The Tyrant Billionaire

After a pause, he added: "Have the company give interviews to the press. Publicize this incident widely to generate public outrage and emphasize our firm stance. If Indonesia doesn’t respond appropriately, Hardy Group will protect its interests and dignity in its own way."

Media Offensive

The following day,The Global Timespublished a detailed report on the Surabaya violence, condemning the Indonesian government for its inaction and even possible complicity.

Hardy Group President Andy publicly declared that the company would not let the matter rest.

When a reporter asked, "Does Hardy Group intend to deploy its private army of mercenaries?"

Andy replied, "We do not dismiss the use of heavy force."

Indonesia paid no heed to Hardy Corporation’s warnings. After all, they were a sovereign nation; what could the power of one company achieve?

In the past, it was the Dutch East India Company, far more powerful than Hardy Group, that occupied Indonesia. Yet they were eventually driven out, and the modern state of Indonesia was born.

To put it bluntly, Indonesia was forged in conflict. Such warnings carried no weight with them.

In an interview, Indonesia’s Minister of Defense made a strong statement: "If Hardy Group dares to use force against Indonesia, we will ensure they never return and make them pay a heavy price."

Hardy’s aircraft landed in Penang.

After gathering detailed information and consulting with the Strategic Research Office, Hardy reached a decision.

He ordered: "Send another formal letter to the Indonesian government, demanding strict action against the perpetrators and compensation for the losses incurred by Hardy Corporation."

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At the same time, Hardy gave an interview to the Global Times, where he reiterated his stance: "We have sent an official letter to the Indonesian government demanding action against the rioters and murderers. If they fail to comply, Hardy Corporation will take action."

The Indonesian president, after reading the letter, sneered disdainfully: "A mere company dares to act so arrogantly? Indonesia has 1.9 million square kilometers of land, a population exceeding 100 million, and over 300,000 soldiers. What can one company do against us?"

Indonesia ignored Hardy’s warnings.

Over the next few days, Hardy was not idle. He used secure communication channels to contact U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and exchanged opinions with him.

Hardy also reached out to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and the two shared their views.

Although Indonesia maintained diplomatic ties with the U.S. and Britain, its political leanings were increasingly aligned with the Soviet Union. As the largest nation in Southeast Asia, Indonesia’s political stance had long been a concern for the U.S. and Britain.

Eisenhower and Churchill expressed support for Hardy’s plan to initiate a localized conflict.

A week later.

Hardy Corporation sent a second formal letter to the Indonesian government, but once again received no response. Hardy decided the time was right.

He issued the order:

Six warships departed from Singapore Harbor, heading toward Surabaya, accompanied by a landing ship carrying over 200 fully armed mercenaries.

The following day.

The fleet arrived at a designated area, about 50 nautical miles from Surabaya—just over an hour’s journey to the dock.

In the early hours of the next morning.

A dozen aircraft flew toward Surabaya. Two hours later, they were over the city, while the six warships stationed themselves outside Surabaya’s waters.

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

A low drone filled the air as the aircraft passed overhead, drawing the attention of early risers, who looked up curiously.

Hardy’s intelligence division had already pinpointed the location of the Surabaya military camp.

As the planes reached the military camp, they suddenly unleashed a barrage of bombs.

Explosions erupted, tearing the camp apart. Fire and smoke rose into the air, accompanied by the screams of the injured.

After the first round, the aircraft circled back for a second pass, bombarding the area further and turning the soil over. Then, they left without delay. @@novelbin@@

The early morning explosions jolted the entire city of Surabaya awake.

Residents opened their windows to see what had happened.

Simultaneously, the warships approached the port, and the landing ship quickly reached the shore. Hundreds of soldiers disembarked with weapons in hand, followed by dozens of vehicles equipped with heavy machine guns.

The convoy raced through the streets of Surabaya, the sound of ammunition belts clinking against vehicle frames reverberating in the air.

The convoy soon reached an estate.

Hardy’s intelligence network had already identified the mastermind behind the riots: the head of a prominent Indonesian family in Surabaya, who was also the leader of the city’s largest gang.

The reason for the riots was simple: he sought to seize the assets of the Hardy group.

Having issued multiple threats in the past, this time he organized over a thousand people to incite riots, ultimately rallying five to six thousand participants. His gang members were responsible for the violent assaults, and they had looted goods from Hardy Corporation’s warehouse during the chaos.

The raid’s objective was clear: eliminate the gang leader.

The convoy stormed the estate.

There was no intent to capture him.

Hardy had no interest in justice or trials. The moment the gang targeted Hardy Corporation’s assets, their fate was sealed.

Gunfire erupted, accompanied by the relentless clatter of heavy machine guns.

Though there was sporadic resistance, it wasn’t long before the estate was subdued. The gang leader and dozens of his men were killed on the spot.

Once the mission was complete, the mercenaries swiftly retreated.

They left no trace behind.

The vehicles returned to the ships, which then left the shore, rejoining the fleet as they departed.

In truth, such an operation didn’t require this level of force. Hardy’s decision to deploy so many warships and aircraft was purely to send a message.

"You Indonesians look down on us? You think we won’t act? You’re mistaken. we will strike!"

The operation was executed so quickly that by the time anyone realized what had happened, it was already over, leaving behind only smoke and devastation.

The Indonesian president was soon informed and erupted in fury. This was blatant provocation, a prelude to war.

He immediately convened his officials and military leaders to devise a response.

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