America: My Time

Chapter 1419 Taking advantage of the situation
Chapter 1409 Taking Advantage of a Crisis
"Things are getting more and more complicated. It seems someone doesn't want me to have peace! I was originally planning to consolidate the assets here first, but it looks like I'll have to make another change and put some pressure on those old guys!" John sighed, and as he finished speaking, his expression changed, a hint of ruthlessness appearing in his previously solemn look. Since others don't want him to have an easy time, then nobody should have an easy time either.

I wanted to continue developing quietly for a while longer, but some people wouldn't give me that chance. Profit can make some people lose their minds and become incredibly greedy. These guys need to pay the price and feel the pressure.

John harbored some suspicion that Soros and his cronies might be plotting against him again. After all, the situation in Hong Kong wasn't friendly; these guys had already made their move, though they were facing fierce resistance. Although the battle had begun, Standard Chartered Bank hadn't launched a counterattack. It wasn't that John didn't want to intervene, but he was waiting for the right opportunity. He also needed to complete an asset consolidation; under external pressure, all problems would be easier to resolve.

John also had another concern: was this a conspiracy orchestrated by those guys? Things were happening in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the US, all related to him. Standard Chartered Bank seemed largely unaffected, for the simple reason that it had been tightening its lending and was well-prepared, thus minimizing its impact. However, John's assets in Hong Kong suffered a significant blow, with many of them shrinking in value.

He hadn't gone to Hong Kong to oversee things, but was in China. If you put everything together, there were many abnormal situations. After all, everything was too coincidental. These guys were working together against him, so why hadn't he received any useful information? Could they really keep things so secret?

Despite his many doubts, John dared not be careless in the face of the situation. After all, his appearance had already affected the original trajectory. Soros and his gang attacked Russia first before targeting Hong Kong, and this was only a probing move. This forced John to be cautious as well.

In such turbulent times, John's feelings are understandable. The Asian financial crisis is now developing in an unpredictable direction. After preparing for so long, John believes that Soros and international speculative capital have an astonishing amount of money. It is only because of the speed of the response from Hong Kong and the blow dealt to Soros and his group by Russia that these guys have become cautious.

Regardless, the current situation is far from ideal, and the pressure John faces is immense, especially considering so many possibilities. Under these circumstances, even the slightest mistake could affect the future, so John naturally needs to be extremely cautious. He had originally planned to expand into media and entertainment, as well as other industries, but had to abandon those plans. His priority was to ensure the Asian financial crisis didn't affect his plans in heavy industry and energy.

The heavy industry and energy sector will be very profitable in the coming decades, and John doesn't want to give up this lucrative opportunity, even if it comes at a price. That's why John is willing to accept the Koreans' demands. Now it's time to make a choice.

John was shocked by the Koreans' reaction. The next day, these guys appeared in front of him. He thought they could hold out for a while, but they didn't. Their reaction made John realize that there must be something wrong behind this. Someone was plotting against him. For the Koreans, it was a win-win situation, so they naturally wouldn't refuse. Otherwise, they wouldn't have come so quickly and made a decision in such a short time, even disregarding their dignity!
In truth, John underestimated South Korea's current predicament. A resource-poor country facing such a financial crisis, coupled with the machinations of the Americans, and John's own arrangements within South Korea, all these problems combined had already overwhelmed them. If they had no opportunity, they would have chosen to make some sacrifices, but now that they had, they naturally didn't want to sacrifice their own interests or put themselves in a difficult situation.

Electricity is an indispensable energy source for industrial production. Nowadays, none of the conglomerates in South Korea want to be restricted in their electricity use, as that would be a severe blow to them, especially electronics and home appliance companies. They are the last thing they want to encounter such a situation. The reason why these guys are unwilling to accept John's terms and choose power plants is because these South Korean companies need to export electronics and home appliances to recoup their losses. Under such circumstances, how could they possibly make a deal with John!

It must be said that John miscalculated on this point. The situation in South Korea was not as he thought. For South Korea now, they would rather give up some of their heavy industry and energy sectors than give up their electronics and semiconductor companies. In the heavy industry sector, they are not capable of competing with Europe, America, and Japan. Even if they were, it would require paying a huge price. However, the electronics and semiconductor sector is different. They still have a certain market share and have received covert support from Europe and America, which provides them with sufficient sales channels.

This wasn't just the work of those old guys like Rockefeller; it was also the work of oilfield capitalists, and even those guys from Israel, all to restrict John's development in this area. They didn't want to see John expand further in the electronics and semiconductor field; they were worried that John would become even more powerful and beyond their control.

Even if these guys have never actually achieved it, it doesn't mean they don't want to limit John. In comparison, energy is acceptable because it doesn't sacrifice their own interests. John has been a bit too hasty in this regard; his moves in the electronics and home appliance sector have raised concerns among Rockefeller and his ilk, especially since John has a complete sales network, making them even more wary. They're willing to do anything to stop it, no matter how small!
"They agreed just like that, and the deal was made?" John was still a little incredulous after reaching an agreement with those Koreans. After all, everything went too smoothly. These arrogant Koreans didn't hesitate at all. As long as the value was equal, they didn't refuse at all and nodded in agreement directly. This was the first time John had encountered such smooth negotiations, especially with the Koreans, which was even more shocking!
“The agreement has been signed, so it’s done. Are you worried about any potential problems?” Lee Boo-jin was a little surprised by John’s expression. She couldn’t understand his feelings at the moment. In her opinion, there was no problem. It was just a win-win cooperation. After all, she hadn’t thought too much about it or put much energy into it. She was in Korea making arrangements for media and entertainment and finishing up many things.

“I’m not too worried about the potential risks, but I think their reaction is a bit off. Don’t you think they’re completely arrogant right now? It’s almost unbelievable. It seems like someone is really plotting against me. These guys have probably reached a deeper agreement with some other people! You need to put aside other things and focus your energy on integrating these assets. The Heavy Industry Group needs to start a full integration, and we’ll use the name of the East Asia Group to complete everything. First Bank will be the core bank!” “Is it necessary to be in such a hurry?” Lee Boo-jin was shocked when she heard John’s words. They had only just signed the agreement, and John was already so eager to integrate these Korean companies. She couldn’t believe it.

"Hurry! Don't you see how dangerous the situation is for South Korea right now? Don't you understand how terrible the pressure they're facing? If they don't integrate quickly, there will be considerable trouble once those guys from the US enter the fray. Let's get started! The Asian financial crisis isn't over yet, and those guys don't have much energy to focus on South Korea. This is our opportunity! Everything will get even crazier from here on out, and the cooperation we'll face will be even more astonishing!"

John knew how badly South Korea fared during the Asian financial crisis. Their wealth of decades was plundered, and their conglomerates were swallowed up by Europe and the United States. John had intervened in advance and obtained some assets from these guys, giving South Korea a glimmer of hope. However, South Korea still couldn't fight against those guys from Europe and the United States and would still be robbed!

Since everything is going to be robbed anyway, why not be the robber himself? Since the Koreans want to protect their electronics and semiconductors, John will seize the opportunity to change course, take the assets he wants, and catch them off guard! Once this deal begins, he believes those Koreans will make the right choice. To protect their own interests, John is their best partner, and they will need to trade their assets with him!
“However, such a hasty integration will have many hidden dangers!” Lee Boo-jin wanted to persuade John, after all, the situation in South Korea was too bad. Even if the integration was completed, it would be impossible to return to normal, and they would even have to face losses.

"Don't worry about the immediate losses. Complete the integration as quickly as possible. Funding isn't a problem; First Bank will provide you with ample support. What you need to do is stay informed, connect everything, and maintain normal operations. Other issues can be addressed later! Time waits for no one, and you don't have much time left. Moreover, the pressure you face is far from what you're experiencing now. There will be even more astonishing changes to come, and you'll understand when everything happens!"

"Did you discover something?" Lee Boo-jin quickly realized that John's change of heart must be due to something she hadn't noticed, and it must be related to the current situation in South Korea!

"Don't you think these guys surrendered too quickly? Even if someone was plotting against them, they shouldn't have surrendered so soon. The only explanation is that they couldn't hold on any longer and had to make a decision. Perhaps Da Yu's compromise back then gave them an opportunity, so our opportunity has come. As long as they are willing to protect themselves, we are the best choice. Exchanging assets is the right way out!"

"You still want to continue acquiring?" Lee Boo-jin was shocked by John's words. She hadn't expected John to be so crazy. John had already invested a considerable amount of money in South Korea. If he continued to invest and the management couldn't keep up, it would cause even more serious losses!

“That’s right, we need to continue our acquisitions. Those guys don’t want me to have an easy time, and I don’t want them to have an easy time either. Let’s have a battle of mutual destruction and see who has the last laugh. Go back and tell them that I will give them the opportunity to cooperate in electronics, home appliances, and semiconductor chips. I want their energy!”

Since the Koreans were offering their energy resources in the trade, John naturally wanted more. The opportunity had presented itself, and it would be foolish to miss it. Knowing full well that the Koreans' assets would be plundered by those Westerners, he could act more freely. He didn't want to be enemies with them, but some were too arrogant. It wasn't his fault; they wanted to ruin his plans, and he could just as easily sabotage theirs, delivering a fatal blow!
"Every man for himself!" Those guys don't want him to grow stronger, so he won't let them get away with it. He might as well share all his American assets with those old fogies there, or use them to trade with the Koreans. If all this is part of those old fogies' schemes, John naturally needs to prepare for the worst.

Human nature is treacherous, and at this time, all preparations are necessary, otherwise one will find oneself in crisis. If one cannot act swiftly and decisively this time, it will be too late to wait for a new opportunity.

John's original plan was to achieve widespread success, but judging from the current situation, his enemies don't want to give him that opportunity. They have been targeting him and trying to disrupt his plans. Under these circumstances, John also needs to adapt, because even the slightest mistake in this kind of business war can bring him considerable trouble and hidden dangers.

In the field of electronic semiconductor chips, those guys don't want to give him any more opportunities. Even if he's prepared, he'll still be affected. The current situation with the Koreans is the best proof. If it weren't for their scheming behind the scenes, he wouldn't have to face so much trouble, and his plans wouldn't have been affected. It seems that someone has seen through part of his plan and is trying every means to stop him, not giving him a chance to turn the tide or make a comeback. This forces John to make changes!
(End of this chapter)