1. The Rules Arrive Immediately (And They Are Horrible)
The rules arrived before Ne Job finished sitting down.
They slid onto his desk.
Not dropped.
Not delivered.
Materialized.
A binder.
Thick. Gray. Emotionless.
Stamped across the cover in merciless black ink:
> PROBATIONARY CONTINUITY GUIDELINES
SUBJECT: NE JOB
STATUS: TEMPORARILY PERMITTED
Ne Job stared at it.
"…That sounds like I'm a glitch with benefits."
Yue leaned over, scanned the title, and winced.
"No benefits."
Ne Job opened the binder.
It screamed.
Not loudly.
Just enough to establish dominance.
---
2. Rule One: Do Not Deviate (From What? Good Question)
The first page flipped itself.
> RULE 1: SUBJECT WILL NOT DEVIATE FROM ASSIGNED NARRATIVE PATH
Ne Job frowned.
"…What narrative path?"
The page updated.
> CLARIFICATION: SUBJECT WILL KNOW WHEN HE DEVIATES
Ne Job stared.
"That's not a clarification. That's a threat."
Yue crossed her arms.
"That's Continuity for you. They don't explain. They observe."
The page glowed faintly.
> WARNING: META-AWARENESS IS DISCOURAGED
Ne Job slammed the binder shut.
"I already hate probation."
---
3. Rule Two: Authority Limitation (Yes, You're Nerfed)
The binder reopened itself.
> RULE 2: AUTHORITY USAGE IS LIMITED TO LEVEL-APPROPRIATE CONTEXTS
Ne Job squinted.
"…What level am I?"
The page flickered.
> LEVEL: INTERN (EXISTENTIAL)
Ne Job's soul left his body, came back, and slapped someone.
"So I can cut Leviathans but not file expense claims?"
> CORRECT
Yue tried not to laugh.
Failed.
A sub-note appeared:
> UNAUTHORIZED CORRECTIONS WILL RESULT IN PAIN
Ne Job blinked.
"…Physical pain?"
> YES
"…Emotional pain?"
> ALSO YES
"…Paper cuts?"
> EXTENSIVELY
Ne Job whimpered.
---
4. Rule Three: Emotional Containment (This Is Targeted)
The page flipped again.
Yue stiffened as she read ahead.
> RULE 3: SUBJECT WILL MAINTAIN EMOTIONAL NEUTRALITY
Ne Job laughed once.
"No."
The binder vibrated.
> SUBJECT'S EMOTIONAL RESPONSES HAVE CAUSED:
• UNAUTHORIZED RETURNS
• AUTHORITY SPIKES
• NARRATIVE DISTORTION
Ne Job pointed at the page.
"Okay but have you considered that I am Like This."
The binder did not care.
> EXCESSIVE EMOTION WILL TRIGGER SUPPRESSION
Yue's voice was tight.
"…Define suppression."
The page paused.
Then added a footnote.
> SEE APPENDIX D: 'TEMPORARY NON-EXISTENCE'
Ne Job stopped breathing.
Yue slammed the binder shut this time.
"That's enough."
The binder went still.
For now.
---
5. Rule Four: Interaction Restrictions (Yue Does Not Like This)
The binder reopened anyway.
> RULE 4: SUBJECT'S INTERACTIONS WILL BE MONITORED
Ne Job tilted his head.
"…All interactions?"
> YES
Yue leaned closer.
"Define interactions."
The page updated.
> EMOTIONAL
TEMPORAL
CAUSAL
INTERPERSONAL
Yue's jaw clenched.
"…Interpersonal with who?"
The binder answered without hesitation.
> KEY ANCHORS:
• YUE
• QI-YUN
• OTHERS: UNDER REVIEW
The room went cold.
Ne Job looked at Yue.
"…I'm sorry."
Yue's expression hardened.
"They're not separating us."
A new line appeared.
> NOTE: SUBJECT'S ATTACHMENT TO YUE IS STATISTICALLY CONCERNING
Yue snapped.
"STOP ANALYZING HIM LIKE A SPREADSHEET!"
The binder emitted a polite ding.
> HOSTILITY LOGGED
Ne Job reached out instinctively—
—and froze.
A faint, burning pressure wrapped around his wrist.
A warning.
He pulled his hand back.
"…I can't even react normally."
Yue swallowed.
"They're turning you into a controlled variable."
---
6. Rule Five: Death Is Now Conditional (This Feels Unfair)
The next page flipped.
Ne Job squinted.
"…Why is this page black?"
Yue read it silently.
Then paled.
> RULE 5: FURTHER DEATHS REQUIRE PRE-APPROVAL
Ne Job stared.
"…I'm sorry. What."
Yue read aloud.
"'Unauthorized deaths may result in failure to return.'"
Ne Job laughed weakly.
"That's… that's funny."
The binder did not laugh.
"…They're saying if I die wrong, I stay dead."
Yue nodded slowly.
Ne Job leaned back in his chair.
"…That feels like cheating."
"Continuity always cheats," Yue said quietly.
---
7. Qi-Yun Intervenes (Barely, But It Counts)
Qi-Yun had been silent the entire time.
Now he stepped forward.
"That will be enough."
The binder froze.
Qi-Yun placed a hand on it.
"You have delivered the rules."
The pages trembled.
> SUPERVISOR OVERRIDE: LIMITED
"I know," Qi-Yun said calmly. "I am not overriding."
He closed the binder.
"I am clarifying."
The binder resisted.
Qi-Yun pressed harder.
"You are permitted to exist," he said evenly. "Not to be dismantled psychologically."
A pause.
Then—
> …ACKNOWLEDGED
The binder slid itself to the side.
Dormant.
For now.
Ne Job stared at Qi-Yun.
"…You can do that?"
Qi-Yun did not look impressed.
"I can do very little."
Then, more quietly:
"But I will do it anyway."
---
8. The Aftermath (Nothing Feels Real)
The room felt smaller.
Ne Job stared at his hands.
"So… I'm on probation."
"Yes," Yue said.
"…For existing."
"Yes."
"…And reality is watching."
"Yes."
Ne Job nodded.
"…Okay."
Yue frowned.
"That was too calm."
Ne Job smiled weakly.
"If I panic, they win."
Yue squeezed his shoulder.
"They already are."
---
9. Private Warnings (Because of Course There Are)
Later, as Ne Job pretended to work, a sticky note appeared on his desk.
No stamp.
No seal.
Just handwriting.
Qi-Yun's.
> DO NOT TEST THE RULES
LEARN THEM
THEN BEND THEM CAREFULLY
Ne Job swallowed.
Another note appeared beneath it.
Different handwriting.
Bao's.
> KID
IF THEY'RE WATCHING YOU
IT MEANS SOMETHING BIG IS COMING
Ne Job leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"…I just wanted a normal internship."
The ceiling did not respond.
Which somehow felt ominous.
---
10. Somewhere Else, Continuity Watches
In a place without location, the three figures observed.
> SUBJECT IS COMPLIANT
> FOR NOW
> PROBATION WILL FAIL
They watched Ne Job hesitate before smiling.
> …OR IT WILL NOT
The ellipsis lingered.
---
END OF CHAPTER 204