The Tyrant Billionaire

"I plan to arrange for The Global Times to conduct an interview with the Pacific Command, highlighting their achievements in the East. Having a familiar face there would make things easier," Hardy explained.

Williams chuckled, "That's a great idea. I'll send Sutherland a telegram to ensure he hosts the Global Times reporters."

"But you know, if your newspaper praises the Pacific Command, MacArthur will probably become even more full of himself," Williams remarked, with a hint of disdain in his tone when mentioning MacArthur.

"Oh? You don't like MacArthur?" Hardy asked with a laugh.

"Who does? I mean, nobody in the military circles likes that guy. He's arrogant, self-important, and constantly seeks the spotlight. He should be an actor, not a soldier."

"It's not just the Pentagon; even the other generals and his own subordinates can't stand him. Sutherland once complained to me about how MacArthur never listens to others' opinions, grabs all the credit, and doesn't trust his own men. Many of the division commanders under him have also vented about how unbearable it is to work with him."

The conversation with Williams went on for a long time, and both men ended up drinking quite a bit, though they enjoyed themselves. In the end, Hardy's bodyguards had to escort him back to his hotel.

The next day, Hardy returned to Los Angeles.

Originally, Hardy planned to return to Japan after Christmas and New Year, once his company affairs were settled, but Williams' matters delayed him.

Hardy also had to oversee collaborations between his chain supermarkets and shipping company with the military's logistics department. These were crucial decisions that required his attention.

Thus, Hardy decided to postpone his return.

In fact, operations in Japan were already running smoothly, managed by a competent team, so his presence there was not necessary.

Taking advantage of this period, Hardy planned to execute some strategies he had previously devised and called Andy in.

"Andy, find a publicly traded pharmaceutical research company with decent research capabilities. It doesn't need to be too large, but it should be reasonably priced. Then, set up a new company in the Cayman Islands and secretly acquire it," Hardy instructed.

"What's your plan?" Andy asked.

Hardy leaned in and explained his strategy to Andy, whose eyes widened in astonishment. He had not expected his boss to be playing such a complex and far-reaching game.

"Alright, I'll get started right away."

A few days later, Andy placed a company profile in front of Hardy: "Hans Biopharmaceuticals USA."

"I researched several pharmaceutical companies and finally settled on this one. I also asked Henry to investigate, and here's the most accurate report on the company. I think it's a good fit," Andy said.

Hardy reviewed the report carefully.

Hans Biopharmaceuticals was established ten years ago, headquartered in New Jersey. Its owner, Dr. Claire Hans, graduated from MIT with a degree in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Hans Biopharmaceuticals is a scientific enterprise. While still a student, Dr. Hans developed a fever-reducing medication that gained widespread recognition, earning him several awards. Following this success, Dr. Hans established the research-focused pharmaceutical company.

After refining the fever medication, it was licensed to pharmaceutical manufacturers for production and achieved considerable success. Hans Biopharmaceuticals enjoyed a period of fame and substantial earnings, allowing Dr. Hans to expand confidently by hiring a large number of researchers and purchasing advanced equipment for multiple research projects.

At its peak, the company employed eight PhDs in fields such as pharmacology, medical technology, bioengineering, and chemistry, along with over a hundred research associates.

In addition to pharmaceuticals, they also ventured into medical device research.

However, in the years that followed, Dr. Hans's luck seemed to run out. Despite significant financial investments, no new valuable drugs were developed. Although some medical devices were produced, they failed to gain much market traction and ended up being abandoned.

Fortunately, the revenue from the fever medication's royalties kept the company afloat. A few years ago, some researchers developed streptomycin, an antibiotic effective in treating tuberculosis, a disease once considered incurable and highly contagious, with a high global incidence rate.

Hans Biopharmaceuticals had previously attempted to develop a tuberculosis treatment but failed. The emergence of streptomycin gave Dr. Hans renewed hope. Although streptomycin was a broad-spectrum antibiotic that offered some efficacy against tuberculosis, it wasn't a miracle cure. Dr. Hans aimed to develop a more potent, targeted treatment based on streptomycin.

However, after investing a large amount of capital and manpower over several years without any success, Dr. Hans found himself desperate for funds. He decided to take the company public, initially securing some money to ease the financial crisis.

But last year, a series of unfortunate events occurred. First, a new fever medication hit the market, quickly rendering Hans's original medication obsolete due to its side effects. With no production, there were no royalties, and Hans Biopharmaceuticals lost its primary revenue source.

Then, a wave of researchers resigned. Hans later discovered that a more promising research institute had been poaching his staff. With dwindling performance and broken financial chains, the company could barely cover salaries, let alone bonuses.

The PhDs, initially lured by the promise of profit-sharing from successful drugs, lost their motivation and left, as there were no rewards to be had.

Today, Hans Biopharmaceuticals has been reduced to a research institute and a single building, with only a handful of researchers remaining, led solely by Dr. Hans himself.

The company is now operating in debt. To keep it afloat, Dr. Hans has even mortgaged the business, betting everything on developing a breakthrough tuberculosis treatment.

Success could mean a return to global prominence. Failure would mean the collapse of all his efforts, leaving him with enormous debts.

Hans Biopharmaceuticals stock, once bolstered by the fever medication, had lost investor confidence due to years of unproductive research. The share price had plummeted to mere cents, now regarded as junk among junk stocks.

Hardy believed that Hans Biopharmaceuticals perfectly met his criteria.

"This is the one, Andy. Follow the plan. Approach Hans and see if he's willing to sell. Coordinate with Henry, and make sure this transaction has no ties to the Hardy Group," Hardy instructed.