America: My Time

Chapter 202 Shocking Change
Chapter 102 Shocking Change

"What? You're saying Riko kept mentioning Toshiba to you?" John's expression turned serious after hearing Naoko's words. Naoko didn't know the purpose of Riko's words, but she understood that this wasn't Riko's fault, but rather an instruction from Akio Morita to tell her who the opponent was who was plotting against her behind the scenes!
"Toshiba is also a member of the Mitsui zaibatsu. No wonder I felt something was off about Akio Morita when we talked tonight. Now I understand. There are many things he can't say directly, so he can only remind me in this way. Interesting. It seems things aren't peaceful within Mitsui either, and Akio Morita is under considerable pressure. Sony's situation isn't as rosy as I thought. But is this just an internal matter within Japan, or is it related to the US? Is someone using these Japanese companies to scheme against me, or is it just a coincidence, an accident?"

The Toshiba incident forced John to take it seriously. If it were merely a problem within Japan itself, it wouldn't be a big deal and wouldn't affect him much. However, since it involved the United States, the problem was serious. Someone in the US was plotting against him and had extended their reach into Japan, striking him without his knowledge. John's instincts told him that the latter was more likely, and all of this was related to his acquisitions in the US. Someone wanted to keep him tied down in Japan to facilitate their further plans!

Of course, this is just John's own speculation at the moment, and there is no substantial evidence. However, with such a speculation, and after carefully recalling everything about the party, he will find that everything about the party is a little abnormal, as if it was carefully arranged by someone. From the moment he entered, he was in the other party's carefully prepared plan!

Was Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank plotting against him? John shook his head, dismissing the idea. Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank couldn't possibly do that; they had no reason to. The same went for Sanwa, and Mitsui might be involved. Since Toshiba had already made its move, and Mitsui was even willing to have Akio Morita help them cover it up, it wasn't impossible that they were cooperating with those American bastards for their own benefit. As for Vanguard, needless to say, they were definitely involved among those in Japan. Vanguard was also plotting against him. Warner's relationship with Vanguard was very special; if Warner wanted to obstruct him, their first choice in Japan would naturally be Vanguard, their partner, and the easiest person for them to persuade!
"Alright, don't worry about it. It's just a minor issue, normal business practice!" Seeing Naoko's worried expression, John smiled calmly and reassured her. Whatever their schemes, as long as he remained unaffected, there was no problem. He had already made comprehensive preparations for the US side, and everything was under control. Once they made a move, it would be exposed!

This was destined to be an eventful night. John had acquired a beautiful woman, and various factions in Japan were adjusting their plans. Sanwa's sudden attack disrupted many people's plans and incurred the hatred of many, making them grit their teeth in resentment. However, Sanwa's power was undeniable, leaving these people helpless. Who could they blame but themselves for not acting first? They could only blame themselves for not being decisive enough and lacking Sanwa's determination. If they had acted earlier, things wouldn't be like this now!

However, Sanhe's sudden move has alerted some Japanese companies, making them worry that their plans have been exposed. As a result, some of them are trying to use other means to continue their schemes.

The next day, John woke up naturally, feeling incredibly energetic. Despite the intense battles of the previous night, the young man's physique was strong, and he fully recovered after a good night's sleep. Naoko and Hitomi were already up early, but they looked somewhat tense. John noticed the tension in their expressions. While he could understand Hitomi's tension alone, Naoko's presence seemed unusual; something must have happened!
"What happened?" John asked Naoko.

Before Naoko could even speak, John saw the newspaper 'Weekly Bunshun' on the table, and the cover featured Naoko! Damn it, how dare they! Without even looking, John knew it must be a report about his relationship with Naoko. This wasn't aimed at Naoko, but at him—a conspiracy!
Warner Bros. was the first company John thought of, because this tactic was all too familiar—almost identical to the one used against Madonna, only the location and the people involved had changed. It seemed Warner Bros. was in a panic! However, the fact that Weekly Bunshun published this news at this time clearly indicated Japanese involvement, and that it was pre-planned; their methods were quite insidious!

The reason is simple: the weekly magazine cover photo was prepared in advance, and the timing was cleverly chosen—right after the party. John wouldn't believe it if there wasn't Japanese support behind it, or the involvement of some Japanese scoundrels. Warner Bros. alone doesn't have the power to get 'Weekly Bunshun' to take action. It seems there's more to it than meets the eye in Japan. But John understands after thinking about it; the Japanese have never been good people. Given the chance, it's perfectly normal for these guys to try and sabotage him. These scoundrels have always been cunning and treacherous.

John sneered and said, "Fine, very well. It seems some people can't sit still anymore and are resorting to such shameless tactics. Since they've broken the rules, don't blame me for being ruthless. I'd like to see who has the last laugh!"

Seeing Naoko and Kuroki Hitomi's tense expressions, John changed his tone and said, "Don't worry, this has nothing to do with you. They're after me, but I also want to take this opportunity to find out who my friends are and who my enemies are!"

At this time, under these circumstances, what is the purpose of using such shameless methods? Time, all John can think of is time. The other party wants to use these shameless methods to keep him tied down in Japan, so that their American accomplices can complete their plan. This may not be entirely Warner's doing; there are many more people scheming behind it. Although John had known that these enemies hiding in the shadows would try to stop him, he hadn't expected them to be so shameless as to choose to target Naoko. This was truly beyond his imagination!

"No way! Weekly Bunshun is always like this. They're always good at digging up celebrity gossip. This is perfectly normal!" Naoko and Hitomi Kuroki were both surprised by John's strong reaction. To them, this was perfectly normal. Why was John reacting so strongly? "Normal? You think this is normal, no problem, but in my eyes, this is a big problem. Alright, you don't need to worry about this. I'll handle everything. Just pretend nothing happened!" John quickly calmed down from this sudden outburst. Being anxious was useless, and anger wouldn't help. Since the other side had already made their move, it was a good opportunity to see how his 'allies' were reacting—who was truly on his side, and who was secretly plotting against him!
Although this sudden incident has affected his plans, the impact is not significant. He only has so many enemies, and this is Japan, the location of his largest investment. Now is the time to see the reactions and choices of these 'allies'. If some people want to use Naoko to cause trouble, then let them have that opportunity and make everything even more insane.

After breakfast, John contacted Sanhe Bank directly; the farce at the party should finally come to a conclusion! Originally, John intended to go to Sanhe Bank in person, but instead, they came to him on their own initiative.

After a series of polite formalities, everyone sat down. Sanhe Bank clearly valued a major client like John.

"Mr. John, you said you need a loan of five hundred million dollars?" Sanhe Bank asked cautiously, wanting to renegotiate the amount.

“That’s right, I need a loan of five hundred million US dollars, and my collateral may not be enough. I wonder if your bank has the determination to do so!” John said with a calm smile, as if he was not under any pressure. This was a loan of five hundred million US dollars.

"No problem, we have no problem at all. Sanhe trusts your credit. If you need it, we can provide even more loan amount, and at the lowest interest rate!"

John's credit in Japan is top-notch. Although the loan collateral is insufficient, no one doubts that the loan will not be recovered. John has a lot of hard assets, and three mines are enough for Sanhe to accept the $500 million loan.

"Okay, that's great. Five hundred million dollars is enough. I appreciate your kindness. We'll have opportunities to cooperate in the future."

In just a few dozen minutes, a loan of five hundred million US dollars was negotiated, which was a huge shock to Hitomi Kuroki and Naoko Naoko! John did not ask Hitomi Kuroki and Naoko Naoko to leave, but instead generously let them sit to the side.

Five hundred million dollars is not a small amount, and Sanhe agreed without any hesitation. It seems that they are very determined. This news will spread soon, and at that time, the enemies hiding in the dark will start to stir.

As for what happened last night, and the matter of Weekly Bunshun, John didn't say anything, and neither did Sanwa. Everyone tacitly avoided talking about it. The fact that Hitomi Kuroki and Naoko were sitting here was enough to explain everything, and it was enough to explain John's attitude towards Sanwa. Sanwa's representative was very clear about this and could understand John's true intentions. If he couldn't even see this clearly, he wouldn't have his current position!
(End of this chapter)