America: My Time

Chapter 1578 Testing
Chapter 1568 Testing

John was well aware of Rockefeller's scheme, and he had no intention of completely falling out with these old men. Therefore, this incriminating evidence was dispensable, and if the time came, this bit of bad reputation would be nothing to worry about. Given this, John naturally went along with it and put an end to everything, reassuring the old men and preventing them from having any further ideas!

It seems that Rockefeller and DuPont had no choice but to compromise with John, but in reality, John also had to accept it all. He was also compromising, compromising for American interests and for the American upper class. After all, at this point, if John continued to be aggressive, he would be more hostile to others and might even lose the initiative!
The struggle for interests is a give-and-take affair, and this is a society based on personal relationships. Even if John is incredibly powerful, he can't stand against everyone, let alone save face for Morgan. Although Morgan hasn't explicitly interfered with their communication and negotiations, his mere presence demands respect from John. John can't afford to be accused of being arrogant and disrespectful to an old friend—that's a bad reputation he can't bear!
"John, your future development should focus on the semiconductor chip and communications fields. After all, Western Energy's compromises will affect your energy layout and development. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask!" Morgan's gesture of goodwill towards John was also a small test.

"No, breakthroughs in semiconductor chips aren't that simple, and you're well aware of the power situation in the US. If things continue like this, Bell Labs might have to consider abandoning its wafer fabs in the US. As for mobile communications, that requires profit sharing, otherwise, the Europeans could easily overtake us. To be honest, I'm very worried about the situation in Europe. Those guys are going crazy, making all sorts of promises of welfare, but if they keep going like this, their own finances won't be able to sustain it. I'm worried they might cause a major disaster. If possible, I'm even considering relocating industrial production there, because the pressure on businesses under those high welfare benefits is too great."

"Are you regretting not leaving car and aircraft manufacturing in Britain?" Morgan immediately understood John's thoughts. In fact, the reason why British industry was wiped out was partly because they wanted to take the financial route, and partly because the pressure on their companies was too great. John could previously use the market of Middle Eastern tycoons to alleviate his own pressure, but as time went by and with John's asset restructuring, many problems would resurface!
"Yes, that's exactly what's giving me a headache. There's something wrong with the British. They're all a bit too crazy. I'm worried about the development of the Bentley Motors Group and the survival of Gulfstream Space. If something goes wrong in Europe at this time, it will definitely affect Gulfstream Space's discovery. And many people are pushing for it in secret. How can I be at ease!"

When John said this, Rockefeller and DuPont's expressions changed slightly, but Morgan remained calm, because he was not one of the masterminds behind the scenes and naturally did not need to worry about John's retaliation.

"What do you plan to do?" Morgan asked with a calm smile.

"What else can we do? We need to see how Britain reacts. If they insist on using security as an excuse and targeting my plans, we'll have no choice but to make tough decisions and sacrifice what we have to give up, even if it means abandoning the British market. Gulfstream Aerospace absolutely cannot afford to fall into trouble again because of Britain's petty actions. As for Bentley Motors, we can simply abandon our factory there, or even abandon the design work altogether, and move it directly to Asia. If the unions cause too much trouble, this will be my last resort!"

Ruthless! At this moment, Rockefeller and DuPont once again witnessed John's ruthless methods. Not everyone can make such a tough decision under these circumstances, after all, the interests involved are not small. One wrong move could cause John's entire European layout to collapse. But neither of them believed that John was joking!

“John, do you really need to be so cautious? Even if there’s a problem with the Europeans, you have the influence to persuade them. After all, if you do this, you’ll offend all the British, which will be detrimental to your other assets in Britain!” Morgan frowned. If John did this, the damage would be considerable, and it might even affect John’s other businesses. He didn’t understand why John was doing this.

Not only did Morgan not understand, but DuPont and Rockefeller also did not understand. They could have compromised with each other, after all, that's how the struggle for interests works. But John made the opposite decision, which they could not comprehend!
"Perhaps this is why we can't do this. The three of you would prefer to compromise, but I don't want to. If I compromise this time, it means that my other investments in Europe will be affected. Since they will all be affected, why should I compromise? If they don't want me to have an easy time, they won't have an easy time either. Although my losses are significant, the Koreans, China, and even Taiwan can all bear some of the responsibility. But can Britain afford to lose these factories? If they want to divide my wealth, they should be prepared to retaliate. I also want to know what will happen if their credibility is destroyed."

Was John merely referring to Europeans and British? No, this was also a warning to Rockefeller and his ilk: don't play with fire, or you'll get burned. John no longer needed to tolerate this; there was no longer a gap between them, and John could now stand on equal footing with them!

"Don't worry, I believe those British guys know what to do. As long as they're not stupid, they won't cross your bottom line. They'll definitely learn from Asma's lesson." Rockefeller was reassuring John, not wanting to see him act recklessly, especially since John was no longer showing them any mercy!

"I don't want this to happen either. After all, I've been building up my business in Britain for so long, and I've developed some feelings for it. I wouldn't make such a decision unless absolutely necessary. But it's not up to me. The decision isn't in my hands, but in the hands of the British and the Europeans. They are the key to everything!"

“John, have you ever considered that it’s because you’ve been too aggressive? Your constant expansion has encroached on the interests of others, which is why you’ve attracted so much hostility? You could have backed down a little, and perhaps none of this would have happened!” Rockefeller said with a calm smile, trying to persuade John. His words made Morgan and DuPont frown. This probing was a bit too much, and it could easily anger John!
"Perhaps, but that's how business competition is. If you resort to such underhanded tactics when you can't win, what's the point of competing? Everyone can just show their cards and go all out! They can't expect me to follow the rules while they themselves don't. That doesn't exist in this world, not even on their turf. Rules are meant to bind everyone, not just me. If they do that, I won't hold back. I'll flip their table. I'm determined to cut my losses, and I can do it!" Although John spoke calmly, his words struck Rockefeller, DuPont, and Morgan like a thunderbolt, reaffirming their belief that their old methods against John were no longer effective. John no longer needed to compromise with them; he now possessed absolute autonomy!

"John, peace brings wealth. Sometimes, taking a step back can lead to a brighter future!" Morgan had no choice but to speak up. He didn't want to see John launch a crazy counterattack; if it came to that, the consequences would be unimaginable!
“I also want to be kind to people and make money peacefully, but many people are unwilling to give me this opportunity. European energy has also been targeted quite a bit by the British. Those guys seem to have forgotten the lessons of the past. Perhaps my kindness over the years has made them think they are capable again. Not only Britain, but even France has people jumping out to target me. How can you expect me to continue to tolerate this? If I continue to tolerate this, will I still have a chance to stand on my own two feet? If they insist on causing trouble, they will bear all the consequences.”

If Rockefeller, DuPont, and Morgan still don't understand after John has put his words to this point, then there's really no need to continue the conversation. They're not unaware of who's behind this; it's clear that their scheming has angered John. They want to cause him trouble in Europe, which is a provocation!
The US, Asia, and then Europe—this is a comprehensive attack on John. It would be highly unusual if John didn't retaliate at all. John can negotiate with Rockefeller and DuPont, but those who are stirring up trouble in the shadows will have to pay the price, just like John's attitude towards Japan.

Just then, John said, "The three of you, I've heard that someone in the US is targeting my pharmaceutical plans. If this continues, I'll need to consider shifting my research and development to Asia. I must say, Japan has a lot of talent, and their dedication is even stronger than that of the US. They can even reduce research and development costs!"

Who is targeting John? Naturally, it's those who are unwilling to accept the loss of their interests. Unable to confront John directly, they choose to push things along in secret. However, the more they do this, the stronger the counterattack they face. They can't gain any benefit from John; they will only pay a greater price.

John is a giant in the American financial and pharmaceutical industries. Targeting John is simply courting disaster. Even Rockefeller wouldn't dare to do something like this, yet they did it. It's easy to guess who's behind this.

"John, so you're planning to focus your efforts on the pharmaceutical industry next?" Suddenly, Morgan's mind raced, and he thought of a possibility, so he asked!
“That’s right, I have that idea. To be honest, we all have enough money. What we lack is time. What we have to face is the passage of time and illness. I plan to make a lot of investment in this area. After all, no one knows when they will get sick. You all have made preparations and plans in advance, but I haven’t made many preparations. The resources I have are far from comparable to yours, especially in the field of medicine. The resources I have are far inferior!”

John's words took Morgan and his team by surprise. This answer shocked them; John was already committed to research in this area much earlier than they had anticipated. Previously, John's investments had been primarily in Jaguar Security, focusing on military force rather than medical advancements. While John was also a pharmaceutical tycoon, his focus was more on profit than on the shared pursuit of life.
“John, if needed, we are all here to help and offer our support!” At this moment, Rockefeller’s face showed a faint smile. He naturally understood the meaning behind John’s words. John wanted to invest money in healthcare, which would naturally reduce his investment in other areas. This was also a change in attitude!
"Thank you for your kind offer, but I don't think it's necessary. After all, we're not on the same path. I prefer the health and wellness experience from China, rather than the choices you all make. I believe you all know that I've invested a considerable amount of money in this research in Taiwan, Japan, and China, but there haven't been many results yet. I will increase my investment in the future!"

At this point, John paused abruptly, then continued, "Actually, I have an idea. For us Europeans and Americans, even a minor cold can threaten our safety, so you all know how big the market is. If we can develop more health supplements and better effective drugs, I believe it will bring us considerable wealth!"

Rockefeller and his associates were well aware of how seriously Westerners took the common cold, and they also understood the vast market potential involved. Was John's real purpose to target this market? They were unwilling to believe John's words; after all, why would John reveal such a vast market to them?

A conspiracy—that was what Rockefeller and his team were thinking. However, they couldn't completely give up, as there was still a sliver of a possibility. John's attitude was quite good, and Morgan was involved. Even if they were to scheme, there was no need to offend Morgan, unless Morgan was also part of the conspiracy!

(End of this chapter)