America: My Time

Chapter 1232 Depressing Atmosphere

Chapter 1222 A Suppressive Atmosphere
As Akio Morita left, John accepted it calmly, but his expression gradually changed. Gone was his previous friendliness; instead, he displayed a cold indifference, giving off an impression of not wanting to be disturbed. When John's change became apparent, the Japanese guys all sighed. Their worst fears had come true: John was rejecting them.

At this moment, those who were discussing countermeasures immediately learned of the situation, and their hearts sank. Could everything really go as they thought, and could they get everything they wanted from John, that little fox?

"What do we do now? If it weren't for Morita-san's initiative, our relationship with Mr. John would have been completely ruined. Don't you all think things are serious enough? We all know that you can't test people's hearts, but some people, for their own benefit, keep pushing Mr. John's bottom line, causing everything to slip step by step into the situation we feared most. Their attitude has already been made clear. Should we still insist on our own opinions and continue arguing?"

"Are we really going to agree to his conditions like this? Where would that leave our dignity?"

"Heh, what's the point of worrying about face at a time like this? Do you think face is more important, or our collective interests, or the future of Japan? You should understand the importance of energy. Besides, Mr. John, whom we're dealing with, not only controls energy but also mining. You don't think we won't be affected in other ways after the relationship breaks down. Furthermore, the relationship between the Middle Eastern tycoons and Mr. John has been restored to normal. If Mr. John says a few words about energy, what will happen to us? I believe you understand. People's hearts are fickle, and human nature is unpredictable. When the worst happens, anything is possible. We can't afford to gamble, and no one can bear the consequences!"

This dramatic turn of events has fundamentally changed some people in Japan, making them abandon any illusions and prompting them to actively seek solutions. They believe that it is acceptable to bow their heads and accept John's terms at this point, and there is no need to haggle over trivial matters and allow the situation to spiral out of control!
"I'm doing this for everyone's sake. If we agree, I'm afraid there will be a lot of trouble and more problems in the future. Once this door is opened, I believe none of us will have a good time!"

“We understand what you’re saying, but what we need to do now is take care of everything in front of us. If we can’t even get through this hurdle, what future can we talk about? It’s time to put everything aside and get through this together. Let’s stop having any illusions and stop pushing people to the opposite side. The pressure we’ll face then will be even greater.”

"I think compromise is acceptable, but we also need to be strategic. The previous plan was quite good: we wouldn't adjust our crude oil positions, but we would increase our efforts in natural gas. There are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. As long as our interests are intertwined with John's, the worst-case scenario won't happen. Interests are the foundation of everything!"

When this person uttered those words, everyone sighed. Compromise was indeed not a problem for them, but many did not agree with the last point about interests. However, at this point, there was no need to create unnecessary trouble and invite unnecessary arguments; everything should prioritize interests and the safety of Japan.

Compared to crude oil, their cooperation with Asian energy companies on natural gas is much closer. Even for their own interests, they don't believe John would sever this cooperation and strangle Japan. As for the long-term future, that's not a concern for them; dealing with the immediate situation is enough!
These guys in Japan believe that given enough time, they can find more partners and won't be held hostage by Asian energy resources. But they're overthinking it. John has no intention of holding them hostage. He'll supply Japan with all his might if needed, whether it's Japan, South Korea, or China. As long as the mining in Sakhalin Island can keep up with demand, there won't be any other problems. Profit is paramount.

"You're regretting it now, aren't you? I warned you a long time ago not to act impulsively and not to be influenced by outsiders, but you wouldn't listen. Now it's too late to regret it!" Seeing Miho Nakayama's dejected expression, Shizuka Kudo comforted her. The two hadn't become enemies because of John's appearance; they still maintained a sisterly bond!

"It would be a lie to say I don't regret it. I can only say that I overestimated my abilities. Only when I actually took that step did I see everything clearly. I don't regret myself, but I regret dragging Xiaoren into it. But what's done is done, there won't be any more chances. To be honest, I really didn't expect them to make such a choice and go down such a path."

It would be a lie to say she wasn't envious. They were all idols, yet Kikuchi Momoko had achieved everything she has now—a dramatic shift in status and position. As for Nakamori Akina and Naoko, they'd completely retired and rarely appeared in Japan anymore. Given this stark contrast, it's understandable that Nakayama Miho felt a change in her feelings. Especially in this situation, the sense of loss was immediately apparent. Look at how many people surrounded Kuroki Hitomi, Kikuchi Momoko, and Matsushima Nanako, and then look at herself. It was a completely different situation. She used to be fawned over, but now only Kudo Shizuka could speak to her, and she didn't care about others' opinions. How could this contrast not affect her mood?

Of course, it wasn't just Miho Nakayama who was present; Yasuko Sawaguchi and Chisato Moritaka were also there. Shinobu Nakayama was absent, and Norika Fujiwara was nowhere to be seen. Although the events of that year are long past, their impact still lingers. Even if she wanted to enter the entertainment industry, it wouldn't be easy, and no one would dare to sign her. Those who knew the situation wouldn't take such a risk, as no one knew if it would bring unnecessary trouble to themselves.

"People change, so you don't need to worry too much. At least no one is targeting you right now. Many people have gone astray and gradually disappeared from this circle. It's already quite good that you and the others were able to get out unscathed."

Kudo Shizuka is right. She knows how tragic the consequences can be for many people who make the wrong choices. The fact that she can now leave unscathed and continue to develop her career in the industry is already the best outcome. There's no need to think about it anymore. She should accept everything. The past is the past, and she should let it go completely!
However, such things are not something you can simply let go of. It's fine if you never had them, but if you eventually lose them and then look back, you realize how foolish you were. The emotional impact of this loss is too strong.

Just then, a voice rang out: "Miho, you're here too. Let's go sit over there."

Upon hearing the voice, Miho Nakayama turned around and saw it was Chisato Moritaka. She hadn't expected this previously aloof person to change so much. The direction she pointed was towards a corner where someone was sitting quietly. Looking closer, she recognized her as Yasuko Sawaguchi, which startled Miho Nakayama.
What was this person trying to do? Was someone plotting against her again, or was someone trying to use her sisters as pawns in another scheme? The thought weighed heavily on Nakayama Miho's heart. She was jolted awake, and the bitterness from before vanished, replaced by a sense of fear and unease, worrying that she would once again be drawn into something she shouldn't be involved in.

Her past experience taught her a profound lesson: many things were simply beyond her control. It was only because John was kind and didn't blame her that she was able to escape unscathed. If it had been one of those Japanese tycoons, the outcome would have been very different; those guys wouldn't have let someone like her off so easily. So many predecessors had paid a heavy price, ending up with tragic fates.

As if seeing through Miho Nakayama's worries, Chisato Moritaka smiled calmly and said, "Don't worry, nothing's wrong. We're just sitting down and talking. There's no danger, and I won't put you in any trouble!"

When Moritaka Chisato put it that way, Nakayama Miho couldn't refuse any longer. At this moment, Kudo Shizuka stepped forward and accompanied Nakayama Miho to that corner. It was indeed very deserted there, and no one paid any attention to it. The reason was that Sawaguchi Yasuko was sitting there!
To say they were familiar with each other would be an understatement; they were only vaguely acquainted. Yasuko Sawaguchi was the first to leave, so she felt the deepest impact and was most acutely aware of the cruelty and ruthlessness of society, understanding the wickedness of human nature.

After leaving John, although she wasn't suppressed, she didn't see much progress either. Only after leaving did she realize the huge difference between having a powerful figure looking after you and not, and what it was like after the advertising contract ended. Almost no one came to her anymore. Even though no one was trying to suppress her, no one was willing to take the risk. The invisible impact was enormous.

Having not seen each other for a long time, although they all knew of each other's existence and had learned about each other's situations, they didn't know where to start or what to talk about after meeting. The four beauties looked at each other and couldn't help but sigh. An invisible pressure emanated from them, which made Kudo Shizuka, who had only come to accompany them, feel a little uncomfortable. She had to stay with Nakayama Miho only because of loyalty!

(End of this chapter)