America: My Time

Chapter 1214 Unraveling

Chapter 1204 Explanation

The meeting ended badly after failing to reach an agreement. Lee Boo-jin and Lee Jae-yong parted on bad terms. Lee Jae-yong accused Lee Boo-jin and John of being cold-blooded and heartless, which naturally aroused Lee Boo-jin's anger, and the two went their separate ways.

“Father, here’s the thing: he’s only willing to give us $50 million in aid, either through a loan from Standard Chartered Bank or by converting the $50 million into shares for Boo Jin to control. I think he’s intentionally targeting Samsung and trying to infiltrate our company. I don’t know how to respond to him!”

Lee Jae-yong was unable to handle such a major matter and could only report it to his father. After all, this was completely different from the outcome they had discussed before, which he could not accept, so he had no choice but to report everything to his father.

"You're worried this is a conspiracy between John and Fu Zhen, a way to invade Samsung, to take advantage of our misfortune, and to target us? Aren't you overthinking it? A mere $50 million in shares, how much impact do you think that can have? Since you're worried, then choose the loan. Stop arguing. You don't really think you can get $200 million in financial support from them. That's impossible. I never thought there was any chance of that. John isn't stupid; this is just a small test. Come back quickly, I'll apply for a loan from Standard Chartered Bank!"

As a cunning old fox, how could he possibly believe Lee Jae-yong's words, or believe that they could get a loan of two hundred million US dollars from John? Fifty million US dollars shocked him. If it were him, he probably wouldn't give a single cent. At this time, it's more important to stabilize ourselves and not to pay attention to outsiders.

"Okay, I'll go back right away!" Lee Jae-yong was incredibly frustrated. He had thought he could easily get everything he wanted, but now it seemed he had been too optimistic; things weren't as rosy as he had imagined. At this moment, Lee Jae-yong had unconsciously begun to resent his sister, Lee Boo-jin, and also John, who had rejected him. He believed it was all their fault; if they hadn't been so cold-blooded, he wouldn't have failed to achieve his 'wishes'!
While Lee Jae-yong was filled with hatred for John and Lee Boo-jin, Lee Boo-jin returned to John's residence. Seeing Lee Boo-jin's troubled expression, John smiled calmly and said, "Alright, no need to explain. I know your predicament. This has nothing to do with you. Your father won't share your brother's thoughts. This is just a test, and there are even some people involved. Just relax. But what do you think they will choose?"

Hearing John's words, Lee Boo-jin breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that John would look down on her and think that he had his own agenda, which was not the outcome she wanted.

"What other choice do they have? Naturally, it's a loan. You don't think they'd choose to let me control Samsung's shares or let you invest in Samsung. They wouldn't dare to underestimate your formidable reputation, much less let you become a Samsung shareholder, not even a small number of shares!"

John smiled calmly and said, "They're overthinking it. I have no designs on Samsung. Samsung has never been my target. I won't make things difficult for you, and I'm not as cold-blooded as they think. Don't have any other ideas either. After all, they're your family. Exposing things directly isn't good for anyone!"

Before Lee Boo-jin could react, John dispelled his worries. At this point, there was no need to argue. Since the other party had already done it, talking about it would only make everyone uncomfortable; it was better to pretend that they knew nothing.

“You’re right. At this time, I really can’t say anything. After all, family ties still exist. If I put everything out in the open, it will be really hard to end!” Lee Boo-jin said with a bitter smile. She wasn’t stupid. She naturally understood the impact of all this. If she did something, she would be cold-blooded and ruthless. After all, Samsung’s current situation was not good.

"It's good that you understand. It's only fifty million US dollars, not a big deal, and it won't have much impact. If you're still worried, go back and ask Daewoo if they're willing to sell Daewoo Motors and Daewoo Shipbuilding. Samsung isn't doing well right now, so I believe Daewoo's situation is even more dangerous. I have other things to do and can't leave Hong Kong right now, so I'll trouble you to make the trip! Your involvement will have less impact than mine!"

John is right. In this matter, it would be less of a problem if Lee Boo-jin were to step in than if I were to do it myself. If I were to make a move, it would likely attract a lot of attention and cause unexpected problems. If Lee Boo-jin were to step in, all these issues could be resolved. After all, she is the eldest princess of Samsung, so there wouldn't be as many problems regarding her status!

“Then I’ll go back tomorrow!” Lee Boo-jin accepted John’s suggestion without hesitation. “No, there’s no need to rush. It’s not time yet. The crisis in South Korea hasn’t reached its peak. Soros won’t back down so easily. The exchange rate will continue to fall. Don’t worry, it’s not us who are in a hurry, it’s Daewoo. They have a lot of debt on their hands. Under the current circumstances, they can’t hold on. If they don’t sell assets to save themselves, they will go into bankruptcy liquidation. I believe they will make the right decision!”

Upon hearing this, Lee Boo-jin gasped. Although the situation in South Korea was still deteriorating, judging from John's tone, it was far from achieving the expected goals. If the exchange rate continued to fall, the entire South Korean economy could collapse.

At this time, it seems that Standard Chartered Bank did not take action against South Korea, but in this Asian financial crisis, Standard Chartered Bank and Hurricane Investment had already been shorting the currencies of various countries. Not only were they taking action, but funds hidden in the dark were also making moves. However, all of this was hidden very deeply and was planned before Soros made his move.

"Is the situation really that dangerous? The International Monetary Fund has already stepped in to help, how could it continue to deteriorate? If it continues, it will have a significant impact on us as well!" Lee Boo-jin's expression had become somewhat serious, after all, John's assets in South Korea were considerable.

"Don't worry, everything is fine. Whether it's the oil refinery, the steel mill, or the shipbuilding and automobile industries, they are all fully prepared and have enough production materials. If there is any impact, it will only be on retail, which is not a big deal for us!"

"Hiss!" Upon hearing this, Lee Boo-jin couldn't help but gasp. Even those like Chung Chu-hung and Yang Kung-ju, who didn't understand finance, were shocked. They had been prepared all along. If this got out, the entire financial world would be in an uproar. If they were prepared, even the manufacturing industry was prepared. No one would believe they weren't prepared for the financial market.

Seeing their reactions, John smiled calmly, "Now you can rest assured, don't worry so much. And the same goes for the two of you. Although we can't say that everything is under control, this financial storm won't have a big impact."

John's willingness to say such things in front of the three of them was both a sign of his trust in them and a test to see if they could keep this 'secret'. A wise person naturally knows what can and cannot be done.

Now Lee Boo-jin finally understood why John had such a formidable reputation in the financial world—it was genuine talent and ability. No one in the entire Korean financial community had such preparation or vision. Could it be possible that no one noticed these companies' strategic moves? The reason no other companies followed suit is a matter of foresight.

Chung Chu-hung and Yang Kung-ru were unaware of John's immense strength in the manufacturing sector, but Lee Boo-jin was fully aware. If South Korea was prepared, she believed Japan, and indeed the rest of Asia, was as well. No matter how much the exchange rate fluctuated, it wouldn't affect the factories controlled by John. They were practically invincible in this financial crisis, at least not suffering significant shocks or losses.

Whether it's shipbuilding or automobiles, orders have already been placed, so it's not a big problem. As for steel and energy, they are still completely under control. This is the power of controlling the entire industrial chain: being able to quietly prepare the raw materials for production and get ahead of many others.

“I understand. However, given how chaotic the situation is in Asia right now, are you still going back to the US for Christmas and New Year this year?” At this moment, Lee Boo-jin changed the subject, shifting the topic to the holidays. She didn’t want to continue discussing this issue. Unlike Chung Chu-hung and Yang Kung-ru, she didn’t understand the seriousness of the matter, so she didn’t want to know too much. Knowing too much wouldn’t do her any good and might even bring her considerable trouble.

If their conversation were to get out, it would have a significant impact on the entire financial crisis, especially on South Korea, where the impact would be even greater. Lee Boo-jin would be dragged into it once again, a result she certainly didn't want. She knew her father and older brother well; if they found out, they would never let it go. They would continue to harass her and force her to ask John for more financial assistance. They wouldn't care about the pressure she was under; in their eyes, she was merely someone to be used and sacrificed.

(End of this chapter)