So-Rin led Noa into the heart of the laboratory, where their attention was drawn to a solitary figure lying still, connected to a complex web of wires and sensors.
"So-Rin, what is this?" Noa asked.
"We are still researching this project. The name of this project is Immortality," So-Rin replied.
Curiosity piqued, Noa pressed for more details. "What does it entail? Do you mean immortality as in forever living with their body or?"
"Consciousness immortality. This latest project aims to achieve immortality by gradually uploading human consciousness into a digital system, integrating a huge portion of a human's complex thinking with it. Even if someone dies, his consciousness and memory can be stored, even transferred into a new artificial body. Infrablack is highly invested in this research," So-Rin revealed.
"The brain is not just a collection of data or information that can be transferred or copied easily. It involves complex interactions between neurons, synaptic connections, and various physiological and biochemical processes. And we have invented this mind uploading technology to make it happen," she continued.
"Well, we already have that version of immortality, don't we? By implanting human brains into artificial bodies, someone can be technically conscious again."
"They become conscious, but no one can truly guess how much of their previous self would be left. Most of the humans who had been turned into androids have lost about half of their memories, emotions, and personality. But with this project, a human can retain most of their consciousness even when they are moved to an artificial body. They'll have intact emotions and memories, and they also get to keep their personalities."
"Then that would indeed be a massive improvement," Noa acknowledged.
"Exactly. For this project, we found a way to intercept the communication between two neurons in the synapses to retrieve memories from the brain, which is then uploaded to the digital system. Do you want to see how it works?" So-Rin suggested.
Approaching a monitor that mapped neural connections, the scientists prepared the device responsible for uploading consciousness into the digital realm. A burst of light illuminated the room as the person's body convulsed, signifying the transfer of the man's mind into the computer system.
The neural code deciphered and the computational models developed, it began to create a virtual emulation of the brain's activity on a computer system.
Emulated brain activity integrated into an artificial substrate or digital medium by transferring the neural network onto a high-performance computing system.
Noa watched in awe as the person's consciousness was transferred to the system.
With each passing moment, the man's mind delved deeper into digital substrate, navigating the vast network of information.
Noa's curiosity turned to the fate of the person's physical body. "What happens to their body?"
"As you can see, it becomes nothing more than an empty vessel," So-Rin explained.
"Are they considered dead then?" Noa sought clarification.
"Not technically, but his body is paralyzed right now since his memories are being transferred into the system. It's safer this way. He is unresponsive to external stimuli," So-Rin replied.
Noa nodded in understanding, but he couldn't imagine having one's mind transferred to a computer while being detached from the physical body. The man's body remained motionless because he was now in the confines of the digital realm.
Having seen the research projects funded by Infrablack Corporation, Noa turned his attention to the big computer screen plastered on the laboratory wall.
Despite his memory loss, Noa found himself naturally drawn to the things related to coding. Perhaps it's because he studied it before losing his memory. When he was in the military, he also took something similar, albeit in a completely different specialization, cybersecurity.
A resounding announcement echoed throughout the laboratory.
"The Inauguration event will commence shortly in the hall. All Infrablack employees must prepare for stand-by positions and ensure the safety and control of all projects."
As Noa was about to make his way toward the hall, he noticed an unsettling occurrence. The screens in the laboratory showed distorted graphics and random colors. Small glitches started to manifest across the network, initially inconspicuous but gradually intensifying in frequency and severity.
The big computer screen on the wall began to malfunction, displaying peculiar errors and erratic behavior. It seemed as though the entire network was under the grip of an elusive virus or corruption, yet no clear source or explanation could be discerned.
The office environment descended into chaos. Equipment and devices began to fail, placing everything and everyone at risk.
"What is happening?" So-Rin exclaimed, noticing the alarming turn of events.
"There's an attack. I need to check it by myself," Noa voiced.
The blaring of the emergency alarm added to the sense of urgency. The corporation and authorities scrambled to respond, anticipating the worst risks, including external attacks. Little did they know that the threat was not physical, but rather a cyber assault targeting the system.
The attack initially crept in discreetly—a few lines of code infiltrating a vulnerable server within a secure data center. But as the code proliferated, they realised its true malicious intent to hack the system.
Noa's hands instinctively flew across the keyboard before the colossal screen. His Alien Hand Syndrome resurfaced at the right time while he was trying hard to come up with a solution.
"It appears to be a virus, with self-replicating feature engineered to infect every connected device within the network," Noa deduced.
As the virus spread, it unleashed a wave of corruption, data theft, and system hijacking.
A team of IT specialists rushed to the scene, working tirelessly to contain the virus. Yet, at every turn, it seemed to outsmart them, staying one step ahead.
Noa's left fingers danced across the keyboard, scouring the code for any vulnerabilities. After processing what he was encoding with his left hand, he got an idea about what to do. He started typing with both hands, significantly improving his speed.
Aware that he couldn't allow the virus to continue its destructive path, Noa knew they had to act swiftly and decisively before it was too late.
With renewed focus, Noa delved into thinking of a solution to the virus problem. He employed every tool and technique at his disposal.
He worked on identifying the affected systems. He tried to scan and clean the systems, as well as updating antivirus definitions to enhance detection capabilities.
Aside from Noa, everyone who had knowledge in countering viruses fought back, but the virus continued its rampage, wreaking havoc throughout the company's network.
But Noa had no plans to give up. He used all the tricks he knew, and even came up with new ones as he progressed.
Finally, with a last, desperate push, Noa found a weakness in the virus code. He exploited it with lightning speed, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he managed to halt the virus's destructive path. He removed the malware from the infected system.
For a few tense moments, he held his breath, waiting to see if the virus was really gone for good. And then, as the seconds ticked by, it became clear that the code had finally been defeated. He had just saved the company from disaster.
"Noa, do you realize that you've done something you shouldn't have?" So-Rin asked in a low tone. "We've been expecting this cyber attack.It was the rebels who tried to stop the projects."
"So, the rebels really exist?" Noa furrowed while wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"It was rumors until we got attacked just now."
"If they succeeded with their attack, it would just be a small setback for Infrablack. The one receiving the brunt of the attack would be us. The babies will die, the BCI implant will fail, the subject of the immortality project might lose his entire consciousness." Noa frustratedly sighed. "It's destroying and disrupting data that might be necessary in the future. The intent of the projects might be evil, but it has potential for good. If they want to go against Infrablack, then they should look for a way to take over the system, not send destructive viruses."
"Well, you're right. I didn't consider the risks." So-Rin felt sorry.