"Right, then why is the public cultivation technique so bad? Tell me," demanded Oliver, turning toward his Minister of Technology. The minister immediately began sweating, because it was common knowledge around the world that people could only use the breathing method developed by their own country. Becoming a citizen of another country was also extremely difficult, especially now that transportation had become unreliable and immigration systems were struggling to cope with the changes brought by mana. For the United States, this created a serious problem, because foreign religions could potentially attract American citizens while offering them access to superior cultivation methods.
"I don't know, sir, but I will have people looking into it immediately," the Minister of Technology answered nervously. "This is unacceptable, and we need to determine exactly where the problem originated." His voice remained steady, but the rest of him betrayed his fear as sweat gathered on his forehead and his eyes constantly searched the room for an escape. He could hardly tell the president that his sponsors had pressured him to make the American breathing technique deliberately inferior. Their intention had been to sell better cultivation methods to the American public at enormous prices, but that was certainly not something Oliver wanted to hear right now.
"Good," Oliver said, rising from his chair. "Then let's go and speak to the public, because they deserve an explanation." He handed a folded note to Summer Woods before walking out of the Oval Office, his expression carefully controlled as he headed toward the waiting press room. Beneath that calm exterior, however, there was a dangerous smile that none of the reporters could see. For the first time since taking office, Oliver believed he had found an opportunity that could fundamentally change his position.
The press conference began only minutes later, with cameras from across the world focused on the American president. "Good day, everyone," Oliver began, standing behind the podium with an unusually serious expression. "I am here to make a statement concerning the problems that have appeared in our public breathing technique, which has proven to be significantly below the standard that our citizens had every right to expect." He paused for a moment before continuing, allowing the weight of his words to settle over the room.
"First, I want to apologize to the American people for what has happened," Oliver continued. "After an initial investigation, we have determined the source of the problem, and the findings are extremely disturbing." He took a slow breath before speaking again, because he knew that what he was about to announce could completely change the political situation in the United States. The last president who had attempted to confront powerful interests so openly had ended up dead, although Oliver reminded himself that the circumstances were very different now.
"We have determined that the Minister of Technology responsible for developing our national breathing method accepted substantial payments from several companies," Oliver announced. "Those payments were made in exchange for deliberately reducing the quality of the breathing technique so that those companies could later sell improved versions to the American people at considerable prices." The room became completely silent as reporters stared at him, realizing that this was far more serious than a simple technical failure. "They knew that our citizens could not simply leave the country and acquire another nation's cultivation method, and they attempted to exploit that situation for profit."
"That is unacceptable," Oliver said, his voice becoming harder. "I have therefore ordered the Minister of Technology to be arrested and investigated for corruption and abuse of public office." As he finished speaking, several CIA agents moved toward the minister standing among the officials behind him. The minister immediately realized what was happening and began shouting, but the agents seized him before he could escape. Within seconds, they had forced him to the ground and dragged him away from the podium while he screamed accusations and insults at Oliver.
The entire scene was broadcast live, leaving no room for anyone to claim that the arrest had happened secretly. "We consider this level of corruption to be among the most serious offenses that can be committed against the American people," Oliver continued once the commotion had disappeared from the room. "We will investigate everyone involved, including the companies and conglomerates that financed this scheme." His expression hardened as he looked directly into the cameras, making it clear that he intended to turn the scandal into something much larger.
"We will also pursue the individuals responsible through every legal avenue available to us," Oliver said. "Where the law permits the most severe penalties, we will seek them." He then announced a reward of up to one thousand silver coins for information that could provide viable evidence against the companies, executives, and legal representatives involved in the scheme. The amount was enormous by ordinary standards, ensuring that thousands of people would immediately begin looking for anything that could be sold to the authorities. Oliver knew exactly what he was doing.
Across the world, people watching the broadcast fell silent. Even foreign governments were stunned by the sheer scale of the announcement, because Oliver had just publicly declared war on some of the most powerful economic interests in the United States. The American public, meanwhile, reacted with a mixture of outrage and celebration as people realized that someone in the government was finally willing to confront the organizations they believed had been exploiting them. For the wealthy families and corporations involved, the situation was completely different. They were furious and demanded to know where Oliver had found the courage to move against them so openly.
Oliver continued before they could organize their response. "Once we discovered the corruption, I ordered the Central Intelligence Agency to develop an alternative breathing method for the American public." He gestured toward the enormous screens behind him, where the new technique appeared alongside its instructions and requirements. "They have completed their work, and I can confidently say that this technique is superior to anything those corporations would have been willing to provide you."
At almost the same moment, government websites across the United States began displaying the new breathing method. Millions of people immediately attempted to access the documents, while news organizations rushed to explain what had just happened. The technique was now available to ordinary citizens without requiring them to purchase anything from a private company.
"That is everything I am willing to discuss today," Oliver said at last. "My administration has considerable work ahead of us, including finding a replacement for the Minister of Technology who is both competent and trustworthy." He gave the cameras a final nod before stepping away from the podium. "Thank you for your time, and may we all work toward making this country stronger."
The moment he disappeared from the cameras, Oliver's carefully constructed expression vanished. He leaned against the nearest wall and released a long breath, finally allowing himself to acknowledge how much adrenaline was still coursing through his body. The plan had worked far better than he had expected, and he could barely contain his satisfaction. What had begun as a disastrous problem with the American breathing technique had suddenly become an opportunity to reclaim political power.
Oliver had been searching for an opening like this ever since taking office. The presidency had become considerably weaker after the previous administration's disastrous actions, and Congress had gained enormous influence over nearly every major decision. Powerful corporations and wealthy families had also learned how to manipulate the political system without openly challenging the government. Oliver had spent years watching his authority disappear piece by piece, but now he finally had a weapon that the public would support.
The corruption scandal gave him exactly what he needed. Even if the original problem had been caused by several people rather than a single minister, the minister was an obvious target, and the American public was furious enough that they wanted someone punished immediately. Oliver also understood that the military courts offered him a significant advantage, because corporate influence inside the armed forces had been reduced considerably since mana had disrupted the technological systems that once made the corporations indispensable. The military had rebuilt itself around mines, blacksmiths, workshops, cultivation, and other forms of infrastructure that the government could control directly.
That made the situation particularly useful for Oliver. A normal civilian investigation could take years and could easily become trapped in lawsuits, political pressure, and corporate influence. A military investigation, however, could proceed much faster under the emergency rules that had been introduced after mana changed the world. Oliver therefore intended to push the case in that direction while presenting himself as the president who had finally protected ordinary Americans from exploitation. Whether the minister was truly the mastermind mattered less to Oliver than the political opportunity created by his arrest.
The American public was already demanding punishment. For years, the most powerful people they had seen fall were usually corporate executives caught in particularly spectacular scandals, but seeing a senior government official publicly arrested was something entirely different. Oliver understood that people would not easily forget the image of the minister being dragged away from the podium while the president accused him of betraying the country. That image alone could become the foundation of an entirely new political narrative.
Still, Oliver knew that he had to move carefully. The corporations were not powerless, and even after mana had weakened their technological advantages, they still possessed money, influence, lawyers, and connections throughout the country. If he pushed too far without securing public support, they could turn the situation against him. That was why the new breathing technique was so important. By giving something valuable directly to the population, Oliver had ensured that millions of ordinary people now had a reason to defend his administration.
"Not bad," Oliver muttered to himself as he finally straightened his jacket. "Not bad at all." He had managed to turn a national embarrassment into a public victory, while simultaneously creating a justification for removing one of the people standing in his way. More importantly, he had established a precedent that the government could intervene when private interests interfered with something as important as cultivation. That precedent could become extremely useful in the future.
For the moment, however, Oliver had one more problem to deal with. The rush of adrenaline that had carried him through the entire announcement was beginning to fade, leaving his heart pounding uncomfortably in his chest. He rubbed his forehead and realized that he probably needed to see a doctor before his body decided to punish him for the stress. "I really should stop doing this," he muttered, although the smile on his face suggested that he had absolutely no intention of stopping anytime soon.