The Tyrant Billionaire

Eventually, the topic shifted to the ongoing conflict with Indonesia.

Eisenhower suggested that certain parties intended to mediate between the two sides and asked for Hardy’s thoughts.

Hardy’s think tank had long prepared for this.

The conflict couldn’t last forever—stability was necessary for development.

However, the war served several purposes: it showcased the military strength and resolve of the Hardy Dominion while sending a warning to the Indonesian government.

Hardy’s demands were modest:

Punish all individuals involved in riots, looting, and arson. Perpetrators must face severe consequences.Apologize to and compensate victims of killings and injuries.Abolish unreasonable regulations that hindered free trade.Compensate Hardy’s company for its losses.

The total demand was $500 million.

Upon hearing this, the Indonesian side was furious, viewing it as blatant extortion. While the first and second conditions were barely acceptable, the third condition—perceived as meddling in internal affairs—felt like a colonial-era intrusion, reopening old wounds of subjugation.

As for the final demand for $500 million in compensation, they saw it as an exorbitant and unrealistic sum.

With neither side willing to yield, negotiations stalled.

Hardy, however, wasn’t in a rush. He continued running his businesses as usual, while his military treated their sorties as training exercises.

September

Hardy received delightful news from Irina, the French woman he was seeing.

"Hardy, I went for a checkup today. The doctor said I’m pregnant!" Irina announced excitedly, hugging him.

"Really? That’s fantastic!" Hardy said, planting a kiss on her cheek.

When it came to children, the more, the merrier.

He didn’t care whether they were born in or out of wedlock—they were all his children. Hardy had already planned to establish a family trust fund in the Cayman Islands. All his women and children would be included, and each would receive an annual allowance.

As for inheritance, that would depend on future circumstances.

Nevertheless, the family trust would ensure they all lived comfortably for the rest of their lives.

"The doctor said no strenuous activity for the first two months of pregnancy," Irina added.

"Don’t worry. The baby comes first," Hardy replied, gently patting her cheek.

Meanwhile Princess Margaret of Britain was living a joyful life.

Since marrying Hardy, she had been freed from royal constraints, becoming much more relaxed and content.

She found joy in caring for their child and was entrusted with managing Hardy Group’s global luxury goods division. Of course, she had a professional team to handle operations, but she remained involved in significant decisions.

Hardy believed in keeping women occupied.

His philosophy was simple: busy women were less likely to cause trouble. Giving them responsibilities and financial independence fostered security, reducing friction and competition.

Margaret was naturally inclined towards luxury goods. As a royal princess, she was already knowledgeable about high-end fashion and accessories. Her appearances at fashion or cosmetics launches turned heads and generated immense publicity for Hardy Group’s brands.

This was a classic example of utilizing resources effectively.

Hardy Group even launched a luxury magazine, which quickly became the most popular publication of its kind globally. The latest cover featured Princess Margaret at a jewelry launch, holding her beautiful child—a picture of elegance and influence.

It was Hardy’s child, David Hardy.

That day, Hardy arrived in the Santa Clara Valley of San Francisco.

At this point, there were already some research laboratories and tech factories in the area. Hardy’s plan was straightforward: acquire as much land as possible and establish an investment company.

Because this location would later become the world-famous "Silicon Valley."

In 1933, the area became a naval research base, and several technology companies servicing the Navy gradually sprang up. Later, when the naval research base relocated, the U.S. Space Committee took over the facility for aerospace research, leading to the emergence of aerospace-focused tech companies.

When the aerospace sector also moved away, many private tech laboratories remained.

The region had another key advantage: proximity to Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley, and other institutions within the University of California system. This concentration of academic institutions became one of the main reasons the area later became Silicon Valley—a hub for talent.

Hardy sent a team to negotiate with the state government to purchase large tracts of land. He also ordered the establishment of a high-tech venture capital company on a road near Stanford University:

"Hardy Tech Ventures."

The company’s primary investment focus was technology research and development, as well as innovative teams.

At this time, William Shockley was working as a researcher at Bell Labs in New Jersey. A few years ago, Shockley and two colleagues had invented the transistor and filed for a patent. Two years prior, he developed a new type of junction transistor.

William Shockley would later be known as the "Father of the Transistor."

Recently, however, he had a new idea brewing.

Bell Labs had made significant profits from his patented inventions, but Shockley himself only received a small bonus and research funding—funds that had to be used for further research, the results of which would again generate profits for Bell Labs.

He wanted more. He wanted to become a millionaire.

One day, he saw an advertisement in theGlobal Times:

"Hardy Group has established a High-Tech Venture Capital Company in Silicon Valley, offering financial support, facility access, and market backing for innovative talent, creating a cradle for future tech companies."

Shockley was immediately intrigued.

Coincidentally, the Santa Clara Valley was his hometown. He had grown up there, graduated from Caltech, earned a Ph.D. at MIT, and was later recruited by Bell Labs.

"Why not give it a shot?"

Out of curiosity, Shockley called Hardy Tech Ventures. He was connected to a reception manager, who, after learning that he was a researcher at Bell Labs with mature products, showed great interest and invited him to discuss further in person.

Both parties felt a good rapport during their initial meetings. @@novelbin@@

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Soon after, Hardy’s venture capital firm agreed to invest $1.6 million in William Shockley, leading to the establishment of Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory.

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