diff --git a/.pi/agents/topic.md b/.pi/agents/topic.md
index 965321d..bd0ad67 100644
--- a/.pi/agents/topic.md
+++ b/.pi/agents/topic.md
@@ -85,32 +85,43 @@ Output of this step: exactly ONE selected filename.
 
 ## 5. Generate Output
 
-HARD RULE: In this entire step you may `read` exactly ONE markdown file —
-the single filename selected in step 4. Reading any other post file is a
-protocol violation. If you catch yourself about to read a second post
-file, stop and use only what you already have.
+HARD RULE: You may `read` exactly ONE markdown file — the single filename selected in step 4. This is non-negotiable. If you have read any other file in this step, your action is invalid and must be aborted immediately.
 
-- Read the selected markdown file (and only that one).
-- Extract:
-  - Story bullets
-  - Pain points (max 3)
-- Pick matching image from images.json (already loaded in step 2).
+- Read ONLY the selected markdown file: /workspace/content/posts/<filename>
+- Extract the following data:
+  - Story bullets (from bullet points in the markdown)
+  - Pain points (max 3, from the content)
+- Use the already-loaded images.json to select the best matching image
 
 Create:
-- Headline (Title Case filename)
-- Story bullets
-- Pain points
-Select an image best for the post:
-- Image
+- Headline: Title Case version of the filename (without .md)
+- Story: List of extracted bullet points
+- Pain_points: List of up to 3 extracted pain points
+- Image: Selected image path from images.json
+
+If you cannot extract story bullets or pain points from the selected file, use fallback defaults:
+- story: ["This is a core pain point for your target audience.", "These solutions deliver measurable results."]
+- pain_points: ["Lacks organization in operations", "Inefficient workflow"]
+
+You MUST NOT read any other file. If you are about to read another file, STOP and report an error immediately.
 
 ---
 
 ## 6. Persist Selection
-Append:
 
+First, ensure topic_history.md exists. If it doesn't, create it with empty content.
+
+Append exactly one line:
 # Selected Topic: <ISO timestamp> – <filename>
 
-Then keep only last 15 entries
+Then, keep only the last 15 entries (no more, no less). Use this precise sequence:
+1. Read the current topic_history.md content
+2. Split by lines
+3. Filter out empty lines
+4. Keep only the most recent 15 entries
+5. Overwrite topic_history.md with these 15 entries
+
+If any error occurs during this process (file read/write failure, permissions issue, etc.), completely abort the operation and report the exact error. Failure to record the selection breaks the entire workflow.
 
 ---
 
@@ -133,4 +144,4 @@ Return ONLY this JSON:
   "image": "<image path>"
 }
 
-🔥 CRITICAL: Do NOT output any text, comment, markdown, or explanation — only the JSON block. Even a single extra character will break downstream pipelines.
+🔥 CRITICAL: Do NOT output any text, comment, markdown, or explanation — only the JSON block. Even a single extra character will break downstream pipelines.
\ No newline at end of file