America: My Time

Chapter 1575 The Old Man's Compromise
Chapter 1565 The Old Man's Compromise
"Morgan, do you think I'd joke about something like this? This is the truth. The reason those guys in Japan are doing this is quite simple: they don't want their energy lifeline in John's hands. After all, they've had disagreements with John time and time again, and Akio Morita is dead. Japan has lost someone they could communicate with John, so naturally, they've developed some inappropriate ideas. Even if they're dissatisfied with our terms, they're still tempted by the lure of profit. After all, energy is their foundation, and they can't afford the consequences of John controlling their lifeline!"

Rockefeller's words struck Morgan like a thunderbolt. Yes, he had indeed forgotten the true situation in Japan. No country wanted its energy lifeline to be in the hands of others. Asia Energy controlled the resources of Sakhalin Island, which was equivalent to holding Japan's lifeline. As long as Rockefeller and his ilk gave those Japanese a little support, they would go crazy for it. There was no other reason than this struggle for lifeline!

"Indeed, I was overthinking it. It seems I'm really getting old, I didn't even think of something like this. But after you tricked the Japanese like this, they will hate you even more when they realize what's going on, and they might even side with John. Aren't you worried that these Japanese guys will cooperate with John, or even target your semiconductor chip project?"

If those guys in Japan really dare to do that, Morgan would be very happy. After all, only in this way can the power of Rockefeller and his group be weakened. These guys have been joining forces time and time again, which makes Morgan uneasy!

"They won't do that. They're more worried about John's threat. After all, John has already extended his reach into Japan, controlling their energy lifeline, oil pipelines, and numerous projects in media and entertainment. Do you think they wouldn't be wary of someone like John? You don't think that John being surrounded by those beautiful Japanese women will make these Japanese guys feel at ease. Given their nature, they're unlikely to feel at ease unless all these resources are in the hands of the Japanese!" Rockefeller calmly responded to Morgan's question, his eyes full of confidence!

That's right. In their clashes with the Japanese, Rockefeller and his group had always been on the winning side, but when they faced John, they were always at a disadvantage, which led to their current situation!

"I certainly don't believe John would abandon his plans for Japan just because of those Japanese beauties around him. We all know how cunning he is. To be honest, John's reputation as a playboy is intentional, and he himself has been fueling it. But have you considered what kind of changes the children born to John's women will bring?" At this moment, Morgan glanced coldly at Rockefeller and then looked around at everyone present.

"Morgan, are you saying that John intends to split up the assets and arrange the future distribution of wealth?" At this moment, Rockefeller's expression changed drastically. Although he had thought about this, he ultimately rejected it. After all, John was still very young and there was no need to rush to arrange the distribution of wealth.

At this moment, Morgan laughed and said, "Hehe, you're still looking at everything with old eyes. If John were a normal person, he wouldn't need to rush to make arrangements, but he's not. Haven't you thought about the problems with John's asset restructuring and the splitting of the conglomerate? He has plans in Korea, Japan, Asia, Europe, and even the United States, forming one conglomerate after another. Do you still think this is normal?"

Upon hearing Morgan's words, the old men present all changed their expressions drastically, and began to worry. If John had already started making such arrangements, his conflict with Japan, and even with South Korea, would be greatly reduced. After all, if his children inherited these assets, it would weaken the hostility between Japan and South Korea.

“Morgan, I admit you’re right, but it will take time. Neither Japan nor South Korea will give up until John’s children take over. They don’t want their lifeline to be controlled by others. Japan and South Korea are the same; they both lack resources, and they both need Sakhalin Island’s resources!”

Sakhalin Island brought John considerable profits in Asia. South Korea and Japan paid huge sums of money, and China also reaped significant gains, with its abundant energy resources representing Asia's greatest asset. It would be a lie to say he wasn't envious. If Rockefeller and his ilk had known Sakhalin Island was so easily acquired, they would have acted long ago, never giving John the chance. After all, profit is the ultimate motivator!

Of course, these old guys also understand that as time goes by, Russia will eventually recoup all of this. After all, Russia has never been a trustworthy country, and the reason why Asian Energy is so frantically developing the resources around Sakhalin Island is to recoup its investment in the shortest possible time.

While it's unclear how much wealth Asian Energy reaped from Sakhalin Island, after so many years, it's likely they've already recouped their initial investment. After all, Asian Energy isn't the only developer on Sakhalin; John's mining group is also involved. Given John's connections in Russia, he must have amassed an astonishing fortune!
As to how much resources Sakhalin Island produces each year, perhaps only the Asian Energy and Mining Group itself knows. The figures obtained by Russia are definitely false. Otherwise, why would John be so frantically building undersea oil pipelines? There are big problems here. Under the lure of profits, those people in Russia have no principles.

"Even if the Koreans and the Japanese don't want their lifelines to be controlled by others, it doesn't mean your plan will succeed. Just from the reaction of the Russians, we can see how much influence John has in Russia and how powerful his connections are. I believe that the Japanese will pay a heavy price for their stupidity, or perhaps they have already taken action."

"So what? That's their freedom. And even if they wanted to shift all the blame onto us, do you think John would believe it? With John's understanding of Japan, he wouldn't have thought of the issues behind this. So even if we had some ulterior motives, it's still within the rules!" Rockefeller continued to explain himself, but did he even believe these words?

“Alright, it’s up to you. If you’re sincere about making peace with John, I can make a phone call and act as a mediator. But whether you can reach an agreement is your own business and has nothing to do with me. I don’t want to take the blame for you guys again!” As he said this, Morgan stared at Rockefeller, waiting for his answer.

This wasn't a decision Rockefeller could make on his own. Seeing Morgan's actions, he had no choice but to turn to others, seeking their opinions. If everyone agreed, then it could proceed. However, he still felt a little resentful; failing to outmaneuver Morgan this time was a defeat for him. Despite years of these old foxes using repeated conflicts to erode the relationship between Morgan and John, things hadn't reached their worst point. John and Morgan's cooperation remained unbreakable. They had hoped to deliver another blow to Morgan at this crucial moment, but it ended in failure!

To put these old guys at ease, Morgan didn't hesitate and immediately picked up the phone and dialed John's private number. Although many people knew John's private number, very few could actually get through to him, but Morgan was one of them.

"John, I'm sure you're aware of the situation in the US. The old guys like Rockefeller want to make peace with you and discuss the Western energy issue. What do you think? If you agree, they can come to China to discuss it with you!"

John wasn't surprised to receive the call from Morgan. If Rockefeller and the other old guys didn't react at all when Western Energy made a move, that would be a problem, since he was targeting them.

“Mr. Morgan, we are old friends. You should know that Rockefeller and his ilk have no integrity with me whatsoever. I dare not believe their so-called sincerity. Their repeated betrayals have long made me lose trust in them.”

John's answer startled Rockefeller and the other old fogies. As expected, John wouldn't trust them; even Morgan's intervention couldn't convince him. This caused Rockefeller to sigh inwardly, questioning the validity of his strategy. Perhaps he should rethink his approach and prioritize integrity in his dealings with John. This time, things were alright because Morgan intervened, but if word got out, he feared that some people would be less likely to trust him in the future!
“John, you can’t say that. They have no choice. You know they’ve been laying out their oil plans all along. Of course, you can also understand that this is in the United States’ interests. If you don’t get results, their plans will fall apart. After all, you control quite a few oil fields, and your influence in the energy sector is considerable!”

"Alright, since you've put it that way, what can I say? You've brought up the greater good of the United States, how can I refuse? Otherwise, who knows how much more trouble will arise. Since they're sincere, let's sit down and talk. I'll wait for them in China. Also, I heard you're going to retire. Are you really going to make that decision?"

At this point, John changed the subject, shifting the focus to Morgan. After all, having worked with Morgan for so long, John trusted him quite a bit. However, with Morgan's retirement, it was hard to say whether the cooperation would run into problems. After all, changing people is like changing knives, and no one knows how the person who succeeds him will handle the cooperative relationship!
“John, I’m getting old, and it’s time for me to retire and enjoy life. Time waits for no one, and I don’t have much energy left. But don’t worry, our cooperation will be fine. Jimmy is still here, and I’ll make the arrangements!” At this moment, Morgan didn’t hesitate and began to reassure John.

At this moment, John smiled and said, "Good, I feel much more at ease with your words. After all, there are still many things that need to be done with Morgan, especially in the field of communications. Time waits for no one. We can't wait for the Europeans to succeed before we make our move, or it will be too late. I believe you know why there is resistance in Hong Kong. Please step in and handle these matters. What do you think?"

Although it was John who made the inquiry, Morgan understood that it wasn't directed at him, but at the old guys like Rockefeller. This was the premise for John's willingness to negotiate. If they didn't even have this much sincerity, then there was no need to waste everyone's time and energy, and it would be better to leave things as they were!
At this moment, Morgan looked at everyone, and only after seeing that Rockefeller and the other old guys nodded in agreement did he speak: "Of course, I'm happy to help you solve this problem. After all, it's better to keep the benefits within our own borders and not let the Europeans get them, otherwise the problem will be serious!"

“If everyone had your magnanimity, I wouldn’t have so many problems. Don’t worry, communications in the US will remain the same as before. I won’t target any party, and the same goes for overseas. I’m not one to monopolize profits!” John had to respond at this point. After all, the interests in the communications field were too great, and John naturally couldn’t monopolize them. It was already difficult enough to maintain his current situation, and he would have to wait a while before he could expand.

John's words relieved the old men like Rockefeller. As long as John wasn't aggressive, it was a good thing for them. Moreover, John's promise meant they didn't need to worry about communication issues, since they couldn't compare to Bell Labs in that regard.

“I know your character and how you handle things, so I’m not worried about this. But the Europeans won’t give up easily, since it’s related to the next generation of communication standards. How could they possibly give up such a benefit? You mustn’t be careless!”

"Don't worry, I've got everything ready. As long as the testing in Hong Kong goes smoothly, we'll roll it out across the board and head straight to the Europeans' doorstep. At least Britain and Northern Europe won't have any problems. Only a head-on collision will tell us whose technology is the best. I believe the public will make the choice!"

Indeed, John has confidence in Bell Labs and believes they can control the situation and won't give the Europeans a chance to turn the tables. If they can suppress the Europeans this time, everything else will be much easier!
(End of this chapter)