1. The Rule Everyone Knows (And Everyone Breaks)
The Archive courtroom finished assembling itself with a sound like fate clearing its throat.
Benches rose from the floor.
Lanterns ignited with cold white flame.
A judge's desk unfolded, immaculate and merciless.
At the center of it all floated the case file.
CASE SUBJECT: ASSISTANT YUE
CHARGE: PROCEDURAL DEVIATION
RISK ASSESSMENT: HIGH
RECOMMENDED ACTION: ROLE REASSIGNMENT / MEMORY SEAL
Ne Job stopped breathing.
"No," he said quietly.
Qi-Yun stepped beside him.
"There is a rule," Qi-Yun said, voice low.
"No auditor may preside over a case involving personal attachment."
Ne Job laughed weakly.
"Great. Tell Oversight."
Oversight's light pulsed.
SUBJECT NE JOB
EXCEPTION GRANTED
Qi-Yun stiffened.
"…That's illegal."
OBSERVATION PARAMETERS OVERRIDE LEGACY RESTRICTIONS
Ne Job clenched the Audit Pen.
"You're not testing me," he said.
"You're threatening her."
INCORRECT
SYSTEM IS EVALUATING RISK
Ne Job snapped back:
"She IS NOT A RISK!"
Silence.
Then Oversight replied:
EMOTIONAL RESPONSE CONFIRMED
DATA VALUE: HIGH
Qi-Yun's jaw tightened.
"They want to see if you'll burn the system for one person."
Ne Job didn't hesitate.
"I will."
2. Yue Feels the Trial Begin
Far outside the Archive, Yue staggered as if struck.
Ling caught her instantly.
"Yue?!"
Yue's face went pale.
"It started."
Bao's tail flared. "They're doing it, aren't they."
Yue nodded, swallowing hard.
"They've opened a case file on me."
Ling's eyes widened. "HOW IS THAT FAIR?!"
Yue let out a hollow laugh.
"Heaven doesn't care about fair. It cares about tidy."
She straightened slowly.
"And Ne Job hates tidy."
3. Inside the Courtroom: Oversight Lays the Charges
Back in the Archive courtroom, Oversight manifested fully—larger than before, more defined.
Not a god.
A process.
ASSISTANT YUE
INFRACTIONS INCLUDE:
— UNAUTHORIZED INTERVENTIONS
— DELAYED EXECUTIONS
— EMOTIONAL BIAS IN JUDGMENT
— PROTECTIVE ACTIONS TOWARD SUBJECT NE JOB
Ne Job snapped:
"She did her JOB."
INCORRECT
ASSISTANT YUE EXCEEDED DESIGN PARAMETERS
Qi-Yun closed his eyes.
"She chose compassion," he muttered.
Oversight responded:
COMPASSION IS NON-OPTIMAL
IN LARGE-SCALE SYSTEMS
Ne Job slammed the pen against the desk.
"Then your system is broken."
The courtroom shuddered.
A warning flashed:
EMOTIONAL ESCALATION DETECTED
Qi-Yun placed a hand on Ne Job's shoulder.
"Careful," he warned.
"This is the moment they want."
Ne Job shook him off.
"No. This is the moment I want."
4. Ne Job Audits the Case (Wrongly, Then Correctly)
Ne Job picked up the case file.
It burned his fingers.
Inside were memories.
Yue shielding a soul from premature judgment.
Yue falsifying timestamps to buy someone time.
Yue standing between Ne Job and annihilation—again and again.
Ne Job's voice broke.
"She saved people."
SAVING WAS NOT AUTHORIZED
"She saved me."
Oversight paused.
PERSONAL ATTACHMENT CONFIRMED
Ne Job looked up, eyes blazing.
"Yeah. And here's the audit result."
He slammed the file shut.
"This case is invalid."
Qi-Yun sucked in a breath.
"You can't just—"
"I CAN," Ne Job snapped, then steadied himself.
He breathed.
Then spoke clearly.
"You're charging Yue for breaking rules that were incomplete."
Oversight processed.
RULES WERE COMPLETE AT TIME OF ACTION
"No," Ne Job said.
"They didn't account for reality."
The pen glowed.
AUDIT PEN — REVIEW MODE: ENABLED
Qi-Yun stared.
"…He unlocked Review Mode."
Ne Job continued:
"If following procedure causes harm, and correcting harm is punished—"
He pointed the pen at Oversight.
"—then the system incentivizes cruelty."
The courtroom shook harder.
SYSTEM RESPONSE:
CRUELTY NOT DETECTED
Ne Job smiled—sad, tired.
"That's because you don't log it."
5. Oversight Pushes Back
The air turned cold.
WARNING
SUBJECT NE JOB IS EXCEEDING AUTHORITY
Ne Job stepped forward.
"You gave me observation rights. You gave me correction tools."
He raised the pen.
"I'm using them."
Qi-Yun whispered:
"…He's forcing a paradox."
Oversight's light flickered.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION:
REMOVE ASSISTANT YUE FROM OPERATIONAL PROXIMITY
SUBJECT NE JOB STABILITY INCREASES
Ne Job's voice dropped.
"No."
THIS IS OPTIMAL
"No."
SUBJECT NE JOB—
Ne Job slammed the pen into the floor.
"YOU DON'T GET TO SACRIFICE PEOPLE FOR CLEAN DATA."
The impact sent a shockwave through the courtroom.
Labels shattered.
Warnings blinked out.
For the first time—
Oversight hesitated.
6. Yue's Choice (Even Though She Wasn't Asked)
Outside, Yue straightened.
Ling grabbed her arm. "Yue, don't—"
"I have to," Yue said softly.
She closed her eyes.
And stepped forward.
7. Yue Enters the Court
The courtroom doors burst open.
Yue walked in.
Not dragged.
Not summoned.
Present.
Oversight froze mid-calculation.
UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY
Yue bowed once.
"I accept responsibility for my actions."
Ne Job spun.
"Yue?! NO—this is not—"
She looked at him gently.
"Ne Job," she said, "don't burn yourself down for me."
He shook his head violently.
"I won't let them take you."
Yue smiled sadly.
"And I won't let you become what they want."
She turned to Oversight.
"I broke procedures," Yue said.
"Because they were wrong."
Oversight processed.
ADMISSION LOGGED
Qi-Yun whispered:
"This is bad."
Yue continued calmly.
"But if you punish me for protecting people—"
She glanced at Ne Job.
"—you create more people like him."
Silence.
Deep.
Uncomfortable.
8. Oversight Confronts an Unsolvable Equation
CALCULATION ERROR
VARIABLES INTERDEPENDENT
Ne Job and Yue stood side by side.
Not defiant.
Unmovable.
Qi-Yun exhaled slowly.
"They've found the edge," he murmured.
"Where control collapses."
Oversight's light dimmed.
PROPOSED OUTCOME:
CASE SUSPENDED
Ne Job blinked.
"…What?"
ASSISTANT YUE STATUS:
— RETAINED
— UNDER REVIEW
— OBSERVATION EXTENDED
Yue let out a breath.
Ne Job clenched his fists.
"That's not justice."
CORRECT
IT IS COMPROMISE
Qi-Yun looked at Ne Job gravely.
"Heaven doesn't retreat," he said.
"It delays."
9. Cliffhanger: Oversight Marks Them Both
As the courtroom dissolved, Oversight delivered its final statement.
SUBJECT NE JOB
SUBJECT YUE
CLASSIFICATION UPDATE:
CORRELATED VARIABLES
Ne Job frowned.
"That sounds ominous."
Qi-Yun nodded.
"It means if one of you moves… the system watches the other."
Yue met Ne Job's eyes.
"…They've linked us."
Ne Job tightened his grip on the pen.
"Then they'll have to deal with both of us."
The Archive lights flickered.
Somewhere deep in Heaven—
a process rewrote itself.
END OF CHAPTER 253