The Chairman of Pharmaceutical Company is a Poison King - Chapter 18

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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 18: The Poison Master is Sometimes Merciful

Like other major conglomerate companies, Miri-nae Group also had fierce internal power struggles over succession rights.

The Future Strategy Headquarters office was no exception.

Who you align yourself with.

Joy and sorrow are divided based on the position of the person you’ve aligned with and what achievements they’ve made.

However, Baek Seo-yeon had not chosen a position.

If I have the mental energy for that, I’d rather just work more.

In the case of Department Head Jeon Ju-hak, he was someone who had climbed aboard the line of Lee Dong-woo, the group’s second son.

The order to bring the Spore Poison Gorani antidote must have also come from Lee Dong-woo.

After all, he was the president of Miri-nae Biopharmaceutical Company.

“Hey! Baek Seo-yeon! Are you really going to act like this? Do you want to be buried forever in this industry?”

Department Head Jeon Ju-hak followed her out, shouting angrily.

“This industry? I told you I’m leaving New Seoul.”

Jeon Ju-hak caught his breath for a moment and spoke as if trying to persuade her.

“Right, you said you’re going to Gurye. You’ll come back up to New Seoul anyway, won’t you? Are you planning to rot in that dangerous countryside?”

“Yes, I’m going to live there permanently.”

“Sigh, fine. Then just get me the manufacturing formula. I’m thinking of giving you about 10 billion won. You’ll need money to establish yourself. If you don’t want money, I’ll get you a house in Gurye City Castle.”

“Please tell them upstairs to wake up from their dreams.”

Then Jeon Ju-hak’s expression turned menacing.

“Do you really want to die? Do you think Miri-nae Group can’t do anything just because it’s Gurye?”

“That’s a threat. Well, since we’ve come this far, we can’t part on good terms… There’s no need for work handover, right? I’ll send my resignation letter by email too.”

Baek Seo-yeon was resolute.

She wanted to go down to Gurye as soon as possible.

There was a lot to do.

She had to move out of her rental room and prepare for the move.

Her father had called asking for help directly.

Someone who usually doesn’t make such requests.

He said he had established a company with a trustworthy person, but there was no one to work.

‘Taehong Bio, was it?’

A recently established company.

But it had sufficient potential for development.

The mosquito poison antidote had already been released and supplied to the military, and a spore poison antidote was also under development.

‘We need to establish the company structure first.’

But who was the person who went into business with her father?

Seems like an antidote developer.

Confirming their identity was the priority.

What their purpose was, why they specifically chose her father.

What if they were using her father as a figurehead president to plot some sinister scheme?

‘I’ll have to meet them first and then think about it.’

* * *

Tae-ju and the raid team of former inmates returned to Gurye.

To Kim Tae-ju’s building, which would become the future base of Taehong Bio.

They had sufficiently verified the effectiveness of the Spore Poison Antelope Deer antidote, and also brought back butchered gorani meat, bones, organs, and poisonous and medicinal herbs.

The backpacks they carried were packed full.

It was a bountiful harvest.

‘I’ll have to make antidotes for a while.’

Just two types: mosquito poison antidote and antelope gorani antidote.

The materials weren’t sufficient.

Until now, he had been purchasing medicinal and poisonous herbs through the Drug Shop.

But with the shop closed, the material supply was cut off.

He needed to finish up as quickly as possible and reopen the Drug Shop.

Since he went into business with Baek Hong-pyo and owned shares in the Drug Shop, he had developed an affection for it.

After storing the collected materials and gorani meat in the storage room and refrigerated storage.

“Good work.”

“Yes! You worked hard too, hyung-nim.”

“Now go back to the orphanage and rest well.”

“Huh? We’re going to stay here though?”

“Why?”

Baek Chang-hun looked at Tae-ju with a puzzled expression.

“Uh, didn’t father say anything?”

“Ah! Is it because of the security issue?”

“Yes!”

“But do you still think that way after what happened today?”

“…”

Baek Chang-hun’s expression became awkward.

“Come to think of it, it’s not necessary.”

“Right, go take care of the orphanage children. Protect President Baek too.”

In fact, the orphanage would be safe.

There was only one orphanage in Gurye, Free City.

Touch that place?

How would they handle the anger of Gurye citizens?

However, there were really crazy people in the world.

Gurye was especially like that.

So he couldn’t let his guard down.

He needed more trustworthy people.

If the company structure was quickly established and he hired just enough staff to process antidote materials, he’d have room to try adding other medicines.

He had also bought plenty of nearby vacant land, so when he made money, he could build new buildings too.

The work had grown much larger than the budget.

He had planned to earn moderately and establish his position.

Well, earning big wasn’t bad either.

‘Is the interior finished?’

Tae-ju took the elevator up to the top floor, the 5th floor of the building.

This was the place he had renovated after the underground shelter.

‘Nice.’

He had decorated it as a living space.

A kitchen and bedroom, study, living room, bathroom with a bathtub…

‘This is my home.’

The feeling was strange.

The first house he bought with his own money.

Born with the sin of being a mana rejecter, he thought he would be born and die in Paju.

But his life was tougher than expected, so he had to be driven out to the military by his stepmother.

And the threat of murder by a superior he trusted, then after discharge, coming to Gurye to live as a porter… It was a short time but full of ups and downs.

‘I feel somewhat melancholy too.’

Fortunately, he met good people.

That was the biggest gain.

Gurye would become his starting point.

A foundation where he could stand proudly on his own.

He was getting tired.

He should sleep.

* * *

Rustle rustle.

Gurye City outskirts, around the building Kim Tae-ju had purchased.

There was a group stealthily approaching that location.

“Ugh! My mouth is parched dry. Did the drug wear off?”

“Don’t touch the drugs you brought now.”

“Come on, boss, you know I can distinguish between work and personal use.”

“How can I trust a drug addict’s words?”

“Boss, aren’t you also a drug… enthusiast?”

“This bastard?”

Gurye, Free City was different from ordinary cities.

While normal cities have both sunny and shady sides, Gurye’s shadows were very dark.

Gurye Slum.

Drugs circulating was just the basics.

Violence, murder, rape, human trafficking, drugs… all sorts of vile crimes occurred and were quickly buried without anyone knowing they happened.

There was an organization operating in that Gurye Slum.

Villains who had long dealt with YJ Pharmacy. They received drug supplies from Jo Hun-seok and handled matters that couldn’t be resolved legally.

“Is that Kim Tae-ju’s building over there?”

“Seems like it? The lights are on in the top floor.”

“How long has he been in Gurye and he’s already buying up real estate like crazy.”

“The mosquito poison antidote was a huge hit. They say the spore poison antidote will be released soon too.”

Jo Hun-seok’s request.

Kidnap Kim Tae-ju, the mosquito poison developer, and forcibly inject him with drugs to make him addicted.

It seemed like a scheme to extract the antidote manufacturing formula…

Ma Sang-sik, the villain organization boss and Beginner-grade Awakened, had a slightly regretful expression.

‘Tsk! What a waste.’

That guy’s value was immeasurably enormous.

Just the mosquito poison antidote alone – how much was that worth?

If he had his way, he’d want to kidnap this guy and monopolize the manufacturing formula himself.

But there was no choice.

He was already tamed by the drugs Jo Hun-seok supplied.

How could he live if that guy cut off the drugs?

‘I’ll grant his request, but demand much more in return.’

Drugs were this terrifying.

Having to kiss the ass of someone weaker than himself.

The villain thugs quietly climbed up through the emergency staircase.

Soon they arrived in front of the door.

Ma Sang-sik grabbed the door handle.

One twist and the door would open, and that guy would be inside.

“Once we go in, don’t waste time talking and stick the needle in right away. Once he gets a taste of drugs, his eyes will roll back, so we just quietly put him in the car and head back.”

“Hehe, this good stuff…”

“Sigh, you drug addict bastard, stop licking your lips! Should I rip your head off first before we start?”

“No sir. I’ll stick it in right away.”

Ma Sang-sik twisted the door handle.

Creak!

The door opened.

* * *

Kim Tae-ju had been awake since the moment they started walking up the emergency staircase.

Not letting his guard down even while sleeping. This was one of the habits Danggumak had developed when he was chased by the Demonic Cult and wandered the martial world.

‘One, two, three, four… four people total?’

He had expected some kind of attack to come.

But such an obvious method.

Well!

This was probably the only way they had.

Public opinion was getting increasingly hostile, finances were solid through military contracts, and with the spore poison antidote about to be released, they must be cornered.

‘I can finish this quickly.’

A justification for resolving this with force had been created.

First, deal with those guys.

Kim Tae-ju slowly got up from the bed.

And he was about to put on the coat hanging on the wall when…

Suddenly!

Murmur murmur, the conversation the guys were having right in front of the door.

‘Hmm?’

He definitely heard it.

‘Drugs?’

What a stroke of luck.

To deepen the achievement of poison mastery, one needed to taste as many different types of poison as possible.

Drugs were also poison.

A new type of poison he hadn’t tasted before.

‘How much did they bring?’

He hoped they brought a lot.

With Honweonmusangdokryeongong at the 4th level, he could easily handle drugs.

Jeoldaedokma Danggumak had also mastered various types of drugs when he dominated the martial world.

Opium made from poppies, all kinds of hallucinogens, paradise incense that even peak martial artists couldn’t endure, yin-yang paste, soul-bewitching pills…

Kim Tae-ju stopped getting up from the bed and lay back down.

And at the same time.

Creak!

The door opened.

“This bastard is sleeping?”

“Stupid fool, how can he have so little vigilance when he has so much… What are you doing? Hurry up and inject it, deep into the vein.”

“Yes!”

One of the lackeys rolled up the sleeve of the sleeping Kim Tae-ju.

And was about to stick the needle in when…

Suddenly!

Grab!

“…I thought about it.”

Kim Tae-ju sat up while grabbing the lackey’s hand.

“Originally, I was just going to let you inject me.”

Naturally, the villains were startled.

“Shit, you scared me.”

“…He was awake?”

“Hey! Hurry up and stick it in!”

“Th-that’s the thing, my hand won’t move.”

Kim Tae-ju took the syringe from the guy’s hand and said.

“I almost forgot. I hate getting injections. It hurts.”

Then he brought it to his mouth.

“This drug, I can take it orally too, right? Will the effect be a bit weaker?”

“…Uh, why are you ea-eating that?”

Squirt!

The injection liquid went into Kim Tae-ju’s mouth.

Ma Sang-sik was dumbfounded.

Setting aside suddenly waking up, you put it in your mouth even knowing it’s drugs?

Oral administration does show effects, but…

What a waste.

It should be injected into the veins, that’s the direct way.

Tae-ju drank all the drugs in the syringe at once.

And Ma Sang-sik and his lackeys stared blankly at that sight.

“Tsk, tastes bitter… Got any more?”

Is this guy insane?

“You don’t feel anything?”

“Nope.”

“Don’t you feel hallucinations, your body floating, feeling good, stuff like that?”

“Hmm, maybe I’d know if I tried a few more. If you have them, bring out all the different types.”

“You fucking bastard!”

Ma Sang-sik raised his fist and approached Tae-ju.

“I’d better just knock you out and take you. You’re not even worth wasting drugs on.”

That’s when it happened.

Tae-ju raised his finger and aimed it like a gun.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Freeze!

“…Huh?”

Ma Sang-sik froze in his approaching stance.

Among martial arts, there are exclusive techniques known only to oneself or specific factions, and there are universal techniques anyone can learn.

One of those universal techniques is pressure point striking.

A technique that shoots finger wind to strike paralysis points or meridian gates to paralyze enemies.

This is why humans are easier than magical beasts.

You can’t strike pressure points on magical beasts.

“B-boss!”

“What did this bastard do?”

“Get him!”

Swoosh!

Tae-ju’s form became blurry and suddenly disappeared from the bed.

“Gasp!”

“Wh-where?”

“Behind, he’s behind…”

Poke poke! Poke poke poke!

Pressure point strikes are more effective when jabbing directly with fingers rather than shooting finger wind.

The villains froze like mannequins in the bedroom.

Tae-ju leisurely searched their bodies.

“Oh my. You had quite a lot. I can take these, right?”

Syringes popped out from here and there.

Taking them to his mouth one by one, tasting them with smacking sounds.

“Hey, you fucking bastard!”

“Aren’t you going to bring that back?”

“I’m definitely going to kill you!”

He didn’t strike their death points.

Because he had things to hear from them.

First, he took out his smartphone, launched the camera app, and switched to video mode while filming.

“Now, tell me. Who ordered you to do this?”

Then Ma Sang-sik burst into crazy laughter.

“Kekekekeke, you idiot! You think I’ll tell you that? Kill me here or report me, do whatever you want!”

As expected from someone soaked in drugs.

Tae-ju grabbed Ma Sang-sik’s wrist.

“What? Going to torture me?”

“No, I’m going to treat you.”

“Treat me?”

“I’m going to absorb the drug energy from your body, not completely though. Don’t worry, I’ll leave just a tiny bit.”

“…What?”

“Then withdrawal symptoms will occur, right? You’ll cry and beg desperately, pleading for just one shot, hmm, come to think of it, is this also a type of torture? Anyway, shall I start?”

“W-wait!”

Tae-ju circulated the Honweonmusangdokryeongong.

‘Since it’s drugs, it tastes pretty good.’

The drug energy being absorbed through the meridian gates.

What a kind and naive thing to do.

To show the mercy of drug treatment to someone who came to kidnap him.

“N-no! P-please, stop…”

Ma Sang-sik trembled like an aspen leaf.

Withdrawal symptoms struck as the drug effects wore off.

“Kuk! Keuuuk, kieek, heuuuuk, hak hak! Keukkeuk!”

Ma Sang-sik was half-mad, making eerie sounds.

The other drug addicts who saw this were terrified.

“I-I’ll tell you everything.”

“Jo Hun-seok ordered it!”

“I just followed along!”

Thugs are really something.

No loyalty, no conscience.

Now he had evidence too.

What’s next?

‘Should I report this to the vigilante group?’

I’m really curious how they’ll handle this.

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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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