America: My Time

Chapter 1605 The Temptation of Profit

Chapter 1595 The Temptation of Profit
Although he couldn't see through all of John's schemes, Morgan's instincts told him that there must be great danger behind it all. It was precisely because of this concern that he solemnly reminded his successor, fearing that the guy might do something impulsive and affect Morgan's development!
That night, many people in the United States couldn't sleep. They were all thinking about John's scheme and calculating the benefits and risks behind John's willingness to compromise. Even the military personnel were extremely nervous and had long lost the confidence they had when communicating with John. After all, they were the ones who knew John best!
As for the oil-rich capitalists, they were the most nervous of all. The same was true in the Middle East; whether it was the Middle Eastern tycoons or the Israelis, everyone was on edge. They didn't know what John was planning with this move. Although John had communicated with the Middle Eastern tycoons, they weren't sure what impact the breakup of Gulfstream Aerospace would have on them. No matter how compelling John's reasons or how promising the future seemed, they were still worried!

"What? Gulfstream Aerospace has already started to split up?" The next morning, Gulfstream Aerospace had already taken action. The split had begun. Lockheed and Hughes Aircraft were to merge and form a military industrial group. Hughes Aircraft directly took over all of Gulfstream Aerospace's military helicopter production lines, separating them directly from Sikorsky.

The notification had already been sent to the military, which shocked them greatly, as well as the little guy in the White House. It all happened so fast. How could John start so cleanly and efficiently? Did he really not feel any pain at all?
"Dad, what do we do now? John has already started the split, and the share issue hasn't been settled yet. Will there be problems with the military? How should we choose in this deal?"

"You're tempted. You want to get involved in this newly established Lohid Military Industry Group. Do you know how serious the consequences of doing so will be?"

"Dad, it shouldn't be as serious as you say. After all, it will go public and raise funds after the split. There's nothing wrong with us getting involved. There are quite a few old guys in the military who will be involved. John will release all the shares step by step. That's his promise, and I believe he won't go back on his word!"

“John won’t back down, but we can’t compete with those guys for profits. If you dare to get involved, the old guys in the conglomerate will target us without the military even having to lift a finger. Don’t be tempted by the immediate profits. This is not something we can participate in. The lion’s share will go to the military and those old guys. After all, they have paid a price. This is essentially an exchange of interests. Do you understand?”

Yes, this is an exchange of interests. John has begun to fulfill his promises to everyone, and now it's the military's turn to fulfill theirs. What others think or how they see it doesn't matter; what matters most is that they complete the deal.

There were quite a few people with ideas, and Oil Pacific Capital was one of them. Although they had known about Gulfstream Aerospace’s decision to split up and John’s promise, they were all eager to make a move. They had been discussing it all night but had not yet reached a conclusion. But now Gulfstream Aerospace had already started to move. How could this not shock them!
"Gentlemen, we can no longer hesitate. John has begun to fulfill his promise, and I believe Lockheed Martin will soon go public and raise funds. If we still have this or that concern, we will get nothing and miss the opportunity. This is our best opportunity and a chance to understand Lockheed Martin! Not to mention how amazing the interests behind it are, the influence brought by the military industry group alone is worth the risk."

“Soros, I understand your thoughts and feelings right now, but have you considered that this might be a conspiracy? Don’t you think all of this has happened too fast? And what do you think the military will think of us if we make a move at this time? What will those old guys think of us?”

"So what? Even if they're dissatisfied with us, they won't take any targeted actions. They still can't do without us. I don't think backing down now is a good choice. Opportunity knocks but once. If we miss this chance, it will be too difficult to succeed again. We all understand the importance of the military-industrial complex!"

“Okay, I admit you have a point, but we can’t put ourselves in danger and antagonize the military over this. This is a deal between John and the military, and if we get involved, it will provoke dissatisfaction from both sides. Do you understand?”

"I don't understand. So what if John is dissatisfied? As long as Lockheed Martin goes public, we have every right to intervene and acquire shares. It's normal business behavior; they have no reason to stop us!" Driven by greed, Soros was somewhat irrational in the face of such an astonishing temptation. Why? Because he had failed time and again in his confrontations. So when he saw an opportunity, his anger and desire surged forth, making him reckless!
“You will ruin all our previous plans and affect us in every way, especially in the media and entertainment industry. If we make a move, do you think John will retaliate? And if he does, do you think anyone will speak up for us? Don’t underestimate John’s scheming. We need to be calm and careful, especially now. You are not alone; you have a team and partners behind you. You cannot let your interests cloud your judgment!”

That's true, but who can resist such a tempting offer? Even if some can see the dangers behind it, most in the oil and capital world chose to side with Soros. They were willing to take risks for profit; after all, it was greed ingrained in their bones. And it wasn't just about profit; it had far greater implications. Some of these guys even harbored a crazy idea: could they take control of Lockheed Martin?

Human greed knows no bounds, and Soros and his ilk are just like that. Once they see an opportunity, they don't want to let it go, not to mention that the bait John threw out was so tempting. It would be a problem if he could let it go!

Just as these guys were shocked by the news from Gulfstream Space, another piece of news quickly emerged: Gulfstream Space was experiencing internal turmoil, and this major breakup was unacceptable to many within the company. This news spread like wildfire, not only to the old guard who had received the initial information and to interest groups, but also to the entire United States, because someone had leaked the news to the media. And this news quickly shocked the world!

Gulfstream Aerospace has spun off its military division—this news was so shocking that many couldn't believe it, thinking it was a rumor. But after learning the details, they were stunned. Had Gulfstream Aerospace gone mad to make such a decision, especially considering it involved Lockheed and Hughes aircraft?

If it weren't for Gulfstream Aerospace retaining its European military production and drone manufacturing for Middle Eastern tycoons, everyone would have thought John was planning a complete transformation of Gulfstream Aerospace. This astonishing news has everyone wondering what he's up to. "Move! Get our people moving! Get Mossad moving! We must get a stake in them! We must understand Lockheed Martin's research and development! This is extremely important to us!" This sentiment isn't limited to Israel; many other countries see it as an opportunity—a chance to learn about Lockheed Martin.

That's indeed the case. Those guys had a good idea, but they'll soon realize how foolish they were. No matter how turbulent things were inside Gulfstream, security was not affected, and no one dared to betray Gulfstream's secrets. The consequences would be unbearable for them!
"That bastard John! He's deliberately targeting us. He knows we need time to raise money, yet he's splitting things up so quickly!" Many in the military are furious because they need to invest real money to acquire John's shares, but this incident is putting them under considerable pressure!
"Hehe, you're getting desperate now, but why did you tell those people this news? Do you really think John doesn't know anything? Since you did this, it's only natural for John to retaliate. Some people are always so self-righteous. If the acquisition goes wrong this time and all of our interests are harmed, then you will have to bear the consequences."

"That's right, we can't do the work for others and suffer losses for nothing. Whoever is at fault should bear the consequences!"

"Enough, stop arguing. Things haven't come to that yet. We still have time to prepare. Besides, we all know we can't take all the profits ourselves, or people will die. Let's see how those old guys like Morgan, Rockefeller, and DuPont react. This time, 30% of the shares are being released, which we can't possibly absorb. I know you don't want others to share in this benefit, but have you considered how serious the consequences would be if we did? Stirring things up is a good thing for us!"

“I don’t think this will do us any good. It will cause unnecessary trouble. The Europeans will definitely have problems, especially the British. They will definitely have something to say, and we will be in a very difficult situation.”

"No, the problem isn't with us, but with the White House and the President. The more people want to get involved, the higher the stock price will be, and the greater our profits will be. Let them make a scene, the bigger the better. We just need to observe and see what happens. However, John has fulfilled his promise, and we must fulfill ours! If anyone causes problems in this process, don't blame us for being ruthless. No one can ignore the interests of the masses!"

"Don't worry, such a thing won't happen. If anyone dares to do that, they'll be making an enemy of everyone, and no one can protect them. After all, we have even more benefits in our deal with John. Once the operation in the Middle East begins, John will release his shares in three batches. I believe everyone understands how tempting that is."

"Every man for himself, or the world will destroy him!" Under the lure of profit, these guys have all gone crazy. Moreover, this profit can be passed down openly and without any hidden dangers, so these guys in the military are all taking it very seriously.

John understood what these guys in the military were thinking, which is why he set up this trap and threw out this bait. Even if those guys knew it was John's scheme, they would still willingly walk into it because of the lure of profit!
A vast net has been cast, and John doesn't care who will fall into it. After all, everything is beyond his control. John never thought he could control everything, because human nature is complex. He can only use his limited resources to weave a net and teach his enemies a profound lesson.

Just as John was anxiously waiting, the Middle Eastern tycoon made a move. His prince appeared in the United States, seeking a meeting. John couldn't help but sigh; this was human nature. Although they hadn't spoken yet, John knew why the prince had come—it was definitely after Lockheed Martin's shares!

Although the plane hadn't landed yet, the news had already spread and been disseminated by those with ulterior motives. Everyone knew exactly who those ulterior motives were. On the surface, it was the work of Youtai Capital, but everyone knew that those guys from Selangor were the real masterminds behind it all, because only they would be so nervous.

John was under considerable pressure due to this unexpected turn of events. After all, the situation was spiraling out of his control. He had managed to appease the Middle Eastern tycoons, but now problems had arisen. It would be a lie to say there wasn't a hidden hand behind this, and it also showed that the Middle Eastern tycoons didn't trust him, or at least that the trust between them wasn't that strong!

Under normal circumstances, John wouldn't care, but at this critical moment, many things can change. Even a slight mishap could severely damage Gulfstream Aerospace. Someone is plotting against Gulfstream Aerospace and against him. This is what John is most worried about. However, John cannot act rashly now. He can only wait for the appearance of the wealthy prince, listen to the prince's thoughts, and understand the ideas of the Middle Eastern tycoon.

At times like these, John needs to be extra cautious, and even Gulfstream Aerospace needs to handle its internal conflicts with care. After all, people can be treacherous, and their enemies will not be merciful. If given the chance, these guys will definitely try to destroy Gulfstream Aerospace.

(End of this chapter)