America: My Time

Chapter 809 Final preparations
Chapter 799 The Final Preparations
"We need to think long-term. We shouldn't fight with those guys or compete for more market share. What we need to do is build our own brand and develop and expand the 7-Eleven brand in South Korea, one step at a time. There's no need to fight with them too much, at least not now. Let's get things started first. As for supply, that's not a problem. We have plenty of factories in Asia."

When Lee Boo-jin appeared before John and asked about his next plans in South Korea, John smiled calmly, not caring at all. In his eyes, the South Korean market was limited and far inferior to that of China and Japan. He was only planning for the future, not hoping for huge profits in the short term.

“But we can’t just leave such a large sum of money sitting on the books; I need to get things moving.” John kept the money from the oil purchases in South Korea and lent it to his other companies. The new companies were being managed by Lee Boo-jin, the eldest daughter of Samsung. Keeping such a large sum of money in the bank was not a wise move.

"Then invest in infrastructure construction, build your own headquarters and stores, and make a name for yourself first. As for how to operate, that's up to you. I won't interfere. As for what the group thinks, you can communicate with them yourself. I believe you have the ability to persuade them and control everything!"

Lee Boo-jin was shocked when she saw John's reaction. She knew that she had only known this guy for a short time, yet he dared to give her such a large sum of money to manage. Even her father would not do this or give her such trust, given her limited experience.

"Are you sure you want me to handle all of this?" Lee Boo-jin couldn't help but ask.

"I'm sure. I believe in your abilities. Starting from retail, even if there are some minor issues, it won't have a big impact. With your intelligence and capabilities, you can easily handle them. As for your worries, there's absolutely no need. You'll understand in time. Sachiko-chan and the others all have some businesses!"

Betrayal or running off with his money? That's impossible. John doesn't think Lee Boo-jin would be so foolish. If she did such a thing, she wouldn't have achieved her later remarkable success. Anyone with a modicum of rationality wouldn't do such a thing; it would mean going to war with John, and even South Korea couldn't protect her. If she truly stands against John, no matter how many schemes they have, they're all powerless against absolute strength. Delegating power doesn't mean John will lose control of everything!
John didn't stay in South Korea for long before heading to China. Although many people didn't understand John's idea and felt it was a pity to sell the oil reserves that John had worked so hard to build, the Chinese people could understand John's decision. In their eyes, John had invested a lot of money in it, and it was impossible for him to not see any returns in the long run.

John was surprised by how smoothly his trip to China went. Although there were still many things to negotiate, the Chinese side did not rush to negotiate with John, but instead provided him with smooth assistance, allowing John to sell his huge oil reserves and make a profit. After all, a company cannot remain unprofitable forever.

Do refineries make a profit? Yes, but most of the profits are used for expansion, with only a small portion going towards oil imports. This time, John intends to clear 70% of the crude oil reserves, something many people didn't expect.

"How's the investigation into Japan and South Korea going? We must ensure that everything is under control. Only by maintaining absolute initiative can we reap the greatest benefits. Japan and South Korea must control their oil reserves to within two months. Everything will wait until early October!"

John was making arrangements to learn about Japan and South Korea. After all, he couldn't release his oil futures at this time. So, if John wanted to lure the 'enemy' into his trap, he had to control the oil supply. It couldn't be too much or too little; just the right amount was best. If that wasn't possible, it could only be less, not more.

"The think tank has already given us results, everything is under control, and there won't be any problems!"

“Tell them that what I need is absolute certainty that there can be no mistakes. Even the slightest error could result in huge losses. We must have complete control and not give them any chance. There can be no mistakes.” Having planned for so long, John didn’t want anything to go wrong at this final stage and ruin his plans.

After John stayed in China for several days and learned about the changes there, Yuan Tianfan appeared. As the CEO of Standard Chartered Bank, he was very excited when he learned that Standard Chartered Bank could enter South Korea and greatly admired his boss's methods.

"Sit down. I asked you to come here this time for two reasons. First, it's because I can't easily go to Hong Kong at this time; there are too many people watching me. It's safer here in comparison. Second, I want to hear your opinion on the arrangements for Standard Chartered Bank!"

John went to Hong Kong without hesitation, for a simple reason: oil futures. Countless people wanted to know his moves and Standard Chartered's intentions, given Standard Chartered's substantial order book. "Boss," he said, "although Standard Chartered can enter the Korean market, given the current economic climate, we can't invest too heavily. We lack the resources and have to start from scratch. It's best to be cautious. Our primary focus should remain Europe; after all, Korea can't compare to Europe."

“That’s right, well said. Our main target is still Europe. Europe is the core of Standard Chartered Bank at this stage. As for South Korea, we don’t need to invest too much. Besides, South Korea’s economy isn’t doing too well right now. Most importantly, South Koreans aren’t much better than the British in terms of character. We’re just going there now to lay the foundation, build up our talent pool, and wait for the right opportunity!”

John's idea was to plan ahead. Only by planning ahead could he better control everything. Just like with oil futures, Standard Chartered Bank, Hurricane Investments, and Western Energy have all made a fortune. Selling off oil reserves would bring huge profits and reduce their debt.

With oil hurricanes still years away, John doesn't want to continue expanding. Instead, he wants to repay loans and reduce his debt, especially since Western Energy is fundamentally different after the breakup. Barring unforeseen circumstances, these companies will likely become family businesses, so reducing debt is the most sensible decision, though different situations require different arrangements.

"Boss, our development in Europe has been significantly affected, and it will take time to continue expanding our influence!"

"No need to rush. The last thing we have is time. It's normal for those guys to be resistant. As long as we don't make any mistakes, if they want to snipe us, then let them do what they can. We'll proceed with everything according to the plan for oil futures. Once it reaches our set target value, we'll act decisively. We shouldn't be too greedy. We won't try to earn the last penny."

The last penny is not so easy to earn. One wrong move and you could be trapped and pay a heavy price. Many people have been ruined by greed. Even if John had a magic touch, he wouldn't do such a thing. He wouldn't risk his own money. This time, John invested quite a lot of money.

Yuan Tianfan knew that his boss was always like this. Every time he made a move, he would prepare in advance and immediately sell off his holdings once the expected value was reached, leaving without hesitation or worry. It was precisely because of this attitude that John succeeded time and time again, managing to leave before the 'enemy' could even react.

John was also preparing for the Japanese stock market, waiting for the final opportunity. Yuan Tianfan didn't know how much money his boss had used this time, but he knew that Standard Chartered Bank had used almost every available resource, and that they were targeting different markets, so the scale was astonishing. Even Yuan Tianfan couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Such an astonishingly large-scale operation didn't happen all the time, and the fact that such an operation could proceed smoothly showed how well his boss controlled the situation. Now everything was developing in a positive direction.

To say everything was under control would be arrogant, but the current situation was exactly as John had predicted. Oil prices continued to rise, and Standard Chartered Bank had already made a fortune. Knowing how profitable Standard Chartered's actions were, Yuan Tianfan felt even greater awe for his boss—he was simply phenomenal!

Countless people in Hong Kong wanted to follow suit, but unfortunately, they couldn't. Standard Chartered Bank had already completed its preparations and was just waiting to wrap things up. This applied to both the Japanese stock market and oil futures. However, Yuan Tianfan hadn't anticipated that all of this would spread at the same time. The rise in oil prices had become the final straw that broke the back of the Japanese stock market. Now, the bubble in Japan was not only something they wanted to burst, but it was also linked to oil.

"Tianfan, we need to prepare our manpower in advance. After all, given the current situation, things are likely to happen all at once. Japan's situation isn't very good right now. The rise in oil prices has a significant impact on them. Before long, their bubble might burst. So we need to prepare our manpower early and not be careless, lest we be caught off guard!"

"Boss, please rest assured, I have made all the necessary preparations. There will be absolutely no problems. Even if there are significant changes, it will not affect our clearance and sales speed. We are fully prepared to deal with any unforeseen events and will definitely not let you down. With Standard Chartered Bank's current strength, we are not afraid of any challenges and have the ability to handle any crisis!"

(End of this chapter)