America: My Time

Chapter 1544 Neon's Worries

Chapter 1534 Neon's Worries
Compared to Japan's swift response, South Korea remained incredibly arrogant, believing it was all John's conspiracy. They argued that without John's influence, they would never have accepted the asset swap, so they blamed everything on him. Furthermore, these individuals, instigated by certain individuals in the US, began targeting John's assets in South Korea, especially after Asian energy companies agreed to their request and reduced supply. They harbored resentment and now, given the opportunity, were eager to cause trouble!

John wasn't angry when he learned of the changes in the Koreans, because it was all within his expectations. Compared to the forbearance of the Japanese, the Koreans were too arrogant, each one looking down on others but lacking sufficient strength. These guys thought they would compromise because of their counterattacks, which only shows how arrogant they were.

"Find a reason to cut off the Koreans' energy supply, and at the same time start cutting off their electricity and food. Let them know that in the face of absolute power, they are just a bunch of ants who think they can get everything they want by making trouble. This time, let them know what despair and destruction are!"

As soon as John finished speaking, Lee Boo-jin's heart pounded. She could hardly believe her ears. She knew all too well how terrible the consequences of doing this would be. It would plunge the entire country into turmoil. Once there was no energy supply, and there were power outages and food shortages, it would be a disaster for them, especially for the conglomerates in South Korea, which would be in crisis!

A thought flashed through her mind, and Lee Boo-jin said, "But doing this also poses a considerable risk to us. It will cause us to lose market share and will deal a devastating blow to our previous plans. After all, if those guys dare to do this, they must have their own backers. Even if we cut off the supply, someone else will definitely take our place. I'm worried that this is a conspiracy, a conspiracy against us!"

“I know what you’re worried about. You’re afraid someone will take away our market share. After all, there are already many people in Korea who are unhappy with our expansion. Since they’re unhappy, let them all jump out. Don’t worry, we can afford this loss. If we’re going to do something, we’ll do it thoroughly and let them know what pain is! Do they really think I’m easy to talk to and that I’ll bully them? Since they don’t know when to back down, let’s beat them until they know the pain!”

John was perfectly aware of the Koreans' petty schemes. Even if the Koreans had substantial reserves, and even if they had reinforcements, how long could they hold out? And how long could they endure without cheap energy, mineral, and food supplies? Capital is profit-driven; those guys wouldn't provide the Koreans with too many cheap resources. John understood this perfectly. Moreover, losing some market share in the short term wasn't a big deal; he could easily regain it if he wanted to. After all, having enough cheap resources in hand gave him absolute confidence!
"However, I worry that doing so will put us in an even more passive position and make us fall into the trap of those with ulterior motives!"

"Alright, don't worry so much. This is exactly the result I wanted. If I don't do this, how will I know who my friends are and who my enemies are? Only by doing this can I see everything clearly. Let's start taking action. I've already notified Asia Energy. Don't hesitate any longer!"

Hearing John's words, Lee Boo-jin had no choice but to accept it. She understood that these mundane matters were not hers to decide, and once John made his decision, she had to carry it out. At this time and under these circumstances, John's arrangement was also a test of her; if she didn't follow John's orders, it might mean her elimination.

What would happen if she were kicked out? Lee Boo-jin didn't dare to think about it. She never trusted her family. If she lost John's protection, she could imagine how crazy the targeting she would face, or that living a life worse than death would be the best description of her fate. She didn't dare to gamble with her destiny.

Since John dared to take action, was it merely a target of Asian energy and a group of mining companies? No, it will be even more insane and terrifying. As long as Asian energy supplies are cut off, the Middle Eastern tycoons will definitely take action. John is not only testing South Korea, but also the Middle Eastern tycoons. Only in this way can he know who his friends are, who his enemies are, and who he can trust in critical moments!
"What did you say? Asia Energy has cut off South Korea's energy supply? How is that possible?" The first to know about this was not the Americans, but the Japanese who were right next door. Although they knew about South Korea's arrogance, they never expected that South Korea would be so bold as to do such a foolish thing.

"Yes, the Asian energy pipeline needs maintenance, so the energy supply to South Korea has been temporarily cut off. When this news came out, South Korean power plants also had to shut down. They no longer have enough reserves to continue supplying electricity. In addition, retail groups are also reducing their output of food, and are even raising prices!"

"It seems everything is going as we suspected. These Koreans have angered Mr. John, and they're facing his repercussions. This is just the beginning; I'm afraid more people will soon take action! If we hadn't intervened in time to eliminate those fools, we might be facing the same situation now. South Korea is a country that relies on imports for resources; they simply can't withstand such an impact! I can imagine that their steel industry will run into problems, and everything else will go wrong. They underestimated Mr. John's influence!"

"That's true, but things might not turn out the way we think. You see, quite a few American giants have already entered the fray, shipping energy, mining, and food to South Korea. They want to take away this market share!"

"Heh, so what? Can they provide cheap energy, food, and minerals? They can't. Capital is profit-driven; they can't sacrifice their own interests. Do you think the Korean people can accept the skyrocketing cost of living? How will the Korean government explain this to the people? From now on, we should do nothing and observe everything from the sidelines. Mr. John isn't just targeting Korea; he also wants to understand other people's opinions and attitudes. If we get involved now, we'll also be suppressed and targeted!"

These guys in Japan really understand John. After all, they've been cooperating 'amicably' for twenty years. How could they not know John's thoughts? Whoever steps forward now will be targeted by John. It just goes to show how foolish the Koreans are. They've known John for many years, yet they still haven't seen through everything.

"Gentlemen, what do you think about us stepping in and talking to Mr. John now, asking him to increase energy exports to Japan? Let's take control of the energy that's been cut off by South Korea. After all, such cheap energy isn't always available. The more reserves we have, the more confident we'll be!" "That's a good suggestion, I think it's feasible. And we all know that Mr. John has made ample reserves in Japan, with huge energy reserves in Asia and even globally, especially in China, where energy is continuously being supplied. Since he started his factory in China, those reserves have been steadily increasing!"

"Otherwise, why would those guys from Russia be tempted? They've always wanted to take back the cooperation on Sakhalin Island, but unfortunately, they don't dare to act rashly. After all, if they break their promise on this matter, it's equivalent to cutting off their cooperation with the world, and no one will dare to cooperate with them anymore. John is their good friend. If they betray their friend, who would dare to cooperate with them? Most importantly, if they really do that, they'll probably face an even greater crisis of credibility!"

"Given Russia's current situation, they won't take any risks. Anyone with a modicum of rationality wouldn't choose to turn against Mr. John at this time, let alone reclaim the cooperation on Sakhalin Island. In any case, they can gain a lot of benefits from it, at least enough foreign exchange earnings. Even if they get back Sakhalin Island, what good will it do without the undersea oil pipeline? They won't get the benefits they want!"

"Since you all know this, why do you want to talk about cooperation with Russia? Aren't you just looking for trouble?"

"No, what we want is not cooperation now, but cooperation in the future. This is just a heads-up. Given Russia's greed, do you think they will take back everything on Sakhalin Island? Even Mr. John has been wary of Russia going back on its word, which is why they are mining it at all costs, wanting to recoup their investment as quickly as possible!"

"It's true that Russia is untrustworthy, but it won't be easy for them to back out. They'll have to pay a considerable price. At the very least, they'll have to reclaim the Sakhalin Island contract from John at market price, otherwise their credibility will collapse, a consequence they can't afford. Only those Koreans are stupid enough to make such a decision. Any intelligent person wouldn't act so foolishly. But those Americans are really crazy, daring to wade into such muddy waters. I don't know where they got the courage!"

"What, you know about the situation in the US?" someone asked, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes. How long had it been? And someone already knew about the situation in the US. This was no simple matter!
"I do know a little bit about it. Although it hasn't been officially announced, such a big thing can't be hidden. We can still find out through other channels. Lehman Brothers, Conseco, De Guus, Enron, WorldCom, and Pacific Gas and Electric are all jumping out to target Mr. John, either by manipulating the financial system, vying for South Korea's energy supply, or by other schemes. Of course, Oil Pacific Capital is also behind this. I don't know what these guys are thinking. They're really courting death, truly believing they can successfully extract huge profits from Mr. John!"

"Let them be. I believe these guys will pay for their stupidity soon. Perhaps Mr. John is already preparing to deal with them, after all, these guys are jumping around a bit too much!"

"Alright, this has nothing to do with us. All we need to do is remain calm. We'll stay neutral and do nothing in their battle. Especially since even Wall Street giants have intervened, don't you think there's something fishy going on?"

"There are certainly problems, but we don't need to worry about them. We won't do anything in this battle; whoever wins or loses won't benefit us much. In comparison, I'm more interested in the situation on the Korean side, whether they will pay a heavy price for their stupidity, and whether those guys in the US can take away the Korean market share from John. If they can, I believe the Korean situation will be very dangerous!"

"Are you worried that John will use this opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to them, targeting them financially, or even targeting the Koreans on all fronts?"

"Yes, if the Koreans go too far and those American companies insist on fighting for their market share, it will be a crazy and terrifying war. They will pay a heavy price for their stupidity. Don't forget, John is a giant in a host of industries, including energy, mining, food, technology, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, military, and entertainment. Don't be fooled by his current behind-the-scenes presence; the more he does so, the more terrifying he becomes. If anyone thinks that John's influence will decrease after breaking up those companies and completing asset restructuring, they are sorely mistaken and will pay a heavy price for their stupidity!"

Upon hearing these words, the Japanese guys all sighed. They naturally knew how terrifying and insane John's achievements were in various industries. For a country like South Korea, which heavily relied on external resources, to make an enemy of a giant like John would inevitably lead to annihilation, and they would inevitably pay a heavy price for their foolishness.

John controls several of South Korea's major industries. If John wants to target them, these guys will pay a heavy price for their foolishness, just like what's happening now. Perhaps soon the Middle Eastern tycoons will issue a positive announcement, making South Korea pay for their stupidity. No one will take the brunt of John's power for South Korea under these circumstances; after all, no one is foolish enough to do something so crazy.

(End of this chapter)