The Tyrant Billionaire

While Hardy and Michael were chatting, Hardy suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Could someone harbor ill will toward him? Hardy turned in the direction of the sensation and spotted a plump, older man standing about 20 to 30 meters away. The man had a slightly square face, and his most notable feature was his prominent, bulging eyes.

Though the man made no overt gesture, there was an undeniable sharpness and malice about him.

The two locked eyes for several seconds.

Hardy smiled and nodded in greeting.

The old man forced a smile and returned the nod.

As Hardy turned back, the smile faded from his face. He knew exactly who that man was—Edgar Hoover, a figure feared by many.

Hoover glanced at Hardy again, a gleam flashing in his eyes. As the head of intelligence, Hoover knew exactly who Hardy was—Jon Hardy, the billionaire and one of the key figures behind Johnson's rise to power.

Over the past few years, Hardy had risen rapidly, going from a discharged soldier to a billionaire in just three or four years. He now controlled America's leading media empire, and his rise had left many people in awe, seeing him as a legend.

But Hoover knew much more than the average person.

He knew that Hardy had built his empire from the underworld. His starting point had been the inheritance of assets from the legendary mafia figure Bugsy Sigel.

The Los Angeles gang territory, the Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas, the film company—these assets had provided Hardy with the capital to climb to his current position.

While outsiders saw Hardy as a successful businessman, Hoover knew that Hardy was, in fact, the West Coast's biggest mob boss, completely controlling Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and extending his influence into San Francisco.

The Los Angeles gang still operated in illegal industries.

But Hardy was incredibly shrewd. Hoover had once sent people to investigate him thoroughly. Although they had gathered some information suggesting Hardy's involvement in criminal activities, there was no direct evidence linking him to any crime.

Even in matters of taxation, Hardy had covered all his bases impeccably.

You could only say, this was an extraordinarily smart and cautious man.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

If he weren't, he wouldn't have become a U.S. billionaire in just a few short years.

Hoover had no intention of going after Hardy.

He, too, was wary of Hardy.

On the one hand, he had no evidence of Hardy's criminal activity, so he couldn't take action against him.

On the other hand, Hardy's power was formidable—HD Security, the Los Angeles gang, alliances with other mafia families, the Hardy Group, and the California Consortium.

All of these factors made Hoover hesitant to move against Hardy.

Though Hoover was the Director of the FBI, he was still just one man. If he angered Hardy but couldn't decisively eliminate him, Hoover knew that he would be the one to suffer, likely hunted down and killed.

So, for now, the best outcome was for both sides to leave each other alone.

In the end, the best protection still relied on the strength of one's own power. This was why Hardy, while making money, was also focused on expanding HD Security. The security company was his sword, capable of cutting off the claws of anyone that dared to reach for him.

...

The White House banquet concluded.

Hardy bid farewell to President Johnson and rested for a night in the hotel. The next day, he made a solo visit to Marshall at the Pentagon.

They talked extensively about matters concerning HD Defense Company.

Marshall expressed his willingness to strengthen cooperation with HD Security.

After leaving Marshall's office, Hardy headed straight to the airport and took his private plane back to Los Angeles.

On the plane.

Hardy closed his eyes, reflecting on the past two days.

The last couple of days had been very rewarding for him: solidifying his friendship with Johnson, further strengthening ties with Acheson and Marshall, establishing connections with more politicians, and meeting other family conglomerates and entrepreneurs. These were all assets for his operations.

He then thought of another individual.

Edgar Hoover.

Hoover was a legendary figure in America. At 29, he became the director of the FBI, holding the position for 48 years. During that time, eight different presidents served, yet Hoover always remained in charge of the FBI. His staying power came from his use of various methods, accumulating secrets about numerous politicians, including even presidents and secretaries of state.

Hoover didn't get along with many presidents, and many wanted to replace him, but all of them failed.

Anyone who dared to act against him would be met with the secrets Hoover possessed as threats.

Roosevelt's wife's nude photos, Kennedy's scandalous pictures, Truman's compromising recordings—Hoover knew too many unsavory secrets about powerful figures.

This made people fear him, preventing anyone from daring to remove him.

He built his FBI agent empire, becoming one of the most powerful individuals in America behind the scenes.

Many feared him.

Even more hated him.

Hardy pondered why Hoover had looked at him that way. At that moment, he had felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being watched by a venomous snake.

If asked whether he was afraid of Hoover, others might be, but Hardy wasn't. With his current power, he was confident he could take down Hoover without facing any consequences.

However, he simply didn't like that feeling.

Hardy had read some special reports about Hoover, noting how Hoover loved to gather dirt on others and use it to blackmail them. The FBI's database stored information and secrets on politicians, billionaires, and even foreign dignitaries.

Hardy believed Hoover had likely investigated him too.

His own situation wasn't difficult to probe; Hoover certainly knew a lot about him. But Hardy was always cautious, thinking ahead to cover any potential loopholes.

Still, he couldn't be sure that not a single piece of dirt had slipped out.

His mind began formulating strategies, thinking about future plans, as the seven to eight-hour flight quickly passed.