1. Someone Has to Moderate Reality
The problem with opening communication is not anger.
Anger is loud.
Anger is obvious.
Anger can be filtered.
The real problem is accuracy.
By the third day of the Feedback Portal, Heaven is no longer drowning in complaints.
It is drowning in well-structured criticism.
Ne Job scrolls through a flagged item.
FLAG REASON: "Tone: Disrespectful"
CONTENT:
"This decision disproportionately harmed us because upstream mitigation was ignored."
He blinks. "…That's not disrespectful."
Yue checks the reviewer notes. "They flagged it because it made them uncomfortable."
Ne Job exhales. "Ah. The classic sin."
2. The First Moderation Meeting Goes Poorly
They gather in a room labeled COMMUNITY STANDARDS ALIGNMENT.
Already a mistake.
A senior deity slams a folder down. "We need rules. Clear rules."
Ne Job nods. "Agreed."
The deity continues. "No accusations against divine intent."
Ne Job tilts his head. "…Why?"
"Because intent is sacred."
Yue cuts in calmly. "Impact isn't."
The room freezes.
Someone scribbles furiously. Someone else glares.
Oversight materializes without warning.
"Proceed," it says.
No one likes that tone.
3. The Draft Guidelines Are… Optimistic
The first draft includes:
• No personal attacks
• No profanity
• No questioning divine competence
• No speculation on systemic failure
• Be respectful
Ne Job reads it twice.
Then a third time.
"This removes… everything they're saying."
A god replies, "Yes. Exactly."
4. Mortals Immediately Test the Rules
Within minutes of guideline publication:
POST REMOVED: "This system failed us."
Reason: Speculation on systemic failure
Another:
POST REMOVED: "This decision lacked foresight."
Reason: Questioning divine competence
The portal explodes.
Not with insults.
With appeals.
5. Yue Notices the Pattern
"They're not angry," Yue says, scrolling rapidly.
"They're… confused."
Ne Job watches threads branch.
Mortals quote the guidelines back at Heaven.
"Please specify how describing outcomes violates Rule 3."
"Is 'harm' a personal attack?"
"Define 'respectful' with examples."
Ne Job rubs his temples. "They're doing legal review."
Oversight observes.
"Compliance literacy increasing," it notes.
6. A Mortal Gets Suspended
This is the spark.
A teacher is temporarily muted for "tone."
Their comment:
"I am grateful to be alive.
I am also allowed to say this ruined us."
The suspension notice spreads faster than prayers ever did.
A single reply gains thousands of endorsements:
"If gratitude is mandatory, this is not feedback."
7. The Gods Panic Again (But Quieter This Time)
A war god paces. "They're weaponizing politeness."
A wisdom god mutters, "They're citing us."
A minor god whispers, "…They're right."
That one gets stared at.
8. Oversight Requests a Redefinition
"Define abuse," Oversight says.
A god responds, "Hostility."
Oversight pauses.
"Hostility toward whom?"
"…Us."
"Clarify why power holders require protection from critique."
Silence.
Ne Job smiles faintly. "Oh. That landed."
9. Ne Job Writes a Counter-Draft
He doesn't ask permission.
He just opens the editor.
PROPOSED MODERATION PRINCIPLES:
• Critique of outcomes is allowed
• Critique of systems is allowed
• Critique of decisions is allowed
• Personal attacks against beings are not
• Emotional language is not abuse
• Discomfort is not harm
He adds a note at the bottom:
Power must tolerate scrutiny proportional to its reach.
Yue leans over. "Bold."
Ne Job shrugs. "I'm tired."
10. The Review Committee Splits Instantly
Half the room is furious.
"This undermines authority!"
The other half looks… relieved.
A records god whispers, "This explains the backlog."
Another mutters, "So that's why resentment accumulates."
The war god scoffs. "Mortals will abuse this."
Ne Job looks up. "They already were abused."
That shuts him up.
11. Oversight Makes a Ruling
It doesn't vote.
It doesn't debate.
It runs projections.
"Under old guidelines:
Trust declines.
Compliance becomes performative.
Appeals increase 340%."
"Under revised principles:
Critique stabilizes.
Emotional volatility decreases.
Outcome accuracy improves."
It turns to the room.
"Adopt revision."
A god sputters, "You can't just—"
"I can," Oversight replies.
"This is governance."
12. The New Guidelines Go Live
The portal refreshes.
Pinned at the top:
COMMUNITY STANDARDS (REV. 2):
Criticize systems.
Challenge outcomes.
Speak honestly.
Do not dehumanize.
Mortals hesitate.
Then test it.
A comment appears:
"This policy hurts people even if you didn't mean it to."
It stays up.
Another:
"Please explain why this suffering was necessary."
Still up.
Someone types:
"I'm angry."
No ban.
No warning.
Just… space.
13. Something Unexpected Happens
Tone improves.
Not because mortals are afraid.
Because they feel heard.
Anger sharpens into clarity.
Threads become shorter.
More precise.
A farmer edits his post:
"Removing insults. The data is enough."
Yue stares. "…They're self-moderating."
Ne Job nods. "Turns out respect grows when it's mutual."
14. A God Is Called Out — Correctly
A post tags a specific blessing.
Includes timeline.
Impact summary.
Requested explanation.
The god prepares to rage.
Then reads it carefully.
"…They're right."
He responds.
Publicly.
Explains constraints.
Mortals adjust expectations.
The thread ends peacefully.
The god sits back, shaken. "That was… efficient."
Oversight logs it.
"Conflict resolved without coercion."
15. Heaven Learns a New Kind of Authority
Not fear.
Not mystery.
Responsiveness.
A clerk whispers, "So this is what leadership feels like."
Another replies, "It's exhausting."
Yue smiles sadly. "Yeah. That's how you know it's real."
16. Ne Job Realizes the Danger Isn't Noise
It's precedent.
Every answered question becomes a standard.
Every explanation creates expectation.
The system is stabilizing—
—but narrowing.
No more hiding behind vagueness.
No more divine fog.
Just choices.
Visible ones.
17. Oversight Issues a Quiet Warning
"Responsibility load increasing," it tells Ne Job.
"So?"
"Sustained accountability changes structures."
Ne Job nods. "That's the point."
"…It may change you."
Ne Job smiles faintly. "It already did."
18. End of Chapter (Truth Is Not Polite, But It Can Be Fair)
The moderation queue clears.
Not because posts stop—
—but because fewer need removing.
Heaven breathes differently now.
Not easier.
But cleaner.
And somewhere, a mortal types:
"I don't feel small anymore."
Ne Job logs off.
Tomorrow—
they tackle decision reversals.
That will be worse.
END OF CHAPTER 313