America: My Time

Chapter 868 A Frenzied Acquisition

Chapter 838 Frenzied Acquisition
“I don’t think John is a fool. Anyone who would think he’s a fool is the biggest fool. I just want to figure out this little fox’s schemes and what he’s going to do. I don’t think he would invest in this low-profit industry. I always feel there’s something wrong with him, and a big problem at that. After all, this guy could invest more in communications, high-tech fields, and software. You know what Silicon Valley is like. Those are the sunrise industries.”

“Rockefeller, what can I say? You think John didn’t make a move? He did it a long time ago, as you know. Global Navigation Corporation, and those companies that are preparing to integrate with major groups, are examples. Whatever John wants to do, as long as it doesn’t threaten our interests, there’s no need to target him. You’re too narrow-minded. Doing this will endanger the Rockefeller family. John cannot be suppressed.”

“Morgan, we should have a serious talk about John. We want to know what you know so that we can feel at ease. Otherwise, it will be hard for us to accept. A guy who is not under our control is too dangerous. We can’t let him get away with it!”

"Heh, still dreaming at a time like this? Do you think we're all fools? You want to control John? That's a ridiculous joke. When have you ever controlled him? When have you ever guided his development? He's not under your control at all. Don't even mention that you don't know John's situation; even Morgan hasn't investigated his secrets. Don't forget that John is also a member of the conglomerate, and his strength is no less than ours. You should treat him as an equal, not look down on him. You can't do that, and nobody can."

On this issue, Morgan felt that there was a huge difference of opinion between him and Rockefeller. These old guys, Rockefeller, had been living in the glory of the past and had not moved on. The times had changed and were no longer something they could fully control. Everyone should learn to adapt instead of foolishly sticking to the old ways.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that Rockefeller did this intentionally. But in any case, Morgan was unwilling to stand with Rockefeller and was unwilling to let his own interests be harmed. At least John was much more reliable than Rockefeller and was willing to share profits with them, but Rockefeller was unwilling to share profits with them.

"Alright, I accept your suggestion and will no longer clash with that little fox John. But I can't control the others, especially those Italians. This has nothing to do with us old guys. John brought this problem upon himself, and he should deal with it. If those guys try to snipe us, then it's not our problem!"

"As long as you stop, that's enough. As for those guys, if they don't know when to back down, they'll naturally have to pay the price!" Morgan didn't want to say much more to Rockefeller about the oily people, because it involved a lot of interests, and he couldn't interfere too much, otherwise it would bring unnecessary trouble to Morgan.

“Morgan, now you should tell me about John’s scheme and how much you’ve benefited from him. I don’t believe you haven’t gained anything at all. With so many groups being split up and consolidated, it’s impossible that you haven’t gained anything.”

"There will certainly be gains, but it's not convenient to disclose them. If you have any ideas, you can find out for yourself. That's all for now. As for how you choose, that's your own business. I won't say anything more!" With that, Morgan hung up the phone, not giving Rockefeller, this old guy, any chance to test him or scheme against him. Trying to get benefits from him? He's far too arrogant. Does he really think Morgan is easy to bully?

Interests are eternal, and Morgan didn't believe that Rockefeller, that old guy, would fight John indefinitely, at least not for the time being, because he couldn't see through John's plans and dared not provoke John's bottom line. When he couldn't see through the problem, Rockefeller could only compromise and back down, and he didn't know the consequences of arousing public anger that they could bear.

Did Rockefeller really lose in this contest? Probably not, at least not in Morgan's opinion. After talking with the old man, it was clear that Rockefeller's previous attack was just a test, a test of John. For an established power like theirs, this loss was nothing.

John has only revealed the surface of these matters. Are these acquisitions part of a larger plan? No, much more remains hidden. Their development in media and entertainment is even more frenzied, with dazzling expansions in toys, books, film rentals, and more. However, both media groups are still maintaining a break-even point, with no visible profits. Their global expansion has consumed all their profits, which is why the public doesn't see their revenue.

Today, Blockbuster, controlled by Phoenix Media, is the largest video rental company in the US, as is the largest toy company. Legendary Entertainment controls the largest bookstores and publishing houses in the US, with a global presence and a global newspaper network. It's fair to say that the two major media groups have a clear division of labor in distribution channels. All of this is in preparation for the arrival of the internet age, which hinges on one crucial prerequisite: online payments. This explains why banks like Sinotrans, East West Bank, and Standard Chartered have been expanding globally, with almost all of their profits going towards this expansion – all in preparation for the rise of online payments.

John didn't expect banks to accept his online payment system. He was already grateful they wouldn't suppress it when he launched it; expecting their support was out of the question. Relying on others was less reliable than relying on oneself. Therefore, owning and controlling the system was the best choice and the most correct strategy.

While the fighting raged in the Middle East, John's situation was already stable. Those old guys had finally calmed down, and although the oil tyrants were still causing trouble, it no longer affected the overall situation. John's acquisition of the waste disposal services company was a smooth success without any resistance, and his expansion in Oregon was also rapidly unfolding. Food processing and waste recycling were developing at a fast pace, as if Oregon had entered a period of major construction.

Initially, everyone thought John was just talking casually and only intended to mislead them. However, when everything unfolded in Oregon, everyone was stunned. The largest paper mill on the West Coast shocked many people. This was a real investment, and the integration of the resource recycling company also surprised many.

Needless to say, food processing was also being pushed forward at full speed, leaving everyone stunned. But it was all true; John kept his word. Scrap metal recycling and the expansion of the steel company were all investments that were out in the open. The progress of the liquor group was even smoother. Without any obstruction, most of the whiskey brands in Kentucky, USA, were acquired, and it could be said that they controlled almost half of the American whiskey brands.

The acquisition of wineries is proceeding at a frenzied pace, with the ambition to become the largest wine producer in the United States. Perhaps because John had previously acquired prestigious estates, he encountered no resistance in this regard. However, many people thought John was too reckless, wondering who he would sell so many wines to and failing to recognize them as valuable assets. Unfortunately for them, they were wrong, because they underestimated John's vision and the potential of American consumer spending!

Seeing John's move, the old Rockefellers breathed a sigh of relief. At least John hadn't lied to them; he was indeed investing in these areas, and investing heavily at that, which shocked them. They also couldn't quite understand who he was selling such assets to.

Today, the liquor conglomerate is not only a giant in whiskey, beer, and wine, but also has a significant presence in many other alcoholic beverages such as sake. With the Japanese economy now on the verge of collapse, this is a golden opportunity for John to make his move, so a new round of expansion and strategic planning in Japan is about to begin.

At this point, John had no intention of confronting those old guys like Rockefeller and wasting an opportunity. Southeast Asia was the center of investment in the 1990s, and he couldn't let these old guys hold him back in the United States. That's why he made the previous 'compromise' and said those words to Morgan. It was all to extricate himself and also to mislead those old guys.

While my investments in the US have been quite successful, how can those physical businesses compare to the internet? The next decade will be a period of explosive growth for the internet; what's the point of all my strategic moves? The results just haven't materialized yet, and this industry is only just beginning, with much more potential to be explored.

While many companies have already been exposed in Silicon Valley, this isn't all of them. There are simply too many startups in Silicon Valley, and those in power can't easily distinguish whether these companies are related to John or part of his strategy. Most importantly, John is currently investing in industry giants at the pinnacle, not using tactics to mislead the old guard. John is acutely aware of the immense profits in internet investment and naturally won't let them slip by. Perhaps when the internet boom arrives, everyone will quickly discover that those at the top are all John's investments. And when the internet bubble bursts, they'll realize that John is the most successful guy, the madman they can't do anything about.

(End of this chapter)