America: My Time

Chapter 1437 The wolf is coming

Chapter 1427 The Wolf Is Coming
The situation in Hong Kong has been resolved, and John can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although he seems indifferent to everything in Hong Kong, he is actually under tremendous pressure. He has experienced too many financial crises and is able to remain calm and composed. However, the pressure will not lessen or disappear, especially since the Asian financial crisis has brought about significant changes and had a more dramatic impact on him.

Just as John breathed a sigh of relief, news came from the United States again. It wasn't about the cooperation with Morgan, but about Akina Nakamori. After some back and forth, a result was finally reached. This time, Akina Nakamori did not disappoint John and did not soften her heart again. After all, the repeated hurt had already left her heart riddled with holes.

Human hearts are made of flesh and blood. In such a greedy family, even the greatest kindness and kinship will be worn away. However, John didn't expect that this family would be so greedy as to seek refuge in the United States. It just goes to show that when people have no moral compass, they are capable of anything. In the eyes of these greedy people, there is only money. Even kinship can be abandoned and sacrificed in the face of money!

When Nakamori Akina finally saw through everything, she was completely heartbroken. Even if Chieko, as her mother, tried to persuade her, it was no use. Nakamori Akina's heart was completely cold. If this greedy family had been less calculating and less greedy, and had given her more face, Nakamori Akina would not have completely given up. But these guys didn't do that. In their eyes, there was only money, and family affection didn't exist at all!
Even if she's completely given up hope, she can't abandon her obligations. At the very least, Akina Nakamori still has to take responsibility for Chieko's illness. If Akina gives up, that greedy family will likely abandon her altogether. Although John's appearance has changed some of Akina Nakamori's fate, it has also affected that greedy family, making them even more greedy and insane.

Fortunately, Chieko is receiving treatment in the United States this time. Even if this greedy family wanted to cause trouble, they couldn't. No one would give them any face, and the United States isn't Japan. No matter how many ideas they have, they can hardly carry them out. They would even have difficulty seeing Akina Nakamori. Very few people in the United States know Akina Nakamori, so it won't have any impact.

"Try to comfort her. After all, this is putting too much pressure on her. I don't have time to go back to the US right now, so you arrange everything for me!" John carefully instructed Jennifer Connelly, as it was more appropriate for her to handle this matter, at least it wouldn't be too awkward.

Jennifer Connelly wasn't surprised by Nakamori Akina's situation; such cases exist in the US and Hollywood as well, and some people are simply unfit to be parents. John no longer cared whether someone else was scheming behind it all; he didn't have the energy to waste on such trivial matters.

Just when everyone thought John's focus was on investments in China, news came from the British Isles: Northern Bank and Barings Bank were spun off from Standard Chartered Bank, and Bank of Ireland was acquired, with Bank of Ireland as the main entity to form a new Bank of Ireland.

When this move was made, many people gasped, especially the Morgan tycoons and other American financial groups. Their worst fears had come true: John had made his move in the banking industry and was breaking up Standard Chartered Bank again. As for the acquisition of the Irish bank, no one paid attention to it. In their view, this was a plan that John had prepared long ago, or even John's hidden power in Europe.

At this point, many people were wondering what John was up to. Was Standard Chartered Bank too large to be broken up? Anyone who thought that was a fool. Morgan and his ilk had already seen the emergence of a new conglomerate. John was consolidating European assets, while Standard Chartered was clearly preparing for globalization by adjusting its assets in the British Isles.

Compared to the shift in Hurricane Investment, Wall Street figures were more concerned about John's moves at Standard Chartered. This frantic restructuring made them uneasy, as the true size of Standard Chartered's assets had always been a mystery to them. They viewed the restructuring as preparation for further expansion and acquisitions, given that Standard Chartered had already lost a significant amount of assets in the process.

For a long time to come, acquisitions will no longer be Standard Chartered's development strategy. Consolidating itself and strengthening its global presence will be the priority. This change gives Wall Street a sense of impending doom! It seems that Standard Chartered will focus its efforts in the United States, which is making them nervous.

The extent to which Barings Bank and Northern Bank took funds from Standard Chartered Bank after their split is not easy to ascertain, especially given their own gold reserves and the size of the new Irish bank's assets. Many people are eager to uncover this secret.

Compared to the breakup of Standard Chartered Bank, the changes at Bank of Ireland gave Europeans a sense of impending doom; no one knew what it would look like after they completed the integration.

Indeed, the wolf has come. Just as Morgan and his associates feared, John was preparing to complete the restructuring of his European assets. With the bank in place, the next step was naturally to complete a new round of asset restructuring and transform into a conglomerate. Having encountered no obstacles in his development in South Korea, John was eager to accelerate the asset restructuring process.

There's no need to rush things in the US; we have plenty of time. But Europe and Asia are completely different. We need to speed things up, and the strategic layout centered around Standard Chartered Bank also needs to be prepared. This is a golden opportunity; if we don't act quickly now, it will cause us considerable trouble. The more I understand those old guys, the more I realize how terrifying they are. The longer we delay, the more disadvantageous it will be. If we can't complete the asset restructuring now, we'll have to make concessions with them later, and we'll have to pay a heavy price.

John's good mood didn't last long. Soon, things started to get complicated for him with the Koreans. Lee Boo-jin appeared in Beijing again. Seeing her worried expression, John shook his head and said, "Don't worry too much. Take as much as you can. There's no need to rush. It's not us who's in a hurry, it's them. People in the US have already started moving. They're not the only ones wanting to exchange assets. These guys have just started to enjoy their good fortune and are already getting greedy, making even more demands!" John found the Koreans' arrogance and greed laughable. These guys were simply insane. He had given them a chance to catch their breath, but in the blink of an eye, they had become greedy again. People say you have to discard the bridge after crossing the river, but these guys haven't even crossed the river yet and they want to destroy the bridge. It's ridiculous!
"But this will affect the development of other companies. Retail, apparel, and cosmetics have been significantly impacted, and some people are starting to cause trouble again!" Lee Boo-jin sighed. Why are there always so many people who don't know when to back down? They think the Korean market is so powerful, and they think they have such strong backing.

"Let them make a scene. Focus on consolidating our own resources and ignoring their demands. They won't last long. South Korea's foreign exchange reserves are empty. Without resources and foreign exchange reserves, what can they use to make demands of me? Now, arrange for people to take over those power plants. If they cause too much trouble, teach them a lesson. You can't always be the nice guy; you have to learn to refuse and to attack. Right now, those guys have no confidence whatsoever. What awaits them is the harvest from the United States. They're dreaming if they want to negotiate with me. If the consolidation and restructuring of South Korea's heavy industry enterprises goes smoothly, then integrate entertainment media, apparel, cosmetics, and retail. Since we've made acquisitions, we should leverage their strengths! If you think it's appropriate, we can also make acquisitions and adjustments. If necessary, they can all be spun off from the original groups."

Lee Boo-jin shook her head and said, "It's better not to. If these assets are separated, it will have a significant impact on our own development. There's absolutely no need for that, and we don't have the conditions for it right now!"

"What's there to be afraid of if they don't have the resources? Then we'll acquire them. Since these guys don't know when to back down, let's teach them a lesson they won't forget. What Soros can do, I can do too. We'll forcibly acquire Da Xiong Pharmaceuticals, and everything will be resolved." John wasn't unprepared for the situation with the Koreans; he was well aware of it. It was precisely because he understood these greedy and arrogant guys that he made so many preparations, just in case these 'unexpected' situations occurred!
"A forced acquisition?" Lee Boo-jin was shocked. This was completely different from John's previous attitude, and she could hardly believe it.

"That's right, a forced acquisition. They either hand over Da Xiong Pharmaceuticals or face our full-scale attack. I'd like to know how long they can hold out. They're really asking for it. Do they really think I'm easy to bully? Do they think they're Morgan or Rockefeller? Even Morgan and Rockefeller wouldn't dare to be this arrogant!" This time, John was truly angered by these stupid and greedy guys and was determined to teach them a lesson and show them their place!

John couldn't afford to be soft-hearted at this point, or he'd face a lot of backlash. Although a full investigation hadn't been launched, John knew that there were definitely oil and gas companies behind it, and even some of those old American guys. They didn't dare to act themselves, so they pushed the sticks to the forefront.

No matter what the situation is, I don't have time to investigate anything. At this time, as long as the Koreans take drastic measures to warn those hidden enemies, that will be enough. The reason for this situation is largely related to the end of the Asian financial crisis and my own plans. My conversation with Morgan must have spread!

John had originally planned to join forces with other American conglomerates, but these Koreans, oblivious to the consequences, had provoked him at this crucial moment, giving John a reason to attack directly. After all, the Koreans had provoked John first; they were the ones who started the trouble. Even if John took action, those old guys in the US couldn't say anything. Under these circumstances, it would be a huge disservice to these 'good guys' who had created this opportunity for him if he didn't go all out.

Seeing that Lee Boo-jin was still a little hesitant, John continued, "Don't worry, there won't be any problems. Just do it this way. Take this opportunity to seize control of clothing, cosmetics, retail, and pharmaceuticals, and become a major conglomerate in South Korea in one fell swoop! If you still have time, keep an eye on Media & Entertainment. Don't let those guys ruin my plans!"

For John, as long as he can achieve his goal in one step, it is worth the price. Even if there is no profit for a year or two, or even if he has to go into debt, it is not a big deal. As long as he does this well, the rest will no longer be a problem!

"But I'm worried that this conflict will continue, which is very detrimental to our development!" To put it bluntly, Lee Boo-jin is still soft-hearted and doesn't want to escalate the situation or have a direct confrontation with those Koreans. She still has some concerns in her heart!

"Don't worry about these trivial matters. As long as we get the assets we want, that's enough. As for not seeing profits in the short term, or even being responsible, that's acceptable. Don't forget, South Korea currently imports its resources from abroad, and I hold a significant share of their market. Do you think they can withstand rising iron ore and copper ore prices? Do you think they can withstand rising oil, natural gas, and coal prices?"

John wasn't just saying this casually; he genuinely possessed the capability. Despite the fact that Quantum Mining was divided into three parts, John could still drive up prices if he wanted to, and he would have people cooperating with him. A country that relies on imports for its resources, and facing someone like John with ample resources, had absolutely no bargaining power. It was only because the undersea oil pipeline to South Korea wasn't completed that John's ability to strike at them was even stronger.

At this time, oil prices were at their lowest point. Middle Eastern tycoons would naturally prefer to see oil prices rise, and coal was no exception. Moreover, these resources could be sourced from Sakhalin Island, saving considerable on transportation costs alone. Furthermore, South Korea's economy was severely impacted by the financial crisis, so saving every penny was crucial. Otherwise, why would they make a deal with John? Faced with absolute power, no matter how many schemes South Korea had, they were useless. Absolute power could crush them without giving them any chance to resist. If John wanted to target South Korea comprehensively, he could completely block most of their sales channels, letting them experience despair and understand who the boss really was!

(End of this chapter)