The hours blurred together as Rui, Ran, and Kee Kee processed an endless stream of requests. Each form brought a different soul's story—some tragic, others mundane.
"Request for reincarnation as a butterfly," Ran read, stamping it APPROVED.
"Appeal to haunt former business partner," Rui sighed, marking it Under Review.
Kee Kee struggled with a particularly thick file, nearly toppling from the desk.
"This one's been waiting for three millennia to dispute a property line!"
By the four-hundredth form, Rui's fingers cramped. The initial satisfaction of freeing souls faded into mechanical repetition. Even Ran's usual composure cracked as he rubbed his temples.
"How many more?" he asked, his voice hoarse from disuse.
The clerk smirked. "Only 9,487 to go."
Kee Kee collapsed dramatically across a stack of papers. "I'm dying... again."
Rui's eyelids grew heavy.
