The Tyrant Billionaire

"Huh? What can I do?" Bill asked, confused. His gangster business had nothing to do with the supermarket.

Was Hardy asking him to sell drugs at the supermarket? That would be insane.

"There will definitely be some shoplifters at the store. I want you to send some skilled pickpockets to mingle with the shoppers. When they catch someone stealing, they’ll come out and help the store’s security staff catch them. Once we scare off those thieves, there will be fewer people daring to steal."

"Ah, I see. Don’t worry, boss, I’ll send my sharpest thieves over," Bill said with a laugh.

Since there was no electronic anti-theft system, they had to rely on manual methods.

Everyone has their talents, and sometimes even thieves can be useful.

...

Monroe was performing in Detroit, and the concert was held in a baseball stadium with tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans. Monroe had now become the most influential singer in America, much like the social media celebrities of the future, with countless men going crazy for her.

Recently, Playboy magazine featured Monroe on its cover, showcasing a photo collection of her. Although the photos weren’t overly revealing, they portrayed her in various sexy and seductive poses. Even so, that issue of the magazine sold out completely.

They reprinted it twice, and this issue of Playboy sold over one million copies, marking the first time the magazine had exceeded a million copies in a single issue.

After the performance, Monroe’s bodyguards escorted her back to the hotel. As soon as she arrived, the tour leader smiled and said gently, "Miss Monroe, we just received a call from Mr. Hardy. I told him you were performing, and he asked that you call him back after the show."

"Ah~ Has he returned to the U.S.?" Monroe asked in surprise.

"Yes, Mr. Hardy is in Los Angeles."

Monroe hurriedly ran to her room to call Hardy. As soon as the call connected, she couldn’t wait and said, "Hardy, I miss you so much. I haven’t seen you for 128 days."

"You remember so clearly?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Of course, because I think of you every day."

Damn, What man wouldn’t like hearing sweet talk from a girl like this?

No man could withstand such an emotional test.

"I’ll send a plane to Detroit to pick you up. Let them reschedule the rest of the performances," Hardy said.

"That’s great! That way, I can see you as soon as possible," Monroe said excitedly.

Unwilling to hang up, Monroe continued talking to Hardy about everything she had been doing lately, like a little girl showing off. They chatted for over an hour before reluctantly ending the call.

The butler had prepared dinner, but Hardy’s palate had become more refined. He was no longer young. Hot dogs, burgers, cheese pizza, and sandwiches might be fine for now, but as he grew older, he would need to start adjusting to healthier food.

After dinner, Hardy took a half hour walk in the yard, then headed to the gym for a workout. Although he had been out of the military for four years, Hardy maintained his physique by consistently exercising and boxing.

Thanks to his extraordinary recovery ability, his stamina was far superior to the average person’s.

After working out for two hours, Hardy went to the pool for a swim—part of his regular training routine. Just as he swam to the other side of the pool, a beautiful figure rushed through the door and, upon seeing Hardy in the pool, let out a delighted shout and ran over, jumping straight into the water.

Irina quickly swam over to Hardy, wrapped her long legs around his waist, and kissed him.

Lovemaking was also part of his workout regimen, especially effective for training endurance and explosive power in the waist.

"How’s the TV station doing these past few months?" Hardy asked as he stroked Irina’s curves.

"Very well! We now have three talk shows, two ongoing TV series, news broadcasts at noon and in the evening, as well as news commentary, TV shopping, financial programs, cartoons, broadcasts of concerts from New York, and sports programs like baseball and football. The content is diverse and vibrant.

"And the new season of Super Idol is about to begin. The station is busy preparing for it, and with the experience we’ve gained, I’m sure it will be even better than last year, sure to be another ratings sensation."

"Some of the cartoons and TV series produced by the company—like Sesame Street, Sailor Moon, Armored Warriors, and Captain America—are perfect for making toys. They’ve already been licensed to the group’s toy company, and the toys are selling very well now."

"CBS and NBC are trying to keep up and have produced some shows of their own, but they’re still falling behind. Our overall ratings are firmly number one in the country."

"Oh, and the station has added several local affiliates, expanding our coverage area."

Hardy nodded in satisfaction.

ABC was a critical part of his media empire, and he wanted to ensure it maintained its momentum. If the other two networks made significant moves, he wouldn’t hesitate to "cheat" by launching one or two groundbreaking shows to crush them again.

For example, a quiz show like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which, with the lure of big money, would undoubtedly create a frenzy.

In fact, it wouldn’t even need to be a million. In this day and age, $100,000 would be more than enough to get people excited.

"And the station has also reached an agreement with Canada to enter their market, starting with Vancouver."

Stay tuned to empire

Hardy thought to himself, Vancouver is right next to Seattle. If they extend the power lines a bit higher, they could pick up Seattle’s signal.

Through the conversation, Hardy learned a lot about ABC’s current state. The station was doing well and didn’t require his direct involvement. Irina, his vice president and inside source, was more than capable of handling it alone.