Walker in Modern World

Guwahati International Airport buzzed with activity as two foreigners stepped out of the terminal, each dragging a suitcase behind them. The humid air hit them immediately, thick and heavy, a stark contrast to the air-conditioned airport they had just left.

The moment they emerged, a swarm of taxi drivers rushed toward them, each shouting for attention. The two men barely had time to exchange glances before they were engulfed in the chaos.

"No taxi, no taxi! We already have a ride!" John snapped, pushing past a persistent driver who clung to his sleeve.

It took them a few frustrating minutes to escape the relentless crowd and finally locate the vehicle their hotel had arranged. The driver, an older man with a warm but knowing smile, silently loaded their luggage into the trunk as they sank into the back seat, exhausted.

As the car pulled away from the airport, John exhaled sharply. "Michael, let's get this contract signed as soon as possible and get the hell out of here."

Michael adjusted his glasses and nodded. "Agreed. I'll contact Sanjay from the hotel's phone and arrange a meeting right away."

John leaned back against the seat, rubbing his temples. "This software is too important for us to take any chances. We need to secure the best deal possible."

Michael chuckled, his confidence unwavering. "Don't worry. From our brief talk, he sounded like just a kid. And honestly, how much could a kid from a place like this really know about the value of what he's created? He got lucky, that's all."

John smirked, shaking his head. "Let's hope you're right."

The two men laughed, their arrogance blinding them to the challenge ahead.

The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Sanjay's bedroom, casting warm streaks across the walls. He was still sprawled on his bed, half-buried under the sheets when the shrill ring of the telephone cut through his sleep.

In the living room, his father sipped his tea, frowning at the sudden noise. He placed the cup down and picked up the receiver. "Hello?" he said cautiously.

A crisp, foreign voice responded, "Hello, this is Michael from Oracle. Could I speak with Sanjay?"

Sanjay's father turned toward the bedroom. "Sanjay, there's a call for you!"

A muffled groan came from inside. "Let me sleep. I'm rich now—I don't need to go to the office," Sanjay mumbled, half-dreaming.

His father sighed and walked over, delivering a light smack to the back of his son's head. "Get up, you lazy boy. Someone important is calling!"

Grumbling, Sanjay rubbed his head and reached for the phone. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Sanjay. This is Michael from Oracle." The voice on the other end was polite, but direct.

Sanjay instantly sat up, his grogginess vanishing. His mind raced—this was it.

"Yes, Michael, tell me."

"We're in Guwahati for some business and were hoping to meet you today. Would that be possible?"

Sanjay didn't hesitate. "Sure. Let's meet at your hotel."

He knew why they had come. No one traveled from the U.S. to Guwahati just for casual business.

After setting the time, he placed the receiver down and turned to his father. "Get ready. Some people from the U.S. want to meet me. We need to be there in two hours."

His father frowned, confused. "What?"

Two hours later, in a private meeting room of a luxury hotel, Sanjay and his father sat waiting. The room was sleek and professional, with large windows overlooking the city skyline. A polished wooden table sat at the center, and a small tray of refreshments was arranged neatly on top.

Sanjay's father shifted slightly in his seat, uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings. He didn't say much, but his presence was steady, a quiet support that Sanjay appreciated.

A few moments later, the door opened, and John and Michael entered. Their steps were measured, their expressions composed.

Sanjay stood up as they approached, extending his hand in greeting. "Welcome to Guwahati."

John and Michael exchanged a glance before shaking his hand, their smiles polite but assessing.

John extended his hand with a confident smile. "Hi, Sanjay, I'm John, the vice president of Oracle's tech team, and this is Michael, our head of department."

Sanjay returned the handshake, exchanging introductions with Michael. After a few polite pleasantries, they settled into their seats at the large, sleek ten-seater table. The air in the room shifted, the weight of the impending discussion settling over them.

John leaned forward slightly, his expression measured. "First, thank you for showing interest in selling your software to our company. We've reviewed the details thoroughly, and after internal discussions, we're prepared to offer you a valuation of $50 million for the entire system. Given the current market conditions and the fact that your software is still relatively new, we believe this is a strong starting point."

He paused, watching Sanjay closely, as though expecting an immediate acceptance. Michael, who had been silent until now, nodded in agreement. "We recognize the software's potential, but it's still early. A valuation beyond that would be a significant risk for us at this stage."

Sanjay remained calm, his expression unreadable as he processed their words. He had expected a low offer. What surprised him, however, was their clear lack of understanding about the true value of what he had built. It wasn't just software—it was an entire ecosystem, an advanced infrastructure designed around an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system leagues ahead of anything else on the market. They hadn't grasped that yet.

He offered them a polite but firm smile. "Thank you for the offer, John, Michael, but I believe you're underestimating the true potential here."

John raised an eyebrow. "Underestimating? How so?"

Sanjay powered up his laptop, connecting it to the projector. The screen lit up with detailed slides, filled with key metrics and system architecture diagrams. "Let me break it down for you. You've evaluated the software itself, which is fine—but the real value lies deeper. The software you see is just the second layer of a much more advanced system."

John and Michael exchanged a glance but remained silent, allowing him to continue.

"At the core of this system is an advanced Optical Character Recognition technology unlike anything currently available. You may have seen OCR before, but this is different. It can process unstructured data with unprecedented precision, something that existing systems struggle with. This isn't just an improvement—it's a breakthrough."

He gauged their reactions. Their expressions remained neutral, but Sanjay could see it—the flicker of interest, the realization that they might have miscalculated.

He pulled up real-time user statistics on his tablet, casting them onto the wall. "User retention rates for our premium service exceed 95%. Even those using the basic version report significant productivity increases. But it's the premium version, powered by this OCR system, that's driving the most growth."

John leaned back, absorbing the information, but there was still hesitation. "So, you're saying the OCR technology alone justifies a higher valuation? Even though it's only been a week since launch?"

Sanjay's lips curled into a confident smile. "Absolutely. The demand is already evident. Adoption will only accelerate as we refine the system. Based on our projections, this software's market value could reach anywhere between $600 million to $1.2 billion within a year, depending on how fast adoption scales."

John and Michael's eyes widened. A stunned silence followed. The number was far beyond their expectations. Could this really be worth that much?

Michael shifted in his seat, his fingers tapping lightly against the table. "But even with all this potential, you understand the risks involved, right? A lot can change once the software scales. Not everything can be predicted."

Sanjay met his gaze with a calm nod. "Of course, Michael. No innovation is without risk. But what I can tell you with certainty is that the foundation of this system is solid. The architecture is not only advanced but adaptable. This isn't just software that will be relevant for a few years—it's built to evolve alongside the industry."

John exchanged a glance with Michael, the weight of the discussion settling between them. He leaned forward, fingers interlocked, his tone measured. "Alright, Sanjay. You've given us a lot to think about. I'll admit, I see the potential here more clearly now. But from our side, we need to fully assess the risks before making any decisions."

They had come into this meeting confident in their initial valuation, believing they were making a generous offer. But Sanjay's presentation had upended that certainty. The data, the projections—everything pointed to a much greater value than they had anticipated. They needed to reevaluate.

Sanjay allowed a brief silence to linger before speaking again, his voice steady yet firm. "I understand, John, Michael. Take the time you need. But let me remind you—this is a unique opportunity. Several major players and investment groups have already expressed interest. If Oracle wants to be a part of this growth, now is the time to act."

The room grew quiet. The weight of his words hung in the air. He wasn't bluffing, and they knew it.

Michael exhaled slowly, rubbing his chin as he processed the shift in dynamics. Finally, he pushed his chair back and stood, his expression more thoughtful than before. "We'll need to go over the details again, but... I think we're closer to an agreement than we initially thought."

Sanjay stood as well, extending his hand. "Thank you for your time today, John, Michael. I look forward to hearing from you soon."

As the two men left the room, Sanjay sat back in his chair, his father giving him an approving glance. It was far from over, but he knew the true value of the software had been communicated. Now, it was just a matter of time before Oracle saw it too.

P.S.: I'm going to post bulk chapters tomorrow. Keep reading, and please comment if you have any suggestions for me.