"Right, it seems that our intelligence agency is not up to strength," said Yan Wen as the American press conference ended. He looked across the room at the other eight leaders of China, his expression unusually serious after watching Oliver's announcement. The sudden decision by the American president had caught them off guard, and none of their intelligence reports had predicted that he would publicly move against such powerful interests. For the moment, they could only analyze what had happened and determine how much of it they had failed to anticipate.
"Don't forget that this president was sworn in only after mana arrived," Wan Gengxin reminded him. "It is therefore understandable that we don't have a reliable model of his personality, especially since we have had very little time to observe him under normal circumstances." Yan Wen nodded, knowing that this was only part of the problem. The changes brought by mana had disrupted almost every traditional method of intelligence gathering.
"With every high-level government employee now required to sign an employment contract, our spies have also lost one of their easiest methods of gathering information," Yan Wen continued. "In the past, it was not unusual for an American official to be bribed or blackmailed into providing sensitive information, but those exchanges have become much more difficult now." The contracts were designed to prevent officials from betraying their governments, and the consequences for violating them were severe. It was both a relief and a frustration for foreign intelligence agencies that the old methods no longer worked as easily.
"Still, if we had known what was coming, we could have reacted better," Yan Wen admitted. He lowered his head slightly toward the Chinese president, accepting responsibility for the intelligence failure rather than attempting to hide behind excuses. The others remained silent for a moment, because there was little point in arguing with him when the evidence was already visible on every screen in the room. "This is my fault."
"That is true, but we are undoubtedly not the only ones panicking right now," Wan Gengxin said as he sat straighter in his chair. His tone was calm, but there was a faint trace of amusement in his voice as he considered the situation developing across the Pacific. The United States had just created a political crisis for itself, and several other countries were now scrambling to understand what it meant. China at least had the advantage of knowing that the crisis had not been entirely unexpected.
"You are right, sir," said Yu Dong, the Minister of Technology. "Our cooperation with the EU in using AI systems to stir up discussion around the American breathing technique appears to have worked far beyond what we originally expected." He paused before continuing, clearly impressed by the speed at which the controversy had spread. "The comparison between the American technique and the Catholic Church technique has become one of the largest political discussions online."
"But why did they take this step?" Yu Dong asked. "Even after that idiot Trump damaged their relationship with the United States, the Europeans are still culturally and economically closer to America than they are to us." He frowned as he considered the announcement. "Why would they suddenly choose such an openly antagonistic approach toward the Americans?"
"Oh, that is simple," Hu Guanyu answered. He could see that Yu Dong still had several questions, but he also knew that the Chinese president would benefit from hearing the explanation directly. "The request did not actually come from the EU government." He leaned back slightly before adding, "It came from one of Europe's Great Houses."
"The intelligence information we received indicates that the request originated with the Sonnenbergs," Hu Guanyu continued. "They wanted retaliation against the United States because of the private equity company that had been designated a terrorist organization." The decision had apparently angered the family enough that they were willing to support measures that would destabilize American politics. "Our minister and intelligence agency were simply the channels through which the cooperation was arranged."
"As for why we agreed to it, there were several advantages," Hu Guanyu explained. "We knew about the existence of the Great Houses, but we had almost no direct means of contacting them because they deliberately remained hidden from the public." That situation had changed with the arrival of mana, however, because the old world of secret organizations was rapidly being dragged into the light. "Now that they are being forced to interact more openly with governments, establishing diplomatic relationships with them could become extremely valuable."
"We essentially gained a direct connection to some of the highest levels of European power," Hu Guanyu said with a satisfied smile. "At the same time, we were able to put pressure on the United States without directly involving the Chinese government." The operation had provided China with an excellent cover story, allowing its involvement to remain hidden behind the actions of European interests. "We created considerable discord inside America without paying much of a price for it."
"Hu Guanyu is correct," Wan Gengxin said, bringing the discussion back toward the larger problem. "However, the Pope's announcement is far more important than the American political crisis." His expression became serious as he considered the implications. "I have little doubt that Gaia is involved in what the Catholic Church has just announced."
"And if Gaia is involved, then the ability to transport those soldiers across the world is probably genuine," he continued. "That means the Vatican has effectively received a tool capable of projecting its influence thousands of kilometers away almost instantly." He folded his hands together as the implications became clearer. "If Gaia is truly tired of the Americans and their inability to clean up their own backyard, then we should assume that she may be willing to intervene elsewhere as well."
"So we need to double down on our own efforts," Wan Gengxin said. "First, I propose that we establish a new police department dedicated specifically to tracking down those pests." He was referring to the corrupted humans that had increasingly become a concern for governments across the world. "Give that department the highest law-enforcement authority available so that it does not become trapped by ordinary bureaucratic restrictions."
"Second, the Europeans appear to have discovered something valuable," Wan Gengxin continued. "I want our intelligence services to investigate it thoroughly, even if the research is being conducted inside one of their highest-security facilities." His eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the possibilities. "If the Europeans have discovered something capable of changing the balance of power, we need to know what it is before everyone else does."
"Third, we need to ensure that the announcement of the steam trains proceeds without a hitch," he said. "We already have an understanding regarding their development, and I do not want some political crisis interfering with the schedule." He looked around the room at the other leaders. "The transition to mana-era transportation is too important to allow political noise to disrupt it."
"Yes, sir," the others answered almost simultaneously. They rose from their seats quickly, already preparing to carry out the orders they had received. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the new world, there was one thing they could all appreciate about mana. Their increased life expectancy had given them considerably more time to solve the problems confronting humanity, while many common ailments had disappeared entirely.
Meanwhile, far away from Beijing, a much more ordinary conversation was taking place. "Hey, Arin, when are you going to break through?" Tom asked as he stood beside Arin at the family's archery range. The range had been constructed outside the forest, where there was enough open space to safely practice without worrying about accidentally damaging nearby buildings. "You've been practicing for ages, so I thought you would have done it by now."
The range itself was far less sophisticated than anything the family had possessed before mana arrived. A simple spring mechanism could launch small targets into the air, including bird-shaped targets, dinner plates, wooden discs, and several other shapes. Their flight paths were intentionally unpredictable, while the maximum range stretched roughly three hundred meters. The challenge was not simply hitting the targets, but tracking them quickly enough to fire before they disappeared from the effective range.
"Isn't it obvious, Tom?" Bertho answered before Arin could respond. "He is waiting for the two elderly members of the family to break through first." He gave Tom a look that suggested the answer should have been obvious. "Otherwise, it would be considered rude, even if they wouldn't actually mind him breaking through before them."
"Oh, so that's why you're waiting," Tom said with an embarrassed smile. "That actually makes sense. Sorry, Arin." He looked slightly relieved to understand the situation, because he had been wondering why Arin had not simply pushed ahead. The explanation also made the patience of the older members of the family seem much more significant.
"Don't worry about it," Arin said with a small laugh. "I don't mind answering the question." He then gave Tom a slightly more serious look before adding, "Just don't let your father hear you asking questions like that." The others immediately understood the warning, and several of them quietly laughed at Tom's expression.
Before Tom could respond, a bell rang across the range. The sharp sound immediately signaled that firing was finished for the current session, and everyone began lowering their bows. "That's our signal," Bertho said as he started walking toward the targets. "Let's collect the arrows and see who actually managed to hit what they were aiming at."
The group moved toward the far end of the range, comparing their scores and arguing over a few questionable hits. None of them paid much attention to the enormous events unfolding elsewhere in the world. While presidents, ministers, intelligence agencies, and even gods were moving pieces across the international stage, they were still young archers trying to improve their skills. For the moment, that small and ordinary part of their lives was enough.