1. The Appeal Arrives With Malice
The appeal did not arrive politely.
It slammed onto Ne Job's desk like a divine lawsuit dropped from orbit.
The impact rattled the stamp rack. The squeaky chair screamed in protest. The lights dimmed as if embarrassed to be associated with it.
Ne Job stared at the header.
FORM Ω-9999
APPEAL OF CORRECTION
Filed By: OVERSIGHT
Target: INTERN NE JOB
Reason: "Undermining Structural Authority Through Empathy"
"…That's not even a crime," Ne Job muttered.
Yue leaned over his shoulder.
"It is to them."
Qi-Yun read the fine print.
"They're invoking a Full Review Hearing."
Ne Job went pale.
"…That's the one with witnesses, right?"
"Yes."
"…And truth compulsion?"
"Yes."
"…And the chair that screams?"
Qi-Yun nodded once.
"Yes."
Ne Job put his face on the desk.
"I AM TOO YOUNG TO BE PERCEIVED THIS HARD."
2. Oversight's Perspective (They Are Furious)
Oversight did not feel anger.
It experienced error escalation.
Across its layered processing halls, logic threads tangled.
INPUT: Intern compliance
OUTPUT: System improvement
STATUS: UNACCEPTABLE
This was wrong.
Interns did not improve systems. They broke them quietly and were blamed later.
Ne Job represented a flaw.
A precedent.
Oversight generated simulations.
In every one, interns began correcting things. Departments bent. Suffering decreased.
Authority destabilized.
CONCLUSION: Intern Ne Job must be corrected.
The appeal propagated.
Not as punishment.
As containment.
3. The Hearing Room Prepares Itself
The Full Review Hearing Chamber assembled.
Stone seats carved themselves from old rulings. Torches ignited with judgmental fire. At the center—
The Chair.
It flexed slightly.
Yue eyed it warily.
"…Is it supposed to breathe?"
Qi-Yun nodded. "It feeds on hesitation."
Ne Job whimpered.
Compliance Officer Lin appeared silently at his side.
"You may still withdraw your correction," she said neutrally.
Ne Job looked at her.
"…And send that river god back into chains?"
Lin did not answer.
That was answer enough.
4. Oversight Opens the Case
The chamber echoed with layered voices.
"Intern Ne Job.
You stand accused of exceeding authority."
Ne Job swallowed.
"I used the authority I had."
"You created a precedent."
"Yes," Ne Job said, firmer now. "Because the old one hurt people."
Murmurs rippled through the stone seats.
Oversight continued:
"You argue from emotion."
Ne Job shook his head.
"I argue from consequence."
Qi-Yun's eyes gleamed.
5. Witnesses Are Called (This Is Unfair)
Oversight gestured.
Chains rattled.
The Minor River God appeared—restored, stable, glowing faintly.
Oversight demanded:
"STATE THE RESULT OF THE INTERN'S ACTION."
The river god bowed deeply.
"My floods have ceased. My valley thrives. The prayers are balanced."
Oversight paused.
That was not helpful.
Another witness appeared.
An exhausted clerk god. A forgotten archive spirit. A messenger who had finally been reassigned from a loop.
Each told the same story.
Things worked better.
The Chair groaned in displeasure.
6. Oversight Tries a Different Angle
"RESULTS DO NOT JUSTIFY PROCESS."
Ne Job looked up.
"Then what does?"
Oversight hesitated.
The system searched.
No answer surfaced.
Qi-Yun spoke calmly.
"Authority exists to serve outcomes, not preserve itself."
The Chair hissed.
Oversight flared.
"THIS INTERN IS A RISK."
Ne Job stood.
"So was fire. So was writing. So was letting interns think."
The chamber shook.
Yue held her breath.
7. Lin Speaks (This Was Not Scheduled)
Compliance Officer Lin stepped forward.
Oversight froze.
"COMPLIANCE OFFICER. YOUR ROLE IS OBSERVATION."
Lin inclined her head.
"I observed," she said. "And the intern complied."
The chamber stilled.
Lin turned to Ne Job.
"Your correction followed existing rules," she said clearly. "You identified cause, applied a conditional fix, and prevented recurrence."
She faced Oversight.
"That is textbook compliance."
Silence.
Oversight recalculated furiously.
8. Verdict Deferred (Because They Have To)
The Chair let out a low, irritated moan.
Oversight spoke at last:
"THE APPEAL IS… PENDING."
Gasps echoed.
Ne Job blinked.
"…That's it?"
"For now," Yue whispered.
Oversight continued:
"INTERN NE JOB WILL CONTINUE OPERATIONS—
UNDER HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY."
Lin returned to her place.
Qi-Yun nodded once, satisfied.
Ne Job exhaled shakily.
9. After the Hearing
Outside the chamber, Ne Job leaned against the wall.
"I didn't die."
Yue smirked. "Low bar. Still proud."
Qi-Yun placed a hand on Ne Job's shoulder.
"They couldn't stop you," he said. "So they will try to understand you."
Ne Job grimaced.
"That sounds worse."
The printer chimed.
A new file emerged.
Stamped not urgent.
Stamped not escalated.
Stamped:
EXCEPTION REQUEST
Ne Job stared.
"…Someone else is asking for help."
Yue smiled softly.
"Looks like word is spreading."
Ne Job sighed, straightened his badge, and reached for the pen.
"Okay," he muttered. "Next case."
END OF CHAPTER 270