One day, Willie said, "Brother Qian, remember when I mentioned taking you to visit our human cloning factory on Guoker planet? Norton messaged me through the GlW saying he needs to visit the cloning factory on Guoker and would like us to join him. Shall we go together and tour the factory?"
"Yes, I agree."
Willie immediately pressed her hand to her ear, linking her brain to the GlW, and sent a message to Norton. Shortly after, Norton and Suldair appeared on the virtual sofa in Willie's home via the GMW.
"We're about to head to the cloning factory on Guoker. You will be joining us, is that okay?" Norton asked me.
"Is it happening now?" I inquired.
"We have to wait a bit. The manager of the cloning factory, named 'Jarpen,' hasn't arrived yet. Once he gets there and messages us, we'll go," Norton replied.
"What exactly does the cloning factory produce? Are they replicating human models? What materials are used for the cloning? Plastic?" I curiously asked.
"Ha! What are you imagining?" Suldair laughed heartily. "The Guoker Cloning Factory is the largest and most crucial facility globally, dedicated to replicating living human bodies."
"You Earthlings always dream of immortality, seeking some mythical elixir of life. But no such medicine exists in the universe. When our bodies age or fail on Guoker, we simply switch to a younger body while retaining our cognitive essence. That way, we Guokers achieve immortality and eternal youth!" Willie said proudly.
"So, after you switch bodies, are you still the same person?" I asked skeptically.
"Absolutely!" Norton declared. "The distinction between individuals primarily lies in cognitive consciousness; the body is secondary. We Guokers perceive a person as composed of two parts: the cognitive mind and the physical body. The cognitive mind, essentially information, is the movement of charged particles in the brain. The body is akin to the hardware of a computer on Earth—like the monitor, host, keyboard, mouse, and the magnetic tape of a recorder. The mind resembles computer software, a program, much like the data recorded on a tape.
"When someone ages or becomes severely ill, we use artificial fields to scan their brain, copying the cognitive consciousness into digital format, which we then store in a computer. We manufacture a body without autonomous consciousness and install the digital consciousness into this artificially created brain. Finally, we neutralize the person's old body, allowing the aged body to transform into a youthful one while fully preserving the cognitive consciousness. It's as if someone wakes from sleep to find their old body rejuvenated, memories intact. This process is repeated as needed, ensuring our people's perpetual youth and immortality. That's what our cloning factory specializes in."
"Brother Qian, did you get all that?" Willie inquired.
"Oh, I understand now. It's like when we repair bicycle tires on Earth, right? Normally, we patch them up, but if they're too damaged, we simply replace them. You're saying if someone is too old or too ill, you don't bother treating them; you just swap to a new body while keeping the original consciousness intact, correct?"
"Exactly," Willie confirmed.
At that moment, Norton pressed his ear, likely receiving a message through the GIW. He told us, "Jarpen has arrived at the human cloning factory. Let's go."
Via the GMW, Willie, Suldair, Norton, and I instantly arrived at the cloning factory.
The cloning factory was massive, stretching beyond sight, with a row of huge virtual text above the gate.
"Wow, what a grand sight!" I exclaimed.
"There are many gates to the cloning factory; this is just one of them," Suldair remarked nonchalantly.
Beyond the gate was merely a passageway leading to more enormous buildings, some of which were virtual. We boarded an open-top vehicle that hovered silently about two meters above the ground. The factory's grounds were stunning, adorned with bizarre plants and vibrant flowers. Many three-dimensional virtual holograms were displayed, each building marked with virtual Guoker text.
At one building, Norton disembarked to meet Jarpen, while we continued our tour. We visited many areas, "Ah, the cloning factory is truly vast!" I remarked in awe.
"You've seen less than one percent of it," Suldair replied, unimpressed.
"The cloning factory also has an underground section," Willie added.
After touring the surface for a long time, we entered an exceptionally large building. There were a few people moving about inside, but not many. Suldair mentioned that Norton was inside, so we alighted from the floating car and indeed found Norton and Jarpen there.
Jarpen was also about one meter tall, with a robust build. He was very friendly, grabbing my hand firmly, "Welcome, Brother Qian from Earth! Wow, you're quite big! You look very strong. Let's see how heavy you are." Jarpen then tried to lift me from behind, "Yes, quite heavy indeed."
Jarpen looked at me and then at Willie, asking, "Brother Qian, you're so big. How do you manage when you're intimate? When you're together, who is stronger, who lasts longer?"
Fearing I might not understand, he crudely demonstrated by forming a circle with his left hand and repeatedly thrusting his right index finger through it, crudely mimicking sexual intercourse between me and Willie.
"That's not true at all," Willie snapped back, visibly annoyed by Jarpen's vulgar gesture. She swiftly separated her clasped hands and sliced the air with a V-shaped motion.
"Really? I can't believe that!" Jarpen stepped back, looking oddly at Norton, Willie, Suldair, and me. "Bringing Brother Qian all the way from Earth just to study sexual activities between Earthlings and Guoker people and to gather useful data through observation. Norton, isn't that right?"
Norton remained silent while Willie turned away and began to walk. Norton, Suldair, and I followed her.
Was Jarpen hinting at something? Was Norton planning some special experiment with me? I thought anxiously, hoping not to be treated like a lab rat. Seeing our collective disregard, Jarpen had no choice but to catch up, "Let me show you around our cloning factory, Brother Qian."
Jarpen energetically explained the various devices and functions within the cloning factory. His gestures were expressive, accompanying his words with a variety of actions. I was hardly paying attention, eagerly anticipating another glimpse of the voluptuous, naked woman's body submerged in a yellowish liquid that I had seen during a previous visit to the Guoker Biological Research Institute.
Finally, in the underground section of the cloning factory, I saw those naked human bodies again, each suspended in a pale yellow liquid with a tube connected externally. Rows upon rows of containers each held a body about one meter tall, unlike the diverse and bizarre body types at the biological research institute.
"These are the backup bodies we keep on Guoker Planet," Jarpen explained. "Whenever someone needs a new body, we simply select one from here. You see, they all have tubes attached; these are used to supply nutrients and remove waste."
"Why don't you use GMW teleportation technology to provide nutrients to these backup bodies like you do for yourselves?" I asked.
"Most of the nutrient supply and waste removal are handled by GMW teleportation technology, but these tubes are part of their circulatory system. We need to design a circulatory system to maintain life functions. We can't rely entirely on GMW because it might awaken the autonomous consciousness of these backup bodies. They are like plants, with their minds as blank as a sheet of paper. Do you understand?" Jarpen clarified.
I still had many questions. "Why are all the backup bodies of a similar size? Why not create some that are exceptionally tall or small? Some people might prefer that."
"One reason is manufacturing convenience, much like on Earth where products are made in standard sizes for ease and reliability. Producing different sizes complicates the process. Also, this uniform size is a result of our long-term studies and practices; it's the optimal size suited for the gravitational and various physical and chemical environments on Guoker Planet. It's ideal for everyday activities, sports, intimacy, and disease resistance," Jarpen responded.
"Another critical reason is to prevent harm that might come from significant size differences between bodies. As sex can be quite violent and wild on Guoker Planet, and we don't govern behavior with laws or morals, controlling physical size from the manufacturing stage is the right approach. While strict size regulation is enforced on our main star, the diversity in body sizes is much greater on nearby planets, allowing for all kinds of unusual forms."
"The idea of you, Brother Qian, with your large size, entering someone as small as Willie, would be strictly prohibited on Guoker Planet!" Jarpen remarked nonchalantly, gesturing towards Willie's lower body.
Willie quickly moved away and came to stand beside me, grabbing my arm and displaying a flirtatious demeanor to shift the focus away from the sexual implications of our conversation. "How many backup bodies do you have on Guoker Planet?" I asked her, changing the subject.
"Several million, I suppose?" Willie replied.
"And how many cloning factories are there on Guoker Planet?"
"Just one," Jarpen interjected. "Cloning is the most crucial operation on our planet. It's not something we take lightly."
"On Earth, reaching 18 years old is considered the prime of life. Does it take 18 years to cultivate a backup body here?"
"We use chrono-fridges, which can speed up the process significantly. It doesn't take nearly that long," Norton responded.
"Chrono-fridge, do you know what that means, Brother Qian?" Jarpen asked, ready to explain.
"I learned about it during my last visit to the Guoker Biological Research Institute," I noted.
As we continued our tour, another question crossed my mind. "When an elderly Guoker comes to your cloning factory and switches to a younger body, if their old body isn't dealt with, doesn't that mean there are two of them? How do you handle that?"
"If we didn't manage the old bodies, there would indeed be two 'selves,'" Jarpen answered simply. "They are all treated harmlessly."
I was still puzzled. "What do you mean by harmlessly treated?"
"It means we kill you and then burn the body! Ha-ha-ha!" Suldair burst into laughter, his upper body shaking.
"Suldair, you really should store some gentler phrases in your mind. You're too fond of using scary words," Willie chided him.
"Could you replicate my Earth body here as well?" I inquired.
"You're an Earthling; we don't have the program for that. Developing it would take a very long time. Moreover, although our laws on Guoker Planet don't regulate individuals, they do impose strict controls on organizations, artificial intelligence, and various algorithms. The cloning factory isn't allowed to replicate alien bodies casually. This facility is for production, not research. If it were a research institution, replication could be permitted under controlled conditions," Jarpen explained clearly.
"You can't just replicate me. I suspect that having two 'myselves' in the universe is impossible. Your clones aren't truly the original person. When people come to your cloning factory, you essentially kill and burn them, then casually create another body and declare that the cloning was successful!"
"Your words anger me!" Jarpen charged at me, poised to attack, but suddenly stopped just before making contact. "I have a program that lets you experience what having two 'myselves' feels like," he said.
Jarpen led us into a small room and activated a virtual screen connected to the GIW. After some operations, a helmet-like device appeared on the table. Jarpen instructed me to put it on.
Incredibly, I found myself experiencing a bizarre scenario: one moment I was inside the room conversing with Jarpen, Norton, Willie, and Suldair, and the next moment I was outside, observing another version of myself chatting with them.
Removing the helmet, I exclaimed, "Wow, that was fascinating! I truly felt the presence of two 'myselves,' so now I believe your cloning factory is genuinely reliable. I have another question: how do Guoker people choose their backup bodies?"
"Our cloning factory mainly uses bodies created through pure artificial manufacturing, though some come from natural reproduction. Once mature, they are immediately listed on the GIW. Guoker people typically search the GIW to find a body they like. They can also customize bodies within allowed limits, sometimes even taking advice from friends," Jarpen replied.
"Ha, it's like how we Earthlings shop for clothes! I'm a man—could I choose a woman's backup body?"
"It's extremely painful for individuals when their body and consciousness do not match, and typically, such changes are not allowed. The cloning factory does not cater to such requests," Norton answered.
"Despite the advanced body replication technology you Guoker possess, I've noticed a significant issue: if a Guoker encounters an accident, say, falling off a cliff and dying, isn't it too late to replicate their body then?"
Norton responded, "Our concept of death differs from yours. For example, if a Guoker astronaut goes to Earth for exploration, his consciousness and memories are stored in a computer before departure. If he were to die on Earth, we'd quickly transfer his consciousness into a backup body, resurrecting him. He would lament that only his memories of the trip to Earth were lost. For us, death means only losing parts of our memories, not all, as we back them up. On Guoker Planet, the GMW and GIW constantly track everyone and continuously record every thought, ensuring no memory is ever lost."
"Can you alter someone's consciousness during the replication process?"
Norton explained, "We have numerous large-scale biological research institutes. Over generations, Guoker bodies have become stronger and more aesthetically pleasing. We often study body structures from other planets to create better backups for our people. Here in the cloning factory, however, we respect individual consciousness and do not make alterations.
Adjustments to consciousness are only made in certain research labs under controlled conditions, and only when absolutely necessary, like for those suffering mentally. Initially, when we began using artificial field scanning to copy and store brain consciousness, it was easy to make changes, which we did frequently. However, this led to significant negative side effects. Later, we introduced the 'Personal Source Code' concept, allowing us to restore consciousness and memory data to its original state under specific circumstances."
"How long does it take to scan and record a person's mind?" I asked.
"It's very fast," Norton replied. "Initially, it took about six or seven minutes by your time, but now it doesn't even take a second."
"If I customize a new body, do I need to inform my relatives and friends beforehand so they recognize me afterwards? Is that a possibility?" I inquired.
"Certainly, it's possible," Jarpen explained, "but you only need to notify your friends. We Guoker people don't have relatives—no parents, no siblings. We simply replace our old bodies with younger ones continuously; our bodies are self-manufactured. How could we have relatives?"
"Do people have to pay for a new body? Does it cost anything?" I asked.
"It's free," Suldair said with a slight sneer. "You Earthlings are always concerned about money."
"If it required payment, imagine the concerns of those who couldn't afford it. It could lead to severe social upheaval," Norton added. "At least on Guoker Planet, body replication doesn't cost anything."
After the tour, I reflected, "On Earth, the dream of immortality has persisted for thousands of years. How many more centuries or millennia might we have to wait for body replication technology?"
Jarpen responded, "It's a matter of confidence. If Earthlings believed it were possible and understood that the essence of a person is their mind consciousness—merely the movement of charged particles in the brain, which is information—and mastered artificial field scanning technology, it could be achieved in just a few decades."
"However, the key for Earthlings is understanding the essence of the field. Only by grasping this can you use this intangible element of the universe to delve deep into the brain and record consciousness. Besides the field, any other material penetrating deep into the brain could damage it, potentially killing the individual. Why record anything if it results in death? In addition to recording, the installation of consciousness into a backup body also requires artificial field scanning, and no other method can substitute for it."
"You must first decode the essence of the field on Earth, then develop artificial field scanning technology. Controlled by computer programs, this could be termed 'artificial information field,' which would deeply scan and record human consciousness. The same field is used to install consciousness into a new brain. Designing the software to control this artificial field scanning would undoubtedly require many brilliant mathematicians."
Norton added, "Recognizing the correct direction is also crucial. The core of a person is their mind consciousness, the movement of charged particles in the brain, fundamentally information. Consciousness can influence the surrounding space, causing it to oscillate. These oscillations in space move at the speed of light, and recording these spatial waveforms is as vital as recording the brain's electrical activity."
"The body is merely a vessel for the mind, which is secondary. Earthlings tend to prioritize the physical body over the mind, constantly seeking to develop drugs to keep the body young or to freeze it in hopes of achieving immortality. These methods will never succeed in granting immortality. If you pursue the wrong direction, you will never achieve success."
Suldair bluntly criticized, "Brother Qian, you Earthlings spend the most money on drugs, tobacco, and alcohol, and the second most on weapons to kill each other. You think that those devoted to scientific research are fools or madmen. I predict that Earth's science will not advance but regress, because all your real scientists are gone. Now, you regard technically skilled but intellectually limited technicians as scientists.
"Besides engaging in warfare, you oppress, bully, and deceive each other. In a few decades, you'll regress to a primitive society, indistinguishable from a group of monkeys. The technology of human body replication is irrelevant to you Earthlings—not because it's unachievable, but because it never even occurs to you.
"In short, I doubt your returning to Earth will make any significant impact. People will likely consider you insane. Another trait of Earthlings is that while some try to accomplish something, there are always others looking to undermine it."
Norton added, "I'm also skeptical about Brother Qian making any impact in terms of achieving immortality. It's a challenging feat. Earthlings are hindered by their deeply ingrained, conservative mindsets, effectively shackling themselves. If Earthlings were to believe in you, and fully commit to the endeavor, success could be possible within decades, once you've mastered the tool of artificial field scanning.
"Immortality becomes feasible once the mind's consciousness is recorded through artificial field scanning. Once consciousness is stored in a computer, it remains intact regardless of the physical body's decay or the brain's death. Computers are easy to maintain, so there's no loss of consciousness. All that's left is to wait, however long it may take."