1. Compliance Officer Lin Does Not Blink First
Compliance Officer Lin walked beside Ne Job.
That alone was unsettling.
She didn't float.
Didn't glide.
Didn't trail paperwork or aura or ominous chanting.
She walked.
Perfect posture. Perfect pace. Perfect smile.
Ne Job whispered to Yue, "She hasn't looked away once."
Yue whispered back, "That means she's already memorized your heartbeat."
Lin turned her head—still smiling.
"Your resting pulse increases by twelve percent when you whisper," she said pleasantly.
Ne Job yelped.
"WHY DO YOU KNOW THAT."
Lin clasped her hands. "I monitor deviations."
Qi-Yun murmured, "She is very good at her job."
Ne Job hissed, "That's not comforting."
2. Lin Explains Her Role (Badly)
They reached Ne Job's office.
Lin stepped inside without asking.
She surveyed the room.
The desk. The crooked stamp rack. The chair that squeaked ominously.
Her smile tightened by exactly one millimeter.
"This department violates fourteen efficiency standards," she said.
Ne Job clutched his desk.
"I AM A STANDARD."
Lin nodded. "Yes. That is the problem."
She produced a clipboard.
"I am here to ensure compliance. I will observe your cases, review your decisions, and intervene if necessary."
Ne Job squinted.
"…Intervene how?"
Lin's smile sharpened.
"Gently."
Qi-Yun coughed. "That word does not mean what you think it means."
Lin ignored him.
3. The First Case File Opens Itself
The urgent file on Ne Job's desk burst open.
Ink spilled upward, forming an image.
A small god.
Young. Shaking. Wrapped in chains of glowing text.
CASE FILE 0001-A
Entity: Minor River God
Status: Decommissioned
Reason: Flood Variance Beyond Approved Thresholds
Ne Job stared.
"…They fired a river?"
Lin nodded. "Yes. The river exceeded acceptable emotional output."
Yue's hand twitched toward her weapon.
Ne Job swallowed.
"What happens to him now?"
Lin answered calmly. "He will be redistributed. Possibly into rain."
The river god whimpered.
Ne Job slammed his hands on the desk.
"NO."
The lights flickered.
Lin raised an eyebrow.
"Explain."
4. Ne Job Makes the Worst Possible Argument (Again)
"He flooded because the valley was starving," Ne Job said quickly. "They dammed his flow, rerouted prayers, and then blamed him for overflow."
Lin checked her clipboard.
"That is accurate."
"THEN WHY IS HE PUNISHED?!"
Lin tilted her head. "Because he violated protocol."
Ne Job felt the pen on his desk hum.
"That protocol is stupid."
Lin's smile faltered—just a little.
"Clarify."
Ne Job leaned forward.
"Rules that ignore cause are just excuses."
The room went quiet.
Qi-Yun watched carefully.
The river god looked up, hope flickering.
Lin paused.
Then she wrote something down.
"…Interesting."
5. Lin Tries to Reassert Control
"This department exists under probation," Lin said. "You are not authorized to override final dispositions."
Ne Job nodded.
"I know."
Lin relaxed—fractionally.
"So you will allow redistribution."
Ne Job shook his head.
"No."
Silence.
Yue closed her eyes. "Oh no."
Lin's smile returned—but colder.
"Intern Ne Job," she said, "defiance will be logged."
Ne Job picked up the pen.
"So will injustice."
The pen glowed softly.
A notification flickered—but didn't fully form.
Lin's eyes narrowed.
"That authority is capped."
Ne Job shrugged.
"Then I'll work within the cap."
Qi-Yun smiled openly now.
6. The Correction Nobody Expected
Ne Job turned to the river god.
"Hey. Can you regulate your flow if the dams are removed?"
The god nodded frantically. "Yes! Yes, of course!"
Ne Job stamped the file.
Not APPROVED.
Not DENIED.
A new mark appeared.
CONDITIONAL RESTORATION
The chains loosened.
The river god gasped.
Lin froze.
"That stamp—" she said slowly, "—is not standard."
Ne Job looked up.
"I know. I made it."
The system hesitated.
Then—
Accepted.
The chains dissolved.
The river god vanished in a rush of grateful water.
Silence fell.
Lin stared at the empty space.
7. Lin Learns Something She Doesn't Like
"You didn't override," Lin said quietly.
"No," Ne Job agreed. "I amended."
Lin looked at her clipboard.
The ink had rearranged itself.
Her smile cracked.
"…That was compliant."
Qi-Yun nodded. "Welcome to exception handling."
Lin exhaled slowly.
Yue opened one eye. "…Did we win?"
Lin looked at Ne Job.
Really looked.
Her smile returned—but different now.
"Intern Ne Job," she said, "You are going to be very difficult."
Ne Job slumped. "People keep saying that."
Lin closed her clipboard.
"I will continue observing."
She turned to leave.
At the door, she paused.
"…That stamp," she added. "Keep it."
Then she was gone.
8. Aftermath (Yue Is Not Reassured)
Ne Job collapsed into his chair.
"I THINK I JUST MADE AN ENEMY."
Yue shook her head.
"No," she said grimly. "You impressed her."
Ne Job whimpered. "That's worse."
Qi-Yun chuckled.
The printer chimed again.
Another file.
Heavier.
Stamped ESCALATED.
Yue read the header.
"…Ne Job."
"What?"
"This one involves Oversight directly."
Ne Job groaned.
"WHY DOES EVERYTHING INVOLVE THEM."
The file opened.
A familiar sigil burned across the page.
CASE FILE 0002 — THE FIRST APPEAL
Ne Job stared.
"…They're appealing me?"
Yue nodded.
"Yes."
Ne Job sighed deeply.
"Of course they are."
END OF CHAPTER 269