America: My Time

Chapter 401 Trading
Chapter 401 The Transaction

“I agree. We shouldn’t have resorted to tricks or schemes in this matter, because we don’t have any advantage or initiative. The initiative has always been in the hands of that little fox, John. If there is another bankruptcy in the future, we will absolutely not participate. Doing so will only make us anxious and increase our pressure, and it will not do us any good! Integrity is fundamental, and Morgan has already set the best example for us!”

"Let's cut to the chase and give that little fox John an irresistible price. We all need to get moving and acquire all the real estate and oil fields in the Permian Basin as quickly as possible. With our capabilities, this shouldn't be difficult. Now, let's vote. This matter can't be delayed any longer. If another port investment comes along, our plan will fail. That little fox will definitely reject us outright, and then no one will plead for us!"

Human relationships are something that can't be easily depleted. These old guys can't keep using the White House, or even Morgan, over and over again. When their favors are exhausted, naturally no one will lend a hand anymore. Moreover, once their favors are gone, their reputations will be pretty much ruined, which is an unacceptable outcome for these old guys.

If a credibility crisis were to occur with them, the consequences would be severe. One wrong move and many of their plans would be affected, even their plans for Japan. Greed has its limits!
Before the Japanese bank could produce a detailed report, those old guys approached John again to discuss the sale of the Permian oil fields. This time, they had used their own methods and the power of their banks to take control of both the Permian real estate and oil fields, offering a price that even John found tempting.

"They're getting anxious. These old guys seem to be panicking. The signing of the Gwadar Port deal has made them anxious, worried that I'll abandon the acquisition of the Permian Basin. That's fine too, as I can completely control the entire Permian Basin with less money, which will greatly benefit my next plan. I just wonder what Japan's Sanwa Bank thinks of this offer, and whether they can accept it!"

In reality, it all depends on what Japan thinks. If Japan Sanwa Bank cannot accept such a price, even if John is tempted, he will be powerless to do so. He cannot give up his shares in Game World and Dream World for the acquisition of Permian Basin resources. At present, Game World and Dream World are his biggest sources of cash.

Soon, Sanwa Bank of Japan received the new price offered by John. When they saw the acquisition price, Sanwa Bank was stunned. It was too cheap, so cheap that they could hardly believe it. The price was really affordable.

"Are you sure this price list came from Western Energy? Have you confirmed it? This is no small matter. The prices are astonishing, unbelievable!" The big boss of Sanhe was excited. In their eyes, such a large asset only required such a small amount of funds, which was amazing, not to mention that the Permian oil field was still producing oil.

"That's right. We have confirmed with Western Energy, and we also asked Mr. Morita to confirm with Mr. John. This is indeed the final quote. Mr. John is now waiting for our reply."

"How could this be? Could it be that those Rockefeller guys would be so kind as to sell such an asset at such a low price? Although the value of the Permian oil fields has diminished, it shouldn't be this cheap. Did they reach some kind of agreement with John? Is there some inside story we don't know about?"

There are indeed inside stories that the Japanese are unaware of, namely the price of crude oil. In the eyes of the Japanese, the current price of crude oil is already very low, but in the eyes of old fogies like Rockefeller, it's still not low enough, and there's a possibility of further reductions. This is part of the US's long-term plan, a plan that cannot be shaken. It is precisely because they understand this that those old fogies have offered such a price.

John knew that the price of crude oil would continue to fall. By 86, the price of crude oil had fallen for three consecutive years, reaching a low of $12 a barrel. For the next two decades, the price of crude oil would remain at a low level.

John understands that he will suffer some losses from this investment, but these are not major problems. When the time is right, John will separate everything in the Permian Basin from Western Energy and transfer it to his family foundation, so as not to let it drag down the development of Western Energy, and at the same time, to give the family foundation more resources.

Yes, John is already setting up his family foundation and structuring his businesses to avoid unnecessary troubles that could hinder his future development. John already has a charitable foundation and a personal foundation, and the family foundation is under preparation. However, John is not in a hurry to act on it yet; he is still young and has plenty of time to prepare.

Sanhe Bank quickly responded, agreeing to John's offer. They felt there was no need to continue auditing the Permian Basin oil fields at such a low price; it was unnecessary. The price was definitely below the actual value, and there was also the vast desert area—though it was a desert, it was huge. Just before the Olympics, John's deal with the old guys like Rockefeller was finalized, completed with the certification of Morgan and the White House's representative, Old Bush. This meant that the conflict between John and the Rockefellers ended at that moment; everything before was no longer relevant. John had also gained their approval, tacitly becoming part of the new conglomerate. Although John didn't yet have a powerful bank to consolidate his assets, he had already become a newly formed conglomerate.

"John, congratulations! Becoming a member of the new consortium. I wonder if you have any ideas about banking? If so, we can cooperate. You know that many small banks are already struggling to survive, and a wave of bankruptcies has begun. This is your best opportunity to expand your banking business!"

Although he didn't know if this was a test from Morgan, John shook his head slightly and said, "I don't have such thoughts for the time being. Neither Chengxin Bank nor East West Bank has any intention of expanding at the moment. They both need to digest their previous gains first. Moreover, I don't have the ability to do so. I won't consider expanding the bank in the short term. I don't think this acquisition is over. Those old guys won't coexist peacefully with me. It's best to be cautious!"

John's answer brought a calm smile to Morgan's face. This was the John he knew. Although it was just a small test, the result was as expected. This little fox John hadn't put his mind on the bank. His plan and his goal were still the real economy. The real economy was John's focus. It was clear that John's development was different from that of the old financial groups.

“John, now that you’ve completed the acquisition of the Permian Basin assets, can you tell me what your plans are? Is it just for a ticket to the game? I don’t think you would make such a decision!”

"Haha, Morgan really knows me best. I do have more ideas about the Permian Basin than anyone else has thought of. Wind power and solar power, isn't this the best environment for a field of yellow sand? We don't have to worry about the impact on the ecology, so we don't have to worry about those environmentalists jumping out to cause trouble!"

"Wind power generation, solar power generation, is this your idea?" Morgan Stanley was somewhat doubtful and not optimistic about the project.

"That's right, that's the idea. I also want to respond to the country's call and participate in the research and development of such environmentally friendly energy. Western Energy is preparing to establish an environmental protection company, and the first thing we'll do is the research and development of wind power and photovoltaic power generation!"

Although many doubts remained, Morgan didn't pursue the topic further. After all, his understanding of the industry was limited, and while John, the shrewd fellow, had confidence, he himself lacked the same level of confidence. However, he believed this was only part of John's plan, and that John must have other schemes at play.

The old guys like Rockefeller also heard Morgan and John's conversation, but they were just as confused. An environmental protection company, wind power and solar power? Wasn't this a bit too crazy? Such an investment was not as good as a gas-fired power plant. However, none of them said anything, for fear of being proven wrong by John later.

Regardless, the deal was completed, and Rockefeller's plan succeeded. All that's left is for Western Energy to gradually take over the Permian Basin oil fields, and the funds will flow into their accounts. No one will worry about funding issues; Japan's Sanwa Bank can provide the funds at any time.

Is it worthwhile? This is a question on many people's minds. They have some doubts about John's statement. If it were only for wind and solar power generation, there would be no need to make such an acquisition. There must be other reasons. If it's just about investing in wind and solar power generation, there are many such opportunities in the United States, and the cost is not so high.

At this point, everyone instinctively forgot that the Permian Basin was an oil field. This acquisition was primarily about the oil field, not the desert, and certainly not about wind or solar power. John didn't want to explain any of this. When he decided to acquire the Permian Basin oil field, he knew what he would be facing. He might not make much money for a long time, but he wouldn't lose money either. At least Western Energy had secured its entry ticket. Once it completed its integration, it could move forward further. The environmental company wasn't an excuse; John genuinely wanted to invest in this market, an industry with immense value.

(End of this chapter)