Cyber Heroes

The development of the brain is high-level functional areas wrapping low-level functional areas.

In other words, most of the evolution of the central nervous system is based on the outer layer of the original structure and then evolving into a higher-level structure. High-level structures generally cover low-level structures.

The most primitive reflex center that regulates important physiological activities such as cardiovascular exercise, breathing, swallowing, and vomiting.

On top of this, it is the movement center that adjusts fibers, corrects the movements of related muscles, adjusts joints, and maintains coordination of voluntary movements.

The higher level includes the nerve center that regulates endocrine and interacts with advanced thinking activities and emotions.

The next layer up is the striatum.

This involves the differentiation of a species' evolution.

In mammals, the striatum is mainly a nerve center that receives signals from the cerebral cortex and thalamus and regulates movement. It is also responsible for generating non-declarative memory [memory including muscle memory that is difficult to express in verbal symbols] 】. What it receives is generally the background information of the brain.

However, the striatum has been greatly developed in the clade of diarchs-dinosaurs-birds. For modern birds, the neostriatum is sufficient to support more complex psychological activities.

Mammals, on the other hand, do not work as deeply on the striatum. Outside of the striatum, they have evolved a higher-level functional area, the neocortex.

For humans, the deeper the nerves, the less important they are - because they are related to the body's instincts and the ability of the brain to command the physical body.

But in the era of prosthetics, these are no longer important. The biggest advantage of natural spine is that it is “high quality and low price” and “high cost performance”.

Within the laboratory, better data transmission equipment exists than the spine.

And when the biological brain suffers some kind of irreversible damage, and the damage will gradually worsen, abandoning part of the brain is also an acceptable option.

As long as the neocortex that generates self-awareness is preserved, people can still be considered human.

This is the minimum.

Of course, this standard is limited to high transformation rate prosthetics.

For natural people, those low-level parts basically involve the most basic functions of life support. Injury to the neocortex may lead to amnesia, drastic personality changes, and insanity. But if you injure those primitive parts, you might die directly.

For prosthetics, it is which one cannot be replaced by mechanization and which one is precious.

Xiang Shan was startled: This...ah, that's right. Technology can indeed achieve this step. It should have reached this step in the first place.

However, this is undoubtedly a very difficult operation.

Because the neocortex, which you have to preserve, is the outermost layer of the brain. The autonomic nerves and motor nerves that you need to abandon are covered by this layer of neocortex.

This is like hollowing out the flesh of an apple without damaging the skin multiplied by a thousand times.

Xiang Shan looked at Tao Enhai: How far are you prepared to give up? The bottom line?

Well, with current technology, in the worst case, we can dig out the hippocampus. Tao Enhai thought for a while, shook his head and smiled: There is also a considerable part of the high-level cortex responsible for movement, feeling, etc. Theoretically, the minimum is to 'retain' Part of the frontal and temporal cortex'. But to be honest, humans have not completely cracked the brain's algorithm. The frontal and temporal lobes cannot support thinking.

The implication is that the rest can be replaced by mechanization.

What about martial arts cultivation? The familiarity, acquisition and selection of complex movements are all closely related to the striatum. The transformation of long-term memory is responsible for the hippocampus...

Yes, if you lose these, you won't be able to remember things with your own brain, and your external skills will be affected. But at least you still have a hard drive. It's better than death. Tao Enhai shook his head. He stood up again and grabbed Xiang Shan by the way: And you... you'd better explain your true experience. It's hard for me to look down on you when you are wearing someone else's skin.

I can tell you something about this matter. But it must be kept strictly confidential. Xiang Shan looked at Tao Enhai: The data line is directly connected. I only accept this form of conversation.

Tao Enhai was silent for a moment. He said to his disciple: Lu Xiu, give me a data cable.

Lu Xiu breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that he didn't need surgery immediately. He didn't dare to look at his teacher, so he lowered his head and pulled out a data cable from his waist.

Tao Enhai cupped his hands at the other knights: I'm sorry, brothers, this matter involves some past events. I want to talk to this guy alone.

With that said, he and Xiang Shan walked into the operating room.

The walls of the operating room are covered with plastic film to isolate it from the soil. This space is very small, it can only accommodate two or three people, and a small number of instruments have already filled the space to the brim. If you want to perform surgery, you must bend down and lower your body.

Only prosthetic doctors can perform surgeries in such a harsh environment.

Tao Enhai sat on the ground and pointed to the opposite side.

Xiang Shan also sat down.

Tao Enhai inserted a section of the data cable on the side of his head - if it were a natural person, it would be behind the ear. Xiangshan inserted the other end of the data cable into his wrist.

【Who are you? ] Tao Enhai asked; [Every guy who claims to be Xiang Shan actually knows that he is not Xiang Shan. Deep down in their hearts, they all have their own childhood as the ‘other’. There are very few online memories of Xiangshan from his childhood. This part cannot be covered. The so-called God of War only identifies more with Xiangshan's youthful memories. You should have that memory too. 】

[Tell me, who are you? Speak with the identity of your memory. 】

At that moment, Tao Enhai was sure that this guy was a true personality mask. The signals he transmitted showed the feeling of internal strength. As of now, the fake personality mask cannot use internal energy.

Xiangshan wanted to smile bitterly: [To be honest, I don’t have that kind of memory. I also doubted whether I was someone else. 】

【Nonsense! ] Tao Enhai said: [Are you ashamed of that memory that is not Xiangshan's? If you really think that you are Xiangshan, then this idea is shameful! At least the guys who look more like it - I mean the ones called valkyrie don't hide it! 】

[No, I told the truth. 】Xiang Shan said this.

He recalled his first memory - the memory of being picked up from the garbage dump by Yuki.

——Blank...blank...blank...water...a little light...

And then there’s the Recycling Town thing. Yulia’s conversation with the mayor…

[Since it is directly connected, I can only conceal it, but cannot fictitate it. 】Xiang Shan said this.

Fiction evokes special neural activity. On an emotional level, fictional stories behave very differently from factual experiences.

Perhaps a talented liar can construct a fictional story in an instant and remain impassive on the surface. He can even pretend to be real through selfless performances for a short period of time.

But fiction is fiction.

With a stable connection, internal skill masters can capture this fleeting and subtle performance.

[Picked up from the garbage dump? What a joke. ] Tao Enhaidao: [Are you the protagonist of a science fiction comic? 】

[Although it’s hard for me to believe it, that’s how it is. 】He said to the mountain.

[With all due respect, were you executed by someone and put there after being instilled with a wrong self-identity? ] Tao Enhai said: [This is the best explanation I can think of. 】

Xiang Shan nodded unexpectedly: [Honestly, I think this guess is quite convincing. But the problem is, there is no memory that does not belong to Xiangshan in my brain. 】

[A large amount of dandruff enzyme can explain it. ] Tao Enhaidao: [You may have the original memory, but it was reset when the enzyme restored the brain. 】

Xiangshan felt a soft, bubble-like touch on his chest.

This is sympathy.

Tao Enhai was sympathizing with the nameless people who suffered this kind of thing.

Xiang Shan said: [However, there are still doubts. For knights, Danase is a very valuable resource. To completely reset an adult's memory requires a lot of enzymes. Not to mention that after that, I had to carve Xiangshan’s memory into my brain. If it was just to execute traitors, the knight would not be so extravagant. 】

[Asylum... doesn't look like that either. At least the local asylum seekers just thought I appeared suddenly and showed no signs of recognizing me. Is this some kind of psychological experiment by the Scientific Research Knights? And the one with a higher level than the Matana Knights of Jayhawk City? 】

【The devil knows. ] Tao Enhai snorted coldly in his heart: [I just hope you stop pretending to be Xiang Shan. 】

[I really have no other memories. ] Xiang Shan said this: [In fact, even Xiang Shan’s experiences in his youth were obtained from other channels. If I am not Xiangshan, I don’t know who I should be. For the sake of my own mental health and to avoid identity confusion leading to mental illness, I would like to continue calling myself this for a while until I find my memory. 】

[Hmph, whatever you want. ] Tao Enhaidao: [But you must remember! You are not Xiangshan. You are yourself. Don't expect Xiangshan to do it all. Human freedom and dignity must be fought for by ourselves now! 】

Xiang Shan said: [Speaking of which, do you need my help with the brain separation surgery? From your perspective, your disciple’s hope does not seem to be very great. 】

In addition to communication at the language level, the two parties also exchanged various potential thoughts. As long as thoughts appear near the surface of consciousness, they can be captured and transmitted by the algorithm.

[Did you save a little girl before? You seem to have trouble with brain surgery. 】

[No, Dr. Tao. 】Xiang Shan said: 【After seeing you...I remembered it again. Memories of surgery. 】