America: My Time

Chapter 190 Calculation
Chapter 190 Schemes
John had expected a cutthroat gathering, but it turned out to be a disappointment. He was only facing Akio Morita. The other bigwigs from Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank and others were merely nodding acquaintances at the party; there was no talk of sitting down to discuss anything. The party was far from what he anticipated. Much of his prior preparation was rendered useless. While Morita and his associates weren't the only ones in Japan seeking cooperation, many others had clearly abandoned any attempt at communication, perhaps indicating they had other plans.

With Sony's capabilities, the shopping mall issue is nothing, and even if they really need help, they have Mitsui Fudosan as a backer. As for brand promotion, Toshiba and the others don't think it's necessary to cooperate with Legendary Entertainment. The United States has more than just Legendary Entertainment as a media giant, and they are clearly hostile to Legendary Entertainment.

Although John sensed the hostility from Toshiba's home appliances and semiconductor companies, they hadn't taken any drastic actions yet. They simply didn't want to cooperate with him or Legendary Entertainment, and he had no reason to be their enemy, so he simply ignored these insidious guys.

At this moment, John had no time to concern himself with those treacherous Japanese guys, at least not now. Whatever their schemes, they couldn't escape America's grasp. Faced with the overwhelming tide of events, their every trick would be crushed. His focus was on the situation in the US, on whether the acquisition of Jeep would proceed smoothly, and whether those bastards from the United Auto Workers would fall into the trap he had meticulously prepared for them.

After finishing his conversation with Akio Morita, John brought Naoko to the party and greeted the bigwigs. No matter what schemes were behind the party, he couldn't be impolite and needed to be friendly so as not to appear arrogant. Besides, it was a rare opportunity to relax.

Seeing John integrate into the party, the head of the First Industrial Bank couldn't help but smile faintly. At this moment, the other leaders of their faction gradually settled down in an inconspicuous corner. Although some were puzzled as to why things were different from what they had agreed upon—why hadn't they taken the opportunity to discuss matters with John at the party, but instead withdrawn from the competition for profits, allowing Sony to gain an advantage for nothing!

This will affect the interests of the First Industrial Bank. If Akio Morita continues to expand, the relationship between that bastard and the other party will become even closer, and their relationship will even become unbreakable. At that time, any action the First Industrial Bank wants to take will be affected, and its own interests will be damaged. Therefore, many people do not understand their boss's thoughts and cannot accept such an outcome. They are all confused.

"I still feel somewhat resentful, as if my choice was wrong, that I shouldn't have given the benefits to Sony and Akio Morita?"

"No, we're just a little confused. We were the hosts of this party, but Akio Morita took all the benefits. Doesn't that make us a laughingstock?"

"A joke? You really think this is a joke? You really think Akio Morita didn't pay a single price? Foolish! We did gain nothing, but we saw John's true character. We saw his every move, and he is indeed a friend worth having, never letting his partners suffer losses. Akio Morita certainly has foresight, but unfortunately, Mitsui made the wrong choice this time. No matter how clever Akio Morita's methods are, he will have to pay a considerable price. This is the result we wanted to see. Paying a small price earlier is nothing. Being able to befriend John is our goal. Everything else is unimportant. Do you understand?" This is the vision of the head of the First Industrial Development Group. He doesn't want to fight over small gains, but rather plans for the long term.

"Understand? Boss, what do you mean by 'understand'? How are we supposed to know what you're trying to do if you don't explain it clearly?" The crowd surrounding the tycoon of the First Industrial Bank sighed inwardly, but none of them dared to speak.

Seeing these silent people, the bigwig of the First Industrial Bank gently shook his head and said, "You guys have disappointed me too much. All you see is profit, only the small profit in front of you. You don't look at everything in the long run. Admittedly, Sony has expanded in the real estate sector, but have you forgotten the agreement we made with Mitsui and Sony? Those previous matters were to be handled by Sony and Akio Morita."

"We haven't forgotten that given Akio Morita's relationship with Mr. John, this is not a problem at all. Moreover, with Vanguard as a shield, Sony can resolve this crisis without paying any price!"

"No, you're wrong. Sony won't have to pay any price, but Akio Morita will have to pay a huge price. He simply didn't think of this issue at the time. If given more time, he definitely won't agree to our demands because he'll pay an unimaginable price. Do you think Akio Morita will tell that little John that Toshiba, part of the Mitsui Group, is also one of the companies involved in blocking him?" "Although Toshiba and Sony have a rivalry, it's just business competition. Given Akio Morita's character, while he'll be annoyed by Sony's actions, he won't betray Toshiba at this time and under these circumstances, since they're both part of Mitsui!"

"Yes, Akio Morita won't betray Toshiba, which means all the responsibility will fall on Vanguard, and it also means he kept it from John. This is the price he paid. Do you think Vanguard will take all the blame and do nothing, or do you think John is easy to fool?"

Upon hearing these words, everyone present became solemn. At that moment, they all understood the price Akio Morita would have to pay: trust. If his credibility was damaged, his future collaborations with John would be in jeopardy.

"You've thought of everything! That's right, it's about trust. Sony won't have to pay a price, but Akio Morita will have to pay the price of trust. Once John knows about Toshiba, he won't trust Morita as much in the future! Some people are jealous of Morita's abilities and think he used a woman to build a relationship with John, but we're businessmen. There's nothing wrong with such methods. Besides, beautiful female PR is normal business practice in Japan. Knowing John as we do, he's a very loyal person. Isn't this your opportunity? If Morita can do it, why can't you?"

"Would Mitsui and Toshiba not have considered this? And with Akio Morita's abilities, wouldn't he have already made preparations to make amends? He has a good relationship with that little guy John, and he was forced into the Toshiba situation. As long as he prepares in advance, he still has a way to resolve this crisis!"

"Forced to do something, what a forced to do something! Do you think you would accept this explanation from John's perspective? Even if he's magnanimous, he wouldn't accept being deceived by a friend. Once there's a first time, there will be a second. Unless Akio Morita lays everything bare and betrays Toshiba, he will have to pay the price!"

What does it mean to be a big shot? This move immediately hit Akio Morita's weak spot, tearing a rift in their relationship. As time goes on, this rift will only grow wider. No one wants to be deceived, and no one is an exception. Moreover, based on their understanding of John, he is not a magnanimous person.

"We must not take any action, we must not make any moves. Everything will be handled by the vanguard! As long as trust is breached, we will have the opportunity to catch up with Mitsui and seize our share of the profits, understand?"

Pioneer belongs to the Yuyu Foundation, and they won't take on all the responsibility. Don't be fooled by their silence in previous meetings; if they wanted to, they could definitely find a way to deflect the blame. Toshiba can't escape responsibility. Moreover, Sony and John have partnerships, and Panasonic also has partnerships with John. Although their relationship isn't as close as Akio Morita's, they can still influence each other. This is Pioneer's opportunity and the source of their confidence.

Was Akio Morita truly outmaneuvered? Could he really have been completely unaware of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank's scheme? Did he truly not understand how concealing Toshiba's involvement would affect his relationship with John? Only he himself knew the answer. He was a cunning old man, and getting him to fall for his tricks wouldn't be easy. Although Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank held the upper hand in this matter, it didn't mean Akio Morita was without options. As an adversary, how could Akio Morita not understand his opponent's capabilities, and how could he not have foreseen the potential crisis that might befall him?
Of course, Dai-ichi Kangyo Bank used an open strategy, and even if Akio Morita saw through it, it was useless, since Toshiba had indeed intervened. It's impossible to say that Mitsui wasn't behind Toshiba's involvement; as long as that existed, Akio Morita would be in a passive position. Moreover, once John knew that Toshiba was also involved, his relationship with Mitsui would be strained, and he might not trust Mitsui as much next time, given Mitsui's past act of betrayal.

Would John be completely unsuspecting of an ally who had betrayed him, and would he continue to trust him? Obviously not. So, First Industrial Bank really played a clever game in this matter!
(End of this chapter)