The Tyrant Billionaire-Chapter 658 Britain’s Reply And Attitude

Malaya Daily

"Yesterday, a squadron of bombers unexpectedly bombed the military camp in Johor, Malaysia, killing and injuring more than 500 military personnel and police officers, resulting in significant chaos."

"On the same day, the Johor prison was attacked by a group of soldiers dressed in black, who broke out a local businessman, Abdullah Hussain Idris, his family, and 35 workers detained by the Sultan of Johor. The attack killed 27 prison guards, incited a prison riot, and led to the escape of over a thousand prisoners."

"Even more shocking, at the same time, another group of soldiers dressed in black assaulted the Johor Sultan’s residence. The Sultan was killed, along with his two sons and dozens of guards."

"As of this report, Johor is in a state of anarchy."

"Deploying fighter jets and thousands of soldiers—who has such resources? Further investigation is needed to uncover the truth behind this incident."

Many have their theories about the black-clad attackers. Considering the region, only two entities could muster such power: the British forces stationed in Singapore or the Hardy Dominion in Penang, Malaya.

The Hardy Security Company personnel all wear black uniforms, and witnesses reported seeing aircraft with the glaring "HD" logo. Additionally, two warships belonging to Hardy Security were seen patrolling the strait.

Even a fool could connect the dots.

But nobody dared to report it outright.

Without evidence, accusing Hardy outright could provoke this powerful figure. If he dared to bomb a military camp and attack a Sultan, a small newspaper upsetting him could easily lead to the editor-in-chief disappearing or the office mysteriously burning down the next day.

At the Singapore Governor’s Residence:

Governor Mountbatten was shocked upon reading the report. Malaya was a British colony, and technically, these people were under his jurisdiction.

And now, a Sultan—essentially a king of the region—had been killed.

Black-clad soldiers.

Deployment of warships and fighter jets.

Mountbatten was almost certain it was the work of HD Security. An immediate investigation revealed that HD Security’s Singapore base indeed dispatched planes and warships the previous day.

They had come directly from the Singapore base.

Mountbatten was furious. Hardy’s audacity to kill a colonial Sultan was a blatant challenge to both his dignity and the authority of the British Empire.

But wait.

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Mountbatten stopped to reconsider. Hardy was also British—a hereditary viscount and the governor of Penang and Malacca. Although he didn’t have jurisdiction over other parts of Malaya, why would he jeopardize British interests in the region?

There had to be more to the story.

He summoned his secretary: "Send a telegram to Governor Hardy, asking if HD Security was responsible for this incident and, if so, why it was done."

The secretary promptly sent the telegram.

Shortly after, Singapore received a reply from Penang. The lengthy telegram detailed the incident, and to Mountbatten’s surprise, Hardy openly admitted to it.

"Dear Governor Mountbatten, First, I must clarify that the events in Johor were indeed the actions of HD Security. However, the Dominion assures you this matter is unrelated to politics."

"The Sultan of Johor attempted to forcibly annex the employer’s assets and imprisoned the employer. HD Security was contracted by the employer, and the security forces were dispatched to rescue the employer and fulfill the contract. This incident was purely a business matter from start to finish."

Mountbatten read the telegram in silence for a long while before speaking to his secretary. "Send a telegram to Britain. Inform the Prime Minister of the attack on the Johor Sultan."

In Britain:

The Prime Minister at the time was Winston Churchill.

During World War II, Churchill was one of the Big Three Allied leaders, alongside Stalin and Roosevelt, earning global renown.

However, immediately after the war, Churchill surprisingly lost the general election. After a few years, Churchill returned to office, becoming Prime Minister again last year.

Upon receiving the telegram from the Singapore Governor, Churchill frowned initially but soon relaxed, even breaking into a subtle smile.

The Malayan independence movement had been brewing for some time. The Empire had gained little benefit from the region while expending considerable resources. Maintaining control no longer aligned with British interests.

Malaya’s path to independence seemed inevitable, but the emergence of Governor Hardy introduced a new variable. Perhaps Malaya could become more intriguing.

While Churchill preferred to retain Malaya as a colony, if that proved impossible, he at least wanted to retain Penang and Malacca. Hardy’s acknowledgment that these territories would forever remain British gave the Empire a crucial foothold and helped preserve its crumbling reputation.

At the end of the telegram, the Singapore Governor had inquired about how to handle the situation.

Churchill chuckled, biting down on his cigar. "Handle it? Does Britain need to handle this? Viscount Hardy has already stated this was a commercial matter. HD Security is an American company; the Americans should address this."

He instructed his secretary to send the response.

Mountbatten received the reply and was even more bewildered than when he read Hardy’s telegram.

The Prime Minister had responded, but his message was clear: if Hardy claims this was a commercial matter, then treat it as such. Mountbatten was instructed to issue a formal note to the U.S. government under the name of the Singapore Colony, requesting their intervention in the matter.

Mountbatten’s face twisted in frustration.

The Prime Minister’s reply essentially washed the government’s hands of the issue, leaving it entirely to the Governor’s discretion.

But what could he do?

Pursuing Hardy Security’s accountability or even mobilizing forces against them was laughable. His troops were outnumbered by Hardy Security’s personnel, not to mention their superior warships and fighter jets.

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Mountbatten remembered his prior meeting with Hardy, during which they had reached a verbal agreement: if Malaya faced unrest and British forces were inadequate, Hardy Security would assist.

Churchill’s response was clearly evasive.

Fine. If the Prime Minister wasn’t worried about the death of a native Sultan, why should he be? At least this way, he wouldn’t have to shoulder any blame.

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