America: My Time

Chapter 1234 The human heart is sinister
Chapter 1224 The Treacherous Nature of the Human Heart

When these shrewd individuals in Japan realize who's behind all this, they'll owe Akio Morita a favor—a favor they'll always remember. Even after Morita's passing, this favor will fall on his descendants, demonstrating just how cunning this old fox, Akio Morita, is. A sly old fox like Morita can effortlessly devise contingency plans that younger generations can only dream of. A seemingly insignificant matter has been transformed into what it is today, earning him so many favors.

Akio Morita, that old fox, is truly admirable for his manipulation of people's hearts and his skillful tactics; it's not something an ordinary person can pull off. One wrong move and things could easily go wrong, spiraling out of control and leaving everyone in an awkward position.

Akio Morita, the cunning fox, left with a carefree air, but John was in a different situation. Although the atmosphere had eased somewhat, it also brought considerable trouble, as it would attract unwanted attention and disrupt his peace. And indeed, just as John was discussing the development of the Japanese entertainment industry with a few others, more people approached him.

Ken-On and his crew also started to take action. With Akina Nakamori's departure, Ken-On's cooperation with Phoenix Group was not as close as before, and the Burning System gradually took over a lot of resources. Seeing this opportunity, they wanted to give it another try. If they could get John to speak up, it would be a good thing for Ken-On.

John sighed inwardly at Hanami Hek's appearance. He was already aware of the situation in Japan, given Phoenix Group's strong focus on the Japanese market. He suspected Hanami Hek's appearance at this time was purposeful, likely aimed at securing a partnership with Phoenix Group.

"Mr. John, I apologize for disturbing you!" Although Hanami Kagami was older, he still apologized to John. He knew it was inappropriate for him to come and disturb him at this time, but he had no choice but to do so for the sake of Ken-On's development.

“It’s nothing. We’re old friends, so feel free to speak your mind. There’s no need to hide anything. I’ll never refuse to help as long as it’s within my power. Back then, you helped me avoid a lot of trouble, and I still remember those favors.” John’s words shocked everyone present. Even Hanamiko’s face showed a hint of surprise; he hadn’t expected John to be so agreeable.

What trouble? Everyone present understood—it was the trouble involving Akina Nakamori. Her family had caused John a lot of trouble, many of which had to be resolved by Kenma. Although this wasn't a secret in the Japanese entertainment industry, the fact that John could still bring it up after more than a decade spoke volumes.

"Mr. John, you flatter us. We were only thinking of our own interests, it really wasn't helping you." Although John brought up this matter, Hua Jianhe didn't dare to truly accept this favor. He knew very well what had happened back then, and this time he also needed John's help. If he accepted this favor, it would be seen as using a favor to pressure someone, so he didn't want to bear such a bad reputation.

“It’s alright, I know your concerns, your fear of being criticized behind your back. I’ve already spoken up, which shows that I agree with everything that happened back then. If it’s about cooperation, that’s no problem, I’ll personally put in a good word.” Before Hua Jianhe could ask for help, John said these words directly, making his stance clear.

Akio Morita, that old fox, left gracefully, and was even plotting his own departure from Japan. This gave John some inspiration. When Hanami Kagami appeared, John also wanted to achieve great things with little money, using Ken-on to let those guys in Japan know that he was still 'friendly' and 'sincere' to his friends!

As soon as John finished speaking, Hanamiko breathed a sigh of relief. She had come with great courage and was prepared for failure, but things turned out completely differently than she had expected. She didn't sense the cold indifference of an American from John; instead, he still remembered their past friendship, which shocked Hanamiko even more.

Although Hanami Kagami didn't understand John's plans for this trip, he knew that for the government officials and bigwigs of the Japanese conglomerates to show their faces, and even for Akio Morita, a retired old man, to take the initiative to appear, things must be complicated. Otherwise, those bigwigs from the government and the conglomerates would still be here.

Of course, Hanami Kagami was aware of the changes Sony had made recently. Now that Akio Morita had stepped in, the feud between Phoenix Group and Sony was likely to come to an end. It was seeing all this that led Hanami Kagami to take the risk.

As Phoenix Media Group continues to grow, TV Tokyo has also become more powerful, and its influence in Japan is constantly increasing. If TV Tokyo hadn't maintained its policy of not broadcasting news, its influence would likely be even greater. It is precisely because of this that many agencies are vying for the resources of TV Tokyo and Phoenix Media Group. This is a society based on personal connections; with the increasing number of competitors, the resources available to Ken-On will inevitably decrease. Although Ken-On is not short of money, Phoenix Media Group and TV Tokyo are now even more so. Moreover, TV Tokyo's high-quality dramas are not only broadcast in Japan, but also in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Phoenix Media's influence extends across Asia, and its return to Hollywood has had an even greater impact. Many initially believed Phoenix was abandoning the US market to focus entirely on Asia, but the acquisition of MGM Studios has brought about a new shift. However, what truly excites Japanese talent agencies is the emergence of a new path in the elite talent market, a resurgence of idol popularity that everyone wants to participate in.

Not all agencies have the resources and financial strength of elite agencies. Most agencies simply cannot afford such massive expenditures, nor do they have the resources to manage them. While Yan-Yin certainly doesn't lack money, its resources are far inferior to those of elite agencies. Elite agencies are backed by Phoenix Media, Legendary Entertainment, and Paramount Pictures, allowing them to aggressively promote their artists to fame whenever needed, not to mention their numerous advantages in the fashion industry.

"Suoh-san, don't you want to go and find a cooperation opportunity? Ken-On has already taken action. Don't you really have any ideas at all?" Kitagawa Mary said calmly to Suoh Ikuo. Although Elite Agency mainly focuses on female idols, it also has male idols and has had a certain impact on Johnny's, so this guy is getting a little anxious.

Of course, there was also the grudge from back then. Although what happened back then was long gone and not many people remembered it, this woman was a bit petty and had always held a grudge. Now that she saw an opportunity, she naturally wanted to make things difficult for John.

“I don’t have such thoughts. Hanami Kagami was able to sit down because she has a relationship with Mr. John. I don’t have that kind of face. Besides, you haven’t forgotten how much Hanami Kagami did for Nakamori Akina back then. That favor is there for all to see. I don’t have that kind of favor. However, Johnny’s has a history of grudges with Mr. John.”

How could Suo Ikuo not understand Kitagawa Mary's scheme? She wanted him to be the first to stick his neck out—how ridiculous! Did she really think he was a fool? Did she not even look at the people around John? They were all people who had previously been acquainted with John, and several of them had good friendships with the women around John. Why would he go there and make trouble for himself?

When Kitagawa Mary heard Suo Ikuo bring up what happened back then, she was filled with rage. So many years had passed, and this bastard still remembered it. Although the matter hadn't escalated back then, and even Kuroki Hitomi hadn't targeted Johnny's, it was still a sting that had made Kitagawa Mary uncomfortable. People who knew about it didn't dare mention it in front of her, but now Suo Ikuo was doing it, which was a direct slap in her face.

"Suoh-san, I'm just trying to give you a friendly reminder, don't you think this is going a bit too far?"

"I'm just trying to remind you, Ms. Mary, don't forget this matter, lest you make the same mistake again. Don't forget who hosted tonight's party. Don't think that just because you have some connections you can act recklessly. If you anger the big boss, you'll pay a heavy price!" Others might be wary of Johnny's influence, but Suoh Ikuo didn't care at all, and he wouldn't give Kitagawa Mary any face.

Tonight's party is organized by the Japanese government and the Mitsui conglomerate. If I don't know when to back down, the consequences will be too serious. If I anger the conglomerate and the government, it could bring me endless trouble and make me pay a heavy price in no time.

If the "Burning Flame" genre were still in its early stages, Suoh Ikuo might have taken the risk. However, the genre has now grown significantly, making him hesitant to gamble with his future. He couldn't bear the severe consequences if anything went wrong. How could he not be furious that old woman, Kitagawa Mary, dare to scheme against him like this?

When you have nothing, you naturally have no scruples. But now, Suoh Ikuo is a big shot in the entertainment industry, no longer the small-time hoodlum he once was. He's lost that courage and doesn't dare take risks. If something goes wrong, he can't afford the consequences. That's right, that's Suoh Ikuo's truest thought now, and that's his decision. The potential profits are tempting, but he can't risk his future—that's his principle!
(End of this chapter)