Adav's uncompromising commercial stance quickly grated on the sensibilities of the British establishment. They were accustomed to Indian subservience, not shrewd negotiation. The new Viceroy, Lord Chelmsford (historically arriving in 1916, but in this timeline, arriving earlier, frustrated by the war's demands and Adav's intransigence), summoned Adav to Delhi.
Chelmsford, a man steeped in imperial arrogance, attempted to strong-arm Adav into providing munitions-grade steel at a fixed, artificially low price. He spoke of India's "duty to the Empire," of the "common cause," while subtly threatening to seize Bharat Corporation's assets under wartime emergency powers if Adav refused. "India will do its part, boy," Chelmsford boomed, "and your enterprise will serve the Crown."
Adav's composure remained absolute. His eyes, cool and analytical, met the Viceroy's blustering gaze. "My enterprise, Your Excellency," Adav responded calmly, "serves efficiency and market value. Seizure would halt production entirely, causing irreparable damage to His Majesty's war efforts. I believe the British military requires steel, not empty gestures."
The provocation had arrived. Adav knew this moment was inevitable. He had pre-programmed the Codex for such a scenario. That very night, a series of seemingly unrelated "accidents" occurred across Bharat Corporation's network. A "malfunctioning valve" caused a localized fire at a key Adav Steel refinery in Pune, halting 40% of munitions-grade steel production. A "labor dispute" temporarily idled a chemical plant. Supply chains, suddenly hampered by "unforeseen logistical challenges" within the Bharat Merchant Marine, slowed to a crawl.
Within 48 hours, the impact on the British war effort was catastrophic. Reports flooded Chelmsford's office: delayed munitions, incomplete railway track orders, a sudden, alarming shortage of chemicals needed for shells. The crisis forced Chelmsford to back down, publicly retracting his threats and agreeing to Adav's market prices. Adav had established a critical precedent: he could not be bullied. His empire was too vital, too intertwined with the very survival of the British war machine.