I am a master in India

Chapter 99: Ah San’s life is also life

Mumbai is now a complete powder keg. Wherever there are Hindus and Muslims, there will be fighting.

Of course, due to their numerical advantage, it was often the Hindus who overpowered the Muslims. They moved in large groups, sweeping through the streets and house to house.

The shops owned by the Mughals have been the focus of the rioters. Under the leadership of the Shiv Sena, orange flags were flying all over the city.

Ron and his friends relaxed after hiding in a private club guarded by police. He often brought officials and directors here for entertainment, and many people in the club knew him.

"Ron, I'm watching over your territory for you. No Mumin will cause any damage there." When Samant, the chief of the Colaba Police Station, saw him, he immediately came over to shake hands.

"My business is all ruined," Ron complained. "When will it end?"

"Once we get those damned Mumbai bastards out, they're all ruthless criminals. Extortion, rape, murder, gang fights – there's nothing they can't do."

Samant has a deep prejudice against the Mughals. He believes that one-third of the serious crimes in Mumbai are committed by the Mughals, who are more violent and more prone to crime than Hindus.

Ron didn't know if this could be considered sectarian discrimination, but in any case, most people here agreed with what Samant said.

Looking around, the people hiding in the club are either officials or businessmen like Ron. Perhaps we can also look at their identities from another perspective, that is, Mumbai's privileged class.

The streets outside were bustling, but the people in the club had the leisure to enjoy red wine and talk business.

Angry roars could be heard from the walkie-talkie in the hands of the police at the door almost every few seconds. It was a live battle report from the front line.

"Military trucks are approaching with milk and other rations. Major Syed Rahmatullah is leading the team... A crowd has gathered... Request for reinforcements."

"Why the hell are you distributing milk to the Mumin people? Are you looking for death? Don't you know whose gathering place that is?" Samant cursed.

"Those who received milk and supplies have dispersed." After a while, the person on the walkie-talkie answered.

"Who allowed the distribution of milk? Don't you fucking understand? You are not allowed to give milk to those dogs!" Samant was furious.

"They are two... military trucks, led by Major Sayyid Rahmatullah."

"Stop the car! Search him, fuck the major, he's a traitor!" Samant gave the order angrily.

"A mob is gathering outside the Malati garage at Lamington Road, Gasgilli. They may set fire to the garage. Requesting support!" Another intercom rang.

"Burn down the garage of the Mughals. Damn it, watch out, don't touch the garage of the Marathas. Burn down the garage of the Mughals." Samant waved his arms.

The police here did not avoid anyone. They issued such instructions in full view of the public.

Ron shrugged at the stunned Luca. There was nothing he could do since everyone here was Hindu, and most of them were of high caste.

After the outside storm died down, Ron prepared to leave. He had to discuss some things with Luca and also to see how much his business had lost.

"I'll ask two people to escort you," Samant gently pulled his arm, "Ron, my son is learning English recently, and he needs a complete set of imported tutoring materials, so..."

"OK, how much in US dollars do you need?" Ron asked familiarly.

"Twenty thousand dollars." He made a silent gesture with a flattering smile on his face.

"Because of the riots, the rupee exchange rate has been falling these past two days. About one or two points, is that okay?"

"It's all the fault of those damn Mumin!" Samant cursed, but finally agreed to the price.

"Send someone to my company to pick it up in two days."

"No problem!" Samant has always been very efficient in handling such matters.

Before leaving, he waved his hand and arranged for two more police officers to escort Ron. A total of four police officers guarded them in front and behind, as if Ron was their immediate superior.

With such a scene, no petty thief would bother causing trouble. The group soon arrived at the Indian Hotel in Xiangtu, where Luca would stay for the time being.

After giving each police officer a 200-rupee tip, the group said goodbye politely. One large police officer even hinted that Ron could hire a police officer as a bodyguard if he paid.

This is Mumbai, hell for the poor and paradise for the rich.

"Let me make a few calls first." Lying on the hotel bar, Ron picked up the landline and started dialing.

The first people he looked for were Mary and Lena. From last night until now, he had been busy with many things and had not had time to contact many people.

Fortunately, Mary and her friends were in Bollywood, where there was no commotion. They had returned to the apartment safely and even called him several times during their stay.

Ron felt a little guilty, so he could only make excuses by saying he was stuck in a hotel. Then he started to ask about their well-being, which touched Mary and Lena deeply.

Alas, being Aquaman is actually quite tiring. You have to provide emotional value to the girls all the time.

Ron learned from the phone that Bollywood was temporarily unable to resume production. Several ethnic minority stars had been threatened by Hindus on the crew, forcing the director and producer to suspend filming.

Well, I can't count on the income from the extras for now. Ron called the train station and the airline, and the situation there was just as bad.

Although the trains haven't completely shut down, the number of tourists has dropped significantly, and foreigners are almost non-existent. Western media have begun to report extensively on the riots in Mumbai, and no one wants to play with their lives.

Ron looked up at the TV in the hall, and sure enough, the picture was showing the Mumbai riots.

"My guests hid in their rooms and dared not go out. Even the food was delivered to the door by the waiters." Xiangtu shook his head helplessly.

"When will the Shiv Sena stop?" Ron asked.

"Who knows? Bal Thackeray went to that tube-shaped building in person today. He wanted to hold a mobilization meeting."

Bal Thackeray was the leader of the Shiv Sena, and Rafiq was his right-hand man. Their mobilization outside the tube-shaped building where the six families were murdered was tantamount to advocating profiteering and rubbing salt into the wounds of the Moslems, who had already lost hundreds of their lives in just two or three days.

It was clear the conflict wasn't going to end so easily, and the Shiv Sena seized the opportunity. They took to the stage in Mumbai, where the United Bharatiya Janata Party was now making its presence felt everywhere, determined to capture the city.

"Ron, Persia is coming!" Anand ran in from outside.

"What?" Everyone was surprised.

"The rumor was that the destruction of the Babri Temple had completely enraged the Mosque people, and they were recruiting. A bloody battle was inevitable. Everyone was saying this. People in small shops, train stations, and office pantries were organizing a convoy to the beach.

It's near the Arabian Sea, and they kept their high beams on alert all night. Someone was also on guard at the lighthouse, wary of the Persian fleet, rumored to be armed with all sorts of missiles and weapons, just across the harbor. I saw a lot of people at the dock myself.

Anand looked panic-stricken. Their slum wasn't far from the beach. The noise of car engines and lights all night long had everyone feeling uneasy. If a fight really broke out, their slum would be the first to suffer.

"Don't worry, Persia won't declare war." Ron comforted him.

"How do you know? Those people are crazy. They like war." Anand was still worried.

"This concerns the lives of billions of people in two countries, and war will not break out." Ron couldn't tell him that the two countries never fought each other in later generations.

"Do you have any inside information?" Anand came closer stealthily.

"I just met Director Samant, and that's what he said." Ron lied without hesitation.

"That's good, no need to fight, Baba." Anand smiled happily.

This guy is too easy to fool, Ron secretly complained, of course, this was also out of trust in him. After chatting with Xiangtu and the others for a few words, Ron took Luca and Anand upstairs, and Viraj ran back to coax Hela.

Ron never played the role of a bootlicker; it was always someone else who took the initiative to boot him. Look at Mary, Lena, and Kavia; they all took the initiative to push him down on the bed.

Even little Nia was itching to get in bed with him, wondering if she should get naked. Ugh, it was too small for Ron to eat.

"Anand, there is no hope for our business for now." After sitting down, Ron sighed with some melancholy.

He bought a piece of land and was about to start a travel agency. But just when he was about to make great plans, everything was abruptly put on hold.

"As long as there is no war, Mumbai will soon be as lively as before." Anand is very optimistic.

"Hopefully."

Hadehan hasn't contacted him recently, and the meeting with an official that was agreed upon last time is now probably going to be put on hold.

"We can start other businesses first." Luca interrupted when he saw an opportunity.

"What business? Medicine?" Ron said with little interest. "Didn't you hear Anand say that there are people guarding the docks now, and we can't find a boat to go out to sea?"

"We won't go out to sea yet. The medicine can wait. Have you heard of Merck?"

"That American pharmaceutical company?"

"Oh, you know. That's just in time. They're coming to India."

"Opening up the Indian market? I'm not optimistic."

Since ancient times, authentic products have generally been no match for knockoffs. Ron had seen plenty of this in China, where foreign brands often struggled to adapt to the local environment.

"No, they don't sell drugs. They want to build a laboratory. You know, developing new drugs requires clinical trials."

"You mean medicine man?" Ron thought of the word almost instantly.

"Medicine man! Look, what a great word." Luca was excited. "I have a relationship with Merck. They are willing to pay us a lot of money as long as we find a medicine man."

Ron was silent for a while. He certainly knew what a medicine man did, but this touched his bottom line a little.

Admittedly, he wasn't a good person, but he still found it difficult to get over the idea of ​​having a living person test the drug.

Asan’s life is also a life.

"Ron, actually many people are willing to do this job as long as they are paid." Anand next to him suddenly interrupted.

(End of this chapter)