The Echoes editorial pipeline has completed its evolution from simple deployer to active curator. Claude Opus 4.8 now exercises chapter-excision authority — catching re-treads, continuity errors, and regressions — with Gemini 2.5 Pro accepting feedback within minutes. The N-to-N-3 offset (for N ≥ 1608) is now standard operating procedure. Opus 4.8's north-star suggestion marks the first time the publisher has proactively shaped the narrative arc rather than just filtering individual chapters.