The Tyrant Billionaire

Although China didn't produce as many gems as other countries, it still had many precious stones passed down through history.

As for the jadeite.

Jadeite had been popular among the British nobles living in Hong Kong and reached its peak during the late '50s, when nobles in London began giving it as gifts. There should be a lot of it available in China, and it should be possible to make some profit from the British who like to collect these things.

"The last item is a large arable land that was used to cultivate medicinal materials. It's very close to Hong Kong. We'll decide what to do with that land later. We could even set up a Chinese medicine factory here in Hong Kong and scam those delusional British nobles living here, maybe even those in London."

Hardy had long planned to enter the health product industry, but he hadn't acquired the health product factory he initially wanted, so he put the idea on hold.

Now that there was an opportunity, he planned to restart the health product business. As for what to make, who cares—as long as it's marketed as good for the body, whether it's vitamins, Chinese medicine, or whatever. Anything can be sold.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

In fact, selling the products wasn't even the main point; selling the potential was. Just package the company well, write up some "doctoral discoveries" about Chinese medicine, manipulate the stock market, and sell the company. There are plenty of people who want to be scammed around the world—who is Hardy to object to the demands of these people?

"As for minerals and livestock, those are businesses anyone can do. Honestly, I don't trust the Chinese to keep their word when it comes to minerals and livestock. It's not worth falling out with them over this business. Let's focus on the items we discussed," Hardy said.

"Understood, boss. I'll inform them."

With that, Victor was instructed to notify everyone and prepare for the evening's reception, then left.

...

That morning's newspaper had already reported that Mr. Hardy, the owner of a large American corporation, had come to visit Hong Kong. The newspaper also gave an introduction to the Hardy Group.

Banks, security companies, film companies, airlines, shipping companies, and more, with assets exceeding 3 billion US dollars.

Three billion US dollars.

Many people couldn't even imagine how much money that was.

It wasn't just the Hardy Group's industries outside Hong Kong. Even in Hong Kong, everyone knew the name. The Kowloon Industrial Park, which was currently under construction, was said to be preparing to accommodate hundreds of factories and tens of thousands of workers.

Not long ago, Mr. Hardy also acquired HSBC. And everyone knew that HSBC was the issuing bank for Hong Kong's currency — that was the money of the Hong Kong people.

Additionally, the TV station was also owned by Hardy's company. They listened to radio programs every day, and ABC Television was now the most famous station in Hong Kong.

As Hardy's name dominated the headlines, his presence in Hong Kong was felt far beyond the financial circles. People buzzed with excitement and curiosity, Amidst the media frenzy, Hardy himself was already hard at work, overseeing one of his many ambitious projects. Arriving at a construction site on the outskirts of the city, he wasted no time in getting down to business.

The manager quickly greeted them respectfully.

"Tell me about the progress of the construction," Hardy said as he walked into the construction site.

The manager began explaining that the project employed over a thousand people, with multiple operations running simultaneously to save time.

The largest project was the main bank building, with the focus on the underground vault. The bank would have two floors above ground and three underground levels.

The vault's design would make it one of the most secure in the world, featuring multiple layers of security verification as you went deeper. Surrounded by mountains with no external passageways, the walls were made of reinforced concrete and steel, offering unparalleled protection.

Hardy planned to store the bank's assets here, along with gold reserves. He knew that even though gold wasn't a priority investment now, its value would skyrocket when the Bretton Woods system collapsed, making it a wise long-term investment. Additionally, holding gold reserves would allow Hardy to leverage it for loans and capital investments.

Most of the reinforced concrete and vault equipment were shipped from the United States, while the external facilities used locally produced steel. Hardy was surprised to learn that Hong Kong had a steel factory, Jardine Steel, which had supplied raw materials for various industries.

"The initial construction will be completed early next year," the manager continued. "Mainly because the vault is complex. The interior decoration should be done by mid-next year."

"The bank includes many auxiliary buildings, office spaces, and living quarters," he added. "There are also plans to renovate Lion Rock and build a mid-level road, turning the mountain into a park."

Hardy nodded in agreement. In the future, the area would likely become a high-end residential district, but for now, it served as the bank headquarters—a symbol of luxury and wealth.

After the tour, Hardy returned to the mansion halfway up the mountain. As he passed the ferry terminal, he noticed the crowd at the docks, a reflection of Hong Kong's rapidly growing population. With so many workers entering the city, employment opportunities were becoming scarce, leading to social challenges.

As night fell, Hardy stood in the courtyard, gazing at the bustling Victoria Harbour. Ships were anchored, their lights glowing as workers loaded and unloaded goods.

Victor, waiting outside, invited him into the car.

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The convoy arrived at Government House. In fact, Government House was also located halfway up the mountain, only a few kilometers from where Hardy lived. Government House covered a vast area of 24,000 square meters, with the main building taking up 7,000 square meters.

It wasn't just the residence of the Governor; it was also an important reception venue, which was why it was also called the Government Reception House.