Chapter 235: Vigorously Expand Hong Kong's Business

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The Liberty Ship and the Victory Ship docked at the port, attracting significant attention. Five military personnel disembarked, and a group was there to greet them.

"It's Mr. Victor, correct?" one of the officers asked.

"Thank you for your efforts," Victor said with a smile as he shook hands with the welcoming party.

Before his arrival, Hardy had arranged for Victor to handle local arrangements. Upon learning of the freighters' arrival, Victor quickly assembled his team to assist with the unloading.

Customs procedures were efficiently handled thanks to Victor's advance preparations. The freighter docked and began unloading. Victor had previously rented several large warehouses near the dock to store the goods.

This shipment included not only the supplies ordered by Hong Kong Hongmen but also items that Victor had procured himself.

Victor, having spent nearly six months in Hong Kong, had developed a strong understanding of the local situation. He had established a trading company and was familiar with market needs. Hardy had provided him with a list of items, which extended beyond military surplus.

In Victor's view, the market was almost limitless, with ample opportunities for expansion.

Instead of requesting typical supplies such as cans, clothing, and shoes, Victor focused on acquiring American military production line equipment. This included machinery for producing nails, screws, rubber shoes, leather shoes, wires, telephone lines, zippers, raincoats, rain boots, and umbrellas.

Additionally, Victor ordered a substantial quantity of cotton. Since the liberation of Hong Kong, the region's industrial capacity had been recovering, with many spinning mills and textile factories relocating from the mainland. However, there was a significant shortage of cotton, leading to rising prices. Thus, any cotton shipped would be in high demand.

The reception committee included local figures as well as members of the triad. Two middle-aged men met Victor and introduced themselves as influential local figures who had heard of Victor's growing reputation.

"You must be Mr. Victor. I'm Li Chunshan, responsible for the triad here. I hope to work closely with you," Li Chunshan said.

"Indeed, we're partners. Let's profit together," Victor replied with a smile.

After a brief exchange about the shipment, Victor requested that Li Chunshan provide a list of the items. "You can pick up the goods at your convenience. However, payment for the first batch of goods must be made before we proceed with the second batch."

"Understood," Li Chunshan agreed.

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At a large residence on Hong Kong Island, two middle-aged men entered and approached the main hall, where they were greeted by a guard.

"No rest, come in," came an irate voice from inside.

The men laughed and hurried into the room.

The elderly Mr. Situ, reclining in a chair, awoke as they entered. "You seem excited. Is something good happening?" he asked.

One of the men replied, "Master, the American freighter has arrived, and the cargo is being unloaded. Here's the list of items. What do you think?"

Li Chunshan handed over the list.

Mr. Situ reviewed it, noting items such as telephones, telephone lines, radio equipment, medical kits, medicines, glass syringes, sterilized cotton, infusion tubes, medical equipment, gas masks, steel helmets, engineer shovels, gloves, iron wire, military boots, cloth, sugar, sleeping bags, wool blankets, and various cans of field rations.

"Very good," Mr. Situ said. "Some of these supplies will be sold, while others will be quietly transported through different channels along with weapons from other sources."

He then picked up another, thicker list provided by Hardy, noting that it included a wider variety of materials than those on the purchase list.

Mr. Situ sighed, "I wanted to order everything, but funds are limited. Thankfully, we're allowed to defer payment, or we wouldn't have been able to place such a large order."

Li Chunshan added, "We can sell some materials here to make a profit and use the proceeds to acquire more."

"It's just a drop in the bucket," Mr. Situ replied. "If I had more funds, I could support more materials and contribute more significantly."

"Master, you've done enough," Li Chunshan said reassuringly.

Mr. Situ shook his head. "It's not enough. Let's get to work. We'll be busy for a while."

Li Chunshan left to manage the goods and began selling them in Hong Kong. 

Cans and field ration boxes were the first items to be marketed. With tens of thousands of Hongmen members and many more in the surrounding areas, word spread quickly without the need for advertisements.

One street vendor promoted the U.S. Army rations: "These canned beef chunks are delicious, and a can costs just 2 yuan."

"2 yuan seems expensive," replied a woman.

"Expensive? This is from the United States! Did you see the two large freighters that arrived recently? That's where it's from."

"Can't it be cheaper?"

"This canned luncheon meat is cheaper, just 1 yuan."

The woman finally decided to buy a can of luncheon meat to try.

The ration boxes contained a variety of items. Instead of selling them whole, Hongmen unpacked and sorted them. American cigarettes like Camel, Haocai, and Marlboro were included, which sold well and recovered a significant portion of the cost.

There was high demand for other items such as instant coffee, beverage powder, matches, soap, towels, chewing gum, chocolate, and hard candy.

Large quantities of milk powder and egg powder were also available. Small vendors repackaged these into smaller quantities for resale.

Hong Kong, with a population of 1.5 million in a small area, consumed the materials quickly. As demand surged, Victor prepared to pick up the second shipment.

During this time, Hardy tasked Victor with an additional assignment. Having established connections with local figures, Victor invited many Chinese businessmen to explore potential opportunities.

The invitation generated curiosity among local merchants. Although the details were vague, the opportunity to meet with the well-known Victor attracted their interest.

On the designated day, over a hundred people attended. Instead of meeting at a hotel, Victor had chosen to host the gathering at the dock warehouse.

Victor addressed the assembled crowd, "You've likely heard about the recent arrival of American goods, including canned food and field rations. These are part of a larger shipment."

The crowd was already aware, with many having purchased some items earlier.

"This business is managed by our Hardy Group. These materials are destined not only for Hong Kong but for over 30 countries worldwide," Victor continued.

The businessmen were impressed and gained a clearer understanding of Hardy Group's scope.

"The shipment includes not just canned goods, but also valuable equipment," Victor added, opening the warehouse doors.

Inside, the warehouse was filled with machinery and production line equipment. Victor explained, "The Hardy Group is looking to partner with you. This equipment is from U.S. military factories and includes complete sets for producing nails, screws, rubber shoes, leather shoes, wires, telephone lines, zippers, raincoats, rain boots, and umbrellas."

Realizing the business potential, several businessmen were eager to learn more. A businessman named Zheng immediately inquired, "Mr. Victor, are you planning to sell this equipment, and at what price?"

Victor responded, "We're not selling. We're looking for partners."

"Our plan is to collaborate with partners to establish factories and produce these items. The equipment is part of the investment, with joint management of the factories."

The crowd recognized the advantages of this model, especially given the support from the Hardy Group.

Victor concluded, "I will soon discuss with Governor Grantham about developing an industrial zone in Xiangjiang Lane, dedicated to factory development. There are already more than a dozen production lines here, with plans to add more in the future. The Hardy Group is involved, and hundreds of industries can be relocated here if suitable."

A voice from the crowd exclaimed, "I, Li Xiaohe, am willing to partner with Hardy to establish a nail and screw production company."