The Tyrant Billionaire

If she couldn't hit high notes, that's fine she would sing in lower registers. If her tone wasn't beautiful, that's fine the music would compensate for it.

Her advancement to the top four was 90 percent due to the company's packaging efforts.

Ava Gardner looked up, glancing at the man and then at the woman on the TV, and smiled as she asked, "You're affected by her charm too."

"Why do you say that?"

"I can feel it, hee-hee."

Ava looked again at the youthful and seductive woman on the screen and softly said, "I must admit, she really is a stunner. Even I am moved."

Hardy stroked Ava's hair. "In terms of sexual appeal, you're not inferior to her at all. Besides, you have many qualities she can't match. Acting and singing are based on talent; you have that talent, while she only has sex appeal as her gift."

Hearing such praise from Hardy, Ava was very pleased. "Should I take her to the semifinals?"

Hardy shook his head. "She needs a male mentor, that would be more appealing to the audience. Let Johnny Fontaine take her."

"I understand."

Ava lay back down.

Hardy continued to tenderly caress Ava's hair.

Occidental Petroleum Company Acquired by Hardy Group

The Occidental Petroleum Company has been bought out by the Hardy Group. It was not difficult at all, as the oil company was already struggling financially. With a major investor coming in, the owner readily accepted the money and left to enjoy a happy life.

The company actually had decent assets. It had a base on the outskirts of Los Angeles, with over a hundred employees, mostly exploration personnel. The equipment for detecting and drilling oil was very comprehensive, and it could handle ordinary oil wells.

Additionally, there were several land reserves, primarily in Long Beach, totaling over 3,000 acres, including beach side land and two reef islands extending several hundred to a thousand meters into the sea.

After acquiring the company, Hardy made a special visit for inspection. The site was a barren wasteland, with nothing but grass, sand, and distant oil rigs. The former company manager, seeing Hardy's arrival, excitedly began to introduce the situation.

"Boss, this land should be able to produce oil. We had it surveyed earlier, and there is supposed to be oil in this area. However, we couldn't find the right spot despite several attempts. The previous owner ran out of money, so the project was left unfinished."

Hardy thought for a moment. When Armand Hammer bought the oil fields, he drilled several high quality wells on the existing land, earning a substantial amount of money. He then continually invested in the international exploration and acquisition of other oil companies and oil equipment firms, ultimately establishing the 'Western Oil Company.'

Could he have that kind of luck?

Why not try?

Hardy looked at the manager and asked, "What's your name?"

"Boss, I'm John," the manager replied with a smile.

"I'll give you $100,000. This is your last chance. If you still can't find oil, you'll have to leave the company," Hardy said.

John gritted his teeth, "I will do my best, Boss."

For him, this was a gamble on the future of his life.

For Hardy, it was an experiment.

The Hardy Group sent several agricultural experts to survey the land in New Mexico. They concluded that the land was diverse, with barren mountains, ridges, grasslands, and rivers. About 3,000 acres were suitable for cattle grazing.

According to the standard of 8 to 10 cows per acre, this land could support more than 24,000 cows.

The company contacted Armand Hammer, who was pleased to hear that Hardy wanted to meet him. Hammer's name is well known among Americans now. In just three years, he had amassed several hundred million dollars, becoming something of a legend.

Hardy flew to New Jersey on his private plane, where Armand Hammer came to the airport to meet him.

Although Hammer was nearing fifty, he was very energetic. After shaking hands with Hardy, he said, "For someone with your fortune, you could have left such small matters as a ranch to your subordinates. I didn't expect you to come in person."

Hardy smiled.

"At the beginning of a venture, I like to inspect the situation myself to see if it is feasible and then set up the operational platform. Generally, once the business is up and running, I hand it over to someone more suitable. My strength lies in market expansion," Hardy explained with a smile.

"That's the best quality of a boss. Only such a boss can expand rapidly. Now I understand why Mr. Hardy has earned hundreds of millions in just a few years," Armand Hammer said, complimenting him.

The group arrived at the farm, which Hammer had named 'Dreamland Estate.'

Hardy saw a herd of Angus cattle on the ranch. Hammer introduced them, "Angus cattle have no horns and are entirely black. This batch of breeding cattle has undergone several rounds of crossbreeding. They are characterized by a stocky build, good meat quality, and high meat yield, making them one of the world's top beef breeds."

"By the way, where are you planning to raise the cattle?" Hammer asked.

"At the foot of the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico. I have 8,000 acres of land there, with about 3,000 acres suitable for a ranch, rich in forage and with ample water," Hardy replied.

Hammer nodded, "That's perfect. The foot of the Rockies is slightly colder than ordinary ranches, and it snows in winter, but it is ideal for Angus cattle. You should know that Angus cattle are known for their cold resistance."

Hammer also told Hardy about other details regarding the cattle. By the time they finished discussing, it was noon. Hammer invited Hardy to lunch, which featured Angus beef steak.

I must say, the beef was indeed excellent, uniform marbling, rich, juicy, and sweet, with a top notch texture.

Hardy planned to start by purchasing 2,000 cattle, including 200 bulls, with the rest being cows. Hardy would have his staff handle the price negotiations.