HK Composite: Starting from Shenghe Leading

Chapter 596 Time is Merciless
Chen Guoqiang didn't understand the intricacies of the situation; he only knew that he had to resolutely carry out Hao Ge's orders.

After receiving the news, Charles berated Lin Zehao for two whole days, but in the end he still had to face reality.

There's nothing we can do; he made that boast back then.

Charles spent a full year negotiating with his mother for this medal, using every possible method and making countless promises before finally getting the Queen to agree.

It's easy to talk about making contributions to the country, but the hard rule that one's birthplace must be in Scotland is a real problem.

Now that the Queen has given her approval, this action completely violates the ancestral rules of the British monarchy.

It is not only unprecedented, but also unparalleled in the future.

No one but Lin Zehao could have done this.

Of course, this is a story for another day.

Time marched relentlessly forward, and on December 26, 1991, Emperor Ai publicly announced the dissolution of the Polar Bear Alliance.

This news caused an uproar around the world!

Related media reports were everywhere, and it became a trending topic at one point!
Whether they were kings and generals, ordinary scholars, common people, or merchants, everyone was discussing this topic.

Related topics have emerged one after another, and everyone wants to find the culprit who caused all this, which is a typical case of finding someone to take the blame after the game ends.

Foreign onlookers watched the spectacle with a mix of amusement and cynical remarks, while the members of the Polar Bear Alliance suffered the consequences.

The situation was chaotic, and no one cared about the people at the very bottom of society.

Fortunately, at this time, Hutchison Whampoa was carrying out disaster relief in various countries with an absolutely positive image, which won countless praises.

Of course, what appears to be a genuine charitable act is actually the result of multiple transactions.

In short, you may make a lot of money, but I definitely make more.

As the polar bear collapsed, countless sharks, who had been waiting in ambush, swarmed forward, tearing at its flesh and blood, sucking its last bit of nourishment.

As the saying goes, "When a whale falls, all things come to life."

The capital from various countries is countless, ranging from large to small.

Most of them are impromptu decisions, while a few are prepared in advance.

For example, Lin Zehao, who had planned ahead of time.

According to incomplete statistics, he made at least tens of billions of US dollars from this wave.

Of course, this is not just cash, but a mix of land, property, weapons and other things.

Upon closer reflection, it's not actually that much; it's certainly far less than what the entire nation of the United States has invested in.

After the collapse of the Polar Bear Alliance, the world order was completely transformed, becoming more chaotic and complex.

Some ambitious individuals have also begun to stir, trying to seize this opportunity to get a share of the pie.

During this period, although Lin Zehao tried his best to keep a low profile, some people still spread rumors that he made a lot of money by taking advantage of the disintegration of the Polar Bear Alliance.

There are even two world-famous paintings. One is Picasso's "The Dream," created in 1932, which is mainly based on his lover and muse, Marie-Thérèse Walter. The other is Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi," created in 1500, which features Jesus as the main character.

Previously, these two paintings were in the hands of a high-ranking official of the Russian Federation, but Lin Zehao managed to obtain them through a clever scheme.

This news immediately attracted the attention of many interested people.

Among them are many internationally renowned notorious thieves.

These master thieves have always targeted top-tier jewelry and famous paintings, so it's not surprising that they've set their sights on Lin Zehao this time.

As the saying goes, "People are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat," which is roughly the idea behind this.

If you have a big enough reputation, someone will always be after you.

…………

Hong Kong, Yau Ma Tei.

Ahai, Azhan, and Hongdou stood on the street, looking at the endless stream of people and cars around them, and couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

"I haven't been back to Hong Kong for many years. I didn't expect it to develop so fast. There are skyscrapers everywhere..."

"I remember there used to be many low and dilapidated bungalows."

Ah Hai is very tall and thin, looking like a bamboo pole from a distance. He is quite handsome and always has a smiling face.

"Hey, if you can say something like that, it usually just means you're getting old."

Azan was gentle and refined, and apart from being a bit dark-skinned, he seemed to have no flaws.

"Alright, we're here on serious business this time, so don't let playing around ruin our plans."

Hongdou has curly hair and wears large sunglasses. She exudes a charming and alluring aura in every gesture.

These three men are internationally renowned top thieves, who have come to steal two oil paintings from Lin Zehao on orders from his adoptive father.

"I heard that these two paintings together are worth at least a hundred million US dollars. I wonder if it's true or not?"

Ah Hai lowered his voice, his face full of curiosity, and even his sunglasses couldn't hide his eager expression.

"Pretty much. I don't need to explain Picasso's status in modern art in detail, do I?"

"Da Vinci is a god among gods, not to mention that the content of his paintings is in the religious form he was most skilled at. If you take the added value of faith into account, then they are priceless treasures."

"The situation is still somewhat volatile. Once things stabilize after a while, prices will rise significantly again!"

Azhan's analysis was both reasonable and well-founded.

As the saying goes, antiques are valued in prosperous times, while gold is valued in chaotic times.

The Polar Bear Alliance has only recently dissolved, and the prices of collectibles have not yet reached their peak.

In times of peace, these two paintings would indeed be priceless.

"It seems that these two paintings have a high artistic value."

"It must be at least a dozen stories high."

Ah Hai looked up at the tall buildings beside him, looking quite emotional.

"But what is Lin Zehao's status? What if he fails..."

Ah Hai didn't continue speaking, but the two of them understood perfectly.

If discovered, death is absolutely the simplest punishment.

With Lin Zehao's methods, he could easily make the three of them wish they were dead.

"Besides, Lin Zehao has an excellent reputation in Hong Kong. Even if he makes money off the Polar Bear Alliance, it has nothing to do with us, right?"

"Wouldn't it be against our principles to target such a loyal and righteous big shot?"

Although the three of them are internationally notorious thieves, they still live ordinary lives.

Because each time they stole from people, they were mostly rich and heartless, having been screened by their adoptive father.

Moreover, they handed over all the stolen goods to their adoptive father, who would sell them and donate the proceeds to charities around the world to help those in need.

After conducting an on-site investigation, they discovered that Lin Zehao did not belong to the category of the rich and heartless.

"But our adoptive father gave the order, and we couldn't disobey..."

Hongdou was also caught in a dilemma. This conflict between her actions and her inner beliefs was truly torturous. On the one hand, taking action against Lin Zehao went against their principles, and on the other hand, their adoptive father's authority left them powerless to resist.

"Hey, I have an idea!"

Ah Hai's eyes widened, and he pointed his right index finger to the sky, looking incredibly wise and intelligent.

"Speak up, speak up!"

"What exactly is the idea?"

The two of them were very supportive and were indeed competent straight men.

“It’s simple. Why don’t we find a way to get a job at Hutchison’s company and then get in touch with Lin Zehao to see if he is really as rumored?”

"That way, if our adoptive father asks, we can say we're gathering intelligence and preparing to take action, how about that?"

Ah Hai was very pleased with himself, even puffing out his chest, clearly satisfied with the plan.

A-Zhan and Hong-Dou exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

"What kind of bullshit strategy is this?"

Have you ever seen a working-class person get to meet a big boss?

"Moreover, Hutchison Whampoa employs far more than 70 or 80,000 people. What position do we need to reach to even get in touch with Lin Zehao?"

If A-Zhan hadn't always treated A-Hai as a big shot, he would have said even harsher things.

"Uh... I was just trying to lighten the mood because the atmosphere was a bit tense..."

Ah Hai chuckled twice, thus letting the matter drop.

"Forget it, there's no point in saying more. Let's go to the villa on Victoria Peak tonight and find out what's going on."

Seeing that Hongdou had made her decision, the two of them stopped talking and simply nodded slightly.

……

That evening, at the Lam residence atop Victoria Peak.

Looking at the villa hidden under the cover of night, the three people, who had already changed into their night clothes, looked rather grim.

After some investigation, they found no clues whatsoever and were almost exposed.

How exactly should we attack such a fortress?
"With the Lin family's security, we simply can't get in. This deal is off."

Ah Hai found their previous thoughts laughable. They thought they had the initiative, but now it seemed they could never make decisions.

If they can't even get through the villa's gate, how can they steal paintings?

"Alright, there's no other way. Go back and report to your adoptive father."

The three of them secretly left Victoria Peak, unaware that their movements had been observed by a group of people.

"Brother Hao said that we should find the three men's adoptive father, kill him without anyone knowing, and then find a way to hire the three men as members of the villa's security team."

"Go do it."

Upon hearing the command coming through the headset, the group immediately followed.

It was a perfect strategy that allowed him to avoid being exposed while also keeping track of the other three.

With the Lin family's security forces and technological equipment, the figures of Hongdou and her two companions were already clearly visible under the night vision equipment.

The reason they didn't act immediately was because Brother Hao wanted to recruit the three into the security team to be specifically responsible for the security of high-value collectibles.

After all, those who know these thieves best are those who have been thieves themselves.

This is a professional matter; leave it to the professionals.

Ironically, the three of them thought they had escaped because of good luck, not knowing that it was entirely due to someone else releasing them into the sea.

If any so-called notorious thief could easily break into Lin Zehao's villa, he would have been beheaded long ago.

It's unclear when exactly, but his opponents stopped being underworld forces and started being special forces from around the world.

Take France and the British Empire, for example. Although they seem to have a good relationship now, they must have secretly harbored murderous intentions towards each other.

It's just that their goal is difficult to achieve, so they can only settle for second best and become superficial friends, cooperating for mutual benefit.

If it weren't for the fact that they couldn't eliminate the other party, who wouldn't want to monopolize the benefits?
Lin Zehao had already grasped the underlying principles.

As time went by, Hutchison's strategic moves in Myanmar began to take effect.

Due to the chaotic situation, many major ethnic groups in Myanmar sought independence, leading to armed conflicts with the then-government.

Hutchison took advantage of this opportunity to sweep through northern Myanmar, including Magway Region, Mandalay Region, Sagaing Region, Chin State, Kayah State, Shan State, and Kachin State.

Although the land nominally still belongs to the locals, Hutchison has already taken actual control.

If things had continued on their original trajectory, this place would have become a haven for telecom fraud decades later, but now, due to Hutchison's involvement, that possibility has been completely lost.

Hutchison's main investment here is to utilize its low-cost human resources to engage in some simple physical processing industries.

Ultimately, manufacturing is the simplest way to control a region.

In particular, Hutchison's large-scale industrial investments are of great significance to the local people, and even the government has to bow down to them to some extent.

Anyone who dares to disobey will lose their job and their food.

Under this high-pressure situation, Hutchison Whampoa quickly became the leading enterprise in northern Myanmar.

Anyone or any force that wants to make a living in this land needs to get in touch with Hutchison first.

For a time, Hutchison Whampoa enjoyed immense popularity in Southeast Asia.

During this period, Lin Zehao was also invited by the Russian leader to go to Moscow to discuss reconstruction work.

Lin Zehao did not refuse, since it was just a formality and there was nothing substantial involved.

Whether Emperor Yang's ascension to the throne was a good thing or a bad thing is hard to say.

I spent more than a week in Moscow, and it was nothing but meetings and drinking, meetings and drinking, over and over again.

Of course, Lin Zehao also took the time to visit old friends, such as Pu Jing, who had already left the KGB.

If it weren't for him, Lin Zehao would never have been able to leave Er Mao so easily.

Ultimately, this so-called meeting to make polar bears great again didn't yield any results and was essentially just a social gathering.

After leaving Moscow, Lin Zehao traveled to mainland China by private plane.

On the surface, it was about handling investment matters, but in reality, it was about discussing matters related to 1997.

It's important to understand that during this period, the number of people in Hong Kong who could participate in the final discussions as businessmen was no more than a handful.

Lin Zehao is one of them, and he is the youngest and most accomplished of them.

It took another week of discussion before a final conclusion was reached.

Of course, plans are plans, but when the time comes, the situation will definitely change rapidly, and only those in charge can adapt to the changing circumstances.

Only Lin Zehao possesses this qualification.

(End of this chapter)