Chapter 73: The Prank That Rewrote the Past
🕰️ Act I: A Strange Revision
Ne Job was reviewing the Bureau's Miracle Archive when he noticed something peculiar.
A scroll labeled "Miracle #44-B: The First Teacup Manifestation" had changed.
Instead of the usual account — a gentle miracle where a lonely monk received a warm cup of tea during a snowstorm — the scroll now read:
> "The First Teacup Manifestation: A tactical biscuit ambush led by the Sprites of Chaos."
Ne Job blinked. "That's… not right."
Twinkle buzzed in alarm.
Ao Bing peeked over. "Wait, wasn't that the miracle that inspired the Bureau's tea policy?"
Taiyi Zhenren frowned. "If that scroll's been altered, others might be too."
They checked the archive.
Dozens of scrolls had changed.
- The "Miracle of the Soothing Rain" now involved a dramatic pie fight.
- The "Lantern of Lost Wishes" had become a disco ball.
- The "Trial of the Seventy-Seven Stamps" was now listed as a "Sticker Swap Tournament."
Ne Job whispered, "Someone's rewriting history."
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🧠Act II: The Investigation Begins
Lord Xian summoned the Bureau's top minds.
"This is no ordinary error," he said. "These are deliberate edits. A prank of divine proportions."
Inspector Quill examined the scrolls. "The ink is enchanted. Self-replicating. Mischief-class."
Ao Bing grinned. "I know that ink. It's from the Department of Playful Possibilities."
Ne Job formed a team: himself, Ao Bing, Taiyi Zhenren, and Glimmer the sprite.
They followed the trail of altered scrolls through the Bureau — each one more absurd than the last.
- A miracle that once calmed a storm now involved a kazoo orchestra.
- A scroll about celestial diplomacy had been replaced with a recipe for "Diplomatic Dumplings."
At the end of the trail, they found a glowing scroll labeled:
> "Operation: Rewrite-a-Lot"
> By: The League of Light-Hearted Lunacy
Ne Job groaned. "Them again."
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🎠Act III: The League Returns
The League of Light-Hearted Lunacy — last seen in Chapter 59's Prank-Off — had returned.
Tumble, their ringleader, greeted Ne Job with a grin. "We thought history could use a little sparkle."
Taiyi Zhenren crossed his arms. "You've destabilized the archive."
Tumble shrugged. "We didn't delete anything. Just… remixed it."
Ao Bing chuckled. "Some of it's actually pretty funny."
Ne Job sighed. "But it's not true. Miracles are stories. If we change the stories, we change the meaning."
Tumble tilted their head. "So… what if we keep the fun, but label it properly?"
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🧵 Act IV: The Archive of Alternate Histories
Ne Job proposed a compromise.
They would create a new wing: the Archive of Alternate Histories.
- All prank versions would be moved there.
- Each would be clearly labeled as "Speculative, Satirical, or Silly."
- Visitors could explore them — but the official records would remain untouched.
Lord Xian reviewed the proposal.
"Acceptable," he said. "But only if the League helps restore the originals."
Tumble saluted. "Deal."
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🛠️ Act V: Restoring the Scrolls
The Bureau worked together.
- Ne Job and Taiyi Zhenren cross-checked every miracle.
- Ao Bing and Glimmer sorted the prank scrolls into categories: "Mildly Mischievous," "Historically Hilarious," and "Utter Nonsense."
- Twinkle helped rebind the originals with truth-thread.
The Archive of Alternate Histories opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony (and a pie cannon, courtesy of the League).
Visitors laughed, learned, and left inspired.
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đź“ś Epilogue: A New Scroll
The next morning, a new scroll appeared in the Bureau:
> Scroll #H-101: The Archive of Alternate Histories
> Curated by: Intern Ne Job and the League of Light-Hearted Lunacy
> Effect: Preserves truth, celebrates creativity, and encourages critical thinking.
Ne Job added a note:
> "History is sacred. But imagination? That's divine too — as long as we label it."
Twinkle hummed.
And somewhere in the Bureau, a scroll giggled — then politely corrected itself.