World of Sword Art Online, May 20, 2022, SAO Corporate Headquarters, Conference Room.

Akihiko Kayaba held a document, pushed her glasses, and glanced at the projections of the characters in the two columns of the conference table.

Akihiko Kayaba is the designer of the NERvGear complete stealth machine and the SAO game, and holds patents for both technologies.

But in the world of capital, technology is the foundation, and money and power are the bricks and tiles on which high-rise buildings are built.

Whether it is complete stealth technology or the development of SAO's large-scale virtual reality game, it is inseparable from the support of the consortium.

There are four major consortia in the world, the Nordic consortium, the South American consortium, the Far Eastern consortium, and the Ocean consortium, which cover almost 80% of the world's economic entities.

Advanced technology requires a huge industrial foundation, such as quantum computers, new materials, professional talents and other professional fields have met certain conditions.

Akihiko Aoba's completely stealth technology has not yet departed from the nature of VR, but in 10 years, 20 years, 100 years, will the virtual world be realized?

Human consciousness, the quantum light located in the brain, or idealism, whether the human soul can exist in the virtual world and achieve immortality in another sense.

The progress of science and technology is not based on the affectionate relationship between you and me.

Any technological change is based on the bloody law of the forest.

"Kayaba Akihiko, you have an urgent meeting, is there anything wrong?"

Akihiko Kayaba came back to his senses and looked at the projections on both sides of the conference table, and the personnel of the Nordic consortium and the South American consortium had already arrived.

Akihiko Kayaba looked at the person who spoke, it was the Andrew family, one of the four pillars of the Nordic consortium, which controlled the world quantum computer market, with a 70% share.

Although in recent years, with the rise of the Far Eastern consortium, the share of the quantum computer market is declining, but it is still the absolute king in the field of high-end quantum computers.

However, the Andrew family could not dominate the quantum computer market alone, so they could only choose to join the Nordic consortium.

Kayaba Akihiko is not like this, he is a genius, and he can't get out of the control of power.

A hint of coldness flashed in Kayaba's eyes, "It's such a disgusting world. ”

Akihiko Kayaba said to Andrew, "SAO is fully stealthy and mature, and I plan to bring forward the opening date from November to June. ”

Andrew frowned: "You advanced the SAO sealing time, and now you want to advance the opening time, which completely disrupts the scheduled plan, the industrial production chain of the completely stealth machine has not yet been popularized in the world, and the pre-sales and after-sales service outlets have not been completed." ”

Andrew paused: "Enterprise competition is not a child's play, a mistake will lose the opportunity to occupy market share, the Far East consortium and the Ocean consortium, in quantum communication and complete stealth technology is making rapid progress." ”

"If SAO is opened in advance, the whereabouts of the virtual helmet will be difficult to control, and I am afraid that the core technology will be stolen by the Far Eastern Group and the Dayang Group, and further, if the Far Eastern Group and the Dayang Consortium optimize and upgrade on the basis of the virtual helmet, and we have not completely occupied the market share, this is definitely not good news for us."

Andrew repeated: "Especially the Far Eastern consortium, the ability to optimize copycats can already be described as BUG. ”

Kayaba Jinghiko paused, "Andrew's words, I understand, I have installed a built-in battery on the virtual helmet, and anyone, if forced to remove, the high-power built-in battery will burn the circuit inside the chip." ”

Andrew's brows opened slightly, and the projection personnel on both sides also relaxed their expressions, completely stealth the technology market, and it was an unprecedented big cake.

For this reason, in order to keep this cake, the Nordic consortium had to pull the South American consortium into the camp and face the pressure from the Far Eastern consortium and the Ocean consortium together.

Andrew's tone was slightly heavier: "Kayaba Akihiko, why are you so anxious to open the SAO game." ”

Everyone looked at Akihiko Kayaba.

"You have to know that according to the original plan, take hunger marketing, expand the scope of the SAO game step by step, from point to surface, and make sure that nothing goes wrong."

"Even if you do something to prevent copycats, I still need a reason."

The people in the conference room chimed in, "yes." ”

"yes."

……

Akihiko Aoba smiled at the corner of his mouth and looked at Andrew, who was full of white hair, "Mr. Andrew, how long do you think you can live?" ”

The entire conference room was suffocated, and it was silent in an instant, and a coldness permeated the entire conference room.

Andrew said coldly, "Akihiko Kayaba, what do you mean by that?" ”

Ignoring Andrew's questioning, Akihiko Kayaba slowly swept around, the people in the conference room, "Everyone here is a dominant figure, holding the fate of countless people, even if you stomp your feet at will, you can make the world economy fluctuate." ”

"However, the years treat all living beings equally, and they do not care about such things as power, and the shadow of death always hangs over you."

The coldness between Andrew's eyebrows gradually disappeared, "What do you mean, you have mastered the transfer of human consciousness. ”

Kayaba Akihiko shook his head: "The theory is mature, but it still lacks practice. ”

Akihiko Kayaba stared at Andrew, "Everyone here has read my project design book, so you should know what the last step of this technology is?" ”

Andrew had a solemn look on his face, "I didn't expect your project to progress so quickly. ”

Andrew stared at Akihiko Kayaba and said cautiously, "Do you have to take that step?" Are you sure of success? ”

Kayaba Akihiko smiled faintly, "The original purpose of SAO is to build a different world for humans, and if the human consciousness transfer technology is successful, you will all become eternal and immortal beings. ”

Andrew nodded, looked at the consortium members around him, and said lightly: "Since that's the case, let's start voting on whether to support the early opening of the SAO game." ”

"Wait." A gray-haired old man with a pair of reading glasses interjected. 、

Kayaba looked at the old man, who was the Banat family, one of the four pillars of the South American consortium, "Please speak." ”

Banat said lightly: "I am here for the market share of virtual games, and there must be some of the eight representatives here who are the same as I think, we can't risk losing the market share of virtual games because of your words, and pursue the ethereal eternity." ”

Barnat paused and continued: "As far as I know, the 'Russ' Enterprise, the 'Shake Light' project carried out through the cloning of humans, can completely carry out your consciousness transfer experiments, so why do you have to use real people for experiments. ”

A hint of melancholy flashed in Banat's eyes: "Are you planning to invest a thousand people, ten thousand people, or more people, it's not my pity, you have to know that this is a human society, our enterprise, and everything we do is still based on human society." ”

"If the world learns the truth, we in the Nordic and South American consortia may not be able to face the anger of the people."

"If you can't convince me, I'm afraid I won't be able to support your proposal."

Akihiko Kayaba pondered for a while and said, "Mr. Banat, social people are conceived through their mother's pregnancy for ten months, while clones are just deformed children bred by industry, and their souls are very weak, and they can't meet the standards of experimental materials at all. ”

Akihiko Kayaba smiled lightly, "Mr. Banat, if eternal immortal life is so easy to obtain, it is too cheap. ”

Kayaba Jinghiko swept over everyone: "Those of you here, time is fleeting, the face is easy to age, and the goal of eternal immortality is not out of reach, why are you still hesitating." ”

Akihiko Kayaba paused: "That's all I want to say, start voting now, your own destiny is in your own hands." ”

The four members of the Nordic consortium and the four members of the South American consortium looked at each other, some raised their hands, some changed their faces, and some did not move.

Akihiko Kayaba looked at the number of votes: "Four votes passed, two abstentions, and two rejections." ”

"According to the agreement, the proposal was approved, the SAO game world was opened ahead of schedule, and the consciousness transfer project was implemented."

……