America: My Time

Chapter 613 An Unexpected Appearance

Chapter 603 An Unexpected Occurrence

Of course, Japan is not without other options. Acquiring mines is also a good choice, but the premise is that the other party is willing to sell. No mining giant is willing to sell those world-class mines. Such mines are the core industries of mining giants. Just like John's layout for Quantum Mining, he locked in those world-class mines.

Quantum Mining's current operations in Australia, Canada, and South America revolve around world-class mines. Now, Quantum Mining has expanded into Asia and Africa. As Quantum Mining continues to expand, the hidden forces behind it are being discovered one by one. In just a few years, many have discovered how many of the smaller mining companies hidden in the Americas are actually part of John's network.

Interestingly, an offshore company is pulling the strings behind the scenes. This is part of John's strategy, and over the years, John's expansion into the mining industry has been far beyond what many had anticipated, especially his formidable presence in the Americas. The reason is simple: Quantum Mining has been constantly targeted by other mining giants, and since he couldn't act directly, he naturally had to find other ways. These strategic moves are a mix of deception and reality, making them difficult to discern and understand.

No one knows how many venture capital projects John's offshore company holds, nor how much capital it has. It's all a mystery, which is a major headache for many mining giants.

Offshore companies are as numerous as hairs on a cow in the capital market. Which family doesn't have such companies? There are also many funds and so on. John is also constantly increasing the various cards he holds in his hand and hiding his many assets. Having more backup plans and more preparations will allow him to deliver a fatal blow to his enemies at a critical moment and protect his own wealth.

"What's wrong? You seem unhappy?" When John came to Naoko's side, he noticed that something was wrong with her mood and couldn't help but ask. At a party like this, no one would be foolish enough to cause trouble; the consequences would be beyond their control. The only possibility was that Naoko herself had a problem.

"It's nothing, it's just that I suddenly feel like the environment around me has changed. I just talked with Fang Hui and Sheng Zi for a while, and now even they are affected by the idol ice age and have to seek resources and change."

Upon hearing Naoko's words, John couldn't help but sigh. He had thought it was something serious, but it turned out to be such a trivial matter. The impact of the idol ice age would only grow stronger; without seeking change, only decline awaited them. In a fiercely competitive market like Japan, it's a matter of progress or regression, and with the rise of bands, the pressure on idols was even greater.

"Alright, don't worry about these little things. Why isn't Riko with you?" At this moment, John suddenly realized that Ms. Riko, who had been following Akio Morita, was gone. He remembered that Naoko, whom she had greeted at the beginning of the party, was missing.

"Riko-nee had some things to take care of, so she left temporarily. It seems there was a problem with the guest performers!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed in John's eyes. Someone actually dared to play tricks at this party? They were truly fearless! Were they trying to slap these big shots in the face? If this got out of hand, even their own firms would suffer the consequences and wouldn't get away with it!
Although he was also curious about what had happened, John knew it wasn't appropriate to get involved now. After all, this was Japan's home turf, and if he showed too much curiosity, it would only make those guys think there was something wrong. So John gave up and nodded calmly.

"Why aren't Akina and the others with you?" John was puzzled when he saw Naoko alone. Moreover, it wasn't like no one from the Phoenix Group was attending the party, so why was Naoko sitting alone in this corner?

"I told them to go about their own business. After all, they have many friends, and it's rare for them to have such an opportunity to meet and chat. I'd better not disturb them. After all, I know the pressure these idols are facing now. Even Fang Hui and Sheng Zi have to socialize with some people, which shows how much pressure there is in the industry right now!"

This is the reality of the Japanese idol market. No matter how big a star you were before, you have to bow your head now. Moreover, many idols are emerging now, which puts pressure on artists like Yoshie Kashiwabara and Seiko Matsuda. At the party, many artists are doing a lot of socializing and trying to get recognized by the big shots in the industry.

Just as John and Naoko sat calmly in a corner observing the various events at the party, Riko returned. It seemed she had resolved the issues with the performers; apparently, it wasn't a big deal. If it were, it wouldn't have been resolved so quickly. Anything can happen in this industry, because it's unique. Many people become arrogant and lose their sense of propriety after achieving fame, especially newcomers, who are most prone to making various mistakes.

"Riko-nee, what happened next? Have you handled it?" Naoko looked at Riko with a nervous expression. She knew that if things got out of hand, it wouldn't be good for Riko. It would affect Riko and might even ruin her future!

"It's all settled. It was just a minor dispute, caused by those guys from Johnny's. They got into a verbal altercation with Kyoko Koizumi. Now Johnny's and the Burning Company are at odds, and they're always causing trouble at various events. I didn't expect them to dare cause trouble even at a party like this!"

Hearing this, John understood somewhat. Suo Ikuo wanted to get his hands on the male idol market, which crossed Johnny's bottom line. Moreover, they already had a grudge against each other. The matter of Hiromi Go had always been a source of resentment for Johnny's. Saying that they broke up peacefully was all a lie. To put it bluntly, Johnny's had suffered a loss. Now that Burning Group wanted to enter the male idol market, how could this not provoke Johnny's anger?

After securing substantial resources from Phoenix Media, Suo Ikuo accelerated the development of the Burning Group. Their expansion was rapid, and due to their background, many were reluctant to provoke them; even the media gave them face and refrained from taking things too far. However, Johnny & Associates also had its own strengths. Now, due to conflicting interests, the two agencies had finally become adversaries. Seeing Johnny & Associates making a fortune, how could Suo Ikuo not be envious?

Suo Ikuo entered this industry solely to make money. Previously, his background and limited resources forced him to be cautious when dealing with other agencies. But things are different now. Having built a solid foundation, he naturally wants to take it a step further, especially now that the idol market is in a slump, and Johnny's is the least affected. How could this not tempt Suo Ikuo?

"To dare to target Koizumi Kyoko in such a setting, it can't be one of those newcomers. Could it be Kondo Masahiko?" At this moment, the first person that came to Naoko's mind was Kondo Masahiko, because only he would dare to do such a thing and be so unscrupulous.

"It's this guy! He's been relying on Mary Kitagawa's support all along, and he dares to act recklessly even at a party like this. If I wasn't worried about things getting out of hand, I would really like to teach him a lesson!" Riko was also furious about Johnny's audacity, because it would affect her own interests and cause her harm.

Riko could only say that; it was impossible for her to actually take action against Kondo Masahiko. After all, making a big fuss wouldn't be good for her either. It was better to make a big deal into a small one and a small deal into nothing. Moreover, she believed that with his fire-type abilities, he wouldn't let Kondo Masahiko off easily. Suo Ikuo was a treacherous guy.

Women are petty. Kondo Masahiko has offended Riko, and he'll probably suffer in the future. Don't be fooled by her current inability to deal with Kondo Masahiko; she has the powerful Akio Morita behind her. Even a slight smirk from her can teach Kondo Masahiko a lesson, especially since causing trouble at a party like this is even more unforgivable.

The party was a big stage, and countless people wanted to attend. After all, attending meant a chance to meet big shots and become acquainted with them. Previously, Hanami Kagami and Suo Ikuo had taken the initiative to step forward, and now others wanted to get acquainted with John, this big shot. Unfortunately, none of them had the ability to do so. After all, this wasn't an entertainment industry party. Even though Akio Morita was hosting, these guys weren't qualified to go up and talk to John.

In the end, these guys had no choice but to give up. Riko was sitting there the whole time, which prevented them from taking the initiative. If they failed, they would not only not gain anything, but it would also affect them. After some deliberation, they had no choice but to give up.

It was precisely because these guys didn't take action due to their identities that John felt much more at ease. At least he didn't have to deal with them anymore. John didn't want to associate with those Japanese guys; they were all cunning and treacherous. It was better for him to relax and not have to bear any pressure.

At this moment, John believed that there were many people secretly watching him and analyzing his every move. Even the slightest action could bring unnecessary trouble. After all, Japan had suffered a great loss at his hands and paid a heavy price for iron ore. If these guys didn't have something on their minds, then something was definitely wrong. It was good to be more cautious, at least so that he wouldn't be schemed against or fall into their trap!
(End of this chapter)