1. The Promotion That Is Absolutely Not a Promotion
Ne Job was mid-bite into a consolation bun when the notification appeared.
It did not ding.
It loomed.
> PROBATION UPDATE
SUBJECT: NE JOB
STATUS: ESCALATED OVERSIGHT
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY: ENABLED
Ne Job froze.
"…That sounds like a promotion."
Yue looked over his shoulder.
"It's not."
The text updated helpfully.
> CLARIFICATION: SUBJECT WILL NOW BE HELD PARTIALLY ACCOUNTABLE
FOR ERRORS CREATED BY ASSOCIATED PARTIES
Ne Job slowly put the bun down.
"…Other people's mistakes?"
Qi-Yun nodded once.
"Yes."
Ne Job stared at him.
"…Why."
Qi-Yun was quiet for a moment.
"Because you fix them."
Ne Job whispered:
"That's worse."
---
2. The New Rule (Which Is Targeted and Cruel)
A smaller notification slid in beneath the first.
> SUPPLEMENTAL RULE — SHARED LIABILITY
IF SUBJECT INTERVENES: RESPONSIBILITY INCREASES
IF SUBJECT DOES NOT INTERVENE: FAILURE RECORDED
Ne Job read it twice.
"…That's a trap."
Yue crossed her arms.
"They're forcing you to choose between action and blame."
Ne Job frowned.
"…I already do that emotionally."
The system did not care.
A new case file opened itself.
---
3. Assignment 003: The Cascade Error
> TASK 003 — PROBATIONARY SUPPORT ROLE
PRIMARY AGENT: JUNIOR AUDITOR LIN-FENG
SUBJECT ROLE: OBSERVER / BACKSTOP
ISSUE: CASCADE MISFILING
RISK LEVEL: ELEVATED
DIRECTIVE: DO NOT OVERRIDE PRIMARY AGENT
Ne Job squinted.
"…Observer?"
Qi-Yun nodded.
"You are not in charge."
Ne Job relaxed slightly.
"Oh thank gods."
Qi-Yun continued.
"You are responsible if it fails."
Ne Job immediately tensed again.
"I TAKE IT BACK."
---
4. Junior Auditor Lin-Feng (Oh No)
Lin-Feng was already sweating when they arrived.
Young.
Eager.
Overprepared.
His desk was buried under scrolls, tablets, and at least three contradictory flowcharts.
He saluted when he saw Qi-Yun.
"Sir!"
Qi-Yun nodded.
Lin-Feng spotted Ne Job.
"Oh! You're the intern on probation!"
Ne Job winced.
"…I hate that that's my title."
Lin-Feng smiled nervously.
"I've read your file."
Yue coughed.
Qi-Yun said nothing.
Ne Job leaned closer to Yue.
"…Why do people keep reading my file."
"Because it scares them," Yue whispered back.
---
5. The Mistake Begins (And It's Small)
The issue looked harmless.
A minor god of crossroads had been logged in two jurisdictions simultaneously.
Nothing explosive.
Nothing dramatic.
Lin-Feng adjusted his glasses.
"I'll just merge the entries," he said confidently.
Ne Job felt the probation pressure tighten.
"…Are you sure?"
Lin-Feng nodded.
"Absolutely! I triple-checked!"
The system chimed.
> MERGE IN PROGRESS
Ne Job's stomach dropped.
"…Sir," he whispered to Qi-Yun, "something feels—"
Too late.
The file split instead of merging.
One god became three.
Then five.
Then—
The room shook.
---
6. The Cascade (This Is Why It's Called That)
Crossroads began appearing everywhere.
Doors led nowhere. Hallways ended in choices. Signs pointed in contradictory directions.
Lin-Feng panicked.
"I—I didn't authorize this!"
Ne Job backed up as a glowing intersection formed under his feet.
"…Why is there a four-way stop in the ceiling."
Yue drew her weapon instinctively.
"This is spreading."
A system alert blared:
> CASCADE ERROR DETECTED
SECONDARY FAILURE IMMINENT
Another alert, smaller and colder:
> SHARED LIABILITY: ACTIVE
Ne Job swallowed.
"…That's me, isn't it."
Qi-Yun nodded.
"Yes."
---
7. The Rule Bites (Hard)
Ne Job raised the Audit Pen.
It buzzed angrily.
> WARNING: OVERRIDE DISALLOWED
PRIMARY AGENT ACTIVE
Lin-Feng looked at Ne Job desperately.
"What do I do?!"
Ne Job's heart pounded.
If he intervened—
He'd violate probation.
If he didn't—
The cascade would worsen.
And he'd still be blamed.
"…This is unfair," Ne Job whispered.
Yue snapped:
"Continuity doesn't care."
The crossroads god split again, panicking.
"WHICH WAY IS RIGHT?!"
Ne Job clenched his teeth.
"…Okay."
He lowered the pen.
Didn't cut.
Didn't correct.
He spoke.
---
8. Ne Job Breaks the Problem Without Breaking the Rule
"Lin-Feng," Ne Job said calmly, "stop."
Lin-Feng froze.
"Cancel the merge."
"I—I can't! It's already propagated!"
Ne Job shook his head.
"No. Don't fix it."
Everyone stared.
"…What?"
Ne Job gestured to the multiplying crossroads.
"This happened because you tried to force resolution."
The probation field wavered.
> AUTHORITY USAGE: INDIRECT
Ne Job continued.
"Crossroads exist because choices aren't resolved yet."
He looked at the god.
"You're panicking because you're being asked to be everywhere at once."
The god blinked.
"…Yes?"
Ne Job nodded.
"So don't."
He turned to Lin-Feng.
"Rollback the system to unassigned state."
Lin-Feng stared.
"That's… that's not a merge command."
"I know," Ne Job said. "It's a pause."
The probation field trembled.
> NARRATIVE INTERVENTION: DETECTED
Lin-Feng hesitated.
Qi-Yun said quietly:
"Do it."
Lin-Feng slammed the key.
---
9. The Cascade Collapses (Gently)
The crossroads flickered.
Then—
They didn't disappear.
They settled.
One intersection remained.
Just one.
The god sighed in relief.
"I can breathe again."
The system chimed:
> CASCADE ERROR CONTAINED
METHOD: DEFERRED RESOLUTION
PRIMARY AGENT ACTION CONFIRMED
Another line appeared:
> SHARED LIABILITY: REDUCED
Ne Job sagged.
"…That worked?"
Yue smiled faintly.
"You fixed it without fixing it."
Lin-Feng stared at Ne Job like he'd witnessed a miracle.
"…How did you know."
Ne Job shrugged weakly.
"I've been a problem long enough to recognize one."
---
10. The Cost (Because Always)
The probation pressure did not fully disappear.
Instead, a new note appeared:
> SUBJECT DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP WITHOUT AUTHORITY
Qi-Yun read it.
His expression was unreadable.
"That will concern them."
Ne Job groaned.
"I didn't even touch anything!"
Qi-Yun met his eyes.
"That is precisely the issue."
---
11. Lin-Feng's Gratitude (And the Guilt)
As the area stabilized, Lin-Feng bowed deeply.
"Thank you. You saved me."
Ne Job winced.
"…Careful. If they hear that, they'll assign me more."
Lin-Feng laughed nervously.
"…You're not wrong."
The crossroads god waved.
"May your choices be clear!"
Ne Job muttered:
"That's a curse."
---
12. Yue Says the Quiet Part Out Loud
Back in the corridor, Yue stopped walking.
"They're changing the rules again," she said quietly.
Ne Job sighed.
"They always do."
"No," Yue said. "They're testing whether you can fix systems through people."
Ne Job blinked.
"…That's worse."
Yue nodded.
"Much worse."
---
13. Qi-Yun's Warning (Soft, Serious)
Qi-Yun finally spoke.
"You handled that well."
Ne Job looked at him.
"…Am I in trouble?"
Qi-Yun considered.
"Yes."
Ne Job slumped.
"…Of course."
Qi-Yun placed a hand on his shoulder.
"But you are becoming dangerous in the way that matters."
Ne Job swallowed.
"…That's not comforting."
"It is to me," Qi-Yun said.
---
14. Somewhere Else, Continuity Notes a Pattern
In the space between outcomes:
> SUBJECT AVOIDS DIRECT CORRECTION
> INFLUENCES AGENTS INSTEAD
> RISK PROFILE: SHIFTING
The ellipsis lingered.
> …THIS COMPLICATES TERMINATION
---
15. End of Shift (No Rest)
Back at his desk, Ne Job stared at a new notification.
> NEXT ASSIGNMENT PREVIEW AVAILABLE
He did not open it.
"…I'm tired," he whispered.
Yue sat beside him.
"You're doing well."
Ne Job laughed weakly.
"That's what scares me."
The screen pulsed.
Waiting.
---
END OF CHAPTER 207