Chapter 60: The Trial of the Seventy-Seven Stamps
š Act I: A Surprise Announcement
Ne Job was halfway through organizing miracle scrolls when a trumpet blast echoed through the Bureau.
A golden notice unfurled from the ceiling, shimmering with official ink:
> Attention All Interns:
> The Divine Licensing Exam begins tomorrow.
> All interns must complete the Trial of the Seventy-Seven Stamps.
> Failure to comply will result in reassignment to the Department of Eternal Filing.
Ao Bing groaned. "Not the stamps!"
Taiyi Zhenren adjusted his monocle. "It's tradition. Every intern must pass the trial to earn their divine credentials."
Ne Job blinked. "What's the trial?"
Taiyi sighed. "You must collect seventy-seven unique approval stamps from seventy-seven divine departments. Each stamp requires a task. Some are simple. Some areā¦ not."
Ne Job gulped. "Sounds like a scavenger hunt."
Ao Bing grinned. "With paperwork."
---
š Act II: The Stamp Chase Begins
The next morning, Ne Job stood at the Bureau's entrance, scroll pouch ready, Twinkle humming softly in his pocket.
Stamp #1 came from the Department of Minor Miracles. Task: brew tea that makes the drinker remember their happiest moment.
Ne Job succeeded with a blend of moonflower petals and kindness essence. The stamp glowed blue.
Stamp #2: Department of Divine Transportation. Task: design a cloud route that avoids thunder zones.
Ne Job sketched a zigzag path with cheerful detours. Stamp granted.
Stamp #3: Department of Celestial Flora. Task: convince a grumpy flower to bloom.
Ne Job sang a lullaby. The flower yawned and opened. Stamp granted.
By midday, Ne Job had ten stamps. Ao Bing had six. Taiyi Zhenren had twelve and was already grumbling about the Department of Divine Puns.
Stamp #17 required Ne Job to sort scrolls by emotional resonance. Stamp #23 involved calming a nervous miracle orb. Stamp #31 asked him to file a complaint against himself ā and then resolve it.
Each task was stranger than the last.
---
šµļø Act III: The Mysterious Examiner
At Stamp #44, Ne Job encountered a problem.
The Department of Divine Shadows was empty. No staff. No scrolls. Just a single desk with a note:
> "To earn this stamp, you must find me." ā Examiner X
Ne Job frowned. "Find who?"
He searched the Bureau. No luck.
He asked the sprites. They giggled and vanished.
He checked the archives. Nothing.
Then he remembered something Taiyi had said: "Sometimes, the stamp is not in the department. It's in the story."
Ne Job sat down and wrote a scroll titled The Intern Who Found the Invisible Examiner. He described his journey, his guesses, and his hope that the examiner was kind.
He placed the scroll on the desk.
It vanished.
A moment later, the stamp appeared ā glowing silver.
---
š§ Act IV: The Final Stretch
Stamp #60: Department of Divine Humor. Task: make a celestial auditor laugh.
Ne Job told a joke about a miracle that turned paperwork into pancakes. The auditor snorted. Stamp granted.
Stamp #66: Department of Eternal Filing. Task: file a scroll in a system that no longer exists.
Ne Job created a new system ā the Archive of Forgotten Systems ā and filed it there. Stamp granted.
Stamp #70: Department of Divine Ethics. Task: explain why he deserved to be licensed.
Ne Job wrote:
> "I don't know if I deserve it. But I've tried. I've helped. I've listened. And I've learned."
Stamp granted.
---
š Act V: The Ceremony
On the seventh day, Ne Job stood before Lord Xian with seventy-seven stamps glowing on his scroll.
Ao Bing had seventy-five. Taiyi Zhenren had seventy-six and was still arguing with the Department of Divine Puns.
Lord Xian nodded. "You've passed."
Ne Job smiled. "Barely."
Lord Xian raised a hand. "Barely is enough. You are now a Licensed Divine Intern."
A golden sash appeared around Ne Job's shoulders. Twinkle hummed proudly.
The Bureau cheered. Even the scrolls rustled in approval.
---
šµ Epilogue: A New Scroll
That evening, Ne Job sat by the Miracle Tree and wrote a new scroll:
> "The Trial of the Seventy-Seven Stamps: A Guide for Future Interns."
He included tips, stories, and a map of the thunder-free cloud route.
Ao Bing peeked over his shoulder. "You're making it easier for the next batch?"
Ne Job nodded. "That's what interns do."
Taiyi Zhenren arrived, holding his final stamp. "I've added a pun appendix."
Ne Job laughed. "Of course you did."
And so, the trial ended ā not with thunder, but with teamwork, tea, and a very helpful scroll.