America: My Time

Chapter 571 Face
Chapter 561 Face

As the party ended, the Japanese banking tycoons had achieved their goal and resolved the crisis. However, they still had reservations about one thing: John remained determined to sell his real estate holdings in Japan. His excuse was simple: the Japanese real estate market was booming, and he needed funds for expansion to cope with financial pressure from various parties. As for the mining industry, nothing came of it; time was the best excuse, infuriating all the Japanese companies involved!
These guys wanted to take advantage of the situation and get a long-term contract for the uranium mine. How could John accept their demands? The accident in Russia had a significant impact on nuclear power, especially in Europe, where almost everyone was on edge. Under these circumstances, negotiating a long-term uranium mine contract with Japan would be foolish.

Most people might cling to Japan's offer after seeing this, but John wouldn't give them the chance. He knew how high uranium prices would be in the future, and all he needed to do was get out of there before Japan's nuclear power plant disaster.

"Your wishes have been fulfilled, but our goal has not been achieved. He is very wary of us and is unwilling to discuss long-term uranium supply contracts with us at this time, as well as iron ore. He is unwilling to increase his supply to us and instead chooses to continue exporting to South Korea. It seems that he no longer trusts us."

"You also have to blame yourselves. If you hadn't miscalculated, this situation wouldn't have happened. With the recovery of shipping, the shipbuilding industry will flourish, and the demand for steel will increase. If you had given Quantum Mining a larger share back then, things wouldn't be like this now. You can't expect that little fox John to give up his own expansion and provide you with maximum support. Moreover, this time the iron ore price negotiation is not so simple. Quantum Mining will no longer stand on your side. Interests dictate that they will stand on the opposite side."

“We can’t get involved in quantum mining now, and the other side is on guard this time. Our idea of ​​doing big things with little money is not going to work. Now we need to make a choice about what to do.”

"What else can we do? We can only negotiate with other mining companies. Quantum Mining's production capacity has indeed reached its limit. Unless we invest new funds and increase mining efforts, it won't work. It's obvious that Quantum Mining doesn't trust us, doesn't think they can get more of a share from us, and is unwilling to increase mining efforts!"

That's how it is. John doesn't believe that the share of iron ore he can get from those guys in Japan is very small. Quantum Mining's biggest customers are Taiwan, South Korea, and its own steel mills.

"If it were me, I wouldn't be willing to increase mining efforts either. Without any agreement, and during this stock market crash, who would be willing to do that? As for uranium mining, it goes without saying that the plan to take advantage of the situation won't work. We need the resources in their hands, so we have no choice but to bow down. Quantum Mining is no longer what we initially thought it was."

Quantum Mining may seem to have been stagnant lately, but after perfecting itself, its steel mills have become a remarkable achievement. After acquiring civilian technology from Russia, they have been completely transformed and are now thriving, accumulating substantial funds for Quantum Mining.

“I’ve always had this idea that John, that little fox, isn’t as easy to fool as he seems. You think you’ve successfully outmaneuvered him, but actually we’ve fallen into his trap. Maybe we shouldn’t have supported Quantum Mining in the first place, and we shouldn’t have given him so much support for the sake of low-priced iron ore. Now we’ve gained nothing.”

Some are happy while others are worried. The steel industry still has no chance, and uranium mining is just a short-term contract with no long-term prospects. The banking industry is relieved, at least their performance is preserved and there are no problems. As for other things, they don't care too much. The stock market crash will eventually pass, and the situation in the United States is getting better and better. Perhaps it will end soon, which is good news for Japan and the like.

Unfortunately, many people were hoping for more contact and to make more arrangements, but the day after the party, John left Tokyo directly for Seoul, South Korea. This time, South Korea was not as powerful as before, and the stock market crash had also affected them, so they were in urgent need of funds for investment.

John came in person because he knew the Koreans valued their reputation. He didn't need to handle the negotiations personally; the group would manage everything. However, he had gone to Tokyo instead of Seoul, and the Koreans' petty tempers wouldn't be able to handle it. Although there were many voices in Korea opposing the influx of foreign capital and John's investment, which they felt would squeeze their own survival space, they ultimately agreed for the sake of their overall development.

Steel, shipbuilding, automobiles, oil refining—these are no ordinary investments. If these guys could refuse, there would be a problem. Everyone understands how much benefit and how many jobs such investments would bring.

Compared to the development of Japanese semiconductors, the Koreans still lag far behind. Although these guys have been promoting their products, John has not accepted them. There is still a significant gap between them and Japan. Most importantly, these guys have actually set their sights on the US market, which is a huge joke. The old guys are preparing to firmly grasp the US market in their own hands. How could they possibly give the Koreans a chance?

Things have changed. The semiconductor industry has shifted. His arrival has made those old-timers take the industry's development seriously, accelerating their semiconductor ambitions. What impact this will have on South Korea's semiconductor industry is hard to say. Of course, this doesn't change South Korea's determination to become a semiconductor superpower. They've invested so much manpower and resources; they should reap some rewards! John didn't linger in South Korea. After all, his target wasn't them, but the Middle Eastern tycoons. He was only giving them face to ensure his investments in South Korea would proceed smoothly, lest these petty guys cause trouble.

As the plane landed slowly at Riyadh airport, John breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the enthusiasm of the Middle Eastern tycoons. However, there were still some matters to be dealt with regarding Gulfstream Aerospace's acquisition of Lockheed Aircraft Company, and CEO Carole Tomé needed some more time. Nevertheless, this did not affect John's interactions with the tycoons.

"Congratulations, Mr. John, on the acquisition of Lockheed Aircraft Company, making Gulfstream Aerospace even more complete and powerful!"

"It's nothing to mention. Although the acquisition is complete, it will take time to fully integrate it into Gulfstream Aerospace. The reason for this visit is to inquire whether you are satisfied with the use of the Global Positioning System. After all, this is the first time we have conducted such a large-scale test, and we need to understand your thoughts!"

“Satisfied, very satisfied. I just heard that Gulfstream Aerospace has a matching drone system. I wonder if Mr. John can meet our needs. I heard that you have obtained export rights from the US government.”

Before John arrived in the Middle East, he had already arranged for someone to leak this secret intentionally or unintentionally, letting the Middle Eastern tycoons know that Gulfstream Aerospace also had a matching drone system, so that the tycoons could prepare to make a purchase.

"In principle, I have no problem, but you all need to think carefully. Although the drone system has completed testing, it still has many shortcomings. Most importantly, the price is a bit high. At least internally, we don't think the US will purchase it. In their eyes, although drones have good capabilities, the high price is unacceptable to them, just like the high maintenance cost of the F-14 is unacceptable. After all, in their eyes, soldiers can be trained."

"I don't care about the price, as long as the product is good!" This is the answer from a Middle Eastern tycoon. He doesn't consider the price at all, only whether the product is worth it. This is exactly what John wanted.

"The product is naturally good, after all, it is developed in conjunction with the Global Positioning System. Unfortunately, we did not expect the cost to exceed our expectations. However, its combat effectiveness is guaranteed. The most important thing is that our Global Positioning System has not yet completed its network, so we cannot test more useful information for the time being. Our drones are not like those of other companies that you know. They are specifically developed for combat and do not have many complex functions, so their functions are somewhat limited."

"So, its attack power is very strong?"

"It is indeed very powerful. The fuselage has four hardpoints, which can launch air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks. It also has a Vulcan cannon for self-defense. You can think of it as a weakened version of the F-14. You don't need to worry about the power. HP has sufficient capabilities. The only thing is that the range is a little short. After all, we are drones, not fighter jets. Our size cannot be compared with that of fighter jets. The biggest advantage of this kind of drone is safety. There will be no casualties."

What Middle Eastern tycoons fear most is, of course, casualties. The richer they are, the more afraid they are of death, so their military capabilities are predictable. When John said those last words, the tycoon was tempted. Although he didn't know if it was a trap, he still had the idea of ​​taking advantage of it. After all, such deals are not common. Even if Gulfstream Aerospace obtained the export rights, there were still unexpected events. Many people do not want Middle Eastern tycoons to hold powerful forces.

"Mr. John, how many of these drones do you have? Could you give us a demonstration?"

(End of this chapter)