America: My Time

Chapter 383 Tests and Reminders

Chapter 383 Testing and Reminder
Back home, John had barely breathed a sigh of relief before he received a call from Jimmy. This guy was straightforward and got straight to the point: "John, does Pan Am still have any plans to acquire Hawaiian Airlines? We've got it now, and we can make the deal anytime you need!"

With Pan Am's rapid expansion, many have seen John's strategic plans in the aviation industry. John is not surprised that Morgan made such a decision. As for his whereabouts, it is not a big deal. With Morgan's power, it is just a trivial matter.

“Okay, Pan Am is naturally willing to take it on. But you wouldn’t be calling me so hastily over something so trivial, would you? Just say what’s on your mind; there’s no need for us to beat around the bush!”

"It's nothing major, just a reminder that the shipping company's order has drawn the ire of many old guys. They're preparing to cause you some trouble, so you should be prepared and not be caught off guard!"

"Let them be. I don't need to care what they think. They can't have all the good things. They want to suppress my development in the United States and also want to gain benefits from me. There's no such thing as a free lunch. If they go too far, I won't hesitate to overturn the table. If they dare to act like they're old and powerful, I'll expose them and bring the matter to the public eye. This is no longer their era. The current environment has changed."

John was prepared for this situation, as he had faced similar resistance before. This time, he was even less likely to back down. If those old guys wanted to fight, he would fight them. Moreover, John believed there were other hidden forces behind this, and it would be best if he could expose them to the public.

John knew perfectly well how attention-grabbing Hughes Aerospace's project was. Even fools like the Koreans were interested in getting involved, so how could those lurking in the shadows not be tempted? The involvement of Middle Eastern tycoons, in particular, infuriated them. It was only natural that they would cooperate with those old guys again and stir up a storm in the United States. Those guys would never give up, never compromise, and had no credibility whatsoever.

Knowing who his enemy was and what the situation would be like, John was not anxious at all and was not alarmed by Jimmy's words. He had everything under control and was not afraid that those guys would not make a move. If they dared to make a move, he would dare to fight back and even cut off their black hand.

If necessary, John would also repeat the Bentley incident, cause a fire at Hughes Aircraft Company, or an unnatural explosion, to attract more attention, expose those guys to the public, thwart their schemes, and not only tarnish their reputations but also make them pay a heavy price.

A person who isn't ruthless can't stand firm. After engaging in one fierce battle after another with those old guys, John had long seen through their true nature and their true intentions. He knew that as long as he was ruthless enough, all their schemes would be a joke. From beginning to end, those old guys never gained the upper hand; the initiative was always in his hands.

Of course, John wouldn't do such a thing unless absolutely necessary. If it happened, it would inevitably affect Hughes Space's normal progress and his own plans. He didn't want his plans to be affected unless absolutely necessary.

“Alright, whatever makes you happy. However, Morgan has received an acquisition offer from the Mandarin Oriental Group. The Mandarin Oriental Group is expanding a bit too quickly these days, and there's a risk of their cash flow drying up if they're not careful. Are you really going to make a move into the restaurant market?” At this point, Jimmy brought up the Mandarin Oriental Group's acquisition of the restaurant business. In his opinion, this didn't seem like John's doing, and it wasn't appropriate at this time. Although such an acquisition was insignificant to Morgan, he didn't want to ruin the Mandarin Oriental Group's future because of this small acquisition.

"Don't worry, I know everything about this acquisition. Moreover, the Mandarin Oriental Group's cash flow is not as fragile as you think. Perhaps you haven't noticed that the Mandarin Oriental Group's resort hotels in Japan are currently very popular. Cash flow is not a problem. In addition, such an acquisition will definitely be mainly financed by loans, and the Japanese banks will provide strong support."

“John, there’s something I still need to remind you of. The loans you’re carrying are too large. Even if the banks in Japan offer you the lowest interest rates, such a huge amount of debt is no small matter. If any one industry has a problem, it could trigger an avalanche-like crisis. You need to think this through. There are also loans for more than thirty ships with the shipping company.”

“I understand, I’m well aware of the situation. Thank you for your kindness, Morgan. Everything is under control. Perhaps you don’t know that Australian mining is no longer under the immense pressure of Quantum Mining. Neon has provided me with considerable assistance. I believe you are also aware of Hughes Aerospace’s situation. Under these circumstances, do you think I would still have a problem with insufficient funds?” Hughes Aerospace received a large sum of money from Middle Eastern tycoons and Neon. Not only is the entire project no longer a problem, but the entire Gulfstream Aerospace is no longer a problem. Jimmy doesn’t believe that Hughes Aerospace will invest all its funds in this one project. At least a small portion will improve the situation of other companies.

Upon closer examination, it's true that John, this little fox, isn't short of funds. Even with a considerable amount of debt, he doesn't seem to be under as much pressure as outsiders might imagine. Perhaps everything is under his control, just as he claims.

"Impressive. It seems Morgan was overthinking things. Your cash flow is very stable right now. However, there's one thing we don't understand: are you really interested in a full-scale development in the petrochemical industry? Isn't the investment too large? We've also heard about your plan: ten integrated refining and chemical plants in Asia. Isn't that investment too risky, too crazy?"

"Western Energy's plan is this: expansion within the US is out of the question. Those old Rockefellers won't give me that opportunity, and I don't have the ability to compete with them in this industry. In contrast, overseas markets are much easier. The Japanese market alone is quite promising. If all else fails, we can choose to build two refineries in Japan; at least the Japanese economy can afford such consumption. As for risks, all investments carry risks. I can't just sit and wait for those old guys to regain their strength. I need to accelerate development, at least to have my own strength in various industries, so that I won't be plunged into absolute crisis when any industry experiences a downturn. Judging from the current situation, those old guys are still determined to destroy us. In that case, I need to develop my own strength even faster."

That's true, but John's expansion was too fast. His frantic overseas expansion made those old guys uneasy and gave the White House a headache. Most importantly, the White House didn't even have a reason to interfere. It wasn't John's fault, nor was it that John didn't want to invest in the United States, but rather that he didn't have the opportunity. Someone was suppressing the other side.

Trying to use past excuses will only make us a laughing stock. John has created jobs for the United States, at least Gulfstream Aerospace has created many jobs. Whether it's Hughes Aerospace or Gulfstream's ongoing construction of the Fokker aircraft production line, that's enough to shut everyone up. If anyone dares to nitpick, it will only make the situation spiral out of control.

"To be honest, many old guys regret it now. They feel they shouldn't have sold those companies to you. In your hands, they have demonstrated amazing power. Pratt & Whitney, Hughes, Sikorsky, Pan Am, West Airways—they all make those old guys regret it now. After the successful integration of Pan Am, its rapid development has made Rockefeller very regretful. He has said more than once that he should have agreed to your terms."

"Heh, too late. It can only be said that he was too greedy, always trying to get the most benefits with the least amount of money. How is that possible? Nobody is a fool. If he wants to gain something, he has to make a sacrifice. It's impossible to just take advantage all the time. To be honest, I really wish these old guys would join the battle in the aviation industry, but unfortunately they didn't."

“John, the airline industry is changing a lot these days. A lot of capital is coming in, so you have to be careful. Soon everyone will want to follow the low-cost carrier model and they will all be willing to fight a price war, which is not good for Pan Am.”

“I know this is inevitable. When air traffic control is deregulated, some ambitious companies will inevitably enter the market. They just forgot the disastrous fate of other airlines. Price wars. How much money did they invest in them? If they dare to wage a price war, EasyJet will definitely accept it. We already have a complete management system. How long can their small size last? You don’t think that the integration of Pan Am is over, do you?”

At this point, John couldn't help but sneer. Although it was just a phone call, Jimmy on the other end already understood that he and Morgan had underestimated John's plans in the aviation industry. Someone's plan to use these small companies to restrain Pan Am and thus affect Gulfstream Aerospace's plans had been completely thwarted. They simply didn't have that opportunity.

Although Jimmy didn't know John's detailed plan, he understood that when John said those words, he must have made a comprehensive plan. Whoever entered the game would pay a heavy price and endure unimaginable pressure. They didn't have the qualifications or the strength to engage in a price war with John.

(End of this chapter)