I'm a Master in India

Ron admitted that he didn't know enough about Mumbai. He had spent most of the past six months doing tourism business. Train stations, airlines, major markets, hotels, restaurants... He mostly frequented glamorous places.

The only thing that could be considered a gray area was probably the various black markets. But they were still cloaked in sophistication because Hader Khan had opened the window to the black market for him.

Hader Khan was a top figure in the underworld, and to some extent, he also represented Mumbai's privileged class. He didn't have access to, or rather, he didn't introduce Ron to, the darkest parts of Mumbai.

Ron had been to the slums, but he hadn't lived there for a single day. He didn't know what kind of lives the people in the slums led every day.

He didn't know how the people in the slums survived without water or electricity. He hadn't even had in-depth contact with Mumbai's so-called middle class; he had always used money to solve problems.

He lived in an expensive apartment and didn't encounter annoying problems like frequently clogged pipes, power outages, or water shortages like Dijang.

His bathroom was cleaned by a dedicated person, who came from the slums where Anand lived. People there solved all kinds of minor problems in his life, and he even had a full-time driver at his disposal.

But today, the Mumbai that Anand showed him completely refreshed Ron's worldview. The most disgusting things in the world could probably be found here.

After seeing the shelter, Ron went back. He didn't let Anand continue to introduce him to other "markets" here. There was no need; he understood.

In this hellish metropolis, you don't need to consider moral issues. Bystanders, even victims, calmly accept everything. Your excessive "kindness" would instead become an oddity.

Back at the India Hotel, Ron spoke directly with Luca about the Merck collaboration.

"How much are they willing to pay?"

"Uh... about two thousand dollars." Luca nodded affirmatively.

"Merck's laboratory will be built in Mumbai, right?" Ron said noncommittally to his answer.

"That's right. I'll talk to them personally when the time comes."

"You can't. In Mumbai, without my involvement, they won't last a week." Ron chuckled.

"Why?" Luca asked subconsciously.

"Countless gangs will target such a fat sheep. The Dawood Gang, the Gawli Gang, the Pathan Gang... people will come to extort them every day. The police are in cahoots. In the end, those Western white people will only dare to hide in high-end apartments, trembling. They won't even have the courage to find Indian call girls."

"Dude, are you bluffing me? I know you can hire bodyguards here." Luca swallowed.

"Bodyguards? Believe me, if they refuse to pay, the bodyguard's head will be placed at the entrance of their apartment the next day."

"Oh! Shit! Are you sure you're not kidding? I've been here so many times and haven't encountered any problems." Luca shuddered in fright.

"Because you're a tourist, you're not planning to live here long. Of course, most importantly..." Ron gave him a look, "I'm by your side, that's the signal."

"Signal? What do you mean, dude? Are you also a gang member?" Luca asked in surprise.

"I'm not a gang member, but I have connections with gang members. Now, tell me, how exactly is Merck planning to cooperate?"

"Okay, they're willing to pay five thousand dollars per test subject, regardless of their survival." Luca confessed honestly. He admitted that Mumbai was different from what he thought.

Especially the Indo-Muslim conflict outside, that kind of hysterical madness, even an old street hustler like Luca felt a chill.

Of course, he wanted to cut Ron out and do this deal himself, but it wouldn't work, and he couldn't hide it. As soon as the people from Merck set foot in Mumbai, they would inevitably have to deal with Ron, and then things would be revealed.

Between profit and avoiding offending Ron, the local snake, Luca chose the latter. Five thousand dollars per head, even if they split it, was a considerable profit. Most importantly, he wanted to run this business long-term.

"You see, we can talk when everyone is honest with each other. We should meet with the people from Merck; there are many details that need to be confirmed." Ron was very satisfied with this number.

"Of course, I hope to close this deal as soon as possible, but you also know the situation outside. If Mumbai doesn't calm down, Merck, our drug business, will all have to stop, and the losses will be huge."

This time, Luca was preparing to ship more drugs out of Mumbai, and they had prepared nearly two hundred thousand dollars in cash. He couldn't carry that much money on him.

As long as the distributors here were contacted and the drugs were sent to the dock, then his brother, Ronaldo, would send someone to deliver the money. Their ship was cruising in international waters, and a satellite phone could handle it.

So the situation in Mumbai was the key. Many businessmen were inquiring about news.

"I'll make a call first." Ron went downstairs to find Xiang Tu.

The first people he thought of were, of course, the officials he knew, who worked in government departments and had a more comprehensive understanding of the situation.

Unfortunately, neither Harry nor Singh knew when this conflict would end.

They told Ron that the Shiv Sena's actions had the support and connivance of many members of parliament. Bal Thackeray, as the leader, had tasted the sweetness of power, and he wanted to use this as a stepping stone to deeply participate in politics.

The leader of the Indian People's Party - Advani, was determined to become the Prime Minister of India. This famous politician had also formed an alliance with the Shiv Sena, and they jointly inspected the tenement building where the Hindu family was killed.

This was a signal that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Mumbai would be controlled by the Shiv Sena in the future. Yes, the Shiv Sena was a nationalist group, not a gang, although what they did was no different from a gang.

Ron then called Haila, who knew people at the embassy and could even get blank passports from them.

Haila told him that the embassies of the United States, Britain, Germany...almost all Western countries had informed their home countries about the riots in Mumbai, reminding their citizens not to stay in Mumbai for the time being.

Okay, it seemed that this riot would not end in the short term, because this was the unanimous view at home and abroad.

Ron finally called Hadkhan. This sudden turmoil made their situation slightly awkward.

Ron was ostensibly a Hindu, and it was well known that Hadkhan was a Muslim. Now these two religious groups were at odds with each other.

They tacitly reduced their business dealings, not because of faith, but because they were worried that their subordinates would be dissatisfied.

Especially Hadkhan. The Muslims under him must be dissatisfied with everything that was happening now. It was always right for Ron to be cautious.

Of course, no matter what, it was no problem to make a phone call.

"Hadbhai, it's me, Ron."

"I'm glad you're safe and sound."

"Uh, thank you. I'm sorry about what's happening outside."

"Haha..." Hadkhan laughed, "I once said the same thing to you. Now it seems that karma is a cycle. This is a tragedy."

Ron's parents died in religious conflicts, and Hadkhan had said sorry at that time. Now the situation had been reversed.

Although the newspapers had been accusing Muslims of serious crimes, everyone knew that Muslims were the most persecuted party, and they had suffered more deaths in this turmoil.

"Don't worry, no matter what happens outside, our business will continue as usual."

"No problem, I'm ready here at any time." Ron breathed a sigh of relief. He still needed to rely on Hadkhan, otherwise there would be a lot of trouble.

"I have already negotiated the matter of the travel agency. After this storm passes, we will start sending people out."

"How long will it take? It's very chaotic outside now," Ron asked.

"It depends on the Shiv Sena, but..." Hadkhan paused, "Don't go out during this time. Something will happen."

"What?"

"Just remember it. Someone wants to teach the Shiv Sena a profound lesson."

Hanging up the phone, Ron's expression was very worried. Hadkhan's strange concern was intriguing, and a bigger storm seemed to be brewing.

But he also breathed a sigh of relief, at least one thing could be determined.

Whether it was Ron or Hadkhan, they both believed in business first. They were businessmen first, then Mumbaikars, and finally Hindus or Muslims.

A week later, Luca left Mumbai. He planned to contact Merck Sharp & Dohme first, and then finalize the laboratory matter as soon as possible.

As for smuggling drugs? Mumbai was now under martial law, and they couldn't find an opportunity.

The entire Arabian coast was being watched, fearing that Persia would attack. Ron estimated that it would take at least two months before those people calmed down, and the business of smuggling drugs would have to wait.

In fact, the impact of this riot was not limited to the drug business. Ron's travel company also suffered heavy losses.

December and January, two consecutive months of dismal revenue. The average profit did not exceed 200,000 rupees, not even a fraction of the peak period.

The media's overwhelming reports had long scared away foreigners in Mumbai. Even Dee Jean and Haila were considering whether to go to Goa in the south to avoid the storm.

They had spent seven or eight rainy seasons in Mumbai, and could be called old hands among foreigners. But this religious conflict was different. They had never seen such a battle.

Some said the riots caused hundreds of deaths, and some said thousands. No matter which one it was, the bloody facts were always impressive.

More than half a month had passed since the initial chaos, and order in Mumbai was gradually being restored. There were more and more people in the market, and hawkers selling goods reappeared on the streets.

But the impact of the riots was far-reaching. If Mumbai wanted to regain the favor of foreign tourists, it would have to wait at least until the next golden tourist season.

The same was true for the travel agency Ron and Hadkhan cooperated with. The current situation in Mumbai simply did not allow large numbers of people to enter and exit customs.

Not to mention the Bollywood extra business, many crews had not resumed work until now.

A conflict directly ruined most of Ron's business.

What could he do? The tourism industry could only depend on fate.

However, it was impossible to surrender. Ron was just able to make a fuss, whether it was women or career.

Taking advantage of this window period, he was preparing to plan the textile factory land. Ron also had a vague idea of what kind of electrical appliances to produce.

He was going to the textile factory today, preparing to find someone to clean it up first. He didn't know if this riot had affected the factory area.

Ron brought Anand and Vinod with him. Now every time he went out, he was accompanied by at least four or five people.

God knows if there would be crazy Muslims carrying out indiscriminate revenge. It was always right to be careful.

They were not going to squeeze into the bus either. Anand's cousin Adi was a taxi driver.

Look, everything was arranged in advance.

This time, Ron was no longer fighting alone in the electrical appliance factory.

In this magical land of India, cheap electrical appliances should have a market, right?