Legend of the Cyber Heroes
Chapter 311 - 311 92 Paradoxes of Contradiction

311: Chapter 92 Paradoxes of Contradiction 311: Chapter 92 Paradoxes of Contradiction Can humans truly control themselves?

The brain—more precisely, the neocortex—can it actually control its own will just like the self-consciousness that resides within?

Most people would think so.

If the brain were merely a slave to the body, then where would the “self” reside?

However, early 20th century psychologists might have given the complete opposite answer.

In that era, there was a theory jokingly referred to as the “drool and grumble theory.” Thirst drives animals to drink, hunger compels them to eat.

Proponents of this theory believed that the inherent logic of “drool and grumble”—namely, physiological responses generating an “inner driving force,” which supplied the primary impetus for all psychological activities—was sufficient to explain the behaviors and activities of all higher animals, including humans.

Despite the patchwork mess of the “psychology of emotions and motivations,” and despite many concepts such as “body theory” and “inner drives” being surpassed and absorbed by later cognitive science, these psychologists left behind quite a bit of empirical evidence proving, “sometimes, before self-consciousness generates emotions, the body has already reacted.”

The human’s “self” seems not as strong as one might imagine.

During the first half of the 21st century, Xiang Shan’s push for cyberization was, to some extent, driven by the hope of eliminating the “irrationality” brought by the flesh.

But no matter how humans are transformed, they always need to retain their brains—at least for now, computer science cannot reproduce the entirety of the brain.

A brain regulated and twisted by external forces can also influence a person’s will.

Just as hamsters run meaninglessly on wheels, as rats and monkeys can learn to press buttons in experiments without purpose, and as pet dogs can set aside their physiological needs to make their owners happy first.

Green Forest, through technological means, has already formed in the brain a neural circuitry submissive to sensual emotions.

If Borshu were to give it some thought, he might be able to resist it, but without thinking, his behavior would definitely conform to Green Forest’s norms.

The crux lies here.

To think according to the “code of heroes” from memory brings mental tearing and pain.

Whereas to surrender to this feeling without thinking offers joy from deep within.

In this situation, even monkeys know what choice to make.

However, in the long struggle, Borshu has also managed to find a bit of insight on how to coexist with it.

Right now, his “chivalrous spirit” is making him wish for death, so he voiced his thoughts: “I am paralyzing you.

Once you lower your guard, I will kill you all.”

And his “Green Forest Will” makes him want to live, precisely because the more he says so, the more likely the others are to sympathize.

From a rational point of view, he’s just laid out all the circumstances for the hero to make a decision.

Xiang Shan, of course, also understood this.

He watched Borshu in disbelief.

“You bastard…,” he muttered under his breath.

“As a hero, I think the Fourth Martial God makes a lot of sense,” Borshu said with extreme sincerity—as if pouring out all of his earnestness.

He continued, “Law-abiding…

in the past, when laws existed, it was the most orderly, the best of times.

I wish to live in a world with order…

To die following that order, I have no regrets.

If someone kills, they should pay the price.”

“You bastard…” Xiang Shan cursed again, then raised his hand once more.

But Yuan Wenren held back Xiang Shan’s hand: “Elder, wait a minute.”

Xiang Shan looked at Yuan Wenren.

“He’s unable to control himself now.

He has not benefited from his actions, nor has he gained a sense of happiness from them.

This could adhere to some concepts of mental illness, right?

In the past…”

“You want to tell me that it’s not illegal for a mentally ill person to kill, right?” Xiang Shan stared at Yuan Wenren.

Yuan Wenren hesitated, “There used to be such a notion…”

“So, none of the Green Forest killings should be considered against heavenly reason, right?

Because they all resulted from the same medical procedures, causing the same mental disabilities,” Xiang Shan said.

“You want to fairly spare all of Green Forest?”

Yuan Wenren was startled and denied, “How could that be possible?”

“Then why give this one member of Green Forest special treatment, and not afford the same to the others?” Xiang Shan retorted, “What does this amount to in terms of ‘the spirit of legalism’?

Is it merely your personal preference?”

Yuan Wenren was somewhat uncertain now, “But a person’s motives are also a factor in judging their crimes…”

“That’s bullshit,” Xiang Shan interrupted.

He flicked his hand.

Yuan Wenren felt several streams of abundant strength surge from within her hand, yet she couldn’t even determine the direction of the internal force.

Her hand was instantly shaken open.

Xiang Shan pressed down on Borshu’s head once again.

Then, after half a second, Xiang Shan suddenly flung his hand to the side.

Borshu’s entire body flew out, bouncing once off the ground.

“Bullshit, all bullshit,” Xiang Shan said, pressing his forehead.

“‘Abide by the law as if it were the law’?

How many ambiguities does this stuff have?

It’s utter nonsense!”

Yuan Wenren thought that Borshu was dead, feeling somewhat sad, but then she was surprised by Xiang Shan’s words.

People in Jianghu generally revered the Martial God, and even if they did not agree with the philosophy of the Martial Gods, most would point out problems calmly.

Such intense criticism was rare.

Struggling, Borshu said, “I can’t agree with that…”

Xiang Shan stepped on him, roaring loudly, “The law is a tool.

Even if it has defended countless instances of fairness and justice, and provided shelter for countless weak, it is still just a tool, an inanimate object.

It needs maintenance, it needs updates—just like your operating systems need patches over time.

Otherwise, they’re bound to become outdated.”

“And what are you idiots thinking?

You guide your actions by the general spirit of the law to set rules for yourselves, not to restrict your actions with outdated statutes!

What are you doing?

Joking?

Huh?”

He turned to Yuan Wenren, “Indeed, there is a part of the population that, due to mental illnesses, cannot control themselves and shouldn’t bear criminal responsibility.

But do you know what happens to those people?”

Without waiting for Yuan Wenren to answer, he added, “They are confined in mental hospitals until death.

Oh right, because it’s ‘an illness,’ medical institutions can even use sedatives and other psychotropic drugs on these people.

Thinking about it, maybe that’s even more torturous than life imprisonment?”

At this, Xiang Shan asked, “Yuan, let me ask you, have you noticed anything?”

Yuan Wenren said, “They are being punished too?”

“No,” Xiang Shan said calmly.

“Where would we find a mental hospital?

And where would a mental hospital get so many psychiatric drugs?

Ah…

right, should we donate him to the Scientific Knight Order?

I suppose only they would have the necessary conditions, right?”

Yuan Wenren fell silent again.

On the surface, the Scientific Knight Order still adhered to some noble principles, but the situation varied greatly from one knight group to another.

Some groups might actually do some charitable work, but from the outside, you couldn’t tell which were humane.

Moreover, Borshu was a martial arts master with developed Inner Strength, making him a valuable research subject for scientific knights.

Should one bet on the consciousness of the scientific knights?

“In the past, society was orderly, complete.

Humans had abundant productivity and a complete industrial chain, capable of providing places to house the mentally ill.

These mentally ill would not go out and hurt others; that was the foundation.

Moreover, they also had the possibility of being cured,” Xiang Shan tilted his head.

“And in the past society, the training cost of a qualified skilled worker was also not low.

Every person could be considered a treasure to society.

So, they needed to be given the chance for criminal correction and reformation.”

“But we don’t have prisons, we don’t have mental hospitals.

We don’t know the method to reverse Ultimate Way Consensus Therapy, we can’t offer hope for their reformation.

We can’t even ensure that we can stop him from hurting others again.

Under such circumstances, what should we do?”

Without hesitation, Yuan Wenren said, “Then, please let me watch over him.

I am willing to watch over him until he can control himself.

Before that, if he hurts someone again…”

Yuan Wenren hadn’t finished speaking when she suddenly felt herself lifted into the air, the scenery retreating rapidly before her eyes.

Xiang Shan had kicked her away with the speed of lightning.

“What are you going to do?

You mean to say, if this Green Forest violator harms someone, you’ll commit suicide to take responsibility?”

Yuan Wenren felt that Xiang Shan’s words were tinged with flames.

“What’s wrong with you?” Xiang Shan asked.

Yuan Wenren clenched her teeth, “I just think that’s where righteousness lies…”

“Tch.

The Hero’s first duty is to recognize, through reason, the irrationalities of the world they live in, and to resist the source of these absurdities!

Spouting such talk in the heat of the moment, and talking about ‘where righteousness lies’…

Culture is just a shell, designed to make the concept of ‘chivalry’ more palatable to your sensibilities.

Think about it!” Xiang Shan, vexed, continued, “If he really escapes and hurts someone, and then you kill him and commit suicide, how is that different from me executing him right now, except for spilling at least two more lives, right?

If you don’t want to live, you can go die on your own; why drag innocent bystanders into it.”

“Ah, that’s not right; you can’t die yet.

Imagine…

if he really escapes and hurts someone, what should I do?

Should I really kill you as well according to your oath today?

What a joke, the power of Heroes is already so weak; even if you have to die, it should be after killing Yawgmoth and the Kings and then offering penance—but if you made this oath knowing this, doesn’t that make you a hypocrite?”

After releasing Yuan Wenren, Xiang Shan stood in front of Borshu again: “To be honest, I wish you would resist a bit.

Like this, I really can’t bring myself to kill you…”

As he spoke these words, Xiang Shan’s aura suddenly deflated.