He knew he was on a moving train, the rhythmic clacking of the wheels echoing for hours. How could the door open while the train was in motion? And then, voices drifted in. "Fang, is anyone here?" "Bullshit! There's no one in the cargo car. Don't scare yourself. Use that time to find something valuable. Remember, we only have half an hour before we reach Black Wind Pass and have to get off." Before the words had even faded, the sound of cargo being rummaged through filled the carriage.