Chapter 358 I Don't Want Him to Survive This Month
Inside the Shixun Road villa, after personally seeing off Guo Henian and Guo Xiaohan, Lin Haoran turned and returned to the mansion. Regarding Guo Xiaohan, he felt he had given a clear enough answer. As for their future together, Lin Haoran decided to leave it to fate and let time decide. The night passed quickly. Although Lin Haoran had narrowly escaped a meticulously planned assassination attempt, he had no intention of making it public. Thus, the news remained unknown to the general public but spread rapidly among Hong Kong's upper circles, causing widespread alarm.
The incident prompted many tycoons to heighten their vigilance and upgrade their personal security measures. After all, if someone like Lin Haoran, with his vast influence and resources, could be targeted, their own situations were certainly not much safer. Not only was Lin Haoran's intelligence network working around the clock to trace the mastermind, but even the notorious 13K triad, boasting over 100,000 members, had started a secret investigation. While it might be difficult to identify the instigator, they were determined not to let the person who physically planted the bomb get away. Lin Haoran would not allow himself to be treated like an easy target.
Meanwhile, Ma Shiming's takeover of Jardines Matheson was remarkably smooth. Within just two to three days, he had won broad support from the company's original mid-to-senior management. Most of the British consortium's influence had been concentrated within Jardines Matheson, not Jardines Matheson, which had always been run primarily by professional managers. Furthermore, Ma Shiming, having been an Executive Director at Jardines Matheson until just a few months ago, already enjoyed considerable prestige within Jardines Matheson's circles. His identity as a Westerner and his decade-long career at Jardines Matheson made his transition seamless.
Throughout the day, Lin Haoran stayed inside his villa, choosing to maintain a low profile until his Secret Guard team was fully assembled. After all, the failed assassination attempt didn't mean the threat was over; it was entirely possible that another plot was already in motion. That evening, after dinner, Lin Haoran returned to the third floor and turned on the TV. TVB's Jade Channel was broadcasting the semi-finals of the Miss Hong Kong Pageant—a highly popular event.
The competition had been ongoing for nearly four months, with three months dedicated to preliminary rounds. Only recently had the event entered its televised phase. However, back when the competition began, Lin Haoran had been too busy securing Jardines Matheson and Jardines Matheson to pay attention. The grand final would be held mid-month. Watching casually, Lin Haoran noted that this year's contestants seemed lackluster; none stood out particularly. He remembered that in his previous life, none of the contestants from this year would become notable figures.
Since Shao Yifu took over TVB, sweeping reforms had been implemented. Every major decision was run by Lin Haoran, the company's largest shareholder, and he had always offered his full support. He believed TVB's ratings would steadily climb under Shao's leadership and that the station would soon dominate Hong Kong's viewership and eventually gain international influence. Of course, that would take time, and in the short term, the changes weren't yet obvious. Still, the Miss Hong Kong Pageant was undoubtedly one of TVB's signature programs, always drawing high ratings and intense public interest.
The screen showed contestants parading in bikinis, their graceful figures providing a visual feast. There were also fun quiz segments and colorful talent showcases, keeping audiences thoroughly entertained. Yet for Lin Haoran, now Hong Kong's richest man—and someone who had already seen countless beauties through various livestreams and video platforms in his previous life—the charm of these contestants seemed rather ordinary. To an average man, these women might seem breathtaking, but to Lin Haoran, they were barely noteworthy.
Given his position as a major shareholder in TVB, a mere hint of interest from him would probably cause these contestants to throw themselves at him. Yet Lin Haoran was extremely selective. Without extraordinary beauty or special allure, no woman could capture his attention now.
On the afternoon of November 7, as Lin Haoran sat reading in his study, the phone suddenly rang. "Mr. Lin, we at 13K have captured the man who planted the bomb," reported Hu Xuyong, a senior 13K member. "Did he reveal who ordered him?" Lin Haoran asked in surprise, impressed by 13K's efficiency. "No. During interrogation, he claimed he had no idea who the mastermind was. He said he simply took a black market job for a HKD 200,000 fee," Hu Xuyong reported.
"Understood. I'll have Mr. Cui Zilong from Oriental Press liaise with you directly on this," Lin Haoran said after a moment's thought. He trusted Cui Zilong, who had just returned from Manila that morning after recruiting twenty elite candidates for the Secret Guard. These candidates would undergo further training, and five would eventually be eliminated, leaving fifteen highly capable bodyguards to protect Lin Haoran around the clock.
After explaining everything to Cui Zilong, Lin Haoran returned to his reading. That evening, Cui Zilong called back with an update. "Boss, we've confirmed that the captured man is indeed the perpetrator. We've also recovered the car used in the attack. After multiple interrogations, we're confident that he genuinely doesn't know who hired him. He was simply motivated by the money," Cui Zilong reported.
Lin Haoran wasn't surprised. He had anticipated that the mastermind would cover their tracks so well that no direct link could be found. If it were him orchestrating an assassination, he too would ensure there were no leads back to him. "I see," Lin Haoran said calmly. "Boss, what should we do with the bomber? Should we hand him over to the police, or...?" Cui Zilong asked carefully.
"You may handle it as you see fit," Lin Haoran replied. "But there's one thing: I don't want him alive by the end of this month. Make sure it's clean. No loose ends. And when the time is right, leak the outcome as a warning to others who might harbor similar intentions."
There was a chilling finality to his words. Anyone who dared to harm him would pay dearly. In this era, the so-called law was just a paper tiger among the powerful. "Understood, Boss. I'll handle everything cleanly," Cui Zilong said firmly.
After hanging up, Lin Haoran felt a strange calm.
He didn't seek trouble, but if anyone crossed him, he would never forgive them.
He was no longer the ordinary man he once was—
his position demanded a ruthlessness he fully embraced.
The assassination attempt was now settled.
Failing to find the mastermind wasn't a sign of weakness;
in cases like this, even the strongest forces often came up empty-handed.
Still, Lin Haoran noted how much more effective his private network had been compared to the police.
It took the police several days with no progress,
whereas his men solved the case in just two or three days.
It was clear:
Hong Kong's police could not be relied upon.
His top priority now was to strengthen his personal security.
As his wealth and influence grew,
so too would the number of enemies wanting him dead.
Three days after the assassination attempt, feeling bored in his villa,
Lin Haoran decided to return to his parents' house at Deep Water Bay.
Having his parents around made life feel less monotonous.
Seeing his son arrive with over a dozen bodyguards, Lin Wanan was shocked.
Having retired from business affairs, Lin Wanan had been spending more time vacationing with his wife in Southeast Asia.
Thus, he was unaware of the recent assassination attempt.
Lin Haoran didn't explain much either,
not wanting to worry his parents unnecessarily.
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