The council did not wait.
A second message arrived less than six hours later.
Mandatory Review Session — Pending Confirmation.
No venue.
No agenda.
Just time.
---
System Assessment
The Medical Authority System activated a new overlay.
[System Analysis: Political Escalation Detected.]
[Recommended Strategy: Partial Compliance.]
A probability tree unfolded.
Data disclosure
Shared authority framework
Temporary oversight acceptance
Conflict risk: −42%
Operational efficiency: −19%
Lin Chen stared at the numbers.
---
A Rare Suggestion
The system added a note.
[System Advisory: Yielding may preserve long-term operational access.]
It wasn't wrong.
Yielding would protect the system.
Protect him.
At a cost measured in lives that would never appear in official reports.
---
Dr. Hart's Question
"You trust the system," Dr. Hart said carefully.
"But do you trust the council?"
Lin Chen answered without hesitation.
"No."
---
Redefining Loss
This wasn't about ego.
It was about precedence.
If authority bowed when questioned—
it would be questioned every time.
Lin Chen closed the recommendation panel.
Override.
---
A Quiet Decision
He stood up.
"Prepare the full outcome ledger," he said.
"Every intervention. Every variable."
Dr. Hart looked up sharply.
"You're going public?"
"Not yet," Lin Chen replied.
"But I'm ready."
---
System Log
[System Log: Advisory Rejected.]
[Operator Autonomy — Elevated Risk State.]
For the first time, the system did not adjust.
It simply recorded.
---
End of Chapter
---