America: My Time

Chapter 1489 The human heart is not enough and the snake swallows the elephant.

Chapter 1479 Human greed knows no bounds.
“John, your actions have gone a bit too far and made many people uneasy, so I have no choice but to accept their request to speak with you!” Morgan said to John with a wry smile. If he could, he would not want to meet with John, especially not in such a short time, and with such an attitude.

“I don’t think my actions were a bit excessive. It’s just that those people are too greedy, always wanting more benefits. I’ve already given them enough, but they’re still not satisfied. What can I do? The greed of the human heart can never be satisfied, at least I can’t satisfy their desires!” John didn’t see anything wrong with Morgan’s appearance. His arrival was normal; it would have been a problem if he hadn’t shown up!

“Tell me, what are these greedy guys thinking, what are they asking for? They don’t want me to give them some benefits again, do they? If so, then there’s no room for negotiation between us!” John continued before Morgan could speak, his eyes still very calm.

"People are somewhat dissatisfied with your cooperation with the Middle Eastern tycoons and are worried about Gulfstream Aerospace. After all, the research and development involved involves cutting-edge technology, and they hope you can abandon the cooperation with the Middle Eastern tycoons. Of course, this is not my idea, but the military's. They feel it will affect US security!"

"Heh, what a ridiculous excuse. What were they doing all this time, making such a demand at this crucial juncture? Do they really think I'm easy to bully, or do they think I'm giving them too much face? If they could come up with enough funding, I wouldn't mind giving them that opportunity, but can they do it? Do they have that kind of integrity? Back then, these guys gathered everyone together to try and cut our research funding, and Gulfstream Aerospace was the most affected. If it weren't for the cooperation of the Middle Eastern tycoons, we probably wouldn't have been able to hold on long ago. You should know that. So whatever they think has nothing to do with me. Gulfstream Aerospace will not change because of their ideas."

John paused slightly at this point, then continued, "Actually, it's not like there's no way to change this. If they're willing to pay a 50% premium to acquire Gulfstream Aerospace's R&D, I'm not unwilling to sell. But can they do that? As long as they offer me enough benefits, I have no problem with it. They can even directly acquire the two unmanned aerial vehicle carriers that are currently under development, as well as the global positioning system."

When John put it that way, Morgan sighed deeply. Paying a 50% premium to acquire it was something the military would never do unless they were crazy. Even with the support of Italian and oil capital, they wouldn't do it because the cost was too high and the potential profits were minimal. Only a fool would do that.

These things, in John's hands, could be used to cooperate with Middle Eastern tycoons, because John's reputation speaks for itself. But if they were in the hands of the US military, everything would be completely different. The Middle Eastern tycoons would abandon their cooperation, after all, these guys are not trustworthy at all. Even John is giving up, so are the Middle Eastern tycoons fools to continue? Who knows, once the research is successful, those guys will immediately go back on their word, and the Middle Eastern tycoons' investment will be completely wasted!
“John, you should know this is impossible. They don’t have that much money. Besides, they can make money in your hands, but in the military’s hands, they’re a money-loser. It’s unrealistic to expect them to buy them. I can’t agree to your request!”

"Then I have no choice. The only thing I can do is sell these assets. I'm willing to sell them if they want them, and what happens to them in the future is none of my business. Of course, I also know that this isn't just the idea of ​​those guys in the military. There are also Donkey and Oil Capital behind it. They're too arrogant. Do they really think I'm easy to bully? This time, I need them to give me an explanation. Not just anyone can cause me trouble and ask me for benefits. My patience is limited. They just shared the benefits I gave them out, and they want to turn their backs on me? Do you think that's possible?"

As soon as John finished speaking, Morgan's expression changed repeatedly. Although he thought the same thing, he couldn't just agree to it, otherwise he would be letting down those guys who had given him the benefits!
“John, you can ignore the demands of those guys in the military, but the reduction of your manufacturing in the US is making a lot of people uneasy, especially with Gulfstream Aerospace’s production shifting back to Taiwan, even though it’s moving there, everyone feels uneasy about it!”

"I have no choice. Businesses need to make a profit. You know how much pressure military companies are under right now. Even with civilian revenue, it can't make up for the investment in research and development. There are even people within Gulfstream Aerospace who want to cut off military research and development, since they haven't been providing enough funding! The only way to reduce production costs and protect profits is to move the less important production overseas. Asia is the best place, since labor costs are very low there. Some less important production will disappear from the United States."

Hearing John's words, Morgan felt incredibly heavy-hearted. Even though he knew John was telling the truth, it still put considerable pressure on him, as it meant that the constraints on Gulfstream Aerospace were decreasing.

Seeing the change in Morgan's expression, John smiled calmly and said, "It's not my fault. The main reason is that labor costs in the US are too high. From any perspective, it's not suitable to continue production. So, the production of those retail components will have to be abandoned. Now that the factory in China is completed, it's time to relocate. The production of the Little Bird helicopter will also be transferred there directly. After all, there's not much to worry about with civilian products."

Upon hearing John's words, Morgan sighed again, shook his head, and said, "John, can't you slow down a bit? Your frantic shift of production lines is making things difficult for the White House and is also making Donald very unhappy. After all, you've moved too many factories in California, and this time you've cut so much component production."

"This isn't my fault. They have their own faults. If those guys hadn't stirred things up, this wouldn't have happened. They made a mistake and they have to pay the price. If it weren't for their interference, the community program in California wouldn't have been hindered. Do you know how much this affected my overall plan? How can you expect me to accept this?"

John could no longer tolerate the greed of these guys, who had repeatedly challenged his bottom line. He was not going to compromise any longer. Even the Middle Eastern tycoons had to show sincerity, so how could these guys not show theirs? Without sincerity, there was no need to continue the talks.

While John is fully implementing his community and energy initiatives, he is also continuously cutting back on other manufacturing activities. While expansion continues in Oregon, John's manufacturing output is decreasing across the US, particularly in the areas controlled by the Donalds. Everything that can be relocated is being moved, which naturally displeases the Donalds and is unacceptable to the White House, yet they dare not truly break with John.

John had gotten what he wanted from them, but they hadn't gotten everything they wanted from him. John's counterattack, in particular, weakened their influence among the people and significantly reduced their chances of winning the election—a blatant slap in the face. On the surface, John seemed to have no intention of interfering in the election, but in practice, the Donkeys encountered considerable trouble. The more eager they were to suppress John, the heavier the price they paid for their foolishness.

"John, tell us your terms. They want to know how you'll stop!" Seeing John veer the conversation further and further away, and with the pressure mounting on him, Morgan had no choice but to get straight to the point.

"I want the rare earth mines in Mountain Pass, and I also need them to solve all those damn environmental problems. If they do that, I'll back off. I believe it won't be difficult for them. They keep accusing me of not being willing to increase investment in the United States. I'm giving them that opportunity now!"

Was John's request excessive? It was a little excessive, but it wasn't impossible. After all, John had considerable strength in the mining industry, and even in rare earth mines, he had a lot of confidence. It's just that Morgan hadn't expected John to make such a request, and he was momentarily stunned.

"John, is this your only condition?" Morgan asked incredulously, his eyes full of doubt.

"Yes, that's the only condition. As long as they agree to my conditions, everything can be over. Of course, they also need to stop their underhanded tactics. I don't want anyone targeting my assets again and again. They're not annoyed, but I am! If they continue like this, I'll have to think about the final deal. Otherwise, these guys will think I can't do anything about them!"

Faced with John's accusations and warnings, Morgan's heart was heavy, because they had tacitly approved of all of this. Many people felt that John had no right to have such thoughts now that he no longer held many shares in Dreamworld and Nvidia, but they underestimated John's influence over these two companies.

"John, I've agreed to your request on their behalf. Everything is back to normal. Don't do anything else on your end."

"Okay, but the plans that have already started are not included in this promise, and I need them to give me an answer quickly. I don't have time to play games with them anymore. I will sell all my shares in the two companies by the end of the year, provided that my demands are met. Otherwise, I will have to give up. After all, I am not someone to be bullied!"

John knew what these guys' weaknesses were. Even though he had given up Dreamworld and Nvidia, if he really wanted to scheme against them, he could still deliver a fatal blow. He had the power that these guys feared!
"Of course, don't worry. Since I promised you, I won't let anything go wrong!"

Hearing Morgan's words, John said dismissively, "This isn't the first time you've made such a promise, but you've never kept it. If it weren't for our relationship, I would have already taught them a much deeper lesson, shown them what respect is, and taught them what they shouldn't do!"

It would be a lie to say that John harbored no resentment towards Morgan. After all, it hadn't been long, and these guys were already causing him trouble again, trying to scheme against him, and constantly testing his limits. John couldn't tolerate this behavior. Not to mention Morgan's involvement, so John's words weren't wrong.

Profits are a powerful motivator. As John's deal with these guys was completed, along with the sale and IPO of those internet companies, the dot-com bubble expanded wildly, driving greedy individuals into a frenzy. After all, in such a short period of time, these internet-related companies were appreciating in value at an alarming rate, and such huge profits naturally tempted them.

"Alright, I'll remind them. You know, there are some things I can't control. The Morgan Group isn't something I can control alone. With so many people, there will always be different opinions, so there's nothing I can do. I've done everything I can. Perhaps in a few years, I won't be able to control Morgan!"

John didn't believe Morgan's words at all. He could only think that Morgan and his gang were playing tricks. But John couldn't really turn against them and fight them. That wouldn't be good for him either. If Morgan also sided with those guys, it would be a disaster for him, and he would also lose a lot of benefits. So even though he knew there was something wrong with all of this, John could only endure it. After all, he still needed Morgan's power!

Of course, Morgan was aware of the pressure John was facing, which is why he secretly condoned some people's underhanded actions. He was using these people to test John's bottom line, since there were benefits involved. However, he forgot an important issue: such tests would erode the relationship between Morgan and John. Once that relationship was completely exhausted, their troubles would begin. John was not as simple as he seemed, and the benefits they gained would also have hidden dangers!
(End of this chapter)