If you want to survive in Mumbai, you have to make money. Wealth and power are inextricably linked; once you have power, the money naturally follows.
To achieve both, Rohan had established two clear objectives for himself.
The first was to aggressively climb the police hierarchy. The problem was that climbing this way was grueling and had a very low ceiling. Once an officer reached the rank of Sub-Inspector, it was nearly impossible to break through to the upper management tiers without immense political backing.
His second objective was to pass the national civil service examination, the legendary UPSC. Cracking the UPSC would instantaneously shatter that ceiling, placing him directly into the upper echelons of Indian government.
The original owner of his body had only dreamed of taking the MPSC, the state-level exam but now that Rohan possessed a flawless, photographic memory, aiming for the state level felt like a massive waste of potential so he was going to attempt the Federal UPSC exam.
There were still massive hurdles, of course. Even if his eidetic memory guaranteed he would ace the written exams, the UPSC process included a brutal, highly subjective interview stage. Candidates with zero political background, low caste standing, or a lack of familial connections were routinely eliminated during the interview by elitist panels, regardless of their written scores but Rohan wasn't going to let that stop him. Passing the federal exam was the only true way to enter the iron-clad power structure of the Indian government. State civil servants would always be treated as second-class citizens by the federal elite. The federal officers had their own exclusive networks, and they held all the real power.
With his new cheat code, refusing to try would be a sin.
Early the next morning, Rohan arrived at Spanda Police Station and was surprised to see Deputy Inspector Gurmeet Singh already there.
This was highly unusual. Singh almost always strolled in well after SHO Agarwal. Had the sun risen from the west today?
Rohan walked over to Old Bharat, who was sipping chai near the dispatch desk. "The Deputy Inspector looks awfully happy today. Did something happen?"
Singh was practically glowing. He was smiling broadly and humming a popular Bollywood tune as he organized his desk. This was a jarring shift from the past few days, where he had been scowling everyone. Rohan knew exactly why Singh had been furious, Agarwal's massive cash distribution and the utter destruction of the Kala Sher gang had deeply humiliated the Deputy.
Rohan had also noticed Singh glaring at him with naked hostility over the past few days. He was mentally prepared for the fallout. By directly assisting Agarwal in the safe recovery, Rohan had firmly planted his flag in the SHO's camp.
Before the raid, Rohan had been a nobody, a neutral pawn with no right to take sides but the moment he handed Agarwal the Minister's safe, neutrality was no longer an option. In any corporate office or police precinct, picking a faction has its pros and cons. To Rohan, the choice was obvious. Agarwal was the boss. Singh might be an entrenched veteran, but he was still just a deputy.
"I don't know," Bharat muttered, keeping his voice low. "The Deputy just announced that once everyone arrives, he has some great news to share."
At that exact moment, SHO Yash Agarwal walked through the double doors. Hearing that Singh was holding court and preparing to make an announcement, Agarwal's expression darkened.
What kind of precinct business was his deputy keeping from him? If it was personal, fine. But if it was official police business, Agarwal was going to have Singh's head.
Seeing the SHO arrive, Singh didn't hold back any longer. He stepped into the center of the bullpen, making sure his voice carried over the din.
"Sir! I have just received excellent news from the Assistant Commissioner of Police," Singh announced loudly, ensuring every officer in the room heard him.
Agarwal's heart skipped a beat. He knew Singh's primary political backer was the ACP of the Central North District, their direct superior. Was Singh publicly flexing his connections?
Agarwal didn't let his anxiety show. He offered a tight, forced smile. "Good news is good news, Gurmeet. Let's hear it."
"I heard a rumor that the higher-ups were allocating a few Inspector-level promotion quotas to the grassroots precincts this quarter," Singh declared, a smug smile spreading across his face. "So, I personally went to visit the ACP. After a long discussion, I managed to persuade him. Spanda Police Station has officially been granted one Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) quota."
The bullpen erupted in hushed whispers. The Head Constables present immediately sat up straighter, their eyes gleaming with sudden, desperate ambition.
An ASI quota meant one of them was about to get stars on their shoulders. There were currently only a handful of officers at the Inspector level in the precinct and whoever got this spot would instantly vault into management.
However, the excitement quickly cooled as reality set in. Most of the officers knew they didn't stand a chance. They either lacked the required years of service, had mediocre performance records, or simply couldn't afford the bribes necessary to secure such a high-level spot.
Rohan frowned slightly, leaning against the wall. He had literally just received his Head Constable promotion three days ago, meaning an Inspector-level promotion was surely out of the question for him.
He glanced across the room at a senior Head Constable named Luv Gore, who was standing suspiciously close to Singh. Luv was Singh's most loyal enforcer in the precinct. Singh's high-profile announcement made his intentions crystal clear: he had secured this quota explicitly to promote his own man into management.
To make matters worse for the other hopefuls, Luv Gore actually had an excellent service record and plenty of seniority. On paper, no one could argue against his promotion.
"Sir," Singh continued, turning to look Agarwal directly in the eye. "Adhering to the principles of fairness and merit, we should obviously select the most outstanding and experienced Head Constable in the station for this honor. Wouldn't you agree?"
Singh was boxing Agarwal in. Because Luv Gore was genuinely qualified, Singh could boldly hide behind the shield of "fairness."
"Yes. Fairness and impartiality are paramount," Agarwal replied, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous rumble. Singh had set the trap perfectly in front of the men; Agarwal had no choice but to agree. "However, I haven't seen the official paperwork for this quota yet..."
"The official order will arrive within the month, Sir," Singh smiled thinly. "I suggest we hold a preliminary meeting today to finalize our candidate."
"There is no rush," Agarwal snapped, cutting him off. "We will discuss candidates after the quota officially arrives on my desk."
Agarwal knew exactly what Singh was trying to do, and he was going to stall for as long as possible. Singh wanted to press the issue, but seeing the murderous look in the SHO's eyes, he backed down. The quota was already a lock and the ACP had agreed.
To secure this favor, Singh had handed the entire thirty-thousand-rupee bonus he received from Agarwal straight to the ACP as a bribe. It pained him, but once Luv got his stars, Singh would make sure his lackey reimbursed him every single rupee with interest.
"As you wish, Sir. We will wait for the paperwork," Singh conceded with a magnanimous sigh.
He didn't need to push any harder; he had already won the morning. He had publicly demonstrated his power.
The atmosphere in the bullpen shifted entirely. The officers looked at Singh with renewed respect and greed. The Deputy Inspector had just proven that his connections to the ACP were strong enough to pull down a highly coveted Inspector-level quota.
Many of the officers who had been firmly in Agarwal's camp just a few days ago were suddenly wavering. Agarwal might have wealthy, mysterious connections, but Singh had a direct line to the ACP, the man who actually controlled their careers.
If Singh could pull down an ASI quota today, what could he get next time?
For the sixty-plus constables at the bottom of the ladder, Singh suddenly looked like their best chance at a future. If he could get an Inspector quota for his loyalists, securing a basic Head Constable quota for them next year would be child's play.
Shortly after the morning briefing, Agarwal called Rohan into his private office.
"Rohan. I am going to significantly increase your workload starting today. You need to be prepared to handle high-profile cases," Agarwal said, staring intensely across his desk.
"Yes, Sir. I will not let you down," Rohan replied instantly.
"Good. Because your performance over the next few weeks needs to be absolutely flawless." Agarwal said.
Rohan froze. "Sir? Are you talking about the Assistant Sub-Inspector quota?"
His heart was pounding fast. A double promotion in less than a month? Skipping years of waiting to instantly get stars on his shoulders? This was exactly the kind of stuff he needed.
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