America: My Time

Chapter 1421 The Temptation of Profit

Chapter 1411 The Temptation of Profit
“John, the commotion from the Koreans is getting a bit too big. People in the US have already heard about it. I’m completely bogged down by those guys. Are you really going to share those assets with those Koreans? Is the news that Westinghouse Electric is going to be sold true?” Morgan called John with a helpless expression, asking about the situation between Westinghouse Electric and the Koreans!

"It's true. Since some people don't want me to continue developing in the electronics and home appliance sector, I have no choice but to change my plans. As you know, I'm currently undergoing asset restructuring. Originally, I wanted to shift my focus from developing the network to developing electronics and home appliances, but there's been resistance on the Korean side. They gave me energy assets, so I have no choice but to change course. After all, I'll be sharing those assets with them eventually, so it doesn't matter who I give them to. As for the commotion, there's nothing I can do about it. Korea is in such a difficult situation right now, so they're naturally willing to make deals with me when they see an opportunity."

John's words were a slap in the face. Morgan wasn't alone; he had a group of old-timers on his side, and they all felt dizzy after hearing John's words. They hadn't expected things to be exposed so quickly, and some even wondered if their Korean accomplices had betrayed them!

“John, I believe you can see the situation on the Korean side clearly. Even if you are willing to share the profits, there is no need to contact them again!” Morgan was also extremely troubled. He had just reached an agreement with John, but a new problem had arisen in the blink of an eye, which put him in a difficult position. However, he did not want to offend anyone, so he could only bite the bullet and continue to persuade him.

"I know, and I didn't intend to ruin your plans. I also know that the situation in South Korea is caused by Soros and international speculative capital. The negotiations between the US and South Korea are still ongoing. Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. I'm just exchanging shares with them; I won't invest any money in them. As for other things, I can't do anything about it. What I need is not funds, but assets. My original plan has been disrupted, so I have to start from scratch!"

John's answer made Morgan sigh inwardly. He knew that what John said was true. Someone was indeed plotting against John in the dark. They were the ones who caused the situation in South Korea. Now that there was a problem, these guys came to him again, asking him to talk to John. How could he not be angry? But this was related to their big plan. Morgan had no choice but to bite the bullet and make the call to John.
“John, I know you’re in a difficult position, but you also need to consider the situation in the United States. My situation isn’t too bad, but others don’t see it that way, since you’re sharing assets in the US!”

"I have no choice. After all, I need to plan for future development. If someone in the US is willing to offer assets in exchange, I will naturally not refuse. But if it's a cash acquisition, then forget it, I don't lack funds. I already put them in a difficult position with Dreamworld and Nvidia before, and I don't think they can offer me any more in exchange. The listing of the companies I own is already my bottom line. If they are still not satisfied, there's nothing I can do. I can't be the only one to sacrifice, and they can't give anything in return. That doesn't make sense."

When Morgan heard John's complaint, he didn't want to continue the conversation. He was worried about provoking John's displeasure and causing him to retaliate. After all, what John said was true. They kept asking John to give something in return, and no one would agree to that without giving anything in return, not to mention that John held considerable power.

"John, don't worry, I'll tell them what you said. It's not that they have any issues with you, it's just that they haven't reacted yet, after all, the Koreans have made quite a stir this time!"

“I understand and can empathize with everyone’s feelings, but I can’t ignore development. As long as they can provide assets that satisfy me, everything will be fine. The company’s IPO and financing will begin soon. As you know, this will give me a lot of funds. I’m currently struggling to find a place to put them and a good investment opportunity, so a financial transaction is out of the question!”

John's reasons left everyone speechless. They couldn't let John compromise again and again, and the situation in Southeast Asia had only just calmed down. Nobody was a fool; they all knew that it was impossible to make John sacrifice himself at this time. That would only anger John and make things spiral out of control!
"John, what are your plans?"

"What other plans do I have? I can only choose to expand in the retail industry or invest in resources like farms. If I invest in the internet, semiconductor chips, and electronics, I'm afraid it will make some people uneasy. I originally planned to continue investing in industry in China, but some people will criticize me. I'm in a dilemma now! If all else fails, I can only increase investment in ports, but even then, people will criticize me."

“Actually, you could invest in pharmaceuticals. Isn’t Amgen doing very well?” Morgan Stanley suggested to John, and it sounded quite good. You see, investing in pharmaceuticals requires a lot of capital. Although Amgen’s development speed is very fast, John has invested a lot of money in the process.

Of course, there was another option: repaying the loan. However, Morgan didn't mention it because John's loans were all obtained overseas, in Japan, and on the most favorable terms. Only a fool would choose to repay such a loan early, so he didn't bring it up.

John did not respond to Morgan's suggestion, choosing silence as his response. Everyone understood the reason behind this: how could John invest funds in pharmaceuticals at this time? And was Morgan really just offering advice? He was testing John's reaction, probing his use of the funds. This was not only Morgan's concern, but everyone's concern; they feared John would transfer these funds to Hong Kong, putting pressure on Soros and his ilk.

However, Morgan and his associates could have abandoned their cooperation with John, or postponed the IPOs and financing of John's companies, but they were reluctant to relinquish these benefits, hence this probing. Seeing John's silence, Morgan sighed inwardly, realizing that his relationship with John had deteriorated further. Regret? No, Morgan didn't regret it. He believed John understood him, because this wasn't just his decision; it involved everyone's opinion, and he had no choice in this matter. If there had been any other possibility, Morgan wouldn't have done this. John was overwhelmed by the convergence of various issues, as were Morgan and the other old-timers in the US. This was the mutual pressure; whoever couldn't withstand it first would have to compromise. Clearly, the old-timers in the US hadn't been able to withstand it; the series of changes had caught them off guard and left them terrified!

After a brief silence, John spoke up: "If there's nothing else, let's wrap this up. I have a lot of things to take care of. I've already stated my terms, and everyone knows that if you want to cooperate, you need to be sincere!"

Hearing the phone call end, Morgan sighed, put down the phone, turned his gaze to the crowd, and said, "You've all heard John's answer. I won't say anything more. If you have any thoughts or opinions, you can discuss them with John yourselves. I, Morgan, will not get involved anymore. I've done what I needed to do. Like I said before, I cannot sacrifice my own interests for yours!"

Faced with pressure from Morgan, Rockefeller nodded and said, "We all understand and won't make things difficult for you. We just want to know John's plans for the funds. Everyone is worried about the Hong Kong battle. If John transfers funds to Hong Kong, I believe that's an outcome no one wants to see."

"Yes, I'd rather see John invest his money in South Korea than in Hong Kong. That would cause our plan to fail and would cost Soros and his group dearly. To be honest, when it comes to finance, I trust John's abilities more than Soros's. If it weren't for the bigger picture, I wouldn't choose to fight John financially, and I believe everyone here shares that view!"

"It's a bit too late to say all this now. Do you think we can still extricate ourselves? Besides, you yourself said that this is an inevitable trend, and we have no choice. However, judging from John's reaction, he won't transfer funds to Hong Kong, nor will he help the Koreans. The only thing I'm unwilling to accept is the deal between the Koreans and him. The Koreans have enough assets now, and they can make normal exchanges with John, which is very disadvantageous to us!"

Rockefeller nodded and said, "The current situation is indeed very unfavorable for us. John's methods are more powerful than we imagined. His vision is further ahead, and his plans are more ingenious. We are now on the verge of disaster and have no choice but to act!"

“Rockefeller, if you want to stop us, we won’t object, but you’ll have to bear the consequences yourself. Whether it’s Korea or Hong Kong, we don’t intend to fight John head-on. If the plan in Hong Kong succeeds, that’s great. If it fails, it’s not a big deal. At most, it’ll just be a lose-lose situation.”

It's a lose-lose situation, but it's Soros and international speculative capital who lose, not these old guys. They aren't greatly affected, so these guys can accept this outcome. In their eyes, Soros and international speculative capital are just pawns, henchmen they can use, so they don't care about success or failure.

"Hehe, since none of you want to interfere, why should I play the villain? You all want to be the good guy, but I don't want to be the bad guy either. I don't want to have any more conflicts with John, especially during this Asian financial crisis. You are afraid of John's retaliation and counterattack, and so am I. John has already taken a big step back, and I will not push him any further and completely provoke him."

In Rockefeller's eyes, John had indeed given him enough face and made concessions. If he continued to target him, it would be too aggressive, and if something went wrong, the consequences would be unbearable. The previous matter had just been resolved with great difficulty, and he did not want to be targeted by John again.

As soon as Rockefeller finished speaking, the expressions of some people present changed slightly. They hadn't expected Rockefeller to make such a decision, not intending to have a direct confrontation with John. However, Morgan and a few others remained calm, as if Rockefeller's decision didn't matter to them at all!
In fact, no one is a fool. Everyone understands how dangerous the current situation is. With so many things happening at once, the pressure they have to bear is unimaginable. It is precisely because they all understand the dangers they are facing that these old guys do not want to get involved. They all want to stand by and watch, reaping the benefits.

But things didn't go their way. When the tide turned, they could only follow, or they would fall in a pool of blood. Nothing comes without a price, and this was true now as well. Those who understood could accept Rockefeller's changes; those who didn't had something to hide, more ulterior motives, or perhaps they were already caught in the middle and could only pretend not to understand to avoid further embarrassment!
Soros and his cronies are the Fed's henchmen; their actions are all directed by the Fed. Now that such a major problem has arisen, even affecting their plans, how could they not worry those with ulterior motives? The changes in Hong Kong are no small matter, and they must treat it with caution. As for anyone trying to persuade John to back down, that's impossible. Everyone present knows how enormous John's assets in Hong Kong are; he has practically swallowed up the majority of British capital. Under these circumstances, no matter how eloquently they speak, they cannot get John to stand on their side. No one would make such a foolish decision.

Of course, most importantly, the Federal Reserve hadn't consulted with John before Soros and his ilk acted, nor did they intend to involve him. So, after these problems arose, their desire to "cooperate" with John became even more impossible. Even if someone approached John now, it would be useless. The Asian financial crisis was already in its later stages, and John didn't need to cooperate with them; in fact, he had been planning ahead of them. Under these circumstances, why would they bother with these old fogies? As for getting the White House or the Federal Reserve involved, that was also impossible. The White House wouldn't take the blame for them time and time again, and the Federal Reserve, needless to say, wouldn't create trouble for themselves!

(End of this chapter)