[NPU][CI] Refactor patch reconciliation

.buildkite/README-NPU-CI.md

@@ -86,7 +86,26 @@ list in `SUITES`.
 
 ## Adding or removing a patch
 
-Patches live in `docker/npu_patch/` and are registered in the `PATCH_CONFIGS`
-dict in [`update-npu-environment.sh`](./scripts/update-npu-environment.sh).
-Update both when adding or removing a patch.
-
+Patches are applied explicitly by [`docker/Dockerfile.npu`](../docker/Dockerfile.npu)
+and reconciled at runtime in the order declared by
+[`docker/npu_patch/series.conf`](../docker/npu_patch/series.conf).
+Each entry declares `target_worktree|image_patch|source_patch`: the image keeps
+the flat `image_patch` under `/opt/npu_patch`, while runtime CI reads
+`source_patch` relative to the current VIME checkout.
+
+When adding a patch file, add the matching Dockerfile COPY/apply operations and
+the `series.conf` entry in the same order. When deleting a patch, remove the
+Dockerfile operation and `series.conf` entry before deleting the patch file;
+the previous image retains the OLD bytes required for runtime revert. Rename
+and reorder changes must likewise update both declarations. Ordinary patch
+changes must not add patch-specific branches to the CI script.
+
+Patch-only changes reuse the default image and are reconciled when the test
+container starts. Changes that add, remove, or upgrade external repositories,
+modify installed dependencies, or otherwise change the Docker image must be
+validated with `image-build`.
+
+The initial rollout of this mechanism requires publishing a new default image
+that contains `/opt/npu_patch/series.conf`, then updating
+`DEFAULT_CI_IMAGE` in `npu_suites.py`. The legacy default image contains patch
+bytes under `/tmp/npu_patch` but not the OLD series required by this reconciler.

.buildkite/npu_suites.py

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 import sys
 
 NPU_QUEUE = "ascend-a3"
-DEFAULT_CI_IMAGE = "quay.io/ascend/vime:0.3.0-a3-vllm0.22.1rc1"
+DEFAULT_CI_IMAGE = "quay.io/ascend/vime:vime-latest"
 IMAGE_REGISTRY = "swr.cn-southwest-2.myhuaweicloud.com/modelfoundry"
 IMAGE_NAME = "vime-ci-npu"
 VIME_IMAGE_TAG = os.environ.get("BUILDKITE_COMMIT", "latest")
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     "smk": [
         ("test_qwen3_4B_npu.py", "npu-8", "", {}),
         ("test_qwen3_30B_A3B_npu.py", "npu-16", "", {}),
+        ("test_qwen3_vl_8B_npu.py", "npu-8", "", {}),
     ],
     "nightly": [],
 }
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ def npu_step(suite: str, test_name: str, resource_class: str, extra_args: str, e
             'if [ -n "${BUILDKITE_COMMIT}" ]; then',
             "  source /workspace/build/buildkite/.buildkite/scripts/update-npu-environment.sh",
             "fi",
+            "export HF_HUB_OFFLINE=0",
             f"python tests/{test_name}{' ' + extra_args if extra_args else ''}",
         ]
     )

.buildkite/pipeline-npu.yaml

@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 # Usage:  buildkite-agent pipeline upload .buildkite/pipeline-npu.yaml
 #
 # This pipeline is for running NPU tests on PRs.
-# Before execution, it checks:
-#   1. Trigger type: PR trigger or scheduled trigger
-#   2. Changed files: whether docker/Dockerfile.npu is modified (PR trigger only)
-# Based on the check results:
-#   - Image build decision: scheduled trigger always builds; PR trigger builds only if Dockerfile.npu is modified
-#   - Test image selection: uses newly built image ($IMAGE_REGISTRY/$IMAGE_NAME:$VIME_IMAGE_TAG) when build is required,
-#     otherwise uses pre-built default image (quay.io/ascend/vime:0.3.0-a3-vllm0.22.1rc1) 
+# Scheduled builds always build a fresh image. PR builds reuse DEFAULT_CI_IMAGE
+# unless image-build is selected; patch-only changes are reconciled at runtime.
 
 steps:
   - group: ":pipeline: Run NPU test"
@@ -75,4 +70,4 @@ steps:
             SKIP_IMAGE_BUILD=true
           fi
           sed -e "s/__SKIP_IMAGE_BUILD__/$${SKIP_IMAGE_BUILD}/g" .buildkite/pipeline-npu-image.yaml | buildkite-agent pipeline upload
-          python .buildkite/npu_suites.py | buildkite-agent pipeline upload
+          python .buildkite/npu_suites.py | buildkite-agent pipeline upload