Chapter 174 - 175 Start An Airline

Words : 1078 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Chapter 174: Chapter 175 Start An Airline After hanging up, he told Henry that the most critical moment had arrived and that he must keep a close eye on things. That very afternoon, the head of the Barzini family had a phone call with Brigadier General Bob Ernst, in which they mentioned the aircraft and the gallery. They didn’t know their conversation was entirely overheard. The next day, the advisor to the Barzini family brought a few people to Bob Ernst’s son in law’s gallery and spent $200,000 to buy a bunch of lousy paintings. Hardy informed Brigadier General Williams of this intelligence, and Williams smiled, knowing it was time to close the net. Returning to his study, Brigadier General Williams took out a small notebook from his pocket, looking at a note while thinking. He picked up the phone and called a subordinate he had personally promoted. Half an hour later, the subordinate arrived at Brigadier General Williams home. They conspired in the study for an entire night. The next day, The subordinate wrote a letter of accusation, detailing Brigadier General Bob Ernst’s bribery, and sent it to the Supervisory Committee. The committee took the accusation very seriously and immediately dispatched a task force to investigate. At this moment, Brigadier General Bob Ernst had no idea someone was out to get him. He received a call from his son in law, who told him about selling the paintings for $200,000, and he felt very pleased. Originally, the idea of setting up the gallery was for money laundering. As one of the logistics supervisors, he naturally dealt with many businessmen. The logistics department had always been a lucrative sector, involving weapons, clothing, food, fuel, tools, medical supplies, construction materials, and more. The needs of millions of people created a massive market. Although quality was consistent, deciding who got the contracts was up to them. Those suppliers naturally had to bribe them. Later, Brigadier General Bob Ernst came up with this brilliant idea of having people buy paintings, turning bribes into legal income. Two days later, Brigadier General Bob Ernst was taken away by the investigation committee for questioning. His method of accepting bribes had been very covert, but he was unlucky to encounter Hardy. Soon, the head of the Barzini family was also under investigation for bribing military logistics officers for benefits. Being targeted by the powerful military is never a pleasant experience. The Barzini family pulled many strings and paid a hefty price, eventually putting their family advisor as a scapegoat to quell the matter. This time, Hardy had severely pitted the Barzini family. One day, Hardy received a call from Brigadier General Williams, inviting him to play golf in Virginia. Hardy, along with Henry, flew to Virginia. On the golf course, The two hit a ball and walked side by side. "Brigadier General Williams, I might soon have to address you as Major General Williams," Hardy said with a smile. Brigadier General Williams smiled slightly, "The deal for handling those planes has been finalized. The C-53 and C-47 you wanted are the most sought after, but I have reserved 50 for you. Can you handle them?" Hardy was overjoyed. The previous efforts had paid off. "Of course, I can handle them. No need to worry about that," Hardy said with a smile. Brigadier General Williams looked at Hardy again and said with a smile, "I’ve also secured an additional benefit for you. Some of these planes have serious component wear issues. The logistics department, when selling them, must ensure quality, right? So, they come with a batch of spare parts." "By the way, you told me before that you wanted a B-29, right? Are you still interested?" Brigadier General Williams asked. From his tone, Hardy sensed there was hope. "Of course, I want them." These days, having a B-29 would be more impressive and stylish than a limited edition Pagani in the future. "This sale list doesn’t include B-29s, but there is one on the scrap list. If you want it, I can arrange for it to be sold to you. But you’ll have to figure out the repairs yourself." The plan could only proceed with such a roundabout method using scrapped equipment. Hardy and Brigadier General Williams dark deal was complete. Hardy helped Brigadier General Williams take down a competitor, and soon Williams would be promoted to Major General and Deputy Director of the Logistics Support Bureau. In return, Hardy got what he wanted: 50 incredibly cheap planes and a unique B-29. Hardy finally understood why big shots loved playing golf. The main reason is to avoid being monitored. Do you think golf is that elegant? Do all big shots really love it that much? When big shots conspire for benefits, most of it can’t be exposed and is even illegal. They need a safe place to discuss. Indoor spaces aren’t safe; the best place is somewhere open, where you can see there’s no monitoring. Walking around while playing golf almost ensures no eavesdropping. Golf perfectly meets all these needs, which is why it is a favorite among big shots. "General, can I make a small request?" Hardy asked. "What request?" "Can the Logistics Support Bureau issue a purchase contract first, and I’ll pay later?" Hardy asked. Brigadier General Williams thought for a moment and said, "There are several companies buying these planes, not just yours. The military wants to recover some funds, which is why they’re selling these planes. They require settlement within six months, so I can give you three months at most." Saying goodbye to Brigadier General Williams, Hardy returned to his hotel and called Andy, who was far away in Los Angeles. "Andy, bring the finance team and lawyers to New York immediately. The plane deal is done, 50 planes. The next steps are up to you." "Got it, boss. I’ll bring the team over right away." After hanging up, Hardy lit a cigar. With these 50 planes, Hardy could easily start an airline. Remembering Southwest Airlines, the fourth largest airline in the U.S., had only three planes when it was founded in 1968. Currently, only a few airlines in the U.S. have as many as 50 planes. If Hardy established an airline, it could immediately rank among the top ten airlines in the U.S. Would starting an airline be profitable? Definitely. Most importantly, an airline holds a significant place in Hardy’s envisioned blue print.

Chapter 174 - 175 Start An Airline

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