Chapter 88: The Truth of the Cornered World
Downing that large glass of whisky was indeed uncomfortable, but Xia Yu had to drink it because it was the final rule. No matter who it was, if they required something to be done, they had to finish the whisky they ordered. Otherwise, it would be considered an insult, and the task would not be completed.
After all, in their view, Scotch whisky is celebrated as the "water of life" and is a matter of pride.
"Damn rules, which idiot made them!" Xia Yu muttered with a face full of displeasure.
"But there's no other choice; only they can help me now," Xia Yu thought to himself.
Earlier, Xia Yu didn't just leave behind a hundred Hong Kong dollars. Among the banknotes, there was also a card with one million Hong Kong dollars and a note.
The bank card was an advance payment, while the note contained Xia Yu's requirements.
He didn't actually need such a large amount, but Xia Yu had set strict requirements. To ensure they could fulfill them as perfectly as possible, he didn't mind spending this money.
To avenge Xia Lei and eliminate his own crisis, this amount was nothing!
On the note, Xia Yu wrote three requests:
1. Investigate the Ma family's complete background.
2. Monitor the Ma family's activities over the past week, especially Ma Xiru and Ma Xizhen. Keep a 24-hour surveillance and immediately inform Xia Yu of any significant developments.
3. Investigate why INTERPOL came to Hong Kong and whether it is related to the Ma family.
Each of these requests was challenging; otherwise, Xia Yu wouldn't have prepared so much money.
Although it was difficult, Xia Yu still trusted their capabilities.
If anyone in Hong Kong, apart from the American CIA, KGB, or British MI6, had the ability to uncover everything about the Ma family, it would be them—SD.
SD was definitely established in Hong Kong before the Ma family arrived.
SD stands for the English initials of "Shadow," meaning "shadow" or "shadowy figure."
This organization, SD, is dedicated to intelligence trading and has existed for at least two to three hundred years. It has always been a top force in the private intelligence world and remains so into the twenty-first century.
Many people in Xia Yu's memory knew about this organization and its details.
The reason why countries around the world allow this organization to exist is that it only deals in intelligence trading and does not engage in assassination missions. Additionally, it is supported by major European families.
In the capital-controlled world of Europe and America, capitalists need this organization. No country would want to eliminate it, as it is a thankless task.
Most importantly, the SD organization is extremely secretive, with no one except the Campbells involved.
This organization has always been controlled by the British Campbell family.
The Campbell family holds a very prominent title: the Duke of Argyll!
One of the top three dukes in Britain!
The Duke of Argyll is a hereditary noble in Britain, representing the Queen's will in Scotland and a staunch Royalist, with the title belonging to the Campbell family.
The Duke of Argyll is also the leader of the historically significant Campbell clan, overseeing over three million Campbells worldwide and managing the family's assets.
In Britain, the Campbell family is considered one of the top families and ranks high across Europe, continuing to grow rapidly.
In the twenty-first century, the Campbell family's assets amount to at least tens of billions of dollars. Even in 1978, their total assets were at least 20 billion dollars, making them shareholders in HSBC and the Royal Bank of Scotland, albeit through complex shadow companies and cross-shareholdings, keeping it undisclosed.
These details are not reported in the open but are true.
If Xia Yu hadn't learned about this through the memories of world-top figures, he wouldn't have believed that such a relatively obscure family could have so much power.
But this is the real world; ordinary people only see a small part of it.
So, what we know and understand is only what others are willing to let us know.
Apart from the small portion of reality we interact with, the vast majority of our worldview comes from news media, but the power of speech is ultimately controlled by those in higher positions. In the U.S., six companies control 90% of the media, and the outcome is predictable!
Let's get back to SD.
SD was established during the rise of Britain and flourished during its peak. The organization has always had the support of Britain's major families, serving as a counterbalance to the government-controlled MI6.
It was created to guard against any future government that might wish to overthrow the Queen and the major families' rule. It also helped to better monitor the territories of the British Commonwealth.
Over the centuries, SD has spread globally, with a particularly dense presence within the British Commonwealth.
A long time ago, SD had a powerful slogan: "Wherever the glory of the British Empire shines, there you will find our shadow!"
This slogan reflects the power of SD!
Hong Kong, being under British jurisdiction, naturally has SD's presence.
Moreover, SD has certainly been in Hong Kong since the British occupation began!
Given this, the existence of SD in Hong Kong predates the Ma family's presence. According to the knowledge of the top figures, SD must have thoroughly explored and monitored all major forces in Hong Kong, including the Ma family, and gathered complete intelligence on them.
It's possible that even the CIA and KGB don't have more detailed information than they do, given the decades of accumulated data.
As for real-time monitoring, while challenging, it's not difficult for SD. Considering the Duke of Argyll's status, SD is essentially a semi-official intelligence organization of Britain, with access to many top espionage tools. The Ma family would not know when they installed surveillance.
Also, considering SD's long existence, it's hard to say how many undercover lines have been developed. The Ma family's servants who have cleaned for decades might just be SD's external personnel.
Who, besides SD itself, would know about all this?
Of course, Xia Yu didn't need to retrieve the information himself. He left a home address on the note for the delivery of the physical information.
Similarly, Xia Yu also provided a phone number. During the service period, any special intelligence would be promptly reported to him.
Xia Yu had planned everything meticulously, hoping the results would align with his expectations!