1. The System Notices the Shape of the Problem
The worst part wasn't the warning.
It was the pause afterward.
Not silence—Heaven was never silent—but a subtle hesitation, like the universe was hovering over a dropdown menu and couldn't decide which option to click.
Ne Job felt it crawl along his spine.
"…They're thinking," he said.
Qi-Yun nodded once.
"Yes."
Ling groaned. "That's never good. Systems should not think."
The label above Ne Job's head flickered again.
ACTIVE ANOMALY
SUB-TAG: PATTERN SOURCE (UNCONFIRMED)
Ne Job squinted upward.
"Pattern source sounds… flattering?"
Qi-Yun's voice was flat. "It is not."
2. Why Individuals Are Fine (But Trends Are Crimes)
They moved into a quieter corridor—one that subtly did not exist on most maps.
Qi-Yun spoke as they walked.
"Heaven can tolerate exceptions," he said.
"Even disruptive ones."
Ne Job nodded slowly. "Because they can be isolated."
"Correct," Qi-Yun said.
"But patterns imply replication. Replication implies loss of control."
Ling snapped her fingers. "So he's not a bug."
Qi-Yun glanced at Ne Job.
"He's a tutorial."
Ne Job stopped walking.
"…I hate that sentence."
3. The First Copycat Appears (And It's Terrible)
A shout echoed down the corridor.
"HEY—WAIT—IS THAT THE INTERN?"
Ne Job turned.
A junior clerk—barely older than him—was sprinting toward them, clutching a clipboard like a shield.
Eyes shining.
"You're Ne Job, right?! The one who stabilized a collapse without invoking authority?"
Ne Job panicked.
"I—uh—that was—situational—please don't—"
The clerk bowed deeply.
"I tried it!"
Qi-Yun stiffened.
Ling muttered. "Oh no."
The clerk babbled excitedly.
"There was a processing bottleneck in Mortal Appeals, and I didn't have clearance, so I rerouted the flow through an unused subclause and—"
He beamed.
"—it worked! For six seconds!"
Ne Job's stomach dropped.
"…What happened after six seconds?"
The clerk winced.
"They suspended me."
Qi-Yun closed his eyes.
"Yes," he said quietly.
"There it is."
4. Oversight Reacts (Predictably, Incorrectly)
A bell chimed overhead.
Too loud.
Too cheerful.
NOTICE: UNAUTHORIZED BEHAVIOR CLUSTER DETECTED
SOURCE TRACE: ACTIVE ANOMALY
COUNTERMEASURES DEPLOYING
The hallway rearranged itself.
Barriers slid into place. Sigils ignited. Reality tightened like a belt pulled one notch too far.
The clerk went pale.
"…I think I messed up."
Ne Job grabbed his arm.
"No. You tried to help."
Qi-Yun snapped: "Move. Now."
They ran.
5. Heaven Attempts to "Fix" the Issue
The barriers didn't chase them.
They predicted.
Doors closed before they reached them. Stairs flattened. Hallways looped.
Ling cursed. "They're corralling us!"
Qi-Yun nodded. "They want Ne Job stationary. Patterns are easier to erase when they stop moving."
Ne Job panted.
"…Erase me?"
Qi-Yun didn't answer immediately.
That was answer enough.
6. Yue Understands the Real Threat
Yue stopped suddenly.
"No," she said.
Everyone froze.
She looked at Ne Job—not with fear, but with clarity.
"They're not afraid of what you can do," she said.
"They're afraid of why you do it."
Ne Job swallowed.
"I just… don't like leaving things broken."
Yue nodded. "And that's contagious."
Qi-Yun turned sharply.
"Yue—"
She stepped forward anyway.
"Systems survive on compliance," she said.
"But he teaches people initiative."
A tremor ran through the corridor.
The word itself seemed to offend the walls.
7. Ne Job Makes His Worst Decision (Again)
Ne Job took a breath.
"I don't want people punished because of me."
Qi-Yun's eyes widened slightly.
"No."
Ne Job stepped forward.
"I'll talk to Oversight."
Ling choked. "You'll WHAT."
Qi-Yun grabbed his shoulder. "That is not a conversation. That is an evaluation."
Ne Job nodded.
"I know."
He straightened.
"But patterns don't stop unless the source does something different."
Qi-Yun stared at him.
"…What are you planning?"
Ne Job gave a small, tired smile.
"I'm going to comply."
Everyone went silent.
8. Compliance, Ne Job Style
The Oversight sigils flared.
A voice—not loud, not soft—spoke from everywhere.
ACTIVE ANOMALY
STATE INTENT
Ne Job bowed.
Properly.
Respectfully.
"I acknowledge the system," he said.
"I acknowledge the rules."
Qi-Yun tensed.
Ne Job continued.
"And I acknowledge that people copying me creates instability."
The sigils brightened.
CORRECT
Ne Job lifted his head.
"So I'll stop being an example."
The system paused.
CLARIFY
Ne Job smiled faintly.
"I won't act where others can see me."
The corridor shuddered.
Qi-Yun inhaled sharply.
Ling whispered: "Oh no. That's worse."
9. Oversight Hesitates (Again)
STATEMENT AMBIGUOUS
EXEMPLAR RISK: UNRESOLVED
Ne Job spread his hands.
"I won't lead."
He met the empty air calmly.
"But I also won't stop."
Silence.
Then—
PATTERN SOURCE STATUS:
…INCONCLUSIVE
The sigils dimmed.
The barriers retracted.
Oversight withdrew.
Not satisfied.
Not reassured.
But uncertain.
Qi-Yun exhaled.
"…You didn't reduce the risk," he said.
Ne Job nodded.
"I moved it."
10. Aftermath (Nobody Feels Better)
The clerk stared at Ne Job in awe.
"That was incredible."
Ne Job winced.
"Please don't say that."
Yue stepped beside him.
"You just taught Heaven something," she said softly.
"What?"
"That you can't fix initiative," Yue replied.
"You can only chase it."
Qi-Yun looked at Ne Job for a long moment.
"You are becoming very difficult to manage," he said.
Ne Job smiled weakly.
"I've had a lot of practice."
The label above his head updated one last time.
ACTIVE ANOMALY
SUB-TAG: PATTERN SOURCE (MOBILE)
Ling groaned.
"Great. He's portable now."
Ne Job sighed.
"…I really just wanted to finish my internship."
Qi-Yun placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You still might," he said.
Then, quieter:
"If Heaven survives you."
END OF CHAPTER 229