America: My Time

Chapter 1591 John's Scheme

Chapter 1581 John's Scheme
"Why don't you understand my decision? Or do you think I've been too good to Japan and too bad to Korea?" John said calmly, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes, as he looked at Lee Boo-jin's worried expression. Although it seemed he had everything arranged perfectly, this was still a small test. If even Lee Boo-jin couldn't handle this, he would need to seriously reconsider his arrangements for Korea. After all, if the leaders he chose were problematic, would his investment in Korea yield good results? It wasn't that John was wary of Lee Boo-jin; reality was just that harsh!
"No, the Koreans' fate is their own doing and has nothing to do with you. Besides, you said you would give them a chance. I just wonder why you let those guys from Japan get away with it so much. You knew they had no good intentions and had been scheming against Asian Energy, yet you still gave them such a good opportunity!"

Hearing this, John remained unfazed, smiling calmly as he said, "You have to give to receive. Do you think they'll accept Asia Energy controlling Japan's energy lifeline? And do you think that as time goes on, the Koreans will remain unconcerned, and even China will have its own ideas, as will Russia. They won't want to see Asia Energy rapidly grow and expand using Sakhalin Island's resources. After all, Russia has recovered somewhat, and their leadership has changed. Under these circumstances, I have no choice but to do this. It's a necessary choice, one that all parties can accept. Even if those guys in Japan are scheming against me, so what? They have to be given the chance."

John paused slightly at this point, then continued, "You think that Russia's telling me about Japan meeting with them was out of goodwill? Actually, they have their own calculations. They're testing me, even reminding me that Sakhalin Island is their territory, and this benefit can't stay in Asia Energy's hands forever. After all, I control all the resources on Sakhalin Island. Do you think Russia can accept this outcome indefinitely? I won't lie to you, ever since I took over Sakhalin Island, I've been doing everything I can to develop all its resources, hoping to get all the investment back before Russia turns against us. Now it seems that this compromise is the only way to recover the investment."

John's words were half true and half false. After all, the more people who knew the secret, the more danger there was. His compromise was also a test, a test of all parties. There were no problems with China, as his cooperation with China had always been very smooth. But it was different with South Korea, Japan, and Russia. In fact, American conglomerates were behind them. Those oil giants didn't want to see themselves controlling too many resources, especially important resources like Sakhalin Island, which could affect the foundation of Asia's energy supply.

Since everyone was testing the waters, John naturally didn't want to be led by the nose. So he wanted to take the initiative and take the first step to catch his opponents off guard. Even though the Koreans and Japanese were all scrambling to get a ticket, and Russia hadn't made a move, John's actions forced everyone to take him seriously. Russia's plan was about to fail, and they had to reconsider their strategy.

Now that Asian energy is willing to relinquish its profits, everyone will get a share of the huge benefits, including Russia. However, to gain these benefits, you have to pay a price, and this all takes time to negotiate. Right now, it's a battle between John and South Korea and Japan. Although China National Offshore Oil Corporation has also gotten involved, they haven't taken much action, and they've already secured their entry tickets. But Japan and South Korea are different. One is desperately trying to get their entry tickets, and the other is desperately trying to gain more benefits. And the decision-making power is in John's hands!
"Even with such pressure, with your influence and the strength of Asian Energy, neither Russia, South Korea, nor Japan can shake everything in a short time. Moreover, Russia's current situation is not very good either. If they take the initiative to target Asian Energy, their credibility will collapse directly. At that time, they will be rejected by European and American countries. No one will be willing to cooperate with a country without credibility, and no one will dare to invest in it!"

"That's true, but reality isn't always like that. There are always some greedy people willing to take risks, always thinking they won't be the unlucky ones. And even if Russia intervenes, do you think I can directly confront them? The power of a nation is not something I can shake. At the same time, I don't trust those old guys in the US. I'm worried they might try to kill me at a crucial moment. It's better to rely on yourself than on others. Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, we must prepare for the worst. Also, don't be too greedy in business. Since we've already gained a lot of benefits and have ways to resolve the crisis, don't shoulder all the pressure yourself. It's not sustainable to keep everything to yourself!"

Although John said this, he had been enjoying the spoils for many years, and his investment in Sakhalin Island had long since recouped its costs. Now, no matter how he arranged things, he would make a huge profit. Moreover, with John's move, Russia could no longer pursue the past too much, as that would only make everyone think Russia had gone too far and deter more people from cooperating with them.

John's plan was to retreat in order to advance, and it was progressing very smoothly. As long as he continued to act cautiously, everything was under control. Moreover, John was not afraid that the Russians would go back on their word. If the Russians really did that, it would be too foolish, and the price they would pay would be even greater.

John claims everything requires Russia's approval, but that's not the case. The initiative isn't in Russia's hands at all; everything is under John's and Asia Energy's control. Under these circumstances, if Russia acts too greedily, it will become the next India. After all, India previously tried to scheme against Asia Energy, but ended up with a ruined reputation and gained nothing.

Lee Boo-jin said worriedly, "I'm worried that there will be problems on the Korean side. There are always a group of ignorant people in Korea who are making a fuss. If someone just stirs them up a little, these lunatics will take action, which will be very detrimental to our development and may even cause huge losses to our investment. At that time, we will be in a dilemma!"

John smiled calmly and said, "This is exactly the result I wanted. If they don't come forward, I know who the enemies and friends are. I want them to emerge one by one from the shadows. And do you think the Korean economy will be in such dire straits if our investment suffers huge losses? Do you think there won't be any problems after the new contract is signed? There are plenty of ways to control Korea, whether it's targeting the source or the sales, they will pay a heavy price. Do you believe that with just one word from me, all those semiconductor chip companies in Japan will choose to stand on my side and join me in blocking Korean semiconductor chips, and even home appliances? And if I just say the word, Taiwan won't be a big problem either!"

If anyone else had said this, Lee Boo-jin wouldn't have believed it. After all, even if South Korea is weak, it's still a country, not something a single conglomerate can contend with. But John said it, and she had no choice but to believe him. John was an industry giant with astonishing global influence, and most importantly, he controlled the sales end. "I understand. You were prepared all along. It seems I worried for nothing. But I'm afraid my reputation won't be very good. Those guys will definitely try to smear me!" Lee Boo-jin sighed as she spoke. She knew those South Koreans very well, so she was already mentally prepared.

"Let them make their move. Only when these guys take action will we have a reason to retaliate. Otherwise, taking action will only damage our reputation. As for those guys in Japan, I'm not worried at all. The more greedy they are, the easier it will be for them to succeed. And even if they really give up the entire Sakhalin Island investment, it won't be a problem. Both Russia and Japan think I'm reluctant to give it up. They're overthinking it. Asia Energy has plenty of new projects. Even if we lose the Sakhalin Island project, the impact on ourselves won't be significant. But if they want to take over Sakhalin Island, they'll have to pay a price that's attractive enough to me!"

Upon hearing John's words, Lee Boo-jin's expression hardened. This was something she hadn't expected. Not only would the Japanese and the Russians find it hard to believe, but even she couldn't believe that John would abandon the entire Sakhalin Island project. Everyone knew how much Asia Energy had invested in the Sakhalin Island project, especially the Koreans and the Japanese, who were even more aware of it!

John had invested a huge amount of money in the entire project; the undersea oil pipeline alone was an astonishing figure. Now, John was willing to abandon it all. How could this not shock her!
"Alright, you don't need to worry at all. Even if something big happens on the Korean side, I want to know how far they can go, whether they really don't know when to stop. If so, then we need to teach them a lesson and let them know that there are some things they can't interfere with!"

Faced with John's assertive attitude, Lee Boo-jin could only sigh and say nothing more. After all, she understood that she couldn't interfere too much in this matter, otherwise it wouldn't do her any good. It wasn't that she didn't understand the Koreans' attitude; she had no reason to risk her life. These guys were forgetful and didn't remember the good they had done for her!

"Things in Asia aren't too difficult, but there are some issues in Australia. It involves further restructuring and consolidation, integrating with African investments to form a new conglomerate. I haven't decided on the personnel yet, and there will be many things to do there as the situation changes!"

When John mentioned his plans in Australia, Lee Boo-jin thought of Nakamori Akina, who had always been in Australia. She wondered if this was part of John's scheme, and whether her child would eventually take control of the assets there. However, this thought quickly passed through her mind. She remembered John's words: to inherit property, one must have sufficient ability; without ability, one should not even think about taking over those assets and wealth!
Outsiders don't understand why John has been constantly restructuring assets, thinking it's a bit crazy. Even those old guys who know John's target is the American financial group think he's making a mountain out of a molehill, that such an arrangement is not worth the cost. But John doesn't care, and Lee Boo-jin also knows John's thoughts, because John has mentioned it more than once. Only in this way can she completely remain behind the scenes. Looking at the current situation in the United States, and the actions of that old guy Morgan, you can tell that they are also hiding behind the scenes, intentionally pushing Youtai Capital into the open.

In fact, John also had similar thoughts, so the repeated confrontations and compromises all showed John's attitude. Moreover, John was always extremely passive. Even if the people knew, they would only say that John had no choice. There was nothing wrong now, but when the day of reckoning came, he would use all his excuses!

"If we continue to split up, the major groups will suffer considerable losses, and there will be a lot of turmoil. Is it really necessary? We've already done enough; you've stepped back from the forefront!"

John shook his head and said, "It's far from over. This is just the beginning, and this is only the current setup. It will continue to operate, constantly being split and consolidated. Not only will these conglomerates be formed now, but China itself will also need to undergo a split and consolidation. A conglomerate that is too powerful is not a good thing. Don't be fooled by the fact that there are no problems now; over time, many problems will arise. Once this Asian Energy incident is over, the split and consolidation of Chinese assets will begin. And once everything is completed, perhaps another one will happen in a few years."

In John's plan, no large conglomerate or influential entity could emerge in Asia. Therefore, splitting and consolidating the assets was inevitable. Only through continuous splitting and consolidation could those assets gradually flow into his hidden accounts, leaving enough wealth for his descendants.

Of course, more importantly, he wanted to evade US taxes and prevent those Americans from bleeding him dry. After all, the US taxes the world, so the more chaotic things became, the less the US could do to John, since he still had the presidential pardon!
(End of this chapter)