Legend of the Cyber Heroes
Chapter 312 - 312 93 New Space v12065

312: Chapter 93 New Space v1.20.65 312: Chapter 93 New Space v1.20.65 Hero Xiang Shan would never let the Green Forest before him go.

Indeed, he could find myriad reasons to spare Borshu’s life.

For instance, he might say, “A sample that has autonomously escaped the brainwashing of the Ultimate Way Consensus Therapy is incredibly valuable, perhaps it could lead to a cure for all the victims of that therapy,” and so on.

But in the end, there is one point—if Borshu escapes again and harms others, who would bear that responsibility?

Moreover, the issue with Green Forest isn’t solely about the Ultimate Way Consensus Therapy.

Martial artists like Borshu, who were coerced into brainwashing, are not the entirety of Green Forest.

In terms of numbers, they are not even the mainstream.

Many more members of Green Forest joined voluntarily, lured by the allure of violence.

In this twisted world, so many people find pleasure only in committing violence.

The Ultimate Way Consensus Therapy is merely a technology without autonomy.

The technology has worsened the situation and escalated matters, but at best it turns a “1” into a “10,” not a “0” into a “1.”

Without changing the ways of this world, the problem with Green Forest cannot be eradicated.

Yuan Wenren watched as Xiang Shan clenched his fist, slightly loosened it, and then clenched it again, repeating the action several times.

Xiang Shan held Borshu’s neck with both hands and said, “Look into my eyes!

Bastard.”

Borshu knew that his opponent was about to use the technique of witnessing.

With a noose of inevitability around him, and the other’s hand on his weak point, “compliance” might perhaps elicit some sympathy from the adversary.

The thoughts of seeking death and seeking life reached a consensus in that instant.

He withdrew all resistance and looked into Xiang Shan’s eyes.

Powerful Inner Strength surged, tearing through the circulation of his code, destroying all his defenses.

In the end, Old Senior tapped on Borshu’s head.

Once Borshu fell unconscious, Old Senior dragged the Green Forest’s prosthetic body into the vehicle temporarily being used as an operating room.

………………………………

When Borshu awakened again, he found himself in a strange room.

The room was a perfect cube.

The walls, floor, and ceiling were all pale blue, made of some unknown material.

He sat in a peculiarly soft chair.

—Soft?

Borshu was startled, then touched himself.

It wasn’t his own prosthetic body, but a strange one, very much like that of a Natural Person.

“Awake?”

A voice came from behind him.

Instinctively, Borshu twisted and punched backward.

But a hand grabbed his wrist.

Using soft strength, Xiang Shan flung Borshu onto the couch, “Well, seems like it’s difficult to change one’s vicious nature.

Instinct is nothing but killing moves.”

Borshu looked at the white, blurred-faced prosthetic body in front of him…

no, it should be a virtual character, and immediately circulated his Inner Strength.

After a moment, he said, “Virtual Space?”

Xiang Shan crossed his arms in front of his chest, “Yes, indeed.

‘New Space v1.20.65,’ quite an ancient thing.

I’m lucky I remember the codes for this.

After all, I was the one who developed it.”

“An early space perception simulation program?” Borshu had only vaguely heard of this name.

He asked doubtfully, “You developed it?

What is version v1.20.65?

Are you…

An old martial artist from before the Secret Wars?”

Xiang Shan waved his hand, “You could say that.

Anyway, don’t bother trying to break this seal with your Inner Strength.

I’ve disassembled all your sensory prosthetics.

If you do break through the seal, you’ll be unable to see or hear anything.”

“New Space v1.20.65” is not a complete program, or rather, the key lies in a set of special engines within it.

These engines are tasked with injecting data directly into the brain’s sensory centers, simulating human vision, touch, spatial awareness, and so on, allowing the human brain to autonomously form a “Virtual Space” perception while ensuring that the spatial sense aligns with the visual and auditory senses without any mismatch.

“New Space v1.20.65” is more of an early blueprint, lacking even artistic materials.

The couch is just a minor functionality embedded within to adjust tactile parameters.

This was a precursor technology to “Cyberspace,” a strategic layout from the mid-21st century by Superman Enterprises, a major project that Xiang Shan personally led a team to overcome.

“After all, dismantling a person’s prosthetic body and isolating all their senses is somewhat detrimental to psychological health,” Xiang Shan tapped his head, “I’m not killing you outright, nor am I trying to drive you insane.

This thing should make you feel a bit more comfortable.”

Borshu blocked his vision and circulated his Inner Strength.

He felt a much stronger Inner Strength tightening around him, and he couldn’t see the circulating codes around him.

He opened his eyes and said, “You’re exaggerating.

I may not be able to break through this seal.”

He did not ask about the state of his own prosthetic body.

“Of course, there is something I need to tell you.

Inside your body, I have implanted a powerful Gu.

Even if I let you return to your own prosthetic body later, it will overload in an extremely short time and subsequently self-destruct,” Xiang Shan said, “If you leave the vehicle and are more than fifty meters away from me or Yuan Wenren for over five minutes, your prosthetic body will self-destruct.”

To be more than fifty meters away from this martial artist or that gunner for over five minutes would lead to his prosthetic body beginning to self-destruct?

After pondering for a moment, Borshu understood.

Any Gu Poison can be resolved by “simply replacing the entire motherboard.” After all, it can only infect computers but fails to take root in a Biological Brain.

However, within five minutes, he must find a motherboard that was powerful enough to control his Prosthetic Body and then install it—how difficult would that be?

He was a person who had undergone full cyberization.

Removing the motherboard meant being completely immobile, unable to manipulate machinery through remote control.

It would require either someone’s assistance or large-scale automated equipment.

But to have all this prepared within five minutes was nearly impossible.

“Additionally, if I or Yuan Wenren die, you will also die.

Even if I were to die at the hands of the government, it would be the same,” Xiang Shan continued, “Although I am sparing your life for the time being, it must be on the premise that you are under control.

I can’t tolerate you escaping your predicament after my death.

I hope you understand that.”

After a moment of thought, Borshu asked, “Will I become part of your fighting force?”

“No, I won’t force you on that,” Xiang Shan shrugged, “You are a prisoner, not a slave.

But when it comes to a critical juncture, I would indeed have you confront the likes of Houndhawks.”

Borshu nodded again, “That’s easy to understand.”

“Other than that, there’s nothing else,” said Xiang Shan.

“Next, we can talk about how to free you from the invasion of Green Forest Will.”

Borshu’s lips twitched, then he shook his head weakly, “There’s not much hope, is there?”

“After giving it some thought, perhaps a one-time injection of a large dose of Restoring Enzyme might improve the situation,” said Xiang Shan.

“Gathering such an amount of Restoring Enzyme is difficult, but at least I will try.

However, this process would also wash away your other memories and personality, not much different from ‘death.’ For me, this is a last resort.

If it really comes to that, I hope you are psychologically prepared.”

The Ultimate Way Consensus Therapy created numerous and widely distributed neural pathways.

If it were like cultivating Inner Strength, introducing a small amount of Restoring Enzyme at a time and only restoring a small portion of neurons, then the newly formed neural pathways would still belong to the Green Forest Will network.

To eradicate it, one would have to introduce a high dose in one go to completely destroy this web.

After all, the Green Forest also practiced Inner Strength.

Borshu smiled, “I couldn’t ask for more.”

He hadn’t done so simply because he couldn’t get his hands on such a substantial amount of Restoring Enzyme.

But if this Hero was truly someone from an older generation existing before the secret wars…

he might really have a way.

“But I think, maybe there could be other methods.

For instance…

what if you personally killed Sky Fierce?

What would you do?”

Once Xiang Shan had said these words, his figure vanished from the spot and reappeared three meters behind.

This was, after all, Virtual Space.

And Borshu now stood where Xiang Shan had just been.

Upon hearing Xiang Shan’s words, Borshu had instinctively attacked.

Borshu was breathing heavily.

It had been a long time since he had experienced this, and he quickly adjusted his breathing.

A few minutes later, he said, “As you can see, when I hear things like ‘attack Sky Fierce’ or ‘attack our stronghold,’ I instinctively become enraged.

I can’t break free…

and it’s pointless.

Some Heroes, after being purified, harbor even stronger hatred for the Green Forest than me.

They would immediately kill the Green Forest responsible for their baptism and wipe out the stronghold.

But it’s meaningless.

These Heroes would eventually establish the stronghold’s name elsewhere—even if they were the ones who annihilated it with their own hands.”

Xiang Shan raised an eyebrow, “Does this happen often?”

“There are several cases recorded at least,” Borshu wiped his face, “That’s how things are…”

“But I think, it might improve your psychological condition?” Xiang Shan suggested.

Borshu sat back down on the couch, burying his face between his hands.

After a moment, he shook his head.

“These are the only solutions I can think of for now,” Xiang Shan said, “If there’s an opportunity, I will continue to think about it—but on another note, do you know who invented Ultimate Way Consensus Therapy?”

Borshu shook his head, “No one knows…

Why do you ask?”

Xiang Shan shrugged his shoulders.

He was simply curious to know if it was some old friend of his who had gone mad and created this thing.

No news was good news, after all.

He changed the subject, asking, “How did you get involved with King Aqini’s minions?”

“King Aqini’s…” After a moment, Borshu exclaimed, “The minions of the ‘human firewall’?

When did I…

Those Rangers were his subordinates?”

Xiang Shan nodded, “It seems, you knew nothing about this?”

Borshu smiled wryly, “Yeah…”

“Then, why were you searching for the Legacy of the Eighth Martial God?”

“The Legacy of the Eighth Martial God…” Borshu gave a wry smile and expressed his idea of “becoming the Martial God to oppose the Green Forest Will.”

Xiang Shan was glad he hadn’t paid much attention to his facial expression.

Otherwise, his face would surely have been very complicated right now.