Enforcer Manual
Chapter 442: Consciousness, Immortality, and Robots_1

Chapter 442: Chapter 442: Consciousness, Immortality, and Robots_1

In order to maintain that the learning activities could proceed normally, Lu Xiang and Song Lan arrived at the accommodations prepared for the returning students, under the guidance of the dean.

"I didn’t expect we’d be the earliest to arrive."

After arranging her luggage, Lu Xiang started to carefully study the schedule given to her by the dean. The academy placed great importance on this reunion, and apart from the gathering, they also hoped that alumni, based on the industries they currently worked in, could conduct a lecture or similar activity for the current students.

As a star contestant who had attracted much attention in the Morning Star Cup in recent years, Lu Xiang was assigned two tasks.

The lecture about the work of the Law Enforcers, and being a judge in this Morning Star Cup.

The panel of judges had always been composed of joint delegations from corporations and large families, which served as an important stage for them, as investors of the academy, to gauge the students’ learning outcomes. There had never been a precedent of a graduate of just one year taking on the role of a judge before this time, and what was more subtle was the fact that the dean mentioned this was not the academy’s decision, but a request from the judging panel itself.

"I always feel there are some secrets that cannot be told."

"Maybe they have regrets."

Song Lan felt that the experiences Lu Xiang had over the past year seemed quite like that of a protagonist in a wish-fulfillment novel—being transferred to a border city after facing injustices in the Seventh District and within just one year, becoming a three-star rescuer, as well as an agent of Military Intelligence Section Seven.

"Not necessarily, I checked the list, and most of the judges this time are from the Innovator Faction. It seems that it’s their turn to pick people from the school this year."

Even the students were aware that the dispute between the Conservative Faction and the Innovator Faction had been long-standing. To maintain peace publicly, they would tacitly avoid each other during these activities.

"Now that you mention it, I also remembered I came here with a mission."

"What mission?"

"Study."

Song Lan took out the e-book compiled by Father Bruno and the artificial intelligences. Although the white-dressed female ghost had ultimately been destroyed, she had left them with an unsolved mystery. This e-book recorded all the stories about the mine monsters that Father Bruno knew of.

And the Consciousness Entity left by the mad scientist they found in the inn’s basement.

All the clues pointed to Spiritual Energy, but they didn’t have experts in the field of Spiritual Energy research.

"I remember you said your school offers courses on Spiritual Energy theory research? I’d like to sit in on a class."

If one were to use more official terms, he was actually the Bug Swarm’s representative sent to the Seventh District for an educational exchange.

"Professor Myles," Lu Xiang gave a name, "He was once the vice-dean of the First Region’s Spiritual Energy Research Institute, and after retiring, he was hired by the Morning Star Academy to teach Spiritual Energy theory classes, and his courses are always full every semester."

"No problem, I can listen from the corridor."

"There’s no need for that."

Lu Xiang shook her head, "The main reason the classes are full has nothing to do with the content being taught, but because it’s very easy to get a high grade in Professor Myles’s class. He never takes attendance, the final exam is open book, and even people who haven’t attended a single class can get high scores. Every student here has taken his course. Let me check for you... there’s a class by Professor Myles this afternoon."

She adeptly logged onto the campus network with her own account and found the class information, "Right now it’s the first semester, so you should be able to understand his course."

Under Lu Xiang’s guidance, Song Lan attended his first class in the year 2166.

The seats were arranged in a circle, and an elderly man who looked sprightly opened his well-prepared presentation. He just glanced over the classroom that had a very low attendance rate. When he saw Lu Xiang, a smile appeared on his face.

"I originally thought this class was about how to develop Spiritual Energy," Lu Xiang whispered to Song Lan. "After coming here, I realized that most of the content actually has little to do with developing Spiritual Energy."

She never neglected any course, and with a "since I’m here" attitude, she listened attentively to every lecture by Professor Myles, often discussing with the old professor how to develop Spiritual Energy after class. She remembered that every time she asked, Professor Myles would simply smile at her, and upon her persistent questioning, he would mention "mathematics," "logic," and other preparatory work.

It was not until just before graduation that Lu Xiang understood the meaning behind Professor Myles’s smile.

For those without spiritual energy talent, no matter how hard they tried, they could not develop spiritual energy, as it was not a skill that could be nurtured through later practice.

After a brief exchange of glances, Professor Myles, as always, began his lecture for the day.

The Amberville Project.

That was the title displayed on the slideshow.

This lecture, Song Lan listened very attentively. He learned that Amberville was a pre-war expert in neuroscience and brain research. Long before the war, this scientist had proposed an advanced "everlasting life theory." He believed that, under certain rare circumstances, human consciousness could continue to exist apart from the body. Therefore, in theory, they only needed to transplant the human brain into a machine to possibly achieve immortality.

Through the images in the slideshow, Song Lan saw the design of this "Immortal Robot" from several hundred years ago.

Due to limitations of the era, this type of robot did not even have a humanoid shape; it resembled the sweeping robots in parks today, except that it had a semi-transparent dome on top. Under the dome, one could clearly see a human brain, with fine electrical arcs stimulating it to function normally.

Dr. Amberville became the first experimental subject of this theory.

He ordered his assistant to transplant his own brain into the "Immortal Robot" according to the theoretical model he had designed.

Unfortunately, the experiment ultimately ended in failure.

Dr. Amberville’s new body lasted less than a week before he was declared brain-dead, and this mad quest for immortality was ended with the death of Dr. Amberville.

However, Dr. Amberville’s spirit did not perish with him; even today, a considerable number of scholars believe that the Amberville Project is the foundation of modern studies in spiritual energy. He was the first to propose the relationship between consciousness and the body in his research. Before him, nearly all researchers in related fields believed that consciousness was merely an imaginary thing that did not truly exist.

Today, although research in spiritual energy has not yet achieved breakthrough progress, it has been essentially confirmed that spiritual energy is another form of the human self-consciousness.

"So, how should we guide a person to master this form of energy that goes beyond instinct?"

Professor Myles raised the question, looking kindly at everyone in the classroom, already accustomed to the students’ distracted demeanor.

He knew the students at the Morning Star Academy were indeed overwhelmed with schoolwork and did not expect anyone to answer his question.

But he had to ask.

The question was not intended for the students present, but rather, it was directed at themselves.

In this research, they had repeatedly asked themselves.

Every time the content of this lesson brought him back to the days when he had just become a scientific researcher decades ago, filled with ambition and eager to dedicate himself to the field.

"The experience of being on the verge of death."

However, this time, someone in the classroom answered the question.

The normally compassionate smile of Professor Myles almost instantly froze on his face, and he immediately looked toward the back of the classroom, where a hint of panic seemed to mingle in his eyes.

"Wrong, completely and utterly wrong!"

All the students stopped what they were doing and, as if with one accord, looked at Professor Myles.

This was the first time they had seen the professor reveal such emotion during a lecture.

—"Who told you such an answer?"