1. Ne Job Develops the Uncomfortable Feeling of Being a Spreadsheet
Ne Job woke up knowing three things:
He was alive.
He was still an intern.
Someone, somewhere, was actively refreshing him.
"…I hate this," he muttered.
Above his head, faint golden text flickered—only for a moment.
STATUS CHECK: COMPLETE
ANOMALY RESPONSE: STABLE (FOR NOW)
Ne Job slapped the air.
"STOP LOOKING AT ME."
The text vanished.
That did not mean it stopped.
2. Yue Confirms the Worst
Yue entered the corridor carrying a stack of reports that were absolutely not on fire, which meant something was deeply wrong.
"You feel it too, don't you," she said without preamble.
Ne Job nodded. "It's like being followed by math."
Yue grimaced. "Oversight has you on continuous monitoring."
"How continuous?"
Yue hesitated.
"…They're measuring your intent."
Ne Job froze. "That's illegal."
"It was," Yue said. "Yesterday."
3. The Monitoring Side Effects Begin
The first side effect was lag.
Ne Job reached for a document.
It took half a second longer than usual.
"Why did that feel… processed?"
Qi-Yun appeared beside them. "Because Oversight reviewed the outcome before allowing it."
Ne Job stared at his hand. "…I'm being pre-approved?"
Qi-Yun nodded. "Or denied."
The second side effect was worse.
Every time Ne Job hesitated, reality hesitated back.
A clerk tripped—then didn't.
A ruling nearly stamped—then paused.
A punishment spell fizzled, uncertain.
Yue whispered, "He's desynchronizing decision flow."
Ne Job panicked. "I'M NOT TRYING TO—"
"That's the problem," Qi-Yun said quietly. "You don't have to try anymore."
4. Oversight's Invisible Leash
A new mark appeared on Ne Job's badge.
Small.
Elegant.
Terrifying.
OVERSIGHT TRACE — ACTIVE
Ne Job poked it.
Pain shot through his head—not sharp, just corrective.
"OW."
Qi-Yun grabbed his wrist. "Do not touch it."
Ne Job whimpered. "I don't like accessories that hurt me."
Yue folded her arms. "That mark lets Oversight intervene instantly."
"…Intervene how?"
Qi-Yun didn't answer.
That told Ne Job everything.
5. The First Intervention (Minor, On Purpose)
A shout echoed down the hall.
A junior clerk was on their knees, shaking.
"I—I misfiled the soul transfer—please—I'll fix it—"
An enforcer raised a correction seal.
Ne Job stepped forward automatically.
"Wait."
Everything stopped.
The seal froze mid-air.
Oversight noticed.
Pressure dropped like a guillotine almost falling.
INTERVENTION WINDOW OPENED
Severity: LOW
Ne Job swallowed.
"He didn't mean to," Ne Job said. "He just needs time."
Silence.
Then—
The seal dissolved.
The clerk stared in disbelief.
OUTCOME MODIFIED
Reason: Contextual Appeal
Source: Active Variable
Yue's eyes widened. "…It listened."
Qi-Yun's expression darkened. "…It logged."
6. Oversight Tightens the Net
The air shifted.
Not a manifestation.
Just a presence.
"You are exceeding passive tolerance,"
Oversight said, everywhere and nowhere.
Ne Job's knees buckled slightly.
"I was just helping!"
"You altered a corrective outcome."
"Because it was wrong!"
A pause.
"Wrong is subjective."
Ne Job snapped.
"SO IS JUSTICE."
The Archive shuddered.
Yue whispered, "Ne Job—"
Oversight responded calmly.
"Escalation noted."
The mark on his badge burned.
Not enough to stop him.
Enough to warn him.
7. Qi-Yun Explains the Trap
Later, in a sealed sub-corridor, Qi-Yun spoke softly.
"Oversight is letting you act," he said. "So it can measure how much damage you cause."
Ne Job hugged his knees. "So… if I help people—"
"—they'll call it destabilization," Yue finished.
"And if I stop?"
Qi-Yun looked at him.
"Then the system reverts."
Ne Job laughed weakly. "So no pressure."
Qi-Yun placed a hand on his shoulder.
"This is how systems test reformers," he said. "They see how long you last before breaking."
8. Somewhere Else: Oversight Updates the File
Beyond Heaven.
Beyond doubt.
A record adjusted itself.
SUBJECT: NE JOB
MONITORING RESULT:
Intervention without authority — CONFIRMED
System influence — GROWING
Containment necessity — UNDER REVIEW
Oversight paused on one line.
UNEXPECTED VARIABLE:
System compliance increased after subject interference
That was… inconvenient.
Oversight did not like inconvenient truths.
9. End of the Day (Ne Job Makes a Choice)
Ne Job stared at his hands.
"They're watching anyway," he said quietly.
Yue looked at him sharply. "Ne Job—"
"So I might as well keep helping," he finished.
Qi-Yun closed his eyes.
"…You understand what that means."
Ne Job nodded.
"I'm not going to be subtle."
The Archive flickered.
Somewhere, Oversight noticed.
And adjusted parameters.
END OF CHAPTER 280