The Chairman of Pharmaceutical Company is a Poison King - Chapter 174

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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 174: There Are Two of Them?

The invasion of mana 300 years ago caused the world to face the nightmare of a population cliff.

Almost all industries either regressed or were desperate just to maintain the status quo.

Since adapting to mana, humanity slowly began to develop, and now they’ve almost fully restored the civilization from 300 years ago and are moving forward.

Among these, the most developed field was naturally the pharmaceutical field.

Various drugs were invented, and diseases that were called incurable were conquered.

Even mana rejection syndrome, which had tormented humanity until recently, was solved with the development of MRC.

But strangely, hair growth treatment research was sluggish.

Though it had improved compared to 300 years ago, a perfect hair growth treatment hadn’t appeared yet.

Because hair loss is genetic.

Of course, Tae-ju knew this too.

However, if it were Cheon-gye flowers, even genetics could be overcome.

He began research using old drugs whose patents had expired.

Adding Cheon-gye flowers to existing hair growth treatments to enhance their efficacy.

The Cheon-gye flower mainly used was Cheongsanghwa (Heavenly Flower).

It contained components that cleanse the skin.

In other words, it cleans out debris from clogged pores and helps them function properly.

First, animal testing.

He managed to obtain one ordinary monkey that had lost patches of fur.

After applying the hair growth treatment for several days.

“Ookk?”

The fur grew back luxuriantly.

‘It’s effective.’

There were some side effects, but they were soon resolved by adding Eumyanghwa (Yin-Yang Flower).

Eumyanghwa, which corrects the body’s balance, is also a flower used in MRC. Since MRC production was gradually being reduced, there were sufficient materials to use for hair growth treatments.

‘Should I try testing it on humans now?’

Let’s recruit volunteers.

Send it to the Seon Realm too to verify its efficacy.

While conducting this research, Tae-ju received a message.

– I would like to meet with you briefly.

‘Hmm?’

It was Chief Mun Gyeong-sik from the Imperial Intelligence Agency.

When he sent a message saying he’d be in Gurye so come anytime, the man rushed over that very night.

After exchanging simple greetings.

Mun Gyeong-sik immediately got to the point.

“Chairman, I heard you’re planning to acquire and merge with Fujii Construction. That you’re currently purchasing stocks…”

“Ah! Yes, it seemed like we’d need the construction field.”

What’s this?

Is he telling me not to acquire it?

Well, the government wouldn’t like a specific company expanding like an octopus.

TJ Group already has a monopolistic position in pharmaceuticals, shipping, and shipbuilding, and now they’re entering construction too?

It’s certainly not a desirable phenomenon.

So I thought he came to dissuade me.

But?

“Our Imperial Intelligence Agency will also actively cooperate with the Fujii Construction acquisition.”

“…Cooperate?”

“Yes.”

This is a bit bewildering.

Cooperate?

“There’s a bit of a story behind this.”

“What is it?”

“Have you ever heard of the anti-Han independence movement?”

“Ah!”

Not anti-Japanese, but anti-Han independence movement.

In the past 400 years ago, from 1910 to 1945, when the Korean Empire was a Japanese colony, the resistance movement waged to escape Japanese colonial rule was the anti-Japanese independence movement.

However, what Chief Mun Gyeong-sik is talking about is the anti-Han independence movement.

The subject has changed.

It means the independence movement of Japanese-descended imperial citizens against the Samhan Empire, not against Japan.

“Some Japanese-descended citizens harbor ambitions to reclaim the old Japanese lands and form an independent government.”

“Does that relate to this acquisition and merger?”

“Fujii Construction is one of the funding sources for the anti-Han independence movement.”

“Hmm, I see.”

There are Japanese-descended imperial citizens who still can’t forget the glory of old Japan.

The dream of rebuilding their lost homeland.

One of the major forces is Fujii Construction.

“Originally it was a tiny organization not worth mentioning, but when His Majesty was bedridden, their influence grew tremendously.”

“Understandable. That would have been a good opportunity for them. But they ultimately couldn’t achieve their goal.”

“That’s right. After His Majesty rose up effortlessly and demonstrated his strength, their ambitions were completely crushed.”

Japan becoming territory of the Samhan Empire was largely their own fault.

Currently, the Samhan Empire encompasses Manchuria, part of Siberia, and the Japanese Archipelago.

You could say all of East Asia is Samhan territory.

This was an achievement of Emperor Ryu Tae-hyeon, but also thanks to riding the tide of the times well.

First, China self-destructed by detonating nuclear weapons in monster-infested areas.

The resulting rampage of Beyond Elite monsters.

The Chinese mainland became abandoned land.

What about Japan then?

Half of Japanese territory disappeared due to climate crisis and earthquakes.

Using their survival as an excuse, they invaded the Korean Peninsula without even declaring war.

However, they were defeated piecemeal by the Daejin Kingdom established by Emperor Ryu Tae-hyeon, and conversely lost even the remaining half of Japanese territory.

The neighboring country’s blunder.

Thanks to that, Samhan built a great empire.

But Japan differs from China in one aspect.

Half the land still remains.

So unlike the Chinese-descended, the Japanese-descended have justification for separate independence.

“Those insolent bastards. We allowed those who wanted to relocate to the mainland, gave autonomy to those who decided to remain on Japanese soil, and broadly recognized their rights rather than truly ruling them, yet they stabbed us in the back.”

How could Tae-ju not know?

The Japanese-descended imperial citizens’ greed for land.

He had been a party to it himself.

Wasn’t the Paju Domain incident caused by the Honda family in the past a miniature version of this?

“What does His Majesty the Emperor think?”

“Hmm, this is confidential, but…”

Chief Mun Gyeong-sik came close to Tae-ju and whispered.

“He will soon approve the separate independence of Japan.”

“What?”

Approval, not prohibition?

“It means ‘if you want to build an independent nation on Japanese soil, go ahead.'”

“Then surely?”

Allowing separate independence.

The meaning of these words is…

“Are you saying he’ll abandon Japanese territory?”

“That’s right. From the Empire’s perspective, holding useless Japanese territory would only be a burden. We already have our hands full focusing on the continent.”

Exactly.

There was plenty of land to pioneer anyway.

“The Imperial Intelligence Agency has already secured a list of Anti-Han Independence Movement leadership. Fujii Construction Chairman Tsuchida Shohei is one of them. An expulsion order will be issued soon, back to Japanese soil.”

If you want to separate and become independent, go ahead.

But! Return all the wealth and success you achieved in the Samhan Empire and leave with nothing but the clothes on your back.

This was exactly why the Imperial Intelligence Agency was willing to help with the Fujii Construction acquisition.

“It’s not just Fujii Construction. All Japanese-descended Empire citizens who were involved in the Anti-Han Independence Movement are targets for expulsion.”

“…What about unrelated people?”

“Of course we’ll give them a choice.”

In a way, it was truly cruel.

What would they do after independence?

Even now, Japanese land was slowly disappearing.

And Japan was an island.

Seas teeming with marine monsters on all sides.

In other words, isolated land.

It was no different from a giant prison, so what could they accomplish by establishing an independent nation there?

It was telling them to die along with the sinking archipelago.

“Please acquire Fujii Construction. The Imperial Intelligence Agency and government will actively support you. I’ll meet with President Baek Seo-yeon separately.”

Baek Seo-yeon would be delighted too.

If things went well, she’d get that huge company for free.

‘Well, they brought it on themselves.’

By the way, I wonder if Vincent Moretti was delivered safely to the Immortal Realm.

* * *

Vincent Moretti had a guess about where he was now.

‘Subspace…’

Or somewhere similar to it.

Could it possibly be a dragon’s subspace?

Then was the soul behind Kim Tae-ju a dragon?

‘Even so.’

How could a living, breathing human enter subspace?

Even if more than half of his body was golem.

‘There’s definitely something.’

It couldn’t be considered human power.

Unless it was a god.

Whether it was subspace or whatever, this was a strange space.

He couldn’t even tell how much time was passing.

A space with no light, no air, filled only with darkness.

It was fortunate his artificial heart was a crystal energy engine, otherwise if he were a normal breathing human, he would have died already.

Even his thoughts were limited.

His consciousness would come and go.

Why this had happened, what would happen next.

But this one thought remained firm.

Revenge against Kim Tae-ju.

Kill him.

He would definitely kill him.

There was a reason he had kept one artificial fake dragon heart.

Like Daniel, Vincent Moretti had also inserted a dimensional gate generator equipped with an artificial dragon heart into his body.

If it just activated, a mirror gate would open and the same soul from another world, Jacques Deluane, would emerge and merge with him.

Bang!

With an explosion more terrifying than a nuclear bomb, no living creature would be able to survive.

If that happened, both he and Jacques would be annihilated, but wasn’t he sorry to the same soul?

It was fine.

They had reached an agreement beforehand.

When such a day came, they would both become subjects of the final experiment.

In fact, Jacques Deluane was living on borrowed time.

Because the world he lived in had been destroyed, there was no way to supply the energy needed to sustain life.

Three months at most.

What was the ultimate purpose of the dimensional gate experiment?

It was to overcome the soul merging state and safely bring Jacques to this world.

But all experiments had ended in failure.

There was only one path left.

If he managed to get outside, he would immediately activate the generator.

Kim Tae-ju, he would disappear along with that bastard.

Right then!

Swoosh!

The environment suddenly changed.

Vincent saw the sky.

There were large buildings too, so was this outdoors?

Anyway.

‘I’m out.’

There was no need to hesitate.

“Die!”

Vincent activated the soul-mediated dimensional gate generator.

Whooooosh!

Bzzzzing!

As the mirror gate opened simultaneously.

Crackle, crack!

Chains of light binding his body.

“This is the end!”

However.

“Swordsman.”

“Understood.”

Who was that?

‘What is this…’

* * *

Heavenly Realm.

Danggumak gently coaxed Jecheon Daeseong.

“Just pull out one more handful.”

“…There’s nowhere left to pull from. Look at my head. It’s completely bald.”

“You always wear a hat pretending to be a hip-hopper, so what’s with the hair complaints.”

“Then, then wouldn’t it be okay to pull from the armpits or groin?”

“Oh my! That’s a bit dirty. There’s still plenty of hair on your side there.”

“…”

At this rate, there really wouldn’t be any hair left on his entire body.

“But why do you need so much of my hair?”

“Didn’t you see it too? The Swordsman’s Earth travelogue.”

“…Ah!”

Of course Jecheon Daeseong had seen it too.

These days it was more popular than movies or dramas.

“The demons coming out of that place called the Gate?”

“That’s right. Of course, our Tae-ju wouldn’t be defeated by those bastards… but that world is becoming dangerous.”

“That must not happen. If Earth is destroyed, where would we get our supplies?”

Jecheon Daeseong grabbed a handful of fur from his side with a grave expression.

Pluuuck!

He plucked out a fistful and blew demonic power into it before handing it over.

“Hehehe, I will never forget this favor.”

“…May I go now?”

“Do you have something urgent?”

“They say the cafe is selling Seondo shaved ice, I wanted to try some…”

That’s when it happened.

Bzzzzt.

A delivery signal rang in Danggumak’s head.

“It’s here.”

“Oh! It’s here?”

A passing Immortal heard it too.

“It’s here?”

“Then did that bastard come?”

“Who?”

“Who else? That guy Vincent.”

News of the Earth delivery spread from mouth to mouth.

Danggumak was nervous.

Would he really be there?

When he opened the Shared Warehouse.

‘Huh.’

There were two humans.

Which one of them is it?

One didn’t feel human at all, while the other at least had some humanity to him.

‘It must be this one.’

After exchanging the goods first.

Word must have spread quickly as the Immortals flocked to the Multiplex Courtyard.

“Looking at your expression, it seems he came.”

“Hurry up and bring him out.”

“Vincent, that bastard, let’s see his face.”

“There’s so much to ask.”

Danggumak brought out Vincent Moretti.

Instantly!

“Die!”

As soon as he came out, he started screaming frantically.

The Immortals were bewildered.

“Die?”

“Me?”

“Why?”

“This bastard, when did we ever meet…”

At the same time.

Whooooosh!

Bzzzzing!

A gate opened.

Chains of light shot out as well.

“Now it’s over!”

Danggumak immediately understood what this phenomenon was.

“Swordsman!”

He understood too.

“Got it.”

He grabbed Vincent and.

Swoop!

Created distance.

Snap snap snap snap snap!

The chains of light broke.

When he escaped the Gate’s binding, Vincent was shocked.

“Huh?”

What?

Escaping like this?

Just by simply grabbing and running away?

‘This is… this is impossible.’

The binding that occurs when a Gate opens is by dimensional power, meaning it’s like a rule that humans can never escape from…

‘Wait!’

The person dragging him looked familiar.

It was that old man who had come to the Sahara Desert with Kim Tae-ju.

But what about the other people?

Kim Tae-ju was nowhere to be seen.

If there was a common trait, they were all old men.

There was even a monkey dressed like a human.

‘Is this a senior center?’

And.

Swoosh!

A familiar face was emerging from the mirror Dimensional Gate.

“He… he came…”

A welcome face.

The one who would share life’s end with him.

The same soul from another world, Jacques Deluane.

Crackle! Crackle crackle!

Chains of light formed again.

Jacques was being pulled toward him.

Of course.

Now only the merging of souls remained.

Vincent cried out desperately.

“Jacques! Come here! Finally we will become one!”

However.

Swoosh!

“Huh?”

He disappeared.

Jacques Deluane, that is.

Vincent blinked his eyes.

Where did he go?

How could he know.

That Danggumak had put Jacques Deluane into the Infinite Space.

That he had blocked the soul merging in that way.

The Immortals were impressed.

Vincent Moretti being delivered to Earth was amazing, but.

“Two of them?”

“We should be grateful that one came, but another one comes too?”

“This is like….”

“A one plus one deal.”

“Must be a promotional period.”

“As expected of Kim Tae-ju. He must have thought one wouldn’t be enough so he sent one more.”

Danggumak said as he took out Golem Daniel from the Infinite Space.

“Actually, it’s two plus one. There was one more.”

“Huh?”

“Really?”

“No wait, this one’s a different category, isn’t it.”

“That’s right, let’s be precise. This one’s a complimentary gift.”

“Is that so?”

Vincent was dumbfounded.

He couldn’t understand at all.

‘Who are these people?’

And where is this place?

—————
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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