Chapter 641: Human-Machine Integration

Electric vehicles, bionic robots, rocket technology, tunnel boring machines…
Smark's business empire was indeed vast, but he was too far ahead of his time.
His businesses, seemingly diverse, all ultimately served the same purpose: to serve that red planet.
This was precisely what was known as—the terraforming of Mars.
"So, the banks over there are now begging us, Fang Huan, to take over.
Smark himself has backed down; he said he's willing to give up everything, just to retain a management position so he can continue to participate in the business."
Pay off Smark's debts, and at the same time, let him participate in management?
But what truly interested Su Hao was Smark's persistence.
Su Hao closed his eyes; the world seemed to stand still for a moment.
In the darkness, that familiar, divinely guided "intuition" surged through his spine like an electric current once more.
Su Hao suddenly opened his eyes:
“Tell Smarck, we can take over. But I have conditions:
First, make him delete all his Twitter and other messy social media accounts. Stop him from governing the country online all day by tweeting.
From now on, he needs to shut up and focus on technology. He's only allowed to work, not to go crazy.
Also, show me his company list.”
“Okay. Then take a look at this asset list and decide which ones to keep?”
Su Hao took the list, his gaze quickly sweeping over dozens of projects.
Most names were lackluster until his eyes landed on a line of inconspicuous small print.
In an instant, that name burst forth with a supernova-like brilliance in Su Hao's “intuitive vision,” even surpassing the combined brightness of all the other companies.
【AI Link (Brain-Computer Link)】.
"What the heck is this AI Link?"
"Oh, that. It's brain-computer interface technology, supposedly connecting the human brain to a computer.
It's said to help patients with speech disorders and paralysis regain their abilities. The core concept is to use AI technology to achieve 'human-machine integration.'
Sounds pretty mystical, and a bit cyberpunk-esque."
"Yeah. But if the technology matures and can be widely commercialized, those paralyzed and aphasic patients could be saved..."
Human-machine integration.
A meaningful smile curved Su Hao's lips.
This wasn't just a medical technology; it was the key to evolution.
His intuition told him that this thing held a ladder to the "realm of gods"!
"Buy it. Buy all these companies according to my selection." Su Hao waved his hand.
"Especially this AI Link. Tell Smarck that money is no problem.
He can throw as much as he wants at it! But he has to produce results!"
***
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world.
Anthony looked at the unassuming black briefcase before him with a complex expression.
"I've spent most of my life in the intelligence world, and I never imagined I'd be carrying this thing."
A nuclear briefcase.
It was a legendary taboo.
It was the clarion call of doomsday.
It was the ultimate remote control capable of formatting the Earth!
Although a single briefcase couldn't launch it; it required three keys combined.
But even controlling just one-third of the power represents a deterrent force enough to make any major power's head of state hesitate before speaking to Fang Huan.
"Are you sure the North Korean rebels also have one?"
"No doubt about it. They intercepted it during a high-level purge of dissidents."
"And the remaining one?"
"Still searching. The situation over there is too chaotic; the last one seems to have vanished into thin air, his whereabouts unknown."
"And Park Jung-young?"
"He's already taken the money and left. Should we…" The adjutant made a throat-slitting gesture.
"No. Let him live. This is called 'spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones.'" Anthony shook his head.
"Traitors die, collaborators live. Fang Huan's reputation is more important than a nuclear bomb."
He gently stroked the cold surface of the briefcase, a smug smile on his face.
"We need to extend the reach of the Empire as well. We must always project the image of 'peace envoys.'
We need to let them know that Fang Huan will always welcome them with open arms..."
***
New York, a dilapidated mansion somewhere.
"So... how did it go? Did Fang Huan agree?"
Smarck, the former tech magnate, now sat unshaven in his chair like a prisoner awaiting sentencing.
"Yes, Fang Huan agreed, and accepted all of the bank's conditions.
However, Mr. Su Hao has a few requests."
You must resign from your position as chairman and step down to the position of director.
Furthermore… all social media accounts must be deleted, and he/she must be permanently banned from appearing in the media.
"
"...Fine. I accept it. At least the company survived.
So, which companies did they keep? Which project do they plan to focus on? Rockets? Or electric cars?"
"This is the list." The secretary handed over a document.
Smarck eagerly began to read it, but suddenly, his pupils contracted sharply, fixed on a line of text.
"Wait! Is this investment amount printed incorrectly? Hundreds of billions of dollars?
Investing in a brain-computer interface company that's still doing lab experiments on mice? This is insane!"
The secretary followed Smarck's finger.
The project that received such a large sum of money was—AI Link!
As for the others... Fang Huan only provided a token amount of funding to keep them afloat.
This didn't seem like a business investment; it was more like a... sacrifice.
"Heh...heh heh heh...I see, I see!"
Smarck suddenly burst into a manic laugh, tears streaming down his face.
He finally understood.
He finally understood why Fang Huan had cornered him like a cat playing with a mouse before buying his company.
"I should have known! He doesn't care about Mars at all!
He wasn't after money, and he certainly wasn't after any 'disability cure'!
Don't be ridiculous! Would a cold-blooded capitalist like Su Hao care if a few paralyzed people could walk?
The so-called disability cure is just a damn pretense!"
Smark's voice became hoarse:
"In a sense, death is the greatest, inescapable 'disability' in human genes!"
AI Link's ultimate vision is:
To upload consciousness through a human-machine interface, so that the physical body can be replaced as easily as replacing parts, so that carbon-based life can ascend to silicon-based life…
Humanity can then achieve true immortality!
"Su Hao saw through this project at a glance—it's a ladder to godhood!
What he wants to do isn't business at all; what he wants to do... is become a god!
An immortal being, the only 'god' on this planet, who holds the fate of all beings in his hands!"