The Tyrant Billionaire

"A few years ago, when the Americans fought the Japanese, many supplies were left on the islands. After the Japanese were defeated, the Americans had no use for those items and just abandoned them. There are still many shipwrecks and landing crafts on the beaches, and I’ve heard there are other valuable items on the islands as well.

"If we dismantle this scrap metal, we could sell it for a good profit. And since the Americans are in charge over there, Mr. Hardy, you own cargo ships that fly the American flag. Perhaps, if we go there to collect scrap, the American patrol boats wouldn’t intervene."

After finishing his explanation, Huo Qingtong looked at Hardy.

Hardy chuckled.

His laughter left both Bruce Lee and Huo Qingtong somewhat puzzled.

"Did you know? I was actually fighting the Japanese on these very islands. I personally killed over thirty Japanese soldiers, and during my last battle on the Iwo Jima Islands, I was shot in the chest before being discharged and sent home."

Hearing this, both Bruce Lee and Huo Qingtong looked at Hardy with more admiration. "I didn’t know Mr. Hardy fought and killed so many Japanese soldiers. That’s truly impressive."

"As for the abandoned supplies, there’s indeed a lot of it. When we captured the islands, we had no interest in the Japanese equipment. There are not only tanks and cannons left behind but also airfields and Japanese fighter planes."

"As for your concern about American interference, you really don’t have to worry about that. You seem to have forgotten that the Hardy Group has been involved in selling military supplies for a long time. Our company is the number one supplier of logistics materials to the U.S. military. The head of the logistics department is a friend of mine."

"If the Hardy Company sends people to the islands to gather supplies, we could easily say it’s part of a logistics operation. You can be bold and tell them that."

"I only care about one thing right now: how much will it cost to dismantle and transport the scrap from the islands, and how much profit will we make in the end? Is this business worth pursuing?" Hardy asked.

Huo Qingtong had already considered this carefully.

He immediately responded, "Mr. Hardy, if we can have one or two freighters, like those liberty ships, we could hire young and strong men from Hong Kong to go to the islands and collect the materials."

"I’ve done the math. The current price for scrap steel is about $30 per ton. I plan to hire people from the local market, take them to the islands, and pay them three to five Hong Kong dollars a day, with meals provided. There are plenty of able bodied men in Hong Kong, and I’m sure many would be willing to do this work."

"As for selling the scrap, we can either sell it to steel companies in Hong Kong or even smuggle it into China for a higher profit. Either way, it won’t be hard to find buyers." Read new chapters at empire n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"With a full load of 7,000 tons on a liberty ship, we could sell the scrap for about $200,000 per trip. The main expenses would be renting the freighter and fuel. I estimate the cost of a trip would be around $20,000 to $25,000, leaving us with a profit of more than $170,000."

After Huo Qingtong finished speaking, he looked at Hardy.

Hardy nodded with a smile.

This guy sure knows how to calculate. The demand for scrap steel was high, both in Hong Kong and in China. Even Japan was in desperate need of steel at this time.

During this period, Chinese steel production was only around 500,000 to 600,000 tons, while most other Asian countries lacked natural mineral resources. In contrast, the United States produced 80 million tons. The Chinese output didn’t even come close to a fraction of that, let alone supplying the Asian market—they didn’t even have enough for themselves.

"Alright, I think this business is worth doing."

"But it must be done legally, under the name of the U.S. logistics department. Here’s the plan: Hardy Company will provide the freighters, and we’ll operate under the logistics department’s name to gather the materials. You will handle the actual work, and in return, you’ll receive 20% of the profits. How does that sound?"

Bruce Lee didn’t dare to be greedy.

Just organizing the labor and receiving 20% of the profits was already more than generous, so he quickly agreed.

Hardy looked at the young Huo Qingtong and smiled, "Why don’t you stay and join us for dinner later?"

Huo Qingtong was a bit overwhelmed.

He hadn’t expected Mr. Hardy to invite him to stay for dinner.

Dinner was ready, and Bruce Lee seemed relatively at ease, while Huo Qingtong appeared quite restrained and nervous.

During dinner, Bruce Lee occasionally exchanged a few words with Hardy. Hardy noticed how stiffly Huo Qingtong sat and said to Bruce Lee, "I have a good feeling about this young man. I think he’s got a good head on his shoulders, and I’d like to ask you for him."

Bruce Lee was stunned.

"Ask for him? What does Mr. Hardy want him for?"

Huo Qingtong was even more surprised. He hadn’t expected Mr. Hardy to take an interest in him, and all because of the idea he had proposed about collecting scrap metal?

"A trade company has been set up in Macau, but there’s no one suitable to manage it yet. I think he’s a good fit, and I’d like to put him in charge of the trade company’s operations there," Hardy explained.

Huo Qingtong was a newly promoted leader under Bruce Lee, primarily because of his diligent and sharp thinking. Now, with Hardy asking for him, Bruce Lee couldn’t very well refuse. He turned to Huo Qingtong and said, "Qingtong, Mr. Hardy has taken a liking to you, which is a stroke of luck. From now on, you’ll leave the Triad and work for Mr. Hardy."