The Chairman of Pharmaceutical Company is a Poison King - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 12: Request

The incident in the Jirisan Wilderness was quietly buried.

If the five missing mana-compatible individuals and awakeners had been active in Gurye all along, it might have been different. But when drifters from outside went missing, there was no one to report their disappearance or show any interest.

If there was a witness, it was the Middle-aged Colleague Porter, but he had been given magical beast byproducts and energy crystals, and had promised never to tell anyone.

Tae-ju met with Baek Hong-pyo from Baek’s Drug Shop.

“I purchased a small building and surrounding land a bit away from the orphanage.”

“A place with complete underground shelter facilities, right?”

“Yes, so I bought it at a slightly higher price. The land and building together cost about 1 billion won, and it’s 5 stories, but with the basement it’s 6 floors.”

Real estate in Gurye City isn’t that expensive.

Of course, space inside the Castle is very expensive.

“What about the interior…?”

“We’re starting work on the underground shelter first. That’s the most important part.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry to ask you to handle such things.”

“Hahaha! Don’t mention it! Feel free to use me however you need.”

The reason a shelter was needed wasn’t fear of magical beast waves.

It was because antidote manufacturing facilities and weapon storage were needed.

The underground shelter had decent security facilities, making it perfect for undisturbed research and storing important items.

Until now, he had temporarily used the underground shelter facilities at Baek’s Orphanage.

But handling poison at the orphanage bothered him, and when waves occurred, the children needed to use the shelter.

And he couldn’t live in a hotel forever.

The top 5th floor was planned to be decorated as his home.

“How is the supply of medicinal herbs and poisonous plants going?”

“After posting a notice at the pharmacy, materials started being supplied smoothly from the next day.”

“Please move those to the new workshop. I’ll cover all the costs.”

Actually, making antidotes wasn’t difficult.

In one hour, he could make concentrate for 100,000 bottles.

But materials were the problem.

Collecting the medicinal herbs and poisonous plants needed for manufacturing took an enormous amount of time.

So he came up with an idea.

Purchase all medicinal herbs and poisonous plants at good prices.

Additionally, give collectors priority sales rights for mosquito poison antidotes.

The types were poisonous plants and medicinal herbs inhabiting the entire Jirisan area.

Any kind didn’t matter.

“In case they couldn’t distinguish them, I also made and distributed simple booklets with pictures of poisonous plants and medicinal herbs.”

About 200 raid teams departed daily from Gurye City.

Would they all collect and bring medicinal herbs?

Collection wasn’t difficult.

Just wear gloves and masks and put them in bags.

Especially the porters’ reaction was positive.

They could collect during spare time and sell to Baek’s Drug Shop for decent profit.

Less money came in than before.

Nevertheless, this was much more efficient because the time spent on collection was greatly reduced.

After finishing the meeting with Manager Baek, Tae-ju went to the newly purchased building.

His first real estate purchase under his own name.

A building with 5 floors above ground and 1 basement floor.

The basement would be used to store expensive materials and weapons.

It would also be used as a laboratory for making poisons and medicines.

Suddenly, with a rumbling sound, several trucks arrived in front of the building.

“Hello, boss.”

“Who are you?”

“Father, I mean Manager Baek sent us to work on the building interior. We’ve been working continuously since the day before yesterday.”

“Ah! Please come in.”

They were construction workers.

All were orphanage graduates taken in by Manager Baek Hong-pyo. They had left the orphanage as adults and were working hard in their respective fields.

Naturally, there was Baek Hong-pyo’s generous support.

“Can we start? If it’s inconvenient, we can do it later…”

“No. I have somewhere I need to go, so please go ahead.”

“Yes! We’ll work quickly.”

“Hahaha, take your time, take your time.”

They looked like young people in their early twenties, and their expressions were very bright.

He said he’d pay high construction costs, but he should give them extra generous compensation.

* * *

Tae-ju went to Gurye Market.

Today was the day to receive the equipment he had ordered.

After paying the balance at the Leather Workshop District, he received the phantom fox leather coat and complete equipment set.

And after receiving various concealed weapons from the metal workshop, he put them in a large backpack.

Tae-ju returned to the hotel.

First, he put on the phantom fox leather coat.

A long coat that came down to his knees.

You might ask why a coat in this hot subtropical climate, but even if it stood out, it couldn’t be helped.

‘Not bad.’

A design that looked like an ordinary leather coat on the outside.

Originally white, but he had it dyed gray in case it looked too conspicuous.

Jeoldaedokma Danggumak also preferred long robes.

Because there were many places to hide things.

Same with Tae-ju.

Various sized pockets densely attached inside the coat, pants to wear, vest to put on, and sturdy leather shoes reinforced with metal.

Everything was made with pockets for storage.

Now, should he try putting in the concealed weapons?

Pokwuihwajeong and iron pellets in inner pockets, hwigeum stones in the vest, the somewhat large talmyeongbido wrapped around the waist belt, and the rest of the wrist guards, ankle areas, and all spare pockets filled with small yueopbido.

“Whew, this is really heavy.”

The weight was one thing, but it was uncomfortable enough to hinder movement.

‘But I’ll have to get used to it.’

These concealed weapons were symbols showing his identity.

Everything of Jeoldaedokma that would be reliable strength in any situation.

There was no need to deliberately coat them with poison.

Tae-ju’s Honweonmusangdokryeongong.

Depending on his will, he could either imbue poison or not.

Swish!

With one shake of his hand, a yueopbido was already grasped.

Swoosh.

Withdrawing it again.

Drawing and storing concealed weapons.

He knew all the techniques, but this also had to be learned with the body.

‘Now I can go deep into the jungle.’

The poisonous plants from the edges of the Jirisan Wilderness weren’t very strong. There were more toxic substances containing stronger poisons inside.

And besides plant poisons, he needed to collect animal poisons like insect toxins.

The more diverse the absorbed poisons, the higher the achievement of poison essence would rise.

‘I’ll make other medicines too.’

While at it, let’s start a pharmaceutical company.

I need to scrape together money to dominate the pharmaceutical market of the Samhan Empire, no, the entire world.

‘What should I make?’

The knowledge possessed by Jeoldaedokma Danggumak.

It’s all inside Tae-ju’s head.

Not only poisons, but antidotes, remedies, and even elixir manufacturing are all possible.

Right then!

Ring ring!

The hotel phone rang.

‘Huh? Why is the phone ringing?’

Tae-ju answered the phone.

“Hello.”

– Hello, sir.

A call from the hotel front desk.

“Yes, what is it?”

– There’s someone who wants to meet you, sir. It’s Mr. Jo Hun-seok, the representative of YJ Pharmacy. He’d like to see you at the lobby cafe.

“Really? How does he know I’m here?”

– Well, I don’t really know either…

Did the hotel tell him?

His mood soured completely.

I should change hotels.

Anyway, YJ Pharmacy was the largest pharmacy in Gurye City.

What reason would representative Jo Hun-seok have for wanting to meet him?

‘It must be about the antidote.’

It made sense.

He must be suffering considerable losses from Baek’s Drug Shop’s exclusive antidote sales.

‘Should I meet him?’

Let me at least hear what he has to say.

Tae-ju went down to the lobby and met Jo Hun-seok.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jo Hun-seok, representative of YJ Pharmacy.”

“I’m Kim Tae-ju.”

After a brief greeting, Jo Hun-seok got straight to the point.

“I won’t beat around the bush. Let me make a request. Please supply mosquito poison antidotes to our pharmacy as well.”

He had already expected this.

His answer was ready too.

“That’s difficult at the moment, as you know. We don’t even have enough supply for Baek’s Drug Shop.”

“Then break your supply contract with Baek’s Drug Shop.”

What a ridiculous person.

Coming here unreasonably and telling me to break a contract?

“Is this a request? Or a threat?”

“Right now it’s a request.”

Meaning it could turn into a threat later.

“I don’t want to.”

“If it’s about penalty fees, I’ll pay them all for you. Also, I’ll match the supply price at 2 times, no, 3 times what Baek’s Drug Shop pays.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to become someone without credibility…”

“Then sell me the drug manufacturing formula. I’ll give you 5 billion won.”

Have I ever seen such a thug?

What? 5 billion won?

“Would you sell it if you were in my position, President Jo?”

“…”

“I’ll be getting up now.”

Then Jo Hun-seok glared at Tae-ju fiercely and said,

“If you act this way, it’ll be difficult to establish yourself in Gurye…”

Look at this bastard?

“You don’t need to worry. I’ll handle things well on my own.”

“Well, we’ll see. Whether you do well or not.”

Tae-ju got up and left the hotel.

‘He’s definitely as rumored.’

While working as a porter in Gurye, he had heard many stories.

Suspicions that several large pharmacies colluded to kill off newly entering pharmacies, seize their businesses, then raise prices on popular medicines for excessive profits.

He had expected interference to come.

Though he didn’t know what form it would take.

‘I’ll find out soon enough.’

Jo Hun-seok glared coldly at Tae-ju’s retreating figure and picked up his smartphone.

“…He’s more stubborn than expected. Yes. He refused. Let’s start the operation.”

First, stage 1 begins.

Starting with something very mild.

* * *

Paju Domain.

A square fortress building erected in the center.

It was where Paju’s administration was handled and where the lord’s family resided.

Honda Mitsui had been in a very bad mood lately.

In the end, she couldn’t eliminate Kim Tae-ju, that thorn in her side.

He had caught on and discharged himself from the military.

Why was that bastard so persistent?

‘Even after receiving a terminal diagnosis of being a mana rejecter, he didn’t die and survived to the end, making people anxious…’

The attempt to kill him had also failed.

Those idiots.

They couldn’t even properly handle someone with a body inferior to ordinary people.

At least all the people involved died, so there was no risk of exposure.

Still, there had been some gain.

Just yesterday.

Her husband had officially stripped Kim Tae-ju of his qualification as heir to Paju Domain.

He declared he would sever ties with his eldest son. And actually used his authority as lord of Paju Domain to erase Kim Tae-ju’s name from the family register.

Now one of her own sons, Kim Tae-pyeong or Kim Tae-cheon, would inherit this domain.

What remained was developing Paju to increase its population and make it one of the wealthiest domains in the empire.

Paju was a frontier domain.

A place that once bordered the DMZ, the Demilitarized Zone.

That area was one of the monster-dense regions.

Land cleared of monsters would belong entirely to Paju.

But that required military forces.

How much would it cost to operate a unit composed of Aptitude Users and Awakened? It was beyond imagination.

Moreover, Paju had no significant profitable industries.

They needed to start monster subjugation to produce byproducts, receive corporate investment, attract factories, and develop industries to generate the taxes needed to operate the domain.

Until now, they had survived on support from Kyushu Domain.

Honestly, that also had its limits.

Unless General Kim Woong-bang got promoted and transferred as a field commander.

Domains whose lords were called away by the empire received tremendous support.

Actually, Honda Mitsui’s family’s Kyushu Domain had ulterior motives for supporting Paju Domain.

Kyushu Domain, a colony of the Samhan Empire.

That place was precarious.

Because of magical beasts?

No.

The steadily rising sea level.

An area that could be submerged at any time.

That’s why Honda Mitsui planned to move all her family, forces, and assets from Kyushu to Paju. It would have been an impossible plan if Kim Tae-ju had become the successor and inherited the domain.

Now that the succession issue was settled and it was time to develop the Paju Domain in earnest.

They just needed to find a way to secure the insufficient funds.

‘Should I ask father for help again?’

But he didn’t have sufficient funds either.

Though he had more resources than Paju.

Right then!

“Madam!”

The estate manager burst through the annex door as if there was some urgent matter.

“What’s wrong?”

“Master Oh Jin-hyeong of the Southern Jirisan Defense Corps has requested a phone meeting with the lord.”

“What? Master Oh?”

Master Oh Jin-hyeong was a figure belonging to a fairly large faction within the Imperial military.

She was curious.

What conversation he wanted to have.

“My husband?”

“He’s waiting for Master Oh Jin-hyeong’s call in his office.”

Honda Mitsui hurried to her husband’s office.

“Honey!”

“Come in.”

“Why is Master Oh Jin-hyeong calling?”

“I don’t know either. I’ll switch to speakerphone so we can listen together.”

A moment later.

Ring ring!

The phone rang.

“Hello.”

– Is this General Kim Woong-bang? This is Oh Jin-hyeong.

“Sir! General Kim Woong-bang speaking.”

– Haha, yes, it’s been a while. It’s not about anything else, but about your son.

“Ah, my son?”

– That’s right, you must be proud to have such an excellent son.

An excellent son – he must be talking about the two sons sent to military academy. Who? Taepyeong? Taecheon?

– I’m being shameless, but I need to ask a favor.

“…A favor?”

– The mosquito venom antidote. As you know, it’s an essential medicine for our Jirisan Defense Corps. But they say there’s insufficient supply available. If you could speak well to Tae-ju…

Mosquito venom antidote? Tae-ju?

‘What’s this all of a sudden…’

Did he hear wrong?

Not Taepyeong or Taecheon?

– If this deal goes through well, I’ll use my influence at headquarters for your promotion. Isn’t it time you commanded a field unit?

“Wait, wait. Are you talking about my eldest son Tae-ju who was discharged? And what’s this about mosquito venom antidote?”

– Hm? Don’t tell me… you didn’t know.

“No, I didn’t. I’m sorry, but could you please explain in more detail?”

– What? You don’t know that your son is the developer of the variant three-striped mosquito venom antidote?

“Ah…”

– You also don’t know that he’s currently raking in money in Gurye City? The place is turned upside down?

“…”

General Kim Woong-bang was dumbfounded.

Honda Mitsui, listening beside him, was the same.

Why was Kim Tae-ju’s name coming up here?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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