Mecha Star Wars.

Chapter 1400 Forced Symbiosis

The Noah crew knew nothing about the black market's movements.

On the flying carpet, Rubel introduced the shops on both sides while answering random questions from Lin Fan and his companions. Finally, they got to the robots they had encountered earlier.

Those creatures that appear to be made of optical fibers and gears, with floating holographic screens on their heads and limbs that are almost identical to robots, are actually biomechanical symbionts called "Mok".

In most cases, the individual composition of interstellar races is relatively homogeneous.

Pure humans like those on Lanxing and Yuehuaxing; insectoids like Kross and Gro; spiritual beings like the Lyrians or the Oakterbos...

A planet can contain a variety of biological populations, but the composition of these populations largely follows the basic laws of biological evolution and is relatively pure.

Of course, there are also hybrid genes, the most typical example being Annie the Demon Star, who can transform from beast form to human form. The two genes have fought countless times during evolution to form the beastman gene that is now relatively stable.

Others are those who carry some recessive genes to varying degrees, such as the employees in the Special Affairs Bureau who can transform and exhibit some inhuman characteristics.

But most of the time, they still take on human form, and their transformations, like Zhao He's cards, are time-limited.

The Mok people, however, completely defy conventional biological integrity and normal ethical concepts.

Using the excuse that carbon-based bodies are fragile and lack sustainability, they transplant their brains into more powerful mechanical bodies, becoming a forced symbiotic carbon-based-mechanical entity freed from the constraints of the physical body.

The crew of Noah were dumbfounded.

"This can actually work?" Lin Fan frowned. "Transplanting the brain into a machine... to act as a CPU, this..."

Existing knowledge constantly challenges this newly acquired established fact.

"Putting everything else aside," Jin Sichen also found it difficult to implement, "how can the brain maintain long-term activity if it is separated from the human body? It's not just about biological activity; it also needs to issue commands normally and be no different from when it's inside the body!"

"The Mok people were once at the forefront of interstellar biomedical research, and maintaining the activity of organs outside the body was not difficult for them. Even gene activation and regeneration technology was a high-level technology patent they held in their hands." Ruberu spread his hands, "But back then, no one thought that their research goal was to abandon their original bodies!"

Who would have thought that a group of medical scientists, while conducting their research, would abandon their own bodies and instead place their brains into mechanical bodies, turning them all into robots... no, mechanical symbiotes...

Although the mechanical body is superior to the carbon-based flesh body in every aspect—strength, dexterity, operating time, and standby time—but… right…

Even now, the Mok people's actions remain quite controversial. However, they seem to be enjoying themselves, and from a sovereign standpoint, no one can interfere, regardless of their opinions.

To be fair, after the Mok people were freed from the constraints of their physical bodies and put on mechanical bodies, apart from losing their human form, their research efficiency and progress were much faster.

They themselves are the technology holders in biomedicine, possessing expertise in transplantation and regeneration. With proper maintenance, mechanical bodies can last much longer than carbon-based bodies.

Later, a rumor, of unknown origin, came that the Mok people's practice of changing bodies was in pursuit of immortality.

“How can it not be considered immortality in another sense?” Antonio retorted. “Good heavens, the path of cultivating immortality has been too narrow! For thousands of years, you’ve been just toiling away with this one body.”

He patted his chest repeatedly, then turned to the back of the crowd, seeking their support: "Think about it, no matter how broken the machine is, as long as there are replacement parts and a continuous energy source, and the brain can keep working... Don't they have that regenerative technology? To make the brain live longer. If they can keep the brain alive forever, wouldn't that be equivalent to immortality?"

Surprisingly, everyone whose worldviews were being reshaped by high technology found that Antonio's words made some sense.

"It's not like they can live forever, is it?" Lin Fan looked at Rubel. "Even pure spiritual beings from the Oakebers die, let alone pure carbon-based brains. And that's the brain, the most fragile structure. No matter how advanced current technology is, it's impossible to extend the lifespan of carbon-based organisms to infinity, right?"

Lin Fan and Antonio's lifespans are longer than those of the Lanxing people because of the influence of the octopus-man genes.

Of course, those with supernatural abilities who cultivate to a certain level will also have a longer lifespan than ordinary people. But this longer lifespan is only based on the standard of ordinary people.

Even the most exaggerated wish in our imagination, "to live as long as the heavens," only represents a long period of time, not an endless one.

To say nothing of the distant past, the Emerald Star right next to them was built on the corpse of a planet.

Stars are constantly being born in the universe, and stars are constantly dying.

No one knows how the universe was born, nor when it will end.

But where there is birth, there is death; so-called immortality simply does not exist.

Ruberu nodded in agreement: "Strictly speaking, it should be called enhancement, but immortality is indeed impossible. Moreover, the Mok people have obvious weaknesses. Their waist is the most vulnerable part, which is the central container where the brain is stored. Once it is impacted, the core will be damaged, the brain will be exposed, and the nerve conduction system will be damaged, all of which will make them immediately lose their ability to move."

"It seems their defenses aren't very strong." Lin Fan recalled what he had seen before: "They have many mechanical limbs, which are very flexible, but they don't seem to have many defensive means."

“The Mok are well-known researchers and doctors in interstellar space,” Ruberu explained. “Given their widely recognized status, few people would target him specifically. After all, everyone needs better medical care.”

"With no external threats and mastery of bioregeneration technology," Lin Fan asked, "Are the Mok people really heading in the direction of immortality?"

“No, no.” Ruberu waved his hand. “Their brains are mainly kept active by soaking in an activating solution. As Lin Jian said, it’s far from immortality. The longest survival record I know of is a little over three hundred years, which is much longer than the original lifespan of the Mok people, which was only about one hundred years… But that’s not the point.”

Ruberu coughed twice and continued, "The key point is the brains of the Mok people. I don't know if it's because they're housed in metal machinery, but their consciousness has also become metal. Their bodies need energy to operate. Once the energy is depleted, the body will only stagnate in the short term, but if it goes on for a long time, the core chamber that maintains brain activity will have problems if it doesn't receive energy. You know the consequences of brain hypoxia, right?"

Everyone nodded.

"Therefore, the energy in the Mok's body cannot be insufficient," Lin Fan concluded. "Once there is no energy, it is equivalent to death."

“That’s right. But!” Ruberu sighed, “The Mok people, who have such strict energy requirements, have also established a very strict energy storage system. You may not have noticed, but they have different numbers of mechanical limbs, which is determined by each person’s different needs and intelligence.”

“Each prosthetic limb is equipped with different tools to facilitate their work. But every Mok has a special prosthetic limb with an LCD display window on its wrist. You can take a look if you have the chance; it’s very prominent.”

"What is that?" Antonio asked. "You specifically asked about it, so it must be important, right?"

“It’s a countdown digital display of the energy stored in their bodies,” Rubelu replied. “The energy of the Mok people is their currency. From birth—no, from the moment they are born into their bodies—all their earnings and expenses are settled in terms of energy, and it’s done instantly.”

Ruberu emphasized "instant settlement".