Victor regarded Mercer with an incredulous gaze: "You've done similar checks before, haven't you? This data... Is it real? You didn't install some prosthetic that's interfering with the data collection, did you?"
Mercer sat up, looked at the data on the screen, and stroked his chin thoughtfully: "Improved quite a bit, huh? Your reaction and composure have both increased a little. Is your program's values inaccurate, measuring lower?"
"Heh..."
Victor glanced at the glaring numbers on the instrument and threw an exasperated look at Mercer:
"Measured low? My standard for value detection is even more conservative than the company's!
Intelligence: 21, Composure: 20, Reaction: 17...
Good grief, the highest my machine can detect is just 21!
That's only because I modified the machine myself to measure this much; with a standard machine, it can only go up to 20 points max.
Unbelievable, no wonder Arasaka took notice of you. Your neural activity, neuro-tolerance... both are off the charts...
Are big corporations now so indulgent, using talents like you as expendables?
No, you're beyond a genius... You're a monster... You aren't some bio-engineered mutant, are you?"
Victor couldn't stop shaking his head, feeling his worldview thoroughly shattered.
This really isn't the kind of values a normal human should have! Even if these are just potential measurements, it doesn't mean Mercer is at this level now, but even so...
Intelligence and Reaction, in someone Mercer's age, have basically already fulfilled their potential!
This means that if Mercer equips all the prosthetics and devices now...
He could truly unleash all his intelligence, reaching this terrifying human limit right now!
"A guy's gotta be discreet to have a chance to escape, right? But, I think I'm purely human...
Ha, being a genius is not something you should dwell on, Old Wei. You won't understand; after all, a genius like me is one of a kind.
However, your machine is quite impressive; back at Arasaka, it could only detect up to 20 points."
Mercer's words made Victor involuntarily press the retest button again, but the machine's values still showed no change.
"... I've never seen a genius who could break value limits. You're no genius—I don't believe any human could measure these values."
Old Wei muttered to himself: "I thought my machine would never hit such extreme values in its lifetime... No wonder you're confident to install this batch of prosthetics, but...
Ah, forget it, I won't delve deeper...
What's your plan? How do you intend to proceed with the surgery?"
Hearing this, Mercer eagerly began to describe his surgery plan:
"Old Wei, my idea is to definitely install the Single Molecule Line and cooling system first, and replace the Prosthetic Eye and Brain-Computer Interface.
Hmm... Since we're replacing the Brain-Computer Interface, let's replace all the new data cables as well.
We can skip the coolant; such things affecting internal circulation—I checked Arasaka's documents—might accumulate trace toxins and can't be fully metabolized.
We'll have to refine the network receiver more.
Whatever you do, don't connect it directly to your network to see the data; there's a special protocol program inside.
I suspect—no, Arasaka definitely buried a backdoor in this program. Once I'm done with the other installations, we can study it together, and if we can eliminate the backdoor, then consider installing it."
"Hmm, you mean you'll install the Single Molecule Line, new Brain-Computer Interface, its connecting cables, top-tier hacker cooling, and new Prosthetic Eye all at once... Got no brain left?"
Victor remarked bluntly: "Looking at your data, I have some confidence whether you can have these installed.
But that doesn't mean you can install everything at once.
With so many things, post-op inflammation could kill you, not to mention that everything has to connect with your brain's nerves.
Didn't you also see the data?
Each prosthetic's neural load is more than double the Arasaka goods currently on you!"
Victor looked at Mercer, speaking with determination:
"Even with your confidence, no way, I'll only install some lighter-load parts for you today; the rest must wait until the post-op observation period is over to be installed.
First, replace your Single Molecule Line, Brain-Computer Interface with matching connecting cables, and Prosthetic Eye.
The rest, like prefrontal cortex ICE defense, cooling prosthetic, and Synaptic Accelerator directly affecting nerves, will be done one by one."
He turned to Mercer, speaking very seriously:
"Those latter ones are prosthetics with a massive load on your brain's nerves.
Let me put it this way, if the overall prosthetic load on your brain from the prior installations is 10, each of these latter ones alone would add a load of 10!
Moreover, you need to understand, carrying a load of 20 points vs. 30 points on the brain is a completely different concept!
A load of 10-20 points might only make you feel fatigued, but 20-30 points would continuously damage your brain's nerves!
Do you get my point?
For an ordinary person to install these prosthetics, even just installing, without power on, such massive neural loads could wreck their brain.
If powered on, every startup would cause irreversible nerve damage!
Even you can't run all these without any burden, fully operational...