The Tyrant Billionaire

In Hong Kong, the atmosphere grew even more restless.

More and more people began selling off assets, and prices dropped again and again. The Hardy Group seized the opportunity to acquire a large number of industries.

At the same time,

many entrepreneurs fleeing the turmoil in China sought refuge in Hong Kong, bringing with them a significant amount of funds, particularly gold and silver.

Among the most prominent banks in Hong Kong were HSBC, Wells Fargo, and Citibank. During this period, HSBC and Wells Fargo absorbed large deposits and precious metals, causing their deposits to grow continuously.

Many of the new arrivals also brought antiques.

The Hardy Auction House took the opportunity to acquire a large batch of cultural relics, many of them at very low prices, with some rare pieces among them.

That evening,

Mr. Xu, who had been in frequent contact with Victor, rushed to find him late at night. "Mr. Victor, there's something very important I need to discuss with you."

"Oh? What's the matter?"

"Are you aware that Shanghai is under siege?"

"Of course, it's all over the news, and I've been following the situation in China closely," Victor replied.

"Here's the deal: the central bank's treasury in Shanghai is being evacuated. Now that Shanghai is surrounded, they plan to transport the last batch of gold to the Taiwan. We've received reliable information that, since they don't have any warships, they plan to use a civilian cargo ship to secretly move it.

"While we have the exact information, to be honest, we currently don't have the capability to intercept it. The higher-ups want to collaborate with your side. We provide the intel, and you make the move. We'll split the spoils fifty-fifty.

"We owe you a large sum of money from before, which can be deducted from the share. Anything extra can be converted into cash and stored in your bank, making it easier to purchase supplies in the future."

Victor was shocked by the news.

A state-level robbery? He couldn't agree to something that big without serious consideration.

"This is a huge matter. I can't make the decision on my own. I need to consult my boss," Victor said.

"Of course, but please don't delay. Time is of the essence. They're already loading the ship in Shanghai, and it will likely set sail by tomorrow morning at the latest," Mr. Xu said.

"How much wealth are we talking about?" Victor asked.

"About 150 tons of gold, 20 million silver yuan, and some other valuables like antiques, jewelry, jade, and pearls. It's hard to estimate the exact value of those," Mr. Xu replied.

At that moment, Hardy was already asleep.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

Hardy opened his eyes and picked up the phone on the bedside table. Victor's voice came through the line, "Boss, sorry to disturb you, but I have an urgent matter to report."

"Go ahead," Hardy was fully awake now.

Victor relayed everything Mr. Xu had said. Hardy was also stunned, but quickly shifted into the mindset of an opportunistic businessman. He didn't dwell on the losses or gains of any particular faction. In this conflict, the only thing that concerned him was the opportunity to profit, and this situation presented just that.

He knew that when the Nationalists withdrew, they took everything valuable with them. It was said that 150 tons of gold, millions of ounces of silver, and countless treasures from the Forbidden City were shipped out.

The CCP had planted numerous spies in the Nationalist army. They had long been aware of these operations, but at the time, they didn't have the strength to stop it. They could only watch as the treasures were taken away.

Now, with the CCP approaching Hardy, they were asking for his help to intercept this batch of gold.

Hardy quickly did the math.

150 tons of gold, at current exchange rates with the dollar, was worth about 160 million USD. The 20 million silver yuan was worth roughly 20 million USD. Add in the antiques and jewelry, and the total value was around 200-300 million USD.

200-300 million USD.

Hardy thought it was worth going after.

It was a shame his warships were too far away to be called in time. Otherwise, just one shot would make the other side surrender without a fight.

But no matter.

He could pull it off even without warships.

As for the fifty-fifty split proposed by the CCP, Hardy found it unfair. They were only providing information, while his team would be doing all the work and taking all the risks.

"I think a 70-30 split is more appropriate," Hardy said, sitting up in bed. "We're the ones taking action, and they're just providing a tip. They can take 30 percent."

Victor nodded on the other end of the line, "Understood, boss. I'll relay the message."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The next day, when the CCP representative, Mr. Xu, heard the revised proposal, he wasn't pleased. "Seventy-thirty is too much. We're taking risks too, and we're sharing highly sensitive information. We can agree to a 35 percent share for us."

Hardy was not surprised. He had anticipated haggling. After some back and forth, both sides finally agreed on a 65-35 split, with Hardy Group taking the larger portion.

"Victor, tell them we accept. I'll have the security company and intelligence personnel head to you right away. Gather a few Liberty-class ships and arm them to intercept at sea."

After thinking for a moment, Hardy added, "Send out my plane. It can be used for aerial patrol and to locate the target. The intelligence team knows what to do." Experience tales with empire

"I understand, Mr. Hardy," Victor replied.

When Mr. Xu heard Victor agree to the new terms, he was satisfied. "I'll head back right away. I'll keep you updated with any new information."

"Alright, let's each make our own preparations."

Late at night.

The members of HD Security were all called up, and after getting dressed, they drove to the dock. Four Liberty class cargo ships were already waiting there.