The Chairman of Pharmaceutical Company is a Poison King - Chapter 25

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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 25: I’ll Let You Live

Even though it was a medicine he had made himself, Tae-ju never imagined this.

It wasn’t even a high-end luxury elixir, yet with just one pill, it raised the grade of an existing awakened and awakened a compatible.

What kind of reaction would people show when this medicine hit the market?

Especially those in power, awakened thirsting for higher grades, and compatibles who had bet their lives on awakening.

They would swarm like bees.

‘The military can’t find out either.’

It wasn’t fear, but annoyance.

He had already drawn attention with the mosquito poison and spore poison antidotes.

If an elixir that far exceeded existing effects was released on top of that?

‘When interference is already coming just from the mosquito poison antidote,’

The ingredients were also a problem.

Not even 0.000001g of elite mana crystal had gone into it.

At most, a quarter of Giant bear gallbladder, regular mana crystals, and common herbs.

Anyone who heard this would faint from shock.

This was on a different dimension from antidote development.

So it couldn’t be revealed yet.

‘I shouldn’t sell elixirs.’

What choice was there?

He’d have to develop other medicines.

There was another medicine he had thought of during the elixir-making process.

‘First, I’ll just raise these two guys…’

Tae-ju had a decent eye for people.

You might ask how a 29-year-old guy who wasn’t even a physiognomist could judge people, but surprisingly, Tae-ju was well-versed in physiognomy.

Because he was also Danggumak, the Jeoldaedokma who had been responsible for a family in the Gangho Murim.

In Tae-ju’s judgment.

Baek Chang-hun was innocent and gentle.

Jang Soon-cheol was clever and sharp.

But what they had in common was that they were trustworthy guys.

“From today, you two will follow me around.”

“Do we have to live together at your house?”

“No, you’re employed by me. From today, I’ll teach you how to make medicine. I’ll also pay your salaries.”

“Yes!”

“And about what happened today…”

“We won’t tell anyone. Please trust me. You just need to be careful of Chang-hun hyung.”

“Hey! I’m tight-lipped too!”

There were still ingredients left.

Let’s make something he could actually sell instead of elixirs.

What Tae-ju was thinking of was a healing pill.

A medicine used as an internal injury treatment in the Gangho Murim.

The ingredients and method were similar to the elixir.

If you increased the ratio of main ingredients, you got a top-grade elixir; if you decreased it, you got a recovery medicine.

He drastically reduced the amount of bear gallbladder and mana crystals.

Conversely, he greatly increased the amounts of mana three-leaf herb, mutant ephedra, and mana barley.

This way, it became a recovery medicine instead of an elixir.

Using the remaining ingredients, he made medicine all night long.

Thus, he created a pill-shaped recovery medicine.

How much Giant Panda Bear gallbladder went into this one pill?

A pinch between thumb and index finger?

Maybe even less than that.

‘How should I verify its effectiveness?’

Baek Chang-hun and Jang Soon-cheol, who had been sticking close to his side ever since the day they took the elixir.

‘Anyway, I need more Giant Panda Bear gallbladder to produce medicine.’

Tae-ju looked at the two standing there blankly and smiled sinisterly.

“Hy, hyung, why are you smiling like that?”

“What did we do wrong?”

“No, what wrong? Let’s go hunting with me now.”

“Great! I’ll prepare right away.”

Jang Soon-cheol brightened up.

Well, he had just become an awakened.

But Baek Chang-hun was anxious.

Tae-ju hyung’s sinister smile from earlier bothered him.

“…But what are we going to hunt?”

“Giant Panda Bear.”

“Ah, I see… What? Gi, Giant Panda Bear?”

“It’s fine. You won’t die. You trust me, right?”

“Th, that’s…”

Tae-ju took out a recovery pill from his coat pocket and pressed it firmly into Baek Chang-hun’s hand.

“If you get hurt, just take this.”

“Uh, an elixir? It doesn’t seem like one.”

“Recovery medicine.”

Only then did Baek Chang-hun realize.

“…Are we test subjects?”

“Something like that.”

“You, you’ll let us live, right?”

“Don’t worry! You absolutely won’t die! Though it might hurt a little…”

“…”

Let’s focus on hunting for a while.

Gathering recovery medicine ingredients, training Chang-hun and Soon-cheol, and stabilizing his poison cultivation while he was at it.

Now he could definitely hunt something like a Giant Panda Bear.

Honweonmusangdokryeongong 5th level, peak mastery, and the ever-changing hidden weapon technique called Blood Butterfly.

Suddenly!

Bzzzzt!

His smartphone vibrated.

‘Who is it?’

It was Master Oh Jin-hyeong.

Why does this guy keep calling?

“Hello?”

– Tae-ju, President Tae-ju, no, Mr. Tae-ju, please do me one more favor.

A favor?

What could it be?

Probably asking him to make spore poison antidote.

“Didn’t I tell you to wait a bit for the spore poison antidote? Right now, mosquito poison antidote is more urgent.”

– I know, I know but…

“Once the factory is completed and mass production is set up, I’ll be able to deliver smoothly then. If you really want to eat meat, come here, I’ll give you plenty.”

– Sigh, it’s not about the meat, I’m going crazy with calls from here and there. They’re asking to share just a little spore poison antidote, saying they’ll buy it with money.

“I made you 100 sets before. Share some from those.”

– We’re short too. A thief came and swept away half of the antidotes we had.

“A thief?”

– There’s such a person. Someone with no shame. Well, thanks to that, the Imperial Palace sent down plenty of military operation budget.

It doesn’t seem like a thief, but rather someone of high rank came and forcibly took it. Who could be higher than Master Oh Jin-hyeong? Did a general come?

Anyway, I don’t know who wants to buy the antidote…

“I have to make it by hand. It takes a lot of time and is bothersome. So I can’t sell it cheap.”

– Uh, how much?

When I previously delivered 100 sets to the Jirisan Monster Corps, I set the price at 500,000 won per set.

Baek Seo-yeon protested that the price was too cheap, while Baek Hong-pyo argued that the antidote wasn’t just for hunting, but was needed as emergency medicine for ordinary citizens during waves, so it should be sold cheaply.

Tae-ju sided with Baek Hong-pyo.

So the market price for the spore poison antidote was 500,000 won.

“If you really want to get the spore poison antidote with express fees, tell them I’ll need to charge 10 million won per set.”

– Huh.

“Or wait a few months.”

– Ah, I see. Making such threats. I’ll call back in a bit.

Let’s prepare for hunting.

Since I’m going anyway, I should bring back plenty of moon bear gallbladders.

I need to prepare a cooler bag and ice packs too.

‘First, after taking Master Oh’s call.’

Honestly, I never thought there would be buyers.

If they just wait three or four months, the factory will be completed and they can buy it at a cheap price. But they can’t wait and will burn 10 million won for one antidote set?

But there were.

People who would buy it even at 10 million won per set.

– There’s a line. They’re asking when they can receive the goods, and they’re willing to pay in advance.

“…Huh. They really want to buy it even at 10 million won?”

They must be planning to hunt Spore Poison Antelope Deer.

Or maybe they want to make a copy drug before the official release.

‘They won’t be able to copy it though.’

Like the mosquito poison antidote, it’s not something that can be done with just component analysis.

The medicinal materials whose properties were changed with Honweonmusangdokryeongong – analysis machines would judge them as the same components, but there are actually differences.

Anyway, I have to make them.

Just making 100 sets would earn me 1 billion won.

“Alright. I’ll sell them.”

– Hehehe, good thinking.

“Tell them I’ll prepare the stock and sell it in 3 days. The sales location will be…”

This place is busy with construction.

If I call them here, it might interfere with the work.

“I’ll sell them at the Jirisan Monster Defense Corps Headquarters.”

– Oh! Then contact me when you’re ready, I’ll send a helicopter.

Making about 1,000 sets should be enough, right?

Let’s earn just 10 billion won.

With this, I can buy more land and purchase equipment.

“Guys!”

“Yes!”

“Let’s go hunting next time. Instead, you’ll need to help me make medicine…”

“Use us however you want!”

“Just teach us how to do it.”

“Then prepare work goggles and masks. And rubber gloves too.”

90% of the effort in making antidotes is preparing and processing the materials.

Since I now had two loyal subordinates, I could process the materials more easily than before.

Baek Chang-hun and Jang Soon-cheol put on goggles and masks and sorted the medicinal materials according to Tae-ju’s instructions.

“We use the roots for this, not the leaves, right?”

“Yeah, don’t touch it with bare hands. You’re wearing gloves, right?”

“Yes!”

“Put that in the juicer to extract the juice. Put those herbs in the dryer for about two hours.”

Honweonmusangdokryeongong is needed in the final adjustment stage.

Still, since I need to prepare both topical and oral medicines, it takes quite a bit of time.

That’s when it happened.

“Tae-ju.”

Baek Hong-pyo entered the underground research lab with a serious expression.

Tae-ju stopped what he was doing and approached him.

“Mr. Baek.”

“Ahem, can’t we do something about this form of address? I told you to call me hyung.”

“…Then Chang-hun would have to call me uncle? The family tree gets tangled.”

“Hey, what family tree do we have!”

“But what’s the matter?”

“Right! Someone came saying they want to meet you, and even when I told them to leave, they stubbornly…”

Who could it be?

“Is this someone I need to meet?”

“Well, let me tell you the name first. He’s a Gurye Self-Defense Corps member and Nogo-dan Guild vice guild leader, his name is Park Jung-tae, Lee Jeong-hak’s subordinate.”

“Ah…”

I wondered who it was.

“Why did he come? To find fault again.”

“It doesn’t seem like he came to pick a fight. His expression looked really bad.”

There’s one thing I can guess.

When I clashed with Lee Jeong-hak, one of the Leaf Rain Daggers I threw with all my might had grazed that guy’s hand.

“Should I meet him?”

“Yes, I’ll handle it myself.”

“Should I call Chang-hun?”

“I can meet him alone.”

Tae-ju went outside the building.

A black luxury limousine was parked in the parking lot.

And a sturdy man standing by the car door.

As I slowly walked to the limousine.

“Hello. I’m Park Jung-tae, vice guild leader of Nogo-dan Guild.”

“I remember seeing you here once before.”

“…I was rude that time. I apologize.”

“Yes. I accept your apology.”

After nodding.

“Guild Leader Lee Jeong-hak is in the car, right?”

“You knew. That’s correct.”

“How are his symptoms?”

“…How, how did you know?”

“Are they severe?”

“Sigh, they’re very bad.”

Let me check directly.

Tae-ju opened the car door with a click and got in.

“Cough cough.”

Lee Jeong-hak was coughing while holding a handkerchief to his mouth.

Blood stains were visible on the white handkerchief.

“Oh, welcome… sorry for the trouble.”

Lee Jeong-hak couldn’t even speak properly.

Pale face, trembling hands.

Tae-ju calmly sat in the back seat of the limousine, facing Lee Jeong-hak directly across from him.

He knew why Lee Jeong-hak had called for him.

He must want the poison detoxified.

But he didn’t speak first.

Why would he?

If he really didn’t want to die, he’d speak up first.

A long silence flowed between them.

Only Lee Jeong-hak’s deep coughing could be heard.

Finally.

“…P-please save me.”

It was a declaration of surrender.

“No, nothing works… I, I received detox treatment at the hospital, even got transfusions with clean blood, and underwent artificial dialysis, but there’s no improvement.”

Of course.

It might be different if it were just one poison.

But he’d been hit by poison imbued with various toxic energies.

“…Even the highest-grade elixir made by Mirinae Pharmaceutical was useless. Cough cough, the elixir’s energy scattered the moment it entered my body.”

He really did look serious.

Serious enough to die screaming in the car.

“What benefit would I get from saving you, Guild Leader?”

“…I’ll cooperate as much as possible. You can use me as your blade.”

“A blade? I don’t need one though?”

“Ahh… P-please!”

“Instead, I’ll consider it if you promise me just one thing.”

When positive words came from Tae-ju’s mouth, Lee Jeong-hak’s eyes sparkled.

Was it like a final burst of energy before death?

“Tell me anything.”

“Focus on Gurye City’s public safety. Stay true to the Self-Defense Corps’ duties. Don’t do useless things like power struggles.”

“Cough cough! I, I understand…”

He was going to save him anyway.

It wasn’t like he had plotted some great scheme, and he had tried to solve problems in his own way.

It was just that Tae-ju didn’t like his methods.

If Lee Jeong-hak died, the Self-Defense Corps’ role would collapse.

Then Gurye City’s public safety would be at risk.

“If you want revenge, come find me anytime, but don’t bother the people around me. If you touch Mr. Baek or the orphanage people…”

Killing intent bloomed in Tae-ju’s eyes.

Before, it was killing intent born from stubbornness because he hated losing, but now it was killing intent meaning he could definitely kill someone like him.

“I can take your life again at any time.”

“…”

Lee Jeong-hak couldn’t continue speaking and only nodded his head.

Tae-ju reached out and grasped Lee Jeong-hak’s pulse point.

“Relax your body.”

Whooom! The 5-star Honweonmusangdokryeongong began to retrieve the toxic energy inside his body.

“Kugh…”

Lee Jeong-hak’s body collapsed.

As the toxic energy disappeared, the tension he had been maintaining was released.

Sleep was gradually coming.

Lee Jeong-hak’s eyes closed.

Tae-ju put a pill in his pocket and said.

“There will be aftereffects, so make sure to take this recovery medicine when you get home.”

“Th-thank…”

Lee Jeong-hak fell fast asleep.

It was a good choice.

Wasn’t he a standing committee member of Gurye City’s Autonomous Committee?

If their relationship recovered, there might be times when he could receive help.

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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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