1. Homework Begins: Failure Also Begins
Ne Job sat alone in the Archive training chamber.
Qi-Yun was "not supervising," which actually meant he was hiding somewhere silently judging Ne Job's life choices.
The homework scroll hovered in front of him:
> ACHIEVE CALM FOR 1 SECOND (WITHOUT DETONATING)
Ne Job inhaled.
He closed his eyes.
He thought peaceful thoughts:
quiet clouds,
soft breezes,
Yue not yelling at him,
Ling not threatening to file him as "Hazardous Materials,"
Qi-Yun not throwing him into metaphorical lakes—
BOOM.
A shockwave blasted out of Ne Job like he had swallowed a minor bomb.
The scroll immediately updated:
> ATTEMPT 1: FAILURE Reason: Emotional Overload
New Recommendation: "Try being less yourself."
Ne Job glared.
"I feel personally attacked."
Attempt 2 produced a smaller explosion but more screaming.
Attempt 3 produced a bigger explosion but less screaming.
Attempt 4 created a new problem:
A ring of shimmering qi blasted outward—
fwOOOOOM
The Archive trembled.
A nearby pillar collapsed into glowing dust.
A floating label appeared:
> UNDEFINED OUTPUT DETECTED Suggested Term: "Panic Wave?"
Ne Job froze.
"…I invented something, didn't I."
The Archive chimed:
> Panic Wave Added to Skill Prototype List
Ne Job slammed his face into his knees.
"I DID NOT WANT THIS."
---
2. Qi-Yun Appears Like the Spirit of Disappointment
Qi-Yun emerged from the shadows.
Not walking.
Just materializing with the energy of a disappointed administrator.
He looked at the crumbling pillar.
Looked at the trembling floor.
Looked at Ne Job.
"…Explain," he said.
Ne Job, still curled up, groaned:
"I panicked."
Qi-Yun nodded. "And?"
"And it waved."
Qi-Yun's expression didn't change.
"Describe the sequence."
"I tried to calm down."
"Yes."
"Instead I panicked harder."
"Yes."
"And then my panic achieved blast radius."
Qi-Yun closed his eyes like the sentence physically hurt him.
"…Ne Job. You cannot be weaponizing anxiety."
"I'M NOT TRYING TO—IT JUST HAPPENS!"
Qi-Yun summoned a floating diagram.
It displayed:
Ne Job
Emotional instability level: Critically High
Results: Shockwaves, panic events, involuntary spiritual eruptions
Qi-Yun tapped the "Critical" label.
The label changed to Excessively Critical.
Ne Job pointed at it.
"That's rude."
Qi-Yun ignored him.
"You must gain control," he said.
"Immediately. Panic-based output is one of the most volatile forms of divine force."
Ne Job nodded miserably.
"…Sir, what if I can't?"
Qi-Yun's voice softened by 0.3%—which was practically tenderness.
"You will."
Ne Job blinked.
Qi-Yun added:
"Because I will force you to."
"…I take it back, that's not comforting."
---
3. Training Session: Now With 500% More Danger
Qi-Yun clapped.
The Archive shifted into a spherical chamber.
Floating stones appeared.
Each stone held an emotion.
Fear.
Embarrassment.
Guilt.
Stress.
Responsibility.
Existential confusion.
And one glowing red orb labeled:
> UNIDENTIFIED FEELING #47 (Probably not good)
Ne Job pointed. "Sir, why is that one vibrating?"
"Because it is waiting."
"For what?!"
"For you."
Ne Job shrieked internally.
Qi-Yun gestured.
"All you must do," he said, "is remain calm as each emotional stimulus activates."
"…Sir…"
"Yes?"
"This sounds like torture."
"It is training."
"It's torture training."
Qi-Yun shrugged. "A proven method."
The first orb activated.
FEAR.
Ne Job inhaled.
The fear was mild—like worrying he'd forgotten to sign a form.
He held steady.
"No explosion," Qi-Yun noted. "Continue."
Second orb: EMBARRASSMENT.
A memory surfaced: the time he tried to bow during orientation and headbutted a sacred lantern into a river.
Ne Job twitched.
Micro-shockwave.
Qi-Yun raised a brow.
"Contained. Good."
Third orb: GUILT.
He remembered Yue's face whenever he broke something.
Ne Job's chest tightened.
A ripple of power built—
—but he stuffed it down.
He exhaled shakily.
Qi-Yun nodded.
"Promising."
Fourth orb: RESPONSIBILITY.
Ne Job froze.
His heartbeat spiked.
A crack formed under his feet.
Qi-Yun narrowed his eyes.
"Control it."
"I CAN'T—"
"Yes. You can."
Ne Job shut his eyes.
Breath in.
Breath out.
Just like the Calmness Pool—
fwip
The crack sealed.
He gasped.
"I DID IT."
Qi-Yun nodded.
"Do not celebrate. Celebrating is destabilizing."
Ne Job froze mid-smile.
"Sir why am I not allowed to enjoy my own progress?!"
"Because enjoyment is a distraction."
"I HATE THIS TRAINING."
"Yes."
---
4. The Final Orb: Unidentified Feeling #47
The last orb pulsed.
Ne Job shivered.
"Sir… does it have to activate?"
"Yes."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Yes."
"Will I die?"
"…Yes."
Ne Job screamed.
"WHAT KIND OF LESSON IS THIS—"
The orb detonated silently—
—and flooded his mind.
He saw:
Yue's worried eyes,
Ling's stubborn glare,
Bao's awkward attempts at encouragement,
The Court Judge's distant warning,
Qi-Yun's silent expectations,
His own hands holding the Audit Pen—
Then a single realization hit him like divine lightning:
> "I don't want to disappoint anyone."
The emotional weight collapsed on him—
FWOOOOOOOOOOOM
A massive Panic Wave burst from his chest.
The entire spherical chamber cracked.
Qi-Yun activated 27 barriers.
Stones shattered.
Ink walls rippled violently.
Ne Job fell to his knees.
His breath hitched.
His hands shook uncontrollably.
"…Sir…" he whispered.
"I… I didn't know that feeling was inside me…"
Qi-Yun stabilized the chamber with a single hand.
He knelt.
For the first time in all of recorded history, he sounded gentle.
"That is not panic," Qi-Yun said quietly.
"That is care."
Ne Job blinked through tears.
"But it hurts."
Qi-Yun nodded.
"Care often does."
He placed a hand over Ne Job's.
"Lesson Seven: Learn to hold power without fear of disappointing others."
Ne Job trembled.
"But… I don't know how."
"You will learn."
"And if I fail?"
Qi-Yun squeezed his hand.
"Then we repeat the lesson. Until you do not."
---
5. Outside, Yue Feels Something Break (Emotionally)
In the Void Storeroom, Yue staggered.
A shockwave of emotion hit her chest.
Ling caught her.
"What was that?! He's panicking AGAIN?!"
Yue shook her head, pale.
"No… this wasn't panic."
Ling frowned. "Then what—"
Yue exhaled shakily.
"It felt like… he cares too much."
Ling froze.
"…For who?"
Yue's voice cracked.
"For all of us."
Bao's snack bag fell open.
"That's… new."
Ling looked at the Archive door, eyes narrowing.
"That's dangerous."
Yue nodded.
"Very."
Because caring—
for Ne Job—
was the most explosive force in Heaven.
---
END OF CHAPTER 192