Chapter 93: The Contest of Hope
đ Act I: A Scroll Wrapped in Shadow
Ne Job was walking through the Bureau's Reflection Hall when a scroll fell from the highest shelf. Its parchment was dark, its ribbon frayed, and its glow faint.
Twinkle buzzed nervously.
Ao Bing leaned over. "That scroll feels⊠heavy."
Taiyi Zhenren frowned. "That's Miracle #230-H. Archived as 'Hope Against Despair.' It is only opened during the Contest of Hope."
Ne Job unrolled it.
Inside was a single line:
> "Hope must be defended."
---
đ§ Act II: The Bureau Reacts
Lord Xian summoned the Department of Emotional Balance.
"This scroll," he said, "is sacred. It demands a contest. Interns must defend hope against despair."
Ao Bing grinned. "Easy. Hope is thunderfruit fireworks!"
Taiyi Zhenren muttered, "Hope is regulation. Despair is disorder."
Ne Job whispered, "Hope is resilience."
Twinkle hummed softly.
---
đ Act III: The Contest Begins
The Bureau's Grand Hall was divided into two halves: one bathed in light, the other in shadow.
The judges: The Balance Scrolls.
Rules:
- Each intern must present hope.
- Each must face despair.
- The scrolls will judge resonance.
Ao Bing presented hope as laughter. Despair countered with silence.
Taiyi Zhenren presented hope as order. Despair countered with chaos.
Glimmer presented hope as mischief. Despair countered with sorrow.
Ne Job stepped forward.
He whispered: "Hope is not the absence of despair. It is the choice to continue."
The Balance Scrolls pulsed.
---
𧔠Act IV: The Trial of Shadows
The hall dimmed.
Despair rose â whispering doubts, fears, failures.
Interns faltered.
Ao Bing dropped his thunderfruit.
Taiyi Zhenren lost his footnotes.
Glimmer cried softly.
Ne Job stood still.
Twinkle hummed.
He whispered: "Despair is real. But hope is stronger â not because it wins, but because it stays."
The Balance Scrolls pulsed in harmony.
---
đ Act V: The Verdict
The contest ended.
The Balance Scrolls conferred.
One wrote: "Ao Bing: Bold. Fragile."
Another: "Taiyi Zhenren: Precise. Rigid."
The third floated to Ne Job and wrote:
> "You embraced despair, yet chose hope. You win."
Lord Xian nodded. "Intern Ne Job, you have shown that hope is not denial. It is devotion."
Ao Bing tossed confetti. Taiyi Zhenren footnoted the silence. Glimmer smiled through tears. Twinkle hummed triumphantly.
---
đ Epilogue: A New Registry Entry
The next morning, a new entry appeared in the Miracle Registry:
> Miracle #230-H: The Contest of Hope
> Status: Sacred, reflective, enduring.
> Effect: Defends hope against despair. Activated through resilience and choice.
Ne Job added a note:
> "Some miracles don't erase despair. They remind us to keep walking, even in shadow."
Twinkle hummed.
And somewhere in the Bureau, a scroll pulsed softly â waiting for someone to choose hope.