The Chairman of Pharmaceutical Company is a Poison King - Chapter 17
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 17: Storm
Jirisan Wilderness, Baek Chang-hun followed behind Kim Tae-ju along with six mana-compatible colleagues.
Baek Chang-hun was a 25-year-old awakener.
His rank was User, with traits 【Iron Wall】 and 【Swordsman】.
The reason his surname was Baek was because of Baek Hong-pyo.
Among the orphans, some children knew their own surnames and names, while others didn’t.
Those who didn’t know almost always took Baek Hong-pyo’s surname.
Though they shared no blood, Baek Hong-pyo was like a father to them.
That father had earnestly pleaded with him.
To protect big brother Kim Tae-ju, and if anything happened, to unconditionally take him and run.
“Um, big brother, let me take the lead. I may not look it, but I’m an awakener. My situational response ability is better than yours…”
“Shh! I told you to just follow, didn’t I? Why do you keep talking so much?”
“Ah, no.”
“Huh! Are you going to run ahead?”
“…Please don’t do that.”
The mission was to encounter a Spore Poison Antelope Deer, test the antidote, and return.
The originally planned raid team formation was for him to take the lead while six combat support members surrounded and protected Kim Tae-ju.
However, Kim Tae-ju was walking steadily ahead all by himself.
Wasn’t he being too fearless?
‘If he lived as a porter…’
He’d be a mana-compatible individual or a regular person.
In this jungle where even the compatible were in danger.
He had equipped himself with gear though.
A phantom fox leather coat worth at least 3 billion won.
‘His back view really looks cool.’
But that was all.
Even if it had defensive power, it was ultimately just for show.
How was he planning to fight wearing a coat?
It would get in the way and make movement uncomfortable, preventing even escape.
‘This is worrying.’
They had come too far inside.
They had long since left the Blade-Tooth Civet Area.
Spore Poison Antelope Deer appeared throughout the entire Jirisan Wilderness.
In other words, they could easily encounter one even in the Blade-Tooth Civet Area where relatively easy prey gathered.
So by now they should have spotted at least one Antelope Deer, but they hadn’t encountered any yet.
He could handle Blade-Tooth Civets, but what if they encountered Storm Weasels or Red-furred Wolves?
‘This won’t do.’
It would be better to go back.
Today wasn’t the only day.
They could come back later.
But the problem was that big brother was too stubborn.
He absolutely wouldn’t listen.
He acted like this even when asked to let him take the lead, so would he listen if told to go back?
‘Let me try persuading him one more time.’
If he didn’t listen, he’d have to forcibly drag him out of the jungle.
That would be better than dying.
Baek Chang-hun quietly approached Tae-ju, who had just stopped.
“B-big, big brother.”
“Quiet.”
“Yes?”
“It’s here.”
What was here?
A Spore Poison Antelope Deer?
But there was nothing ahead.
Was this guy seeing things?
He understood.
The jungle was dark with little sunlight penetrating.
A place where weak-hearted people sometimes suffered from delusions.
“Instead of that, let’s come back tomorrow…”
That’s when it happened.
Thud.
Something pitch black fell from a tree with a thud.
“Keruk!”
It was a Storm Weasel with sharp wing fins.
The creature moved its long body this way and that as if searching.
“Oh, no!”
Baek Chang-hun groaned.
What shouldn’t have happened had happened.
At least it was just one.
‘This much should be…’
But this wasn’t all.
Thud-thud, thud-thud-thud-thud!
Dark objects kept falling from the trees above.
So much for being fortunate.
“Kikikiki!”
“Kikik?”
“Kerrrr,”
“Kuruk!”
.
.
.
Storm Weasels were smaller than civets and had weaker attack power, but were extremely fast instead.
But why were they called storms?
When these bastards appeared, there were at least 20 or more.
They got the name because when they clustered together and attacked while spinning around, it looked like a whirlwind or storm.
Roughly counting, over 20 Storm Weasels formed a wedge-shaped formation and raised their tails threateningly.
This was bad.
They were all going to die.
Big brother Tae-ju’s expression wasn’t good either.
He was frowning with a very serious face.
Baek Chang-hun spoke to his colleagues in a tense voice.
“You guys, when I give the signal, take big brother and get out of here.”
“Ch-Chang-hun hyung, you should c-come too…”
“Get it together! Big brother Tae-ju must survive! Only then can our younger siblings live happily.”
“…O-okay.”
Baek Chang-hun drew his sword and prepared to charge at the Storm Weasel pack.
His trait was Swordsman.
A trait that granted talent with swords.
He could at least buy some time.
Whether he lived or died.
‘Can’t let even one escape! Draw all their aggro at once….’
But Tae-ju stood motionless with both hands inside his coat, his body stiff as a board.
“Hyung-nim, when I give the signal, just run with them. You’ll definitely be safe. Don’t worry about me….”
Suddenly!
Pop!
Tae-ju’s hands shot out from his coat.
At the same time, he stretched both hands forward at tremendous speed and shook them out forcefully.
Whoosh! Whoooosh! Whap-whap-whap!
Crack! Crack-crack-crack! Crackcrackcrackcrack!
Explosive sounds burst forth.
“Uh….”
The pack of about 20 weasels suddenly disappeared as if deleted.
Chunks of flesh scattered in all directions like exploding firecrackers.
Baek Chang-hun just stood there with his mouth agape.
‘Sh-shotgun? What the hell?’
The Bipok of Bipokil-seom (Flying Waterfall Flash).
Though its range was incomparably shorter than Il-seom, it was a hidden weapon technique used for close-range ambushes.
In his right hand, a handful of nail-like Pokwoi-hwajeong, in his left hand, a handful of bumpy iron pellets—at least 100 in each hand, 200 total.
The hidden weapons, enhanced with the power of 4-star Honweonmusangdokryeongong, shot out in a fan shape and instantly shredded the Storm Weasel pack.
It was quiet.
Gulp.
Only the sound of dry swallowing could be heard.
No one could speak at the unbelievable sight.
Twenty weasels in one shot?
‘Did Tae-ju hyung-nim awaken too? No way. He doesn’t even have a pattern.’
‘Even for a compatible, he’s too strong.’
‘Was it really a shotgun? Did he hide it in his coat?’
‘Even with a shotgun, buckshot couldn’t pierce weasel hide.’
What was certain was that Tae-ju hyung-nim was strong enough to handle 20 weasels at once. He had proven it through action.
‘Ah, how embarrassing.’
Baek Chang-hun’s face turned bright red.
He had told such a person it was dangerous, to come back next time, and that they could survive if they just trusted him and ran.
Tae-ju was also silent.
‘…Damn!’
Of all things, it had to be Storm Weasels.
Too many to take down one by one with Il-seom.
After encountering the weasel pack, he had pondered for a long time.
Should he throw Yueopbido to handle them one by one?
What if he missed even one out of twenty?
He’d be grateful if they all charged at him, but if even one escaped and attacked the team members?
He wouldn’t be able to face President Baek Hong-pyo.
In the end, he had no choice but to use Bipok.
Ahhh! Those precious hidden weapons.
‘…Give up on recovery.’
When would he ever collect all those hidden weapons?
It was wasteful, but he’d have to leave them.
Even if he tried to find them, he couldn’t.
Danggumak had deep pockets and boasted the greatest wealth in the martial world, but why was his earthly self so stingy? Even though he was making money.
He’d have to work hard.
Once he reached 7-star Honweonmusangdokryeongong, he could recover hidden weapons with a single gesture.
Tae-ju spoke to Baek Chang-hun, who was still dazed.
“Did you see that?”
“…Uh, y-yes, I saw it.”
“Now I can take the lead, right?”
“Yes! I’ll keep my mouth shut and follow you.”
Tae-ju’s group headed deeper inside again.
Finally, they encountered it.
The Spore Poison Antelope Deer.
Once again, it didn’t avoid people.
It seemed to think they would just pass by due to learned behavior.
Tae-ju distributed the newly made antidote to his team members.
Two types: a topical antidote and an oral antidote.
“Eat this one, apply this one. You guys try catching it. I’ll stay back.”
“Yes! Hyung-nim!”
It’s not like Baek Chang-hun didn’t know the danger of spore poison.
But he wasn’t afraid at all.
This was the person who had already created an antidote for mosquito poison. Plus the amazing ability he’d just shown.
Quietly approaching the gorani that was just staring blankly.
He thrust his sword straight at its neck!
“Uaaaaaaaah!”
A disgusting gorani scream echoed.
Pop! Pop!
The lumps on its back burst.
Extremely toxic spores erupted.
Tae-ju immediately drew the spore poison toward himself using Hyeorin-dokjang.
Just a little at a time, since too much exposure might be dangerous.
So the amount of spore poison that reached the team members wasn’t much.
The situation was different from when he tested the mosquito poison antidote.
Spore poison was lethal to humans.
Of course, he was confident it would be perfectly neutralized, and he had completed the verification process.
“How is it?”
“I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong at all.”
“Really?”
Good.
Let’s catch a few more and gradually increase the amount of spore poison exposure.
“Oh! Do you guys know how to butcher?”
“I can do it.”
“Great! Help me out and let’s do it together.”
He absolutely had to secure the antelope deer meat.
Once the spore poison antidote was officially released, the gorani might become extinct.
* * *
Thirty years old this year, Baek Seo-yeon worked at Mirinaei Group located in New Seoul, the capital of the Samhan Empire.
She was from Baek’s Orphanage in Gure Free City.
Her parents passed away when she was 10 years old.
Baek Hong-pyo, her father’s friend, took her in.
With his support, she graduated elementary, middle, and high school, entered New Seoul University’s Business Administration program, and finally made it to a major corporation’s headquarters.
Baek Seo-yeon had been smart since childhood.
Combined with her tenacious effort, she was unstoppable.
Such people are usually called geniuses.
Even after joining the company, her genius continued to shine.
He was assigned to the Group Future Strategy Division and successfully carried out various projects, rising to the youngest manager position.
But as company life goes, doing work well alone wasn’t enough.
Building relationships with colleagues, impressing superiors, and getting involved in office politics.
For Baek Seo-yeon, all of this was overwhelming.
An orphanage graduate, an orphan with no relatives, she had nowhere in New Seoul where she could lean on comfortably.
She wanted to return to Gurye immediately, but she endured it.
Because her father had earnestly pleaded with her.
Once she left Gurye, don’t think about coming back, don’t even look back here, and only visit once when she felt she had achieved enough success.
Though it was disappointing, Baek Seo-yeon understood.
How could she not know her father’s heart?
That’s when it happened.
“Hey, Manager Baek?”
“Yes, Department Head.”
“Come see me for a moment.”
Jeon Ju-hak, Department Head, her superior in the Strategy Division.
He seemed to have business.
Baek Seo-yeon entered the department head’s office.
“I’ll cut to the chase. You’re from Gurye orphanage, right? With Baek Hong-pyo, president of Baek’s Drug Shop, as the director.”
Hm? Why is father’s name coming up here?
“That’s correct. But what’s this about…?”
“Did you see the newspaper? The article about Taehong Bio’s contract with the military.”
“Ah, you mean the Spore Poison Antelope Deer antidote? Of course I read it.”
“Then you also know that the drug shop run by President Baek Hong-pyo is a Taehong Bio subsidiary?”
“What?”
Baek Seo-yeon was shocked.
She knew that an antidote for spore poison was being developed in Gurye.
Due to the nature of Gurye, Free City, many new drugs are created and marketed there.
But father’s drug shop belongs to Taehong Bio?
“Seems you didn’t know. Then go down to Gurye immediately. Drop the project you’re working on now.”
“What for?”
“Watch from beside Baek Hong-pyo. How the antidote development is going, whether the effects are certain, who this developer Kim Tae-ju is.”
Baek Seo-yeon’s eyebrow corners lifted slightly upward.
The expression she usually made when she was displeased.
“Once the antidote’s reality is confirmed, you know what to do, right? Whether making a manufacturing formula trade contract, a royalty contract, or stealing it secretly, you must secure the manufacturing formula.”
Is he telling her to spy right now?
To steal the antidote manufacturing formula from the father who raised her?
“You know well who I serve, right? If you do this job well, I’ll take responsibility and promote you to my successor position. If you refuse… you know what will happen without me saying it.”
This was absurd.
Even if it’s the Spore Poison Antelope Deer antidote, still.
“The drug will be copied quickly once it comes out anyway. You know it too! What level our Mirinae Pharmaceutical Research Institute is at. We’re just trying to save time.”
“…”
“Answer quickly. Will you do it or not? It’s a chance for department head promotion. Of course, I’ll move up to director.”
Unlike the mutant three-striped mosquito that only grows naturally in subtropical climates, Spore Poison Antelope Deer exist throughout the entire Samhan Empire.
Their numbers are also tremendously large.
How else would they be rumored to be one of the magical beasts that kill the most people during waves?
Securing the spore poison antidote would make a pharmaceutical company huge money.
“I won’t do…”
Suddenly!
Bzzzz!
A smartphone ringing in her pocket.
Baek Seo-yeon took out her smartphone and hesitated while trying to press the call rejection button.
‘Father?’
A call from Gurye.
Though she was very happy, she was also worried on one hand.
“May I take this call for a moment?”
“Hmm, talk briefly and make your decision quickly, I have to go report too.”
She answered the phone.
The call took longer than expected.
Jeon Ju-hak, Department Head, frowned with displeasure.
Finally, she hung up.
“So, have you decided?”
“Yes, I’ve decided. I’ll go down to Gurye.”
“Oh! Good choice. Then let’s discuss the details…”
“But!”
Baek Seo-yeon looked straight into Jeon Ju-hak’s eyes with a fresh smile and said.
“I’ll submit my resignation. I’m quitting the company.”
“…What, what?”
“Thank you for everything. Well then, goodbye.”
“Hey hey! Baek Seo-yeon! Manager Baek! Are you crazy?”
Crazy indeed!
How long had she waited for this moment.
She had no regrets whatsoever about this damn company.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
