America: My Time

Chapter 650 Barrier
Chapter 640 Barrier
John was fully aware of what the Japanese were thinking. The reason they had cooperated with the mining giants to suppress and strangle Japan was partly because they wanted to get rid of those worthless mines. The desperate Japanese had a strong desire for mines, and they would definitely make a move if given the opportunity. As long as John wasn't greedy, he could easily sell off those mines that weren't very valuable.

"I know you all find this strange, but there's nothing wrong with it. All the mining giants are aware of your changes in the mining industry, and are even very clear about them. Since Japan is interested in acquiring you, we will have to let go of those small and medium-sized mines. There is no need to invest more funds in mining them. I believe that not only Quantum Mining will make this choice, but other mining giants will also make the same arrangement. As for whether you can achieve your goal, that depends on the outcome of the negotiations."

At this point, John directly revealed Neon's plan. It wasn't that he was unaware of their scheme, nor were the mining giants unaware of their scheme; the reason they hadn't taken any drastic actions was because they had other ideas.

When John directly exposed Japan's mining plans, these guys weren't shocked at all. They knew it was impossible to hide it from the mining giants. After all, anyone with a discerning eye could easily discover that the series of acquisitions were all backed by Japanese people, and naturally, the other party would see through everything. Hiding it was useless.

"Mr. John, if we wanted to acquire more, you wouldn't refuse. Quantum Mining has quite a few assets, wouldn't you?"

"Anything within the scope of sale is acceptable. We want to sell many assets in South America to raise funds for development. Investment in the metallurgical industry is also substantial. Quantum Mining also needs to make changes. Investment in steel alone is not our end goal. Quantum Mining needs to invest in many other areas."

Was John lying? The Japanese were all deep in thought, because metallurgy isn't something you can just do on a whim; it requires a significant investment in research and development. Quantum Mining didn't have that kind of accumulation, but they couldn't deny it either. The reason was simple: the cooperation between John and Mao, that crazy barter cooperation, had resulted in Mao selling a lot of civilian technologies to John. So, nobody knew how strong Quantum Mining's foundation was now.

Many people even believe that Quantum Mining's previous slowdown was for the purpose of a deal with the Russians to obtain more technology. Just look at the transformation of Quantum Mining's steel plant to understand how much they benefited from the Russians. No one would believe that they only gained something in steel and nothing else.

Regarding cooperation in communications, as well as other matters, these Japanese guys didn't mention anything. They didn't even talk much about cooperation in the semiconductor industry. It wasn't that they didn't want to talk about it, but there were many things they couldn't say, especially in front of so many people.

These guys agreed with John's explanation, though they weren't entirely convinced. After all, they weren't entirely convinced that John had no money, given his astonishing profits during the stock market crash. John was also aware of their repeated inquiries about Japanese real estate and mines. In truth, both sides knew that the other would discover their schemes, so testing each other's limits was their true objective.

Not everyone at the party was focused on the bigwigs; most were busy building relationships and cultivating connections. Those in the entertainment industry were forming small groups and discussing things. With the music festival approaching, many wanted to participate, but not everyone had the opportunity.

"Riko-nee, why are there so many people from the industry at today's party!" After observing for a while, Naoko saw many familiar faces. Most importantly, there were no performing guests today, which surprised Naoko. If it weren't for the fact that there were so many people from the entertainment industry, she would have suspected that this was a normal business party.

Riko smiled calmly and said, "Isn't this because the music festival is about to start, and we're letting everyone meet up and exchange ideas beforehand? Are you feeling a little out of place after leaving this industry?"

"It's definitely not something I'm used to. It feels like I'm gradually becoming distant from everyone, and we have nothing to talk about!"

"You'll get used to it eventually; time is the best healer!" Riko sighed softly and shook her head. Compared to Naoko and Kuroki Hitomi's transformations, she remained unchanged, which left her feeling somewhat resentful. This was fate; she didn't have the same good fortune or opportunities as Naoko and Kuroki Hitomi.

Naoko sighed. She thought of Akina, wondering how she was doing, and what changes had occurred to others. At least during this trip back to Tokyo, she sensed many changes. A slight distance had grown between her former friends, leaving Naoko feeling somewhat helpless. Did she regret it? She didn't. It was her decision. Before deciding to retire, Naoko had considered the changes that would occur, the impact of her new identity! Compared to Naoko's discomfort, Kuroki Hitomi showed no reaction, calmly facing everything. She was more adaptable than Naoko. As for whether there were any performing guests, Kuroki Hitomi didn't care. What she cared about was the energy of this party. So many business tycoons were present, and some government officials were mingling among them. This made Kuroki Hitomi realize how much she had changed. Once upon a time, she was one of those women, also subject to various pressures. Now everything had changed. She was no longer the person she was in Takarazuka, no longer someone who was bullied.

At this moment, Hitomi Kuroki was unaware that a pair of malicious eyes were watching her from the shadows, hating her—that was Masahiko Kondo, that scumbag, who was not doing so well right now.

"I don't understand why I was turned away. Even an old guy like Hideki Saijo is qualified to participate. Even if I offended that woman, it's all in the past. Why are they still holding a grudge against me!" After being rejected by the two major music festivals, Masahiko Kondo was dissatisfied. Even with Johnny's intervention, it was useless. His friend Mary-san was also helpless. TV Tokyo didn't give her any face at all.

No matter how much Johnny's tries to negotiate, it's useless. TV Tokyo has consistently banned Masahiko Kondo, showing no respect for Johnny's whatsoever! TV Tokyo doesn't want to offend its boss over Masahiko Kondo; no one would be foolish enough to open the door for him and risk their boss's ire.

"Kondo, don't complain, especially not in a place like this. You absolutely cannot say such things. Have you forgotten what Mary-san told you? If you cause trouble, you'll definitely suffer the consequences. This is not a place for you to act recklessly!" At this moment, Kondo Masahiko's manager hurriedly spoke up to stop him, fearing that this ignorant guy would cause trouble again. This was a party hosted by Sony's bigwig Akio Morita, and those present were not only people from the entertainment industry, but also many tycoons. At this time, a small idol daring to cause trouble would definitely be doomed.

"I know, you don't need to remind me. That woman is awful. I apologized a long time ago, but she's still so petty and narrow-minded!" Kondo Masahiko harbored deep resentment towards Kuroki Hitomi. He had paid such a high price, yet the problem remained unresolved, and he still faced a lot of hidden suppression. This suppression extended beyond advertising to include publicity.

"You know that's good. This isn't a place for you to cause trouble. Mary-san is over there. If you don't want to upset her, be careful and don't cause trouble. This isn't a place for you to act recklessly, and I don't want to be dragged into this by you!"

Although Hitomi Kuroki had long forgotten what happened back then, those people in the industry had not, especially the staff at TV Tokyo. They couldn't forget such a thing, otherwise they didn't know when it would become their own mistake. Most importantly, Hitomi Kuroki also held shares in TV Tokyo.

Although Masahiko Kondo hasn't fallen from grace, he's lost his former glory. No matter how much resources Mary-san provides him, he can't reach his former level. Moreover, the mistakes he made back then were too big and will never be forgotten. This is his biggest problem and his biggest trouble.

Kondo Masahiko had tried more than once to find Kuroki Hitomi and ask her to let him off the hook, but unfortunately no one was willing to introduce him. Even the artists from the elite agency were unwilling to do such a foolish thing, unwilling to offend Kuroki Hitomi and the big boss behind her with Kondo Masahiko.

In many people's eyes, Hitomi Kuroki was already very magnanimous for not pursuing Masahiko Kondo's responsibility or kicking him out of the industry, so no one would be foolish enough to ask for more, and it would be useless no matter how much Johnny's intervened.

With the arrival of the idol ice age, Masahiko Kondo's situation has become even more difficult, because many people in the industry are unwilling to cooperate with him or have any dealings with him, lest they be implicated.

Of course, Kondo Masahiko also hates that guy Saijo Hideki. The old guy's current popularity is largely due to the help of TV Tokyo. Behind this is not only Naoko's relationship, but also Kuroki Hitomi's support. After all, Saijo Hideki helped Kuroki Hitomi in the past, and Kuroki Hitomi is grateful and will naturally provide support to the best of her ability.

(End of this chapter)