The Chairman of Pharmaceutical Company is a Poison King - Chapter 221

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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 221: Side Story (1)

On the Miteran Continent, there exist countless nations established by humans.

If you combine empires, kingdoms, holy states, and duchies, they’re too numerous to count.

Among them, the Kingdom of Kaduin is quite a powerful nation on the Miteran Continent, and there lies the Tails Estate.

It was a place ruled by Count Feron Tails, a 7th Circle mage.

In terms of wealth, it was one of the most prosperous estates in the Kingdom of Kaduin.

To the east lay a great mountain range, and from north to south stretched a great river with fertile plains – a granary region.

The estate had a large population, developed agriculture and commerce, and the central city where the Feudal Lord’s Mansion was located was prosperous.

Rodi, a 20-year-old Young Man this year, was a mine worker.

He had been working since age 15, so for a full 5 years he had done nothing but swing pickaxes in the dark, humid mine.

Before age 15, he had lived happily.

When his parents were still alive, that is.

But then came his Mother’s sudden illness.

His Father borrowed money from loan sharks to pay for Mother’s medicine and treatment costs.

Nevertheless, Mother could not overcome her illness and passed away.

Father also worked as a mine laborer to pay off the remaining debt, and passed away when Rodi turned 15.

Rodi inherited his Father’s debt.

The Magicite Mine where his Father had worked became his workplace; the mine was owned by the Tails Family.

Though he was now a 20-year-old adult, he still looked like a young boy on the outside.

That was because he was so malnourished.

He had been dragged to the mine during his prime growing years, working while eating only two chunks of black bread and oat porridge per day.

But today, it looked like he wouldn’t even get to eat that.

Mine supervisor Jans poked Rodi’s head with a stick and sneered.

“You can’t even work properly, yet you’re asking for food?”

“…I’ve been starving for two days. I don’t even have the strength to lift a pickaxe,”

Smack!

Jans struck Rodi’s cheek.

His emaciated body went flying with a whoosh!

“You little bug.”

Brutal kicks were delivered to Rodi.

He couldn’t even resist.

From experience, that would only make the beating worse.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

“Ugh, urk! Urk!”

“You lazy bum who only wastes food! Go fill your quota, or starve to death.”

Supervisor Jans.

Originally, this bastard had also been a mine worker sold into debt.

But with his ruthless and vicious nature, he caught the eye of the Magicite Mine manager and became a supervisor – a dog-like bastard.

Grind!

Rodi protected his head with both hands and clenched his teeth.

Failed to meet his quota?

Nonsense!

He had filled it sufficiently.

But the man constantly found fault and tormented him.

Why was he making his life so miserable?

Actually, the answer was simple.

Jans paused his assault and opened his mouth while panting.

“Huff huff, if you come to my room tonight, you could taste white bread and warm meat stew. How about it? Interested?”

Supervisor Jans looked over every corner of Rodi’s body with disgusting eyes – the bastard was a homosexual.

‘Fucking bastard!’

He really wanted to kill him.

If only he had the strength.

When no more kicks came, Rodi endured the pain and lifted his aching body.

Grabbing his pickaxe again,

“…I’ll go fill my quota.”

“Hehehe, do whatever you want. No matter how hard you try, your miserable life will stay the same.”

Yeah, let’s see whether that happens or not until the very end.

Early evening, when it had grown dark.

Rodi entered the Mine Tunnel again.

The Miteran Continent was a world rich in mana.

So mana crystallized and was buried Underground.

It was distributed throughout the continent.

There was so much that they didn’t even bother mining the lowest and low grades.

At minimum, only mid-grade, high-grade, and top-grade were sold as products.

The daily wages at the Magicite Mine were so meager that few people wanted to work there.

It was hard labor but the pay was poor, so the Magicite Mine was the most avoided workplace for miners; since no one came to work, they had no choice but to force people.

For this reason, the workers at the Tails Magicite Mine were mostly semi-slaves sold into debt.

Rodi was the same.

He learned later that many of the mine workers had similar cases to his own.

The loan shark who had lent money to the workers was the same person.

The same bastard who had sent his Father to the mine and even sold him to the mine.

There were rumors that this loan shark belonged to the Count of Tailles Estate.

They probably gathered workers by forcing people into debt through various methods and then forcing them into the mine.

Bang bang bang bang!

Rodi began mining at the very back of the Mine Tunnel.

Anyway, escaping this mine through normal methods was impossible.

‘I will definitely escape.’

There was no answer other than escape.

Otherwise, he would either starve to death or become supervisor Jans’s concubine.

Bang bang bang bang!

Rodi forgot his hunger and concentrated on swinging his pickaxe.

Suddenly!

Thunk! Roll roll.

“Oh!”

A fist-sized stone that sparkled even in the darkness.

“It’s top-grade.”

No matter how common magicite was, that didn’t apply to top-grade.

Top-grade was rare and fetched quite a price.

He carefully tucked it into his pocket.

‘This should be enough for my quota.’

Lucky.

Today he would be able to eat.

That’s when it happened.

Crackle crackle.

Thud thud thud thud!

Suddenly, stone fragments fell from above.

“…Huh?”

The sound of something cracking.

Rummmmmmmble…

“Oh no!”

Rodi rolled to the ground and pressed himself tightly against the mine tunnel wall.

At the same time.

Rumble rumble rumble, the collapsing mine tunnel.

“Damn it!”

So that’s why his luck seemed good.

* * *

Mine supervisor Jans heard the news that a mine tunnel had collapsed.

“…What? It collapsed?”

“Yes, it seems the support beams were too old and rotted away.”

“Was anyone inside?”

“After asking around, someone saw Rodi go in for night work.”

“Hah, damn it!”

Jans frowned as if he had a headache.

“Should we send in a rescue team?”

“Are you crazy? Send a rescue team for just one kid? It’d be better to spend that time finding another vein and digging one more tunnel.”

“…Understood.”

Jans couldn’t just sit still either.

As a supervisor, he had to make a report.

So he went to the mine headquarters to find the Administrator dispatched from the Tales Count family.

The Administrator was a 3rd Circle mage no less.

Jans had no choice but to be cautious.

“Ah, sir.”

“What’s the matter?”

“One of the mine tunnels collapsed in an accident.”

“What’s the damage?”

“One miner is trapped inside, but…”

“I don’t care about that nonsense. What I’m asking about is magic stone production. There won’t be any delays, will there?”

“It’s, it’s fine. There’s enough.”

The mage nodded and continued speaking.

“If there are any problems, you’ll have to be prepared.”

“I’ll squeeze the miners if I have to in order to meet production quotas.”

“Then go.”

“Yes!”

Good.

Jans sighed in relief as he left the management office.

‘Of all people, that Rodi bastard… what a waste.’

He was a guy he liked because of his pretty face.

If he had tormented him just a little more, he would have come to his room on his own.

That was what he regretted most.

* * *

Rodi slowly opened his eyes.

“Ugh.”

The mine tunnel had collapsed, but the place where Rodi had taken shelter was safe.

‘…I’m alive.’

But the path to the entrance was completely blocked by large and small rocks.

He was completely trapped.

‘Will a rescue team come?’

Unlikely.

From the mine manager’s perspective, it would be much cheaper to dig another tunnel than to restore the collapsed one.

“Aaaaaaaah!”

He tried shouting loudly once.

“Save me!!!”

But all that came back was an echo.

“…”

Is this the end?

Not a chance!

Rodi gritted his teeth.

He would definitely find a way to survive.

But how could he move those rocks?

‘Let’s wait for now.’

Just in case a rescue team might come.

He endured and endured again.

He didn’t even know how much time had passed.

At least since what collapsed were rocks and not earth, air could come in through small gaps so he could breathe.

Also, thanks to the highest-grade magic stone that emitted its own light, he could see even in the dark.

What was tormenting Rodi most now was thirst and hunger.

He had already finished the water he had brought at his waist when entering the mine tunnel.

There was something to eat.

Red Cave Mushrooms growing sparsely throughout the mine tunnel.

But they were poisonous mushrooms.

If he ate these just because he was hungry…

‘I’d die right on the spot.’

Rodi waited and waited again.

He tried shouting for help at the top of his lungs from time to time, but no response came.

Hope gradually disappeared.

Eventually he lay down.

He couldn’t tell if his eyes were open or closed.

It was hopeless.

A mere twenty years of life.

Only death remained.

His life so far flashed by like a panorama.

His relatively stable childhood, but after Mother fell ill, the family’s fortunes began to decline due to debt.

He didn’t resent his parents.

They had lived doing their best.

‘If only I had received mana’s blessing.’

The mana aptitude that only a few among Miteran humans possessed.

If he had that, he could have become a mage and an administrator for a territory or kingdom.

But Rodi had no talent.

His eyes slowly closed.

His consciousness being sucked somewhere.

Was this death?

That’s when it happened.

“…Gasp!”

Rodi’s eyes snapped open.

What?

Was he seeing hallucinations because he was about to die?

A person he’d never seen before was right in front of him.

No, it felt like they were in front of him.

Could this be the Grim Reaper who collects the souls of the dead?

But then he should be holding a scythe.

When their eyes met, Rodi realized.

He naturally came to understand.

“Ahhh!”

That person was himself.

The same soul from a different world.

‘Kim Tae-ju.’

His experiences and memories came pouring into his head.

To the point where he couldn’t regain his senses.

Earth’s Samhan Empire, eldest son of Paju Domain, soldier, Seorak Mountain, soul connection, Honweonmusangdokryeongong, Immortal Realm, Immortals, Seondo and Heavenly Peach, Dragon Orb and Dragon Heart… what?

‘This is absolutely ridiculous!’

Black Dragon Patagellaon.

Servant of the Deity and guardian of balance, the world’s strongest living being.

He carried in his body the heart of a dragon that even 9th Circle mages couldn’t handle? And used it to open dimensional gates?

Moreover,

“…Good heavens,”

Ranellia.

The god of humans.

The same soul Kim Tae-ju had dared to converse with a god.

Even the great Ranellia had made requests to him with longing in her voice.

Please open the dimensional gate.

‘This can’t be.’

But it was undoubtedly clear.

The problem was that even if it were true, it was too absurd.

‘Right! This isn’t the time for this.’

Thoughts could come later.

Rodi realized what he needed to do first.

He jerked his upper body upright and fumbled on the ground to pick up a sharp stone fragment.

‘I need to draw the Infinite Space magic circle first.’

The same soul from another world, Kim Tae-ju, had told him to do so.

His immortal energy was transmitted to Rodi through the passage created by the soul connection.

Using the immortal energy to cut himself with the stone fragment, Rodi drew the Infinite Space magic circle on both palms.

‘Quickly! Before the connection breaks.’

There was no time.

The immortal energy was supplied sufficiently without shortage.

With terrifying concentration, he drew the magic circle relying on the light emitted by the magic stones.

And finally…

‘I’ve completed it.’

The magic circle was complete.

At the same time,

Snap!

The connection was severed.

“Phew.”

That was close.

Rodi collapsed onto the ground.

He was completely drained of strength.

But he needed to pull himself together.

The experience and knowledge gained through the soul connection, and the Infinite Space.

He had to use that as a foundation to overcome the current crisis.

Rodi checked the Infinite Space first.

It was vast in size.

Truly enormous.

The subspace magic that only high-ranking mages possessed was like a small pocket compared to this.

‘A shared warehouse was created too.’

This was the key.

A power that only these three could possess: Kim Tae-ju, Danggumak the Immortal of the Immortal Realm, and himself, Rodi of the Miteran Dimension.

Magic?

What’s the big deal about that!

Just by properly mastering Kim Tae-ju and Danggumak’s Honweonmusangdokryeongong, he could turn even 9th Circle mages into a handful of poison with his toxic energy.

He felt newly proud.

Of the fact that he was the same soul as Kim Tae-ju.

Since he thought of it, let’s master Honweonmusangdokryeongong first.

The key was generating Toxic Spirit.

‘I need poison…’

There was plenty of that.

The Red Cave Mushrooms.

Also, the collapsed and sealed mine tunnel.

Since air was still circulating, wasn’t it a perfect secluded training room?

Rodi harvested the poisonous mushrooms growing in the corners of the mine tunnel.

Having obtained Honweonmusangdokryeongong, poison was now food and elixir to him.

He tore off round mushroom caps in large quantities and put them in his mouth.

“Ugh!”

Bitter.

He could already feel the toxic energy spreading.

Rodi recalled the incantation of Honweonmusangdokryeongong.

The toxic energy flowed through his blood vessels.

He stuffed more poisonous mushrooms into his mouth.

Eating a lot made his hunger disappear too.

The toxic energy moved to his danjeon.

And began to coalesce.

He knew what to do.

There was no worry of failure.

It was easy if there was enough poison to create Toxic Spirit.

Finally!

“Ah!”

Rodi felt it.

The bean-sized energy generated in his danjeon.

‘I’ve created Toxic Spirit.’

Honweonmusangdokryeongong 1st Stage.

‘This isn’t enough.’

It wasn’t complete yet.

Without a steady supply of poison, it might disperse.

Rodi thoroughly searched the mine tunnel and found poisonous mushrooms.

He kept eating them.

Of course, while operating Honweonmusangdokryeongong too.

Time passed quickly.

Roughly a week seemed to have passed.

He had eaten all the poisonous mushrooms.

Honweonmusangdokryeongong 1st Stage was in a completed state.

Hunger and thirst remained unchanged.

While it was fortunate to have gained the divine technique, the crisis still remained.

He had to get out of the collapsed mine.

But.

‘Can I get out?’

Rodi tried moving the rocks blocking the mine tunnel with his hands.

The small ones moved, but the large ones…

‘Still too much for me.’

What should I do?

I need to solve the food problem…

That’s when it happened.

Zzzirrrrr!

A signal ringing in his head.

‘Could it be?’

He knew what this signal was.

Did someone perhaps send something?

I hope there’s something in there.

Rodi opened the Infinite Space.

The Shared Warehouse sparkling with light.

‘There is something.’

Thank goodness.

Lord Tae-ju had sent it.

Hidden weapons of various shapes and sizes.

There were even two subspace bags.

The food items inside them.

Ham and chicken, canned goods, plus even a large Seondo.

Lord Tae-ju, being the same soul, seemed to know exactly what he needed most right now.

‘…This much?’

There were even poisons collected from Earth, instruction manuals with usage methods, and a smartphone.

He was so grateful.

To give these precious items so generously.

Then what about himself?

Wasn’t there something he could give in return?

All he had were the highest-grade magic stones he had mined before the tunnel collapsed.

‘At least this…’

Rodi put the magic stones into the Shared Warehouse.

Then the Shared Warehouse’s light went out again.

Perhaps because he now had food, his stomach started growling.

He was thirsty too.

He took out the Seondo from the Infinite Space.

Crunch!

“Mmm.”

An incredibly fragrant aroma.

The energy of Seondo spread throughout his body like water soaking into a dry sponge.

He felt like he could fly.

He could die right now without regrets.

He craved stimulating food.

Rodi also took out a box of chicken and cola that Lord Tae-ju had sent.

First, he picked up a drumstick and bit into it.

Crisp!

The batter crumbling into small pieces.

“Mmm…”

How could it be this blissful.

Indeed, knowing something in theory and actually experiencing it were very different.

The cola too.

Gulp gulp.

He drank it all at once.

“Burp!”

A burp came out naturally.

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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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