Chapter 128: The Judges' Return
⚖️ Act I: Voices in the Hall
Ne Job was patrolling the Hall of Forgotten Judges when Twinkle buzzed nervously.
The cracked gavels glowed faintly, and whispers echoed through the chamber.
Ao Bing frowned. "That's not silence. That's awakening."
Taiyi Zhenren muttered, "Unprofessional."
Lord Xian appeared, grave.
> "Interns, the Forgotten Judges are stirring. They must be guided back to fairness, or the Mask will claim them."
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🧠 Act II: The Villains' Plot
The Bureau of Misrule had devised their next scheme.
Their plan: corrupt each judge individually, twisting their verdicts into chaos.
- Justice accused of cruelty.
- Balance accused of favoritism.
- Law accused of tyranny.
Ao Bing clenched his fists. "We'll protect them!"
Taiyi Zhenren footnoted the evidence.
Ne Job whispered, "We must restore their voices."
Twinkle pulsed softly.
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🎭 Act III: The Judges Awaken
The interns approached the broken scales.
One by one, the Forgotten Judges rose, glowing faintly.
- Justice appeared as a stern figure, holding a cracked gavel.
- Balance appeared as a calm arbiter, scales tilted.
- Law appeared as a robed elder, scrolls torn.
Ao Bing stumbled in awe.
Taiyi Zhenren trembled as his notes glowed.
Glimmer giggled joyfully.
Ne Job whispered, "Judges are not chaos. They are fairness."
Twinkle hummed faintly.
The Hall glowed.
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🧵 Act IV: The Confrontation
The Mask of Misrule appeared among the awakened judges.
His cracked mask shimmered with cruel laughter.
He hissed:
> "The judges are mine. Their verdicts will serve chaos."
Ao Bing hurled thunderfruit sparks.
Taiyi Zhenren annotated his tricks.
Glimmer giggled, distracting him.
Ne Job unrolled Miracle #570-C — the Chief Judge of Chaos.
The scroll pulsed.
Remembrance resonated.
The judges trembled.
Their corruption cracked.
Their glow returned.
The Mask faltered.
His disguise cracked further.
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🌈 Act V: The Resolution
The judges stood beside the interns.
Justice raised his gavel kindly.
Balance steadied her scales.
Law unrolled his scrolls.
Ao Bing laughed with Justice.
Taiyi Zhenren footnoted Balance.
Glimmer hugged Law.
Ne Job whispered, "Judges are not chaos. They are harmony."
Twinkle hummed brightly.
The Hall glowed.
The judges pulsed with new life.
The Mask fled into the shadows.
His voice echoed:
> "You may win today. But masks always return."
Lord Xian's voice echoed faintly:
> "Intern Ne Job, you have defended the Hall with the judges' return. Well done."
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📜 Epilogue: A New Registry Entry
The next morning, a new entry appeared in the Miracle Registry:
> Miracle #580-J: The Judges' Return
> Status: Defended, restored, unresolved.
> Effect: Teaches that judges are allies, not chaos. Activated through courage and remembrance.
Ne Job added a note:
> "Some miracles are threatened by forgotten judges. But their return always restores harmony."
Twinkle hummed.
And somewhere in the Hall, shadows lingered — but the interns were ready.