America: My Time

Chapter 1446 The Final Warning
Chapter 1436 The Final Warning
While many assumed John would choose Hong Kong, given Standard Chartered's significant moves, they were wrong. Before anyone was prepared, John appeared in South Korea, beginning the cleanup operation. Faced with John's arrival, the South Koreans panicked; their worries were justified.

The South Korean officials wanted to talk to John, but they didn't have the same influence as China. John completely ignored them and told them his determination: the acquisition was nearing completion and he didn't intend to continue negotiating with them. They wanted to benefit from him and wanted him to take the fall for them. They were just too arrogant!

"What? That's impossible! How could he do that? That's energy, with huge profits involved. How could he just give it up like that? This guy must be trying to scare us. We can't let him intimidate us. As long as we hold on, we can definitely make him give in. I don't believe he wouldn't care about such a big energy market!"

Yes, John cannot ignore the South Korean energy market, which is a market with great potential. However, at this time, the South Koreans do not have the strength to match John's. The weak dare to dream of getting benefits from John's presence. They are too arrogant. They are not qualified to negotiate with John!

"Enough! How long are you going to go on this madness? Or do you even care about the interests of the Korean people? You may have the support of American conglomerates, but you can't drag the entire Korean nation into a desperate situation. I've told you before not to be too greedy, not to go too far, but you just wouldn't listen. Now they don't want to pay attention to us. In your eyes, it's an astonishing profit, but Mr. John doesn't see it that way. We're not fools; we all understand what Mr. John is up to this time. He's restructuring assets and doesn't care too much about profits; otherwise, he wouldn't have made such a sacrifice. If you want to keep causing trouble, we won't play along!"

Chaos has begun to erupt within the South Korean government. They are not of one mind; they all have their own interests. Although John hasn't tried to win them over, some are siding with him due to the lure of profit. After all, John's reputation is guaranteed globally, and South Korea has a huge energy demand. Only John can currently provide cheap energy. Since surrender and compromise are inevitable, why not maximize profits and preserve South Korea's vitality?

“That’s right, we can’t keep making the same mistake. If we had reached a consensus sooner and made a deal with Mr. John sooner, things wouldn’t be like this now. We wouldn’t be so powerless against those American conglomerates. Everyone has to sell their own interests, so why not maximize our own interests?”

Soon, the situation began to develop in John's favor. John's appearance brought them endless pressure, especially since he wouldn't even meet with them, only having Lee Boo-jin issue a warning. This made some of the Koreans even more uneasy. Under these circumstances, compromise took the lead. No one was unafraid of how terrible the consequences would be if John let go. Moreover, John had offered them enough benefits in exchange, which could guarantee their own interests and wealth while resolving the current crisis in Korea. Naturally, they were willing to accept it, even if the price was a bit high!

“Well said. If your government insists on this, our consortium will not accept your opinion. We will not give up this opportunity. We do not want to see ourselves in a desperate situation! If our finances are already controlled by others, and we are also plundered by those guys in terms of energy, what chance will we have? Compared to those guys, we are more willing to trust Mr. John!”

This is the power of credibility. Under the same circumstances, a trustworthy person like John is more likely to gain the approval of others. This is why John came to the Koreans in person – to put pressure on them. Moreover, this is an open strategy, so even if it is seen through, it is not a big deal, because John has maintained the initiative from beginning to end!
“Make a decision. We don’t have time left. My information is that Mr. John will only stay here for a few days. If we can’t complete a new round of transactions within these few days, then everything will come to an end. We will face even more insane and terrible plunder. Moreover, if we don’t take the initiative at this time, the profits will fall into the hands of those American conglomerates!”

"Yes, it's come to this point. If you still don't think about us Koreans, don't blame us for not cooperating. We don't want to sacrifice our own interests for nothing, and we don't want to be taken for fools."

With John's arrival in South Korea and his decision, the Americans began to worry, especially those who were planning to plunder South Korean banks' capital. They were particularly concerned, fearing that John was targeting them, as his intervention at this time could ruin their plans. Despite rumors circulating that Standard Chartered Bank had little cash left, these banks didn't think that way; they weren't fools and wouldn't believe such nonsense!

"Damn it, didn't we say that John wouldn't be in Korea? And we weren't targeting him. How did he end up here? What's going on?" At this moment, the Americans in Korea who were about to plunder were all panicked. They didn't want to see anything unexpected happen, but the situation was developing in a way that was not in their favor!
"We don't know. We don't know why John suddenly came to the Koreans. Didn't he already make a deal with them? What is he trying to do now? Or does he really think we're easy to bully and wants to be our enemy?"

"No, it's not that John wants to be our enemy, but those guys from the Koreans have gone back on their word. The previous deal has run into problems, and John is probably here for that reason. Behind this is a big deal from our 'good friend.' We can only wait and see. If you insist on stopping us, then be prepared to face John's wrath."

"Damn Koreans, I knew these guys were unreliable. What kind of stupidity is this? They dare to back out in this situation. Who do they think they are? And don't those bastards know how crazy and terrifying John is?"

"So what if you know? I don't believe you don't know what's going on in Hollywood. These guys are starting to slap John in the face. Do you think John will swallow his anger? Do you think John won't fight back? And this time, the guy who jumped out is no ordinary person. There's also Donkey stirring up trouble. If we can't get out of there quickly, it might affect our interests!"

“Why don’t we sit down and talk to John? Since he’s on the Korean side, isn’t this our opportunity? His interests don’t conflict much with ours. He wants energy and industry, while we want banks and finance. So we don’t need to confront John directly!” “That’s true, but do you think John will give us that kind of face? Don’t forget who he is. We’re not qualified to talk to him, and we don’t represent Korea. If things escalate, we’ll be the ones who suffer. And I’m worried about John’s funds in Korea.”

"Are you kidding me? Is John's money in Korea really that staggering?"

"Hehe, you don't think John doesn't have money in the banks here. He made his moves in South Korea much earlier than us. And do you think John didn't profit from this Asian financial crisis? Where did all that huge amount of money in South Korea go?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the guys all sighed. They were not on the same level as John. If they were to become his enemies, the consequences would be unbearable. Under John's strong suppression, they would likely pay a heavy price. In terms of strength and capital, they were far inferior to the funds in John's hands!
Under external pressure and facing its own crisis, the South Korean government is caught in a dilemma, facing a double attack. This forces them to compromise. Moreover, these guys are being ridiculous. Instead of contacting John, they insist on relying on the power of the South Korean government. It can only be said that these guys are too crazy and too stupid!
When John learned of the decision made by the American conglomerate and the Koreans themselves from Lee Boo-jin, a cold smile appeared on his face. He said disdainfully, "It's ridiculous. Where were they all this time? Especially those bastards in the Korean government. Didn't they go back on their word? Didn't they want to kick me out after I've served my purpose? Now they want to negotiate with me? Do they really think I'm easy to talk to? If they want to reconcile, they'll have to show some sincerity. If they don't have sincerity, they shouldn't even open their mouths. I don't owe them anything!"

Seeing John's anger, Lee Boo-jin sighed and said, "You can't entirely blame them. After all, they were not free to do what they wanted. Faced with pressure from the United States and the temptation of profits, they naturally had some thoughts they shouldn't have. Fortunately, nothing happened. You don't need to argue with them and lower your status for nothing!"

That's true, but John won't give up so easily. He won't let those Koreans off so easily. Without enough benefits, John won't give them any help. If they want John to help them get away, they're dreaming. They shouldn't even think about anything unless they offer enough benefits. In fact, they should worry about John's retaliation.

"These guys have asked you to intervene again. Is it your father and brothers again this time? Do they think I'm easy to talk to or easy to bully? This time they need to show sincerity. My time is limited. If they can't give me a satisfactory explanation, then it's all over, and the acquisition by the Koreans will end here!"

John was not persuaded by Lee Boo-jin and insisted on his decision. If these guys could not offer him satisfactory terms, there would be no further cooperation. Before he returned to the United States, he had to handle things properly with the Koreans and not leave any hidden dangers for himself, so that they would not betray him at a critical moment.

"No, my father and brother did not get involved. Although they had some ideas, Samsung's assets are limited, and Samsung has suffered a heavy blow from the Asian financial crisis. They have already completed all the transactions that could be done before, and they are powerless to do so now. Moreover, the previous reneging has nothing to do with Samsung."

John didn't completely believe Lee Boo-jin's statement. Even if the Lee family's assets at Samsung had reached their limit, it wouldn't be as dire as Lee Boo-jin described. If they wanted to squeeze out some assets, they could still do it. It was just that these guys didn't want to confront him directly, and they still harbored a sliver of hope!
"Alright, you don't need to explain for them anymore. They may not be making any moves on the surface, but they're certainly not doing nothing behind the scenes. I know exactly what kind of people they are. I don't have much time to waste here this time. I still need to go to Japan and deal with the asset restructuring across Asia. If there's no result from the Korean side, then this is the end of it. Don't interfere with their decisions, or you'll regret it later. Those guys are not trustworthy!"

Those guys included Lee Boo-jin's father and brothers, and even the entire Lee family of Samsung. John never underestimated Samsung's strength. Although their assets were hit during the Asian financial crisis, they were not as weak as they appeared. These guys were just deliberately scheming against others.

"Alright, I won't interfere. It's just that our energy investments haven't reached the original target. If we miss this opportunity, it will be difficult to get involved later. By the time we want to start over, these assets will probably have already fallen into the hands of American conglomerates. I believe they can't ignore South Korea's energy strategy!"

Lee Boo-jin's words are very true. No one can ignore South Korea's energy strategy, especially under the current circumstances. Some people have even seen through John's calculations and believe that John will not give up so easily. After all, interests can be very tempting, and anything can happen when faced with the lure of profit.

John shook his head and said, "Focus your energy on asset restructuring. If there's really nothing else going on with the Koreans, then focus on the farms and take control of their food supply. If these guys aren't willing to contribute energy, we'll control their food supply. I also want to know who among them can stop my plan. I want to know who are friends and who are enemies. Only by understanding all of this can we move more steadily and avoid being ambushed. Do you understand?"

(End of this chapter)