Mr Wang frowned and stroked his chin softly before speaking.
‘Insanity, death … suddenly this idea is not sounding so fantastic.’
‘No, no, those were just the first trial subjects, sir. We were able to achieve perfect success after adjusting certain parameters. Since doing that, we’ve sat on a consistent one hundred percent success rate. We currently have seventeen subjects in our facility who have the implants. The technology is working perfectly within every one of their brains.’
Mr Wang seemed reassured after this temporary period of doubt.
‘I’m glad to hear that. Have there been any further adverse effects at all?’
‘The initial procedure of getting the nanobots and their wifi chip from the stomach to the brain causes disorientation, nausea and a splitting migraine which can last from half an hour to four hours. We’ve been able to rectify this by adding a dose of an opiate to the capsule, which masks the unpleasant symptoms almost completely. Once the nanobots have successfully installed the wifi and computer chips, the symptoms vanish permanently.’
Mr Wang nodded.
‘I see. Now, regarding the functioning of the device, is it always on, and unable to be turned off? Surely this must be a major concern.’
‘Well sir, let me ask you: do you dream when you’re awake?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘It is the same with our DNI,’ Ms Fang said. ‘The brain has to effectively enter a sleep state for the DNI to become active.’
Mr Wang frowned.
‘That seems less than practical. People want to be constantly connected to their social media. They want it all the time! It has to be a constant stream of ever-changing information. That’s what enables the addiction and keeps the psyche hungering for more, surely?’
‘Don’t worry sir, we’ve taken that into consideration. That’s where the new MANMNO-M Condor smartphone comes in. This device is able to connect directly with the DNI chip on the brain. It does everything any other phone does, but it also has one unique and incredible function – which of course is also connected to the chip attached to the brain.’
‘And what function is that?’ Mr Wang asked.
‘When the user feels like entering the social network, the user can induce an immediate sleep state for a predetermined length of time. All they have to do is set up the “nap” function on the Condor device, decide how long they wish to enter the sleep state for, and that’s it. The Condor sends a signal to the chip, which activates the area of the brain which induces sleep, and then the user’s body enters a sleep state immediately, for two minutes or ten hours – the time is almost infinitely customisable – while their mind travels into the virtual realm. Inside this social media network, there is no typing and no clicking. Every person who registers on the social network does so by using a special app on their Condor smartphone, which takes a three-dimensional holographic body and head scan. This is then stored in the central database, and when a user logs on to the social network, the absolutely lifelike representations of their friends are projected directly into their brains. It will be like walking down the street, or strolling through a park, or on a tropical beach – as if you are in a dream, in which you technically are – except that all of your friends are there with you, looking exactly as they do in real life, speaking as they do in real life, sharing via holographic projection within the dream. If they share a music video for example, if you so wished, you could take their hand and step inside the video … and for all intents and purposes, if will feel as if you were actually there.’
‘The computer will generate it and send it to their brain?’
‘Exactly. If the setting is, for example, a concert video of the American band Nirvana, who ceased to exist in 1994, well sir, the fact that the band no longer exists is not even a factor to be considered anymore. The software we are currently developing for this network will be fused with the most advanced artificial intelligence-based neural networks, and will be capable of rendering the entire experience as realistically as if it were real life, inside the social media network – saturating the subject’s mind with accurately replicated sights, sounds, textures, tastes and smells, while simultaneously manipulating the subject’s brain into creating the experience.’
‘You are saying that with these chips in my brain, I could close my eyes and essentially travel back in time and watch a Nirvana concert?’
‘Physically it would just be a dream, but yes, inside your head it wouldfeel exactly as if you were doing that.’
Mr Wang leaned back in his chair, balled his right hand into a fist and pressed the foremost knuckle of his fist into his lower lip, contemplating this for a few moments.
‘Incredible…’ he eventually murmured, floored by the revelation of what this technology would mean for humankind and global profits. ‘Absolutely incredible…’ He remained silent, biting on his knuckles as a riot of thoughts careened at mad speed through the corridors of his mind. After some time he spoke again. ‘I must say, I do have a concern: what of all the sleeping the consumers will be doing? Surely this may severely affect their productivity, and bring about all sorts of issues with insomnia and disrupted sleep patterns?’
‘This is, unfortunately, a side effect that we have noticed,’ Ms Fang admitted, although her collected demeanour made it apparent that this was not an unexpected question. ‘We do have an idea on how to remedy this. Huntsmen Inc also owns a soft drink company, does it not?’
‘It does, along with various other companies.’
‘We believe that with the right marketing, an ultra-powerful energy drink could be subtly linked to the marketing and distribution of our product. The energy drink, which would ideally provide
