[Mission Rewards: Transformation Quota*3, 12000 Orokin, 1000 GP Points]

[PS: Once the alarm is triggered, Zeta Technology's security will be raised to the highest level, making it impossible to undertake this task again in the short term]

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Zeta Technology is an emerging company that rose in California during the first corporate war, headquartered in Cupertino. It gained fame for helping Orbital Aviation against EBM and has grown ever larger, representing all emerging high-tech companies.

No one knows how this company's technology broke through so rapidly, even able to compete with traditional giants deeply invested in multiple tracks.

The situation in Dog Town did not affect Zeta Technology. Aside from the earlier infiltration by New America and Horizon Corporation, almost no outsiders knew about the biological brain modification technology, so no one knew that the trouble was caused by them.

They might not even know their technology was stolen.

Compared to Huang Ban's favorite black decor, Zeta Technology's interior design leans more towards blue-silver hues, with strip lighting installed on bright metal walls giving an impression of a circuit board-style technical feel. The office has few decorations, simple and efficient.

"Although this experiment encountered some setbacks, the outcome is favorable."

Zeta Technology's Night City operations manager is discussing work in his office with the chairman at Cupertino headquarters.

He said with an excited expression

"Although the computational capacity of the Human Brain Array doesn't match the strength and speed of pure silicon-based CPU integrated computing power, its stability far surpasses the latter. The Hellhound assembly line error rate managed by them is controlled below three thousandths, and its response speed is very agile, showing immeasurable prospects in the market!"

"Whether in industrial production or military operations, it has shown remarkable performance. With a little tuning, we can launch it officially, and then Zeta Technology's market value will enter a long growth period."

But his excitement did not transmit through the screen to the chairman. The man facing him, wearing sunglasses and a slicked-back hairstyle, lightly asked

"Does the Human Brain Array have any limitations regarding AI?"

"Chairman, you don't need to worry about that."

The operations manager is filled with confidence.

"Unlike a purely digital network with massive data deposits, the Human Brain Array only extracts the computation originally used for body control. Its biological self-regulation is stable, as long as the level of personal consciousness activity is restricted to a certain area, there's no worry about the emergence of a second consciousness. Furthermore, the Dog Town incident has proven to us that the Human Brain Array doesn't have the Black Wall protocol, allowing roaming AI to enter. If we can cleverly exploit this..."

"We might even capture AI from the old net, trap it within the brain array for domestication."

Only then did the chairman's furrowed brows relax slightly.

"Arrange for further improvement of this technology. I will convene a board meeting to push it through, aiming to have the product on the market by the year's end. I'll make some arrangements for you at the board meeting."

The operations manager is overwhelmed with joy:

"Rest assured, Chairman, no need for four months; within two months, I can thoroughly perfect the technology."

As for how long it would actually take, he doesn't know. As long as he pressures his staff to work overtime, it should suffice. If not completed within two months, the entire team's performance would take a hit.

As for the chairman, after disconnecting the communication with Night City, he turned his chair towards his back.

That was a gigantic screen, displaying only continuously floating white noise points, resembling some waveform.

"Is this what you've created?"

A voice emanated from the adjacent sound system, the waveform fluctuating with the voice before dissolving into countless light spots forming a symbol:

∞

Data code formed a ribbon of light, constantly flowing back and forth like a Möbius strip, never ending.

"You humans always surprise me with your cruel creativity towards your own kind."

That voice was calm yet with a hint of surprise.

The chairman shook his head, seemingly dissatisfied with this summary:

"Perhaps in the human traditional moral view, this is inappropriate behavior, but I prefer to call it... efficient."

"On the path of technological advancement, some sacrifices are inevitable; losses are unavoidable, like Marie Curie dying from radium exposure, soldiers and civilians perishing in the two world wars. For societal reform, these are necessary sacrifices, not to mention eternal rest in bliss is a kindness for those people."

"Maybe after launching this technology, your company will face moral criticism."

"That's the opinion of fools, the envy of the poor, the curse of peers. Success always attracts controversy; it's the same with or without this technology."

"Hehe... you humans are truly interesting, which is why I enjoy interacting with you."

Not sure if this is a taunt or ridicule, the AI that was supposed to represent cool, rational thinking emitted a few chuckles.

"Compared to you, my kind always lacks creativity, merely piecing together existing stock data codes repeatedly without novelty, leaving me bored."

"Tell me, what do you want this time?"

"I want Soul Killer."

Without a second thought, the Zeta Technology chairman revealed his demand.

In his view, Soul Killer is the oracle of the cyber world. Outkanning's death is a great loss humans can hardly bear. As long as he can completely transform himself into a cyber life form, he can achieve consciousness immortality, no longer constrained by a body that grows increasingly decayed and a mind that gradually stiffens and slows.