I am a master in India

Chapter 258 A Continuous Flow of US Dollars

"Ellie, do you remember Ron?"

"Who? That perverted doctor?"

“Uh,” Hela glanced to the side and said with a smile, “Yes, that’s right, it’s that guy.”

"What's wrong with him? Is he regretting not making the other choice?" Ellie's giggles came from the phone.

“Maybe,” Hela shrugged, “but let’s not joke around, he needs dollars.”

"Dollar?"

"Yes, a lot of dollars, he's right next to me."

"Give him the phone."

Hela handed the receiver to Ron, gesturing for him to take the call.

"Hello, beautiful Miss Ellie."

"Wow, you weren't this gentlemanly last time."

"The situation was urgent, you know."

"Fine, I'll let it slide since you've been kind to me before. So, how many dollars do you want?"

"The more the better. I have a transaction that needs to be settled in US dollars."

"The more the better? Is one hundred million dollars enough?"

"How much? One hundred million?!" Ron almost thought he had misheard.

"What, not enough? Any more would be a bit of a hassle."

“No, I mean… that’s enough for now.” Ron finally recovered.

Damn, who is this girl anyway? She just casually mentions a hundred million dollars.

The total after conversion is 31 billion rupees, which is far less than all of Ron's assets combined.

"That makes things easy, it's a small matter."

“Okay, what do you need me to do?” Ron perked up.

“You need to register an offshore account with a Swiss bank, completely independent of the Indian government.”

"and then?"

"Then you can deposit rupees into it. You can deposit as many rupees as you want to exchange for US dollars."

“You mean you can exchange these rupees for dollars?” Ron’s eyes lit up.

“It’s not an exchange, it’s a sale,” Ellie chuckled.

"Sell?"

“There will always be people in the international community who need rupees. Swiss banks will help you find buyers, but the price is usually five to ten points lower than the official exchange rate.”

“No problem, of course no problem!” Ron was a little excited.

He probably understood what Ellie meant: those commodity traders who traded with India.

For example, transactions involving raw materials such as timber, sugar, fruit, minerals, beef, and rice often involve huge sums of money.

Traders purchase goods domestically in India using rupees, a mandatory requirement regulated by the government. Going through official channels would result in a slightly lower exchange rate.

At this point, they would go to the currency market to find sellers, and if the price was five or six points cheaper, they would save a considerable amount of money.

Because they deal with large-scale transactions, the proportion may seem small, but the base is huge. Five points out of 100 million rupees is a difference of several million.

Merchants are profit-driven; they won't let go of even a one-rupee profit.

Where there is demand, there is a market; Swiss banks are essentially brokers in currency transactions.

Ron's rupees were deposited into his account, and the Swiss bank helped him access the currency market for trading, eventually converting them into US dollars.

"For Hela's sake, the handling fee will be waived," Ellie said easily.

"Thank you. Once the money arrives, how long will it take to complete the process?"

"The rupee is still somewhat useful for less than a week, and recently the number of customers who need it has been increasing."

Ron knew this was because the Indian government had relaxed its policies, and many foreign investments were gradually being attracted to the country.

Before the era of isolation and seclusion, this thing was practically no different from waste paper.

However, only large traders need rupees now, as they can sell the raw materials they purchase for US dollars.

Other speculators are not interested; otherwise, the trading volume of the rupee in the currency market would be far more than just hundreds of millions of dollars.

"Thank you, Ellie. I'd like to consider this kind of currency transaction in the future..."

"You can do it anytime you want."

"Wow, that's great! Next time you come to Mumbai, it'll be my treat."

“I’ve remembered what you said. Now give the phone to Hela.”

Ron shrugged and handed the receiver back.

It's a pleasant surprise that Ellie has connections at a Swiss bank.

According to her explanation, this type of offshore currency transaction is not a one-off transaction.

That means Ron will be able to directly exchange his rupees for dollars, however many he wants.

That's wonderful; he has plenty of rupees in his hand.

Suer Electric alone has made 3 million rupees in profit in the past six months. In addition, the profits from travel agencies, tourism companies and Sun Entertainment bring the total to nearly 4 million rupees.

Even if it's five points lower than the official exchange rate, that's still a quota of twelve million US dollars.

That's enough. With so much money, he can squander it for quite a while.

The only problem is how to legally transfer this money to an offshore account.

The rupee is a controlled currency, and a large outflow of funds will inevitably attract the attention of the Indian government.

But it's okay, this won't stump Ron.

He also registered several travel agencies in the Gulf countries, and there were records of financial transactions between them.

At that time, the money can be gradually transferred to an account in Dubai, and then further transferred to an offshore account.

If all else fails, migrant workers can carry the rupees out of the country in person.

Just like the human gold of Khad Khan, as long as there are enough people and enough times, nothing is a problem. India's monetary system has too many loopholes, and it's easy for money to slip out.

After saying goodbye to Hela, Ron didn't waste a moment. He called Vinod, who was in Dubai, and then made an appointment with a high-ranking official at the bank.

It's difficult to move large sums of money abroad without the protection of banks.

But this is India, a country rife with evil.

The law is like a woman whose sari has been stripped off; it has already been trampled upon countless times by her people.

Banks, institutions that should be closely monitoring the national economic system, have secretly become riddled with problems.

Bribing a bank executive is actually quite simple; just take him to a place like a palace to have some fun.

Oh, by the way, the palace has been completely burned down.

But it's okay, Luca built another one.

In just six months, a new three-story building rose from the ground.

It is larger and more luxurious than the palace, attracting even more people to come and visit.

It's called sapphire, and just hearing the name makes it dazzling.

Ron has never been there before, so now is the perfect time to bring a bank executive to show his support.

They arranged to meet at night, because Mumbai, a city of desire, truly comes alive at night.

During the day, it conserves its energy, waiting for nightfall.

After sunset, the dazzling city gradually reveals its charming beauty, with competitions, premieres, parties, and banquets complementing each other, and beer bars, hotels, discos, and flower streets bustling with people.

In Mumbai, the night has no concept of time; it breaks free from the constraints of the daytime's impeccable attire and strict decorum.

The nights in Mumbai are full of hints and provocations: well-dressed, debonair men exude charm, while graceful women leaning against railings smoking are alluring.

People living in this kind of city, as long as they have some status, almost all of them have mistresses.

High-end bars are undoubtedly a good place to find a romantic partner, where both men and women can get what they want without having to fulfill any obligations similar to marriage.

Luca had long been aware of this market, saying: "In Mumbai, people have all sorts of tastes and quirks."

Because of desire, the sex industry is almost everywhere.

At the very bottom are Nepalese prostitutes, the kind of "ladies" people from Bihar in North India would hire, charging about thirty to fifty rupees for half an hour.

They are promiscuous and would not even be given a second glance by the middle class.

The ideal targets for seduction are bar dancers, and Mumbai is dotted with hundreds of bars, also known as beer bars, nightclubs, or dance halls.

In suburban areas like Kimble or Malade, every neighborhood has its own bar. Men come to patronize them, throwing money at the dancers, believing this to be love.

The little world known as the "bar scene" by the dancers and their sugar daddies is unique in Mumbai.

Luca targeted this very point, which is why he created a money pit like Sapphire.

Haines Road is more bustling than before, with luxury cars parked everywhere and well-dressed men.

Unlike the understated elegance of a palace, sapphire is boisterous and restless, urging you to unleash yourself without reservation.

Ron led Rajan, the governor of the Indian Industrial Bank, through the doors of Sapphire.

Everything you see is sparkling.

The gate is a gaudy gold color that caters to Indian aesthetics, and the top of the doorknob is inlaid with diamonds.

The huge chandelier in the foyer flickered rhythmically, while the spotlights on the ceiling eaves created an ambiguous atmosphere.

Push open that door, and you'll find yourself in another world. The lights are dazzling, the music is deafening, and there are about a dozen dancers in the hall alone, wearing full saris and slightly provocative tight-fitting backless silk dresses, swaying their hips and twisting their pelvis in the crowd.

One or two of the girls looked very young; they must have had their breasts padded to give them a mature figure that was so disproportionate to their faces.

Bank president Rajan stared at them in disbelief, forgetting to even move his feet.

Ron knew in his heart that this guy's tastes were a bit peculiar.

“Come on, Mr. Rajan, let’s go upstairs. The goods here are all ordinary.”

"Oh, really?" Rajan snapped out of his daze.

He was somewhat surprised to see several familiar faces in the lobby alone. They were all well-known gem merchants and bankers in Mumbai, and some of them were his colleagues.

They were all in a frenzy as they walked into the dance floor, went to the dancer they favored, held a wad of banknotes high above her head, and then flung them away, letting the banknotes scatter and fall between the two of them.

Banknotes swirled above the dancer's head, enveloping her like a halo or the colorful confetti after a cannon salute.

The larger the amount, the more radiant her face became. Until the floor was covered in a thick layer of rupees, the waiters rushed forward to pick it up and later gave it to the dancer as a tip—the highest form of recognition in the glitz and glamour of Mumbai.

Rajan felt completely alienated; these people were like elegant gentlemen during the day, a stark contrast to their current demeanor.

But the more he felt this way, the drier Rajon became, and goosebumps rose on his skin.

If the first floor is like this, what about the upper floors?

Rajon followed in Ron's footsteps.

“Hey, buddy, you should have sent someone to call me.” Luca appeared at the top of the stairs, his arms outstretched.

"Come on, we have an important guest today. Mr. Rajan, the president of the Industrial Bank."

"Wow, welcome!" Luca greeted warmly.

He has become very stylish now, wearing expensive suits instead of just throwing on a shirt as before.

He also adopted the Indian style, wearing gold rings all over his fingers and smoking cigars.

Anyone with a discerning eye would immediately recognize that this is an important person.

“I’ve reserved the best spot for you, I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.” Luca personally led the way.

He was just like the waiter downstairs, incredibly enthusiastic.

Rajan was secretly alarmed. Although Sapphire had only been open for a short time, it was already very famous in Mumbai.

Especially since it was built on the ruins of the palace, everyone believed that the owner behind it was extremely powerful.

It was at least no less impressive than Lady Elizabeth's, otherwise we wouldn't have the sapphire we have today.

However, Rajan felt somewhat relieved when he thought of the rumored culprit behind the destruction of the palace.

It's not surprising that Mr. Sue is treated so well by the owner of Sapphire.

(End of this chapter)