Rebirth of America, this is my era

Chapter 305 Alliance of the Frustrated

Florida has a mild and sunny climate in March.

The average temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect for traveling.

Perhaps because of this, when Cornelis arrived at Disney World, wherever he looked, there were flowing crowds of people: girls in princess dresses were taking pictures crazily, children holding dolls and holding balloons were running around, families who brought their children to play were looking around happily, and couples who came together to fulfill their dreams were hugging and kissing each other at the logo at the door... The atmosphere of happiness seemed to have a different kind of magic, which made Cornelis, who was standing and waiting, raise the corners of his mouth involuntarily and smile.

"Cornet?"

"Wow—it's you!"

"Why do I feel like you've lost weight after not seeing you for a few months?"

"Is it because you are too busy at work?"

"But no matter how busy you are at work, you still have to take care of your health!"

Just as Cornelis was gazing ahead, feeling the life and energy under the rising sun, an excited shout suddenly came from behind him. Turning his head, he saw Ron Miller suddenly appearing, which made his face show joy.

"Oh~ Ron, long time no see."

Cornelis opened his arms and embraced him.

"Long time no see, I miss you so much."

Ron Miller didn't hesitate and gave the other person a bear hug.

The bang bang bang sound is the joy that hits the back.

They hugged each other for a moment and then separated. Although Cornelis did not explain why he came and Ron Miller did not explain the reason for the meeting, both of them knew why they got together.

and so……

"Let's talk while walking?"

Ron Miller pointed to the park that had just opened. Not only that, he also smiled and said, "Coney, I think you haven't been to our Disney World yet, right?"

"Oh yes!" Cornelis raised his eyebrows and said, "Although the name of Disney has been ringing in my ears for many years, and I have bought many Disney dolls and books for my children, but I have never set foot in Disneyland."

Cornelis looked nostalgic and said, "Like you just said, I'm too busy."

"there is no time."

"Besides, there's no Disneyland in Europe, and international travel is troublesome, so..."

“Not being able to enjoy happy times with my family is one of my biggest regrets.”

Cornelis shrugged.

"Oh - is that so? Then it seems to be our responsibility."

Ron Miller half-jokingly took the blame and said, "Because many years ago, my father had already made his own development plan for this fairytale kingdom. He wanted to open Disney theme parks all over the world, not only in North America, but also in Asia and Europe."

"The tentative location for the opening of Asia Park is Neon. The tentative location for the opening of Europe Park is Gallic Rooster."

"But unfortunately, not long after making the plan, he fell ill."

"Even after that, my uncle, Mr. Roy Disney, followed his last wish and personally built the last theme park project before my father's death, which is the Orlando Disney World you see now, but... he was not able to see the true glory of Disney."

"So, if you must pursue the real culprit that makes you regretful..."

"Then the responsibility still lies with us."

Ron Miller looked apologetic.

His words made Cornelis raise his voice.

"Oh, Ron, you can't say that!" Cornelis shook his head and said, "The death of Mr. Walt Disney and Mr. Roy Disney Sr. is a loss to the whole world. We are deeply saddened."

"But since it has already happened, we have to look forward. Moreover, I believe that with an excellent successor like you, Mr. Walt Disney's last wish will surely come true!"

"You, the new generation of Disney fans, will surely fulfill your parents' dreams!"

“We are all witnesses!”

"Hahahaha——" Cornelis' words made Ron Miller laugh.

He stretched out his arm to embrace the other person, waved his hand and said happily: "Kone, thank you very much for your trust and blessing, then let me take you to visit Disney World next."

"I'll introduce you to the famous attractions here and give you a membership card."

"Later, when you have time to play, you can come and go as you please."

"Whether you bring your children or your grandchildren, that's fine!"

"Because you are the most distinguished guest of our Disney Group!"

Perhaps it was because his heart was filled with joy, or perhaps it was because introducing his father's achievements to outsiders made him feel more proud. So when Ron Miller put his arm around Cornelis' shoulders and took him for a stroll in Disney World, his steps were brisk and his tone was even more comfortable.

Ron Miller gave Cornelis a brief introduction to the residence of the park’s founder;

He was shown a model of the design of Disney World and plans for its future construction;
took him to see Walt Disney’s hand-painted vintage Mickey Mouse movies;

Together with him, we visited the most classic project in the park, Snow White's Adventures. We first visited the house of the seven dwarfs, and then went into the enchanted medieval castle to watch the children's adventures.

After coming out, the two went to Pinocchio's house, rode King Arthur's horse, took a photo with Mickey, and made a wish by the fountain in Mickey's backyard...

With the sound of "plop", one cent coin after another fell into the water.

This movement made Ron Miller, who had his eyes slightly closed, laugh, "Cone, let me guess... the wish you just made was that you hoped that God would come and kill Steve Ross, right?"

The sudden question broke the quiet and peaceful scene. After making the sign of the cross in front of him, Cornelis opened his eyes and said, "Oh Ron, why do you say that?"

Not only that, he also asked with a smile on his face: "Why don't I make a wish to God, hoping that he will come to the world and get rid of Ethan Jones, the source of the disaster?"

"Hahahaha——" This question made Ron Miller laugh.

"Because I think you called Steve Ross before you called me."

Ron Miller also opened his eyes and tilted his head to look at his new friend whom he had known for a long time. His slightly brown pupils flashed with a smile that saw through everything. "Because only when you are disappointed by Steve Ross will you take the initiative to call me."

"There's nothing I can do about it. Humans are just such strange creatures."

“Even when faced with desperate situations, they want to survive.”

"At this time, they are unable to listen to reliable advice from those around them. What they want to hear and what they are willing to accept are only the words they desire."

"Even if those suggestions will lead to their immediate demise."

"Is it right?"

Cornelis narrowed his eyes at the confident question.

After looking at Ron Miller for a while, he chuckled and shook his head.

"Although this is a paradise for entertainment, I believe there are still some quiet places here?"

"of course."

"So will I have a chance to taste it?"

"No problem, please come with me."

Led by Ron Miller, Cornelis came to Tom Sawyer Island, an amusement facility based on the classic novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, which opened on May 20, 1973. Since you need to take a raft to get there, the staff can just hang up a sign for maintenance and keep tourists out.

When the two of them set foot on the secluded island in the noisy world, Cornelis was very satisfied with the secluded environment. He found a place to sit on the ground. While listening to the cheers, he also focused his attention on Ron Miller. "So... this is the key to your fight with Roy Disney?"

Although Cornelis's direct inquiry was a bit impolite, Ron Miller didn't care and nodded, "Yes, that's what my wife wants."

"Cone, I think you should understand the specialness of this place, right?"

"When Disney has the autonomy to operate this place, we can treat all the income here as tax expenditures, and we will still be the taxpayers."

"This privilege can save us millions or even tens of millions of dollars in taxes every year. We only need to spend a certain amount of money to maintain the normal operation of this place and renovate and expand it on time according to the agreement when we acquired the land. We can avoid the review of the US Internal Revenue Service and take those taxes into our own arms in the form of public expenditure. Therefore, the market value in the stock market is not the actual value of Disney."

"For example, last year, we received nearly $10 million through public spending."

“Still in cash.”

Cornelis nodded slightly at the frank words.

Although the shadow income of Orlando Disney World is no secret to these world giants, because the taxes and public expenditures here are self-operated projects and do not need to be specifically reflected in the annual financial reports, they actually do not know how much wealth the Disney family controls.

And now, what Ron Miller said, the annual dividend is close to 10 million...

On the surface, this number is indeed not that much.

But unfortunately, this income is not taxable!

Zero tax rate is what countless capitalists are eyeing!

More importantly, when Ron Miller was willing to talk about these things openly...

This guy's sincerity is really visible to the naked eye.

"Then what the outside world says, that you Disney has the right to mint coins, is that true?" Cornelis continued to ask, "You can issue currency in the name of Disney? And as long as the face value is equal to that of the US dollar and it can be exchanged without restrictions, the US Federal Reserve must recognize the legitimacy of your currency?"

"Yes." Ron Miller nodded.

He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, took out a cigarette and handed it to Cornelis.

After helping him light it, Ron Miller took one himself.

As the smoke rose, he smiled and said, "Without these privileges, how could Walt Disney become a special entity in Hollywood? Almost everyone wants to acquire our company, but they all know that Disney is impossible to be acquired. Once Disney loses its autonomy, other capitalists will definitely try every means to destroy Disney's uniqueness in Orlando..."

"But if that's the case, then why did Steve Ross suggest that you use the White Knight Plan to protect the power in your hands?" Cornelis suddenly remembered something.

At the second official gathering of the Avengers, Steve Ross declared that Ron Miller had betrayed the organization, and also took the initiative to state that he was the one who proposed the White Knight plan.

The sudden recollection made Cornelis a little confused. But before Ron Miller could answer, Cornelis thought of another possibility.

"Does Steve Ross want to use this opportunity to get rid of you?"

"He wants to control you Disney in other ways?"

"Yeah!" Ron Miller nodded vigorously and said with a smile: "Cone, I'm very happy because you can think of all this. This proves that you have discovered that Steve Ross is an extremely selfish guy who only cares about his own interests."

"If I accept his proposal and bring Disney into an acquisition, I will definitely become the sinner of the entire Disney, and the value of Disney will plummet as a result."

"So I said no."

“I am sure that this rejection will be extremely disappointing to Steve Ross.”

"It will make him smear us crazily."

"Is it right?"

Although Ron Miller was asking, his tone was full of affirmation.

After catching the other party's teasing look, Cornelis also understood what the other party meant.

Even though they were a whole before and everyone was working hard to defeat Ethan Jones, no matter who they were, no one would make pure efforts to defeat Ethan Jones.

Everyone gathers together for profit, so everyone can share the profit. For Philips, destroying Ethan Jones's video game business is their ultimate goal, and for Ron Miller, as long as he can disrupt the cooperation between Ethan Jones and Roy Disney, it will be a victory.

When everyone has the same general direction but it is difficult to unify the small goals, it is normal for all kinds of small thoughts to emerge in their minds. If the whole thing is applied to Steve Ross...

Fighting Ethan Jones may be Warner Communications’ main business, but in the process, isn’t it Warner’s main business to crush Walt Disney?

You know, Warner Communications is a Hollywood company no matter how you look at it. No matter how Steve Ross moves around, as long as he is still holding the Warner banner, he will never be able to jump out of this circle!
Similarly, Steve Ross also wants to embrace the video game industry.

Ethan Jones may be a stumbling block to Warner's growth, but Philips...

Isn't it the case anymore?
"MFxxk!"

Thinking of this, Cornelis cursed and threw the cigarette in his hand to the ground.

He stepped on it hard, as if to vent his anger.

After a moment, he bent over to pick it up and threw it into the trash can nearby.

This behavior made Ron Miller smile. Under his gaze, the somewhat annoyed Cornelis also expressed his predicament. When Cornelis said that he was under a lot of pressure at the moment, in addition to the external dangers, the group was also holding him accountable...

Ron Miller also put out his cigarette and said with his hands behind his back, "Cone, this is normal. In the eyes of ordinary people, the leaders of listed companies are glorious, but we understand that it is only superficial."

"In fact, after I completely separated from Steve Ross, I carefully analyzed the match between Disney and Ethan Jones. I found that our failure had nothing to do with strategic decisions. Everything we did was right, but... Ethan Jones could do better."

"The reason for this result is very simple. Ethan Jones can make his personal will the direction of the entire company, so he can do whatever he wants."

"For example, if he formed an alliance with Roy Disney with a normal listed company, the shareholders would definitely think he was crazy, because this alliance could not bring obvious benefits to the company, and it might even cause the company to get into trouble. But when he was able to completely control the Destiny Game, everything went smoothly. He could bring me great pain. At the same time, this alliance also helped the Destiny Game successfully survive the Film Association's stranglehold, and Steve Ross's plan came to naught."

"In the business world, this kind of behavior of pursuing strategy instead of efficiency is very scary. When a company can make such a decision, it means that they can check for deficiencies and make up for them at all costs. When they can solve the problem at the fastest speed, this kind of execution can make them invincible."

"So, although I am very passive now, but..."

"I admit."

“I didn’t lose unfairly.”

"Or, in other words, Ethan Jones won beautifully."

Cornelis' eyes turned sore after hearing these honest words.

The two people's almost identical situations made him want to cry.

But he knew that now was not the time to vent.

So he continued his story and told what Steve Ross had done.

After Ron Miller learned that Steve Ross hoped Cornelis would pay attention to the overall situation and give up the petty gains in front of him, and promised to use some of Warner Records' interests to maintain Cornelis' position, the guy who had faced the Undertaker laughed heartily.

"Oh Cone! You're going through exactly the same thing as me!"

"At the beginning, when I contacted Steve Ross and hoped that he could help me out of the predicament, his reply to me was very simple, that is, there is no way to save me, just wait to die."

"I was so angry at the time, I told Steve Ross, let's see what happens!"

"And the reason why he didn't want to save me is very simple. In his opinion, I have lost my value in the united front, after Ethan Jones has already penetrated the entire Hollywood! In his eyes, the greatest significance of our Walt Disney Group's existence is to create a little trouble for Ethan Jones."

"In this case, rescuing us would be a waste of time."

"But you are different. The value of your Philips is much higher than our Disney."

"You have PolyGram, you have DVD, you have the alliance with Sony..."

"These resources will ensure that you can secure your position as Chairman of Philips North America."

"So, even if you have a problem, Steve Ross will help you."

"Brother, your situation is actually much better than mine..."

At this point, Ron Miller reached out and patted Cornelis on the shoulder.

Unfortunately, Cornelis didn't like this kind of comfort.

"Ron, you should know that this kind of help will put me in a passive position." Cornelis stared at Ron Miller with a straight gaze and said, "After I accept Steve Ross's charity, once I lose my usefulness, he will throw me away like garbage."

"This kind of abandonment will make me fall into the abyss!"

"Because you and I are different. You are Walt Disney's son-in-law. Even if Roy Disney kicks you out of the company, you will have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of your life."

"But I'm different!"

"I'm just a part-time worker!"

"After leaving Philips..."

"I am nothing!"

Cornelis' eyes widened.

The bloodshot eyes were filled with a terrifying light.

Although his words were a bit extreme, Ron Miller didn't care, because he knew that compared with the choice of the times, personal efforts were not worth mentioning in the face of success.

They were able to achieve success because they reaped the benefits of the times.

When the development of society requires rich spiritual civilization construction, and when human progress is driven by a bunch of wartime technologies, they are all lucky ones who touch the peak because of the tide of the times.

This kind of favor from God is ten thousand times more effective than working hard!
Because of this, in the thousands of years of human development, there is such a consensus:

'So and so was born in the wrong era.'

Regardless of which country or civilization, there is no such thing as "the times gave birth to the wrong people."

And when Cornelis understood this truth...

Now he is the most sober player in the game.

"So... you hope we can unite?"

Ron Miller smiled.

"Yes and no." Cornelis nodded, then shook his head. "Ron, I want to join forces with you, but I don't know in which areas we can cooperate."

The sincere words made Ron Miller sigh and said, "Cone, I also want to join forces with you, but I don't want to deceive you. Disney and Philips do not have overlapping businesses."

"In this case, I can only tell you that our demands are the same."

"I want to control Disney, and you want to keep your position."

"Other than that, we have nothing to communicate about."

This fact made Cornelis's expression dim.

Just as he was sighing and thinking that he would not live long, Ron Miller said, "Coney, although our two companies have no overlap in business, we can still cooperate."

"For example, you provide me with information about the Avengers."

"I'll find a way to get you everything you want."

"I guess now you want to know the negotiation progress between Paramount and Sega?"

"I'll find out about this for you."

"After all, in addition to keeping our positions, we also have a common goal..."

The suggestion made Cornelis' eyes light up.

At this moment, he understood what Ron Miller meant.

"We all want Steve Ross dead!" he muttered.

The clear and concise words made Ron Miller laugh.

At the same time that Ron Miller extended his right fist, Cornelis met it without hesitation.

When the crisp sound of "pop" appeared...

The alliance of the frustrated was also officially formed!
After the hasty alliance process, Cornelis asked bluntly: "So, Ron, what do you think I should do next?" Perhaps he had already opened his heart, Cornelis said: "How do you think I should protect my own interests?"

The direct questioning made Ron Miller unbutton his suit and take out a folded paper from his inner pocket. "I think the answer you want is written on this piece of paper."

"You can take a look..."

(End of this chapter)