In just a few words, Tabane Shinonono had managed to break all three of them.
"You really dare to say such things..."
Natsuki Minamiya smiled thinly at the woman pretending to be innocent before her.
Using spatial abilities to do that remotely?
You really have the nerve.
"Don't get hung up on the details of sample collection. Besides, this is for the benefit of all humanity!"
Tabane Shinonono's cheerful demeanour made her seem like a dopey panda.
Yet beneath that harmless exterior lurked a cunning as sharp as a fox's.
"Dr. Shinonono..." Lacus called out, her troubled expression suggesting she wanted to remind Tabane Shinonono not to go too far.
But then, Tabane Shinonono turned to her with a smile and said:
"Lacus, if the experiment succeeds, it might even allow someone like you—who struggles with fertility—to conceive Luo Shu's child."
At these words, not only did Lacus frown, but Luo Shu's expression also darkened.
"Doctor, please abandon that dangerous notion immediately. The birth of new life shouldn't happen in such a manner," Lacus warned sternly.
Compared to Lacus's warning, Luo Shu was far more direct:
"Whether Lacus is willing or not, I don't know. But I imagine Houki Shinonono might be willing to bear me a child if I asked. Wouldn't you agree, Dr. Tabane Shinonono?"
Luo Shu had directly threatened Tabane Shinonono with her most cherished little sister.
He understood perfectly well—when dealing with someone like Tabane Shinonono, threats against her or anything else were all fair game.
The only person Tabane Shinonono cared about was her younger sister, Houki Shinonono.
So despite how tasteless it was, Luo Shu still said those words.
With his current methods, he was fairly confident he could locate her sister before Tabane did and... engage in unspeakable acts.
This was his bargaining chip, the button to the nuclear weapon.
Luo Shu's moral compass wouldn't allow him to actually commit such coercion, but that didn't stop him from using it to threaten Tabane into behaving.
"Eh?"
Hearing Luo Shu threaten her with her sister, Tabane drew out her syllable, looking slightly puzzled at Luo Shu and Lacus:
"How strange. You two are both new humans with fertility difficulties, yet you refuse my help."
"It's very bad not to see a doctor when you're sick!"
"This isn't an issue of sickness, but of morality."
Leaving aside that Lacus wasn't desperate enough to bear Luo Shu's child yet, her own principles couldn't support Tabane's actions.
In fact, as an Adjuster born through scientific means, she was the type most resistant to such behaviour.
After all, if human life could be directly manufactured through science and technology, then humans would cease to be human, becoming mere resources, completely objectified.
At that point, such technology would be a tragedy for all mankind.
She couldn't allow this to happen, nor would she permit it.
Just as Lacus was firmly refusing, Luo Shu remained silent, simply giving Tabane a look.
In an instant, the misfortune of a maiden's loss of chastity was bestowed upon Tabane.
The sudden pain made Tabane's expression change slightly before she looked at Luo Shu in confusion:
"Oh? This pain... how odd. My current body can still have such uncontrolled reactions?"
The pair of mechanical rabbit ears atop Tabane's head twitched slightly as a faint green transparent screen materialised before her.
On the greenish screen, peculiar symbols flashed across the wireframe diagram of a female figure.
This was a new language Tabane had developed after analysing the human body, specifically to interpret bodily states.
"Hmm~ My body appears completely intact, yet the feedback I'm getting feels like I'm being violated? Oh, the instrument readings are interesting - the material constituting my uterus is showing abnormal reactions consistent with Luo Shu's scanned bodily data just now. Fascinating."
"How fascinating."
A look of enjoyment appeared on Tabane's guileless face:
"Matter is changing out of nowhere, as if obeying some command. Ah, I remember now - this seems to be what those surface dwellers call the 'truth of techniques'."
"According to the data Lacus previously shared with me, this should be called a 'concept', right? Something akin to laws or the essence of things. No wonder it can alter matter."
"And now I'm... ah, animalistic physiological reactions? I never thought I could still experience this. Is this your ability, Luo Shu?"
Frowning at Tabane before him, Luo Shu suddenly realised something was wrong:
"You... haven't actually modified away your emotions, have you?"
That Tabane had undergone bodily modifications wasn't surprising to Luo Shu.
But ignoring physiological reactions, even the most basic feminine responses, was definitely abnormal.
Considering her expertise in body modification, Luo Shu naturally arrived at one possibility:
Tabane Shinonono had likely transformed herself into a non-human, purely rational being.
"That's right."
Tabane poked her cheek with a finger, maintaining her usual smile:
"You've seen the effects of the Adjuster Drug, haven't you?"
"A body several times stronger than an ordinary human's, stable mental faculties, adaptability to space, extraordinary learning ability, and superior physical appearance..."
"While the 1st generation Adjuster Drug granted these enhancements, it also came with side effects—fertility issues and emotional detachment. These weren't resolved until the 5th generation, which minimised the drawbacks."
"Alright, that's enough explanation."
Tilting her head with a sweet smile, Tabane chirped:
"Now then, Professor Shinonono's class is in session~"
"Question one: Lacus underwent modification using the 1st generation drug with its many side effects. So... what about me, the one responsible for this technology?"
"Hint: Even now, the 8th generation Adjuster Drug in my hands can't match the enhancement potency of the 1st generation prototype!"
Hearing this, Luo Shu, Lacus, and Natsuki Minamiya all fell silent.
By now, they could easily guess—Tabane Shinonono had used an experimental version of the Adjuster Drug on herself, transforming into a rational being devoid of human emotion.
Because of this, the three of them wore subtly altered expressions.
Luo Shu had to admit, in his eyes, Tabane had become an uncontrollable and dangerous individual.
With that in mind, he glanced at Lacus, who gave a slight nod. Using the Divine Pantheon Reconstruction System's communication function, they quietly coordinated.
Soon after, Luo Shu murmured to Natsuki Minamiya:
"Natsuki, teleport me next to Tabane Shinonono."
The moment the message was relayed through the system, Natsuki snapped open her folding fan with a crisp tap. Simultaneously, Luo Shu appeared out of thin air beside Tabane, his hand resting on her shoulder.
"Ara ara?" Tabane reacted instantly, turning her head the moment Luo Shu vanished to face his sudden appearance beside her.
However, she didn't make a move. Instead, she looked at Luo Shu with anticipation:
"Not satisfied with bullying me using your abilities, so now you want to bully me in reality?"
"That's fine. I'd also like to experience long-lost maidenly shyness properly."
"Save that for when you regain normal emotions."
After speaking, Luo Shu's gaze suddenly turned profound and dark. The corners of his lips curled up as he said:
"Your body underwent drug modifications, losing emotional functions?"
"This... could also be considered a form of misfortune."
The next instant, Luo Shu activated his Calamity Absorption ability enhanced by the Calamity Priest.