Rowton smiled awkwardly, his mind turning over the situation.
The promotion quota was something officially registered with the Inspector General, and typically, only those handpicked by Gert were eligible to advance — namely, Love Gower.
Though Rowton understood that the promotion quota wasn't a casual matter, he couldn't help but let his thoughts wander.
For instance, what if Love Gower were to disappear?
Even without Love around, Rowton didn't see it as his turn to be promoted.
Perhaps Yada could leverage his position as the director to force this quota in his favor, but doing so would have a huge impact on his reputation within the police station.
Though Rowton was close to Yada, he knew his friend would never risk his standing just for a personal favor, especially when it came to matters of self-interest.
Unless Rowton achieved a significant accomplishment in the next month — and it had to be a major one — he wouldn't be able to convince the public.
He let out a breath, realizing his thoughts had grown heavier.
All he wanted was to be promoted as soon as possible. Was that too much to ask?
"I just need you to work harder now. The next time an opportunity like this comes around, at least you won't be disqualified because you haven't been in the department long enough," Yada added.
"Thank you, Director, for your guidance. I'll do my best," Rowton replied sincerely.
Rowton knew that Yada had genuinely taken an interest in his career. The recent success of the case was a clear indication of that.
Of course, it was also a result of Gert giving Yada a little "help" and pressuring him.
Gert supported Love, so naturally, Yada felt obligated to support Rowton.
This led Rowton to feel confident about being promoted to sergeant — in three years, if all went well.
Of course, that was assuming he didn't take any shortcuts.
The deadline for this year's federal civil service exam had passed, so Rowton could only wait until next year.
For now, aside from his duties at the police station, he would need to start preparing for the exam.
"Tomorrow evening, Miss Bang's beauty pageant final defense work. You and I will attend together," Yada said.
Miss Maharashtra's beauty pageant was a major event in the state, held in Mumbai, the country's largest metropolis.
While India was more excited about global competitions like Miss World and Miss Universe, Miss Maharashtra was still a huge event. The winner would often go on to compete internationally. Over the years, many Indian women had won titles in Asia Pacific, World, and even Universe beauty contests.
The beauty pageant required a large police presence to maintain order, so the Mumbai police system mobilized officers from various police stations.
"Beauty pageant?" Rowton's eyes lit up, and memories from his past life flashed before him.
The next evening, Yada led a team of fifteen from the Spanda Police Station to the beauty pageant.
In addition to Yada, Gert, the deputy director, was also present.
The rest of the team consisted of Bud, Rowton, Love, and ten second-tier officers.
This year, the pageant was being held outdoors, with a large crowd expected, so hundreds of police officers were deployed to keep the peace.
Yada and Gert spent time networking with officers from other police stations, and Rowton's team was split into two groups — five second-tier officers joined Rowton and Bud, while the other five were assigned to Love.
Since Gert had secured a promotion quota for Love, the police station was practically celebrating him as the next sheriff.
Rowton couldn't stand the pride Love took in that position, but for the moment, there was little he could do about it. The promotion quota was his.
But Rowton had also heard rumors. Apparently, Love had been borrowing money from all sorts of people.
And Rowton suspected this money was for a specific purpose — Gert's promotion.
Rowton didn't believe for a second that Gert was borrowing from Love. Instead, it was more likely that Love was sending money to Gert to secure his own promotion.
Everyone knew what was going on, but no one spoke openly about it.
After all, it wasn't easy to send money and guarantee success — in many cases, money was sent but the results were never realized, which was the worst outcome.
As the beauty pageant started, the crowd grew larger, reaching tens of thousands of people.
Rowton couldn't help but reflect on how, in his past life, he'd attended as a spectator, marveling at the pageant's exotic allure. Now, he was a part of the security detail.
Ten beautiful candidates arrived, ready to compete for the top three spots — with the title of Miss Bang on the line.
"Ah! My skirt…" Rowton was shoved by the crowd and took a few steps back, just as a scream rang out.
He quickly turned to see a beautiful woman in a dress, her large eyes and long eyelashes framing her striking features. She had the unique look of an Indian woman — dark, dense hair and a slim waist accentuated by her tight skirt.
"Sorry, miss," Rowton quickly apologized.
He recognized her immediately. She was one of the ten finalists and a popular contender for the Miss Bang crown. Her name was Lisa Cindia, and she was of high caste, known for her beauty.
"Sorry, my skirt got stepped on. If I don't win, are you responsible?" Lisa said, clearly anxious as she checked her skirt, concerned about its impact on her chances of winning.
Rowton was uncomfortable but understood her reaction. These women had invested a lot in this competition, and their success was often determined by appearances.
"Miss Cindia, I'm truly sorry," Rowton apologized again. "I'm sure you'll place well."
"Of course Lisa will win, don't you know?" A young man standing beside Lisa said arrogantly.
Rowton already knew the results of the competition. Lisa Cindia did indeed come in third.
With his own sense of aesthetics, Rowton believed Lisa was on par with the eventual winner — but caste politics played a big role. The winner came from a low-caste background, as politicians had pushed for low-caste women to be crowned to garner votes.
In the end, Lisa only received third place, while the true champion was a far less deserving contestant.
The pageant, however, wasn't without controversy. A riot broke out after the results were announced, sparked by dissatisfaction over the low-caste winners.
Rowton had been present during the riots in his past life. The situation was chaotic, with many people trampled in the ensuing stampede.
Rowton noticed that Lisa was still a freshman, and she was accompanied by three young men who were likely her classmates.
This beauty pageant was open to anyone who had graduated high school, so many college students, including some male participants, also entered the competition.
In fact, many contestants viewed it as an opportunity to gain exposure and possibly be scouted by talent agents, especially in Mumbai, the heart of Bollywood. A successful pageant contestant could easily transition into a film career, though the odds of becoming a star were low.
Lisa had an agent, and Rowton knew this from the media coverage.
However, she wasn't with her agent now.
Lisa, clearly irritated, sneered, "Get lost, stay away from me, you untouchable."
Her words were light but cutting, and Rowton, standing close by, caught every syllable. His face immediately darkened.