The Chairman of Pharmaceutical Company is a Poison King - Chapter 52
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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 52: Taehong Saesalssugsseuk
The means of transportation between the Samhan Empire mainland and the colonial Japanese archipelago are ships and airplanes.
Just like on land, monsters also live in the sky and sea.
However, since they also guard their territories, there are no problems as long as you avoid those areas.
Honda Mitsui, the mistress of Paju Domain, used air travel to visit her family home.
Arriving at Kyushu Domain, Mitsui met her father Honda Kazuo and poured out her grievances.
She started with the story of how her two sons, Taepyeong and Taecheon, were temporarily assigned to the Jirisan Masu Defense Corps for monster subjugation observation.
Being humiliated by ordinary soldiers during tent setup training, the resulting punishment drills, ostracism by fellow cadets, disadvantages in supply distribution, curses that they wouldn’t be able to commission in the central Imperial Forces, and even humiliating assault.
“So our grandsons went through all that suffering because of this bastard Kim Tae-ju?”
“That’s right.”
“Evidence?”
“…Uh, there isn’t any. But considering the relationship between the Jirisan Masu Defense Corps and that bastard…”
“Tsk tsk.”
Honda Kazuo felt more pathetic than sorry for his daughter.
‘She must have inherited my blood, yet how can she be so stupid?’
His grandsons were no different.
No matter how young they are.
Getting beaten up without even being able to resist a fellow cadet?
Even if that target was the daughter of Baekdu Group.
“So? What do you want this father to do for you?”
“Kill Kim Tae-ju, that bastard.”
“Hahaha.”
Honda Kazuo burst into a hollow laugh.
“You want me to kill the chairman of Taehong Bio, who is a key figure in the Jirisan monster subjugation, practically dominates Gurye, and is also being watched by the Imperial Household?”
“…”
“If there were solid evidence, maybe. But based on just the delusions in your head?”
“It’s not a delusion.”
“You’re planning to ruin our Kyushu Domain.”
“Ah, Father, that’s not what I meant.”
“Shut up!”
Honda Mitsui flinched and lowered her head.
Tears dripping down. Seeing that, Kazuo’s heart wasn’t comfortable either.
“You must have a strong heart. The future of our Kyushu Domain depends on you.”
What was the reason for sending his daughter to marry into Paju Domain?
It was to escape Kyushu Domain, which was gradually sinking into the sea, and go to the mainland.
It wasn’t just because of climate change.
There was a big earthquake not long ago too.
So the territory of Kyushu Domain became even smaller.
Of course, they could lead their retainers to the mainland even now, but where would they settle?
They needed at least one domain to continue the prosperity of the Honda family.
That’s why he married her off to the incompetent and inflexible General Kim Woong-bang.
To use her clever mind to control her husband and seize control of Paju Domain.
‘But it seems nothing will happen if I just leave it alone.’
He thought the rice was all cooked, but a variable appeared.
If things went wrong, Paju might be taken by Kim Tae-ju.
The moment to make a decision had come.
“Daughter.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Do you still love your husband?”
Then Honda Mitsui’s eyes turned venomous.
“…I hate him enough to want to kill him.”
“I see, is that so.”
Kazuo nodded.
Then.
“Soon, an item will be delivered to you.”
“An item?”
“An absolutely incurable poison, a deadly drug that even a Master would die from if they consumed it.”
“What?”
Mitsui was shocked.
Poison?
Why give that to her?
“If the ruler of Paju Domain is absent, that right would naturally pass to the eldest grandson Taepyeong. But Taepyeong hasn’t even reached Expert level yet…”
Kazuo stood up from his seat and continued while looking beyond the large window.
“He’ll need a guardian. And how reassuring would it be if that guardian were a Master? For example, like your older brother, who would be an uncle to the grandsons.”
“Ri-right. If brother comes to Paju, he’ll be a great support for Taepyeong and Taecheon.”
“For that to happen, your husband would have to…”
“Ah!”
Mitsui looked dazed as if someone had struck the back of her head.
The domain guardian system.
A person who supports the domain heir from behind when the domain ruler is absent or dies for any reason.
If Kim Woong-bang died, naturally his direct descendant, Taepyeong, would inherit.
But if Taepyeong, or his descendants, couldn’t become Masters, the domain would be confiscated again and revert to the Empire.
What was needed at that time was a guardian.
Either raise Taepyeong to become a Master, or raise Taepyeong’s child to become a Master.
Honda Jiro was a Master.
Honda Kazuo’s son and Honda Mitsui’s older brother, Kim Tae-pyeong and Kim Tae-cheon’s maternal uncle.
He would be more than adequate as a guardian.
“I understand what you mean, Father. But, but…”
“I’m not asking you to make a decision right now. If you really find it distasteful, you don’t have to do it.”
“…”
Mitsui remained silent.
No matter how indecisive and incompetent her husband was, they had built up affection over the years.
Moreover, wasn’t he the father of her two children?
On the other hand, Honda Kazuo was certain.
Of the decision Mitsui would make.
After all, she was his daughter who inherited his blood.
And there was one more thing.
If his son-in-law Kim Woong-bang died from poison, who would be most suspected?
His wife, his own daughter?
Not at all!
Rather, wouldn’t the banished son be most suspected?
Kim Tae-ju, who as a mana rejecter was forced to enlist by his father, was struck from the family register, and was even rumored to be skilled with poisons.
There was no better motive for murder.
He would even stoke the fires to make suspicion arise.
Even if it ended with just suspicion, that would be enough.
* * *
After the meeting ended, Tae-ju invited the company employees to the luxury hotel where he was staying.
Company dinners were essential.
If it had been just some ordinary restaurant, many people would have complained about the sudden dinner, but who would refuse an ultra-luxurious dinner where an entire hotel lounge was rented out?
And there was one more thing.
“Wow! Steak!”
“There’s even braised short ribs that I love?”
“Hmm, the smell is incredible. It doesn’t seem like cultured meat…”
“There’s too much. Can we eat all of this?”
Baek Seo-yeon stood up from her seat and said.
“For today’s company dinner, the Chairman specially airlifted 3 Spore Poison Antelope Deer from Gurye. Please eat to your heart’s content.”
Then silence fell over the hotel lounge.
Gulp.
Gorani meat?
Really?
“Uh…”
“No wonder the smell was no joke from the start.”
“Wait, let me take some pictures first.”
“Me too.”
Camera shutter sounds could be heard from here and there.
Click, click, click…
The company dinner began.
Employees frantically moving their forks, knives, and chopsticks as if competing to see who could eat more.
“Wow! I think I made the right choice joining this company.”
“Hah! I knew it from the beginning.”
“Taehong Saengibulkkun alone will sweep the pharmaceutical market, right?”
“Sales will be really easy.”
“Marketing too, right? Do we even need advertising? Just distribute it to convenience stores and supermarkets overnight and it’ll be sold out in a few days.”
“A few days? I say two days.”
There were also concerns.
“Come to think of it, our current factory seems too small…”
“Right. The volume will be overwhelming.”
“Plus that what’s-it-called? The external wound treatment, Saesalssogsseok?”
“Ssugsseuk.”
“If that’s also effective, the synergy effect together…”
Marketing Team Leader Song Su-hui subtly looked at Department Head Ma Seok-woo and said.
“Try testing it once. Let’s see if Taehong Saesalssugsseuk really has good effects.”
“What, Team Leader Song! You want me to cut my flesh to test the drug’s efficacy?”
“We should know the product’s competitiveness before doing sales.”
“Sigh…”
Ma Seok-woo pondered.
Should he try cutting his finger slightly?
But first, he should check if the Chairman brought Taehong Saesalssugsseuk.
However, Ma Seok-woo didn’t need to inflict a wound.
One employee, who was frantically cutting because the Spore Poison Antelope Deer steak was so delicious, had his hand slip on the plate and cut the back of another employee’s hand with the knife.
“Ahhh!”
“Gasp! S-sorry. What do I do!”
Bright red blood flowed down the back of the hand.
“N-napkin! Isn’t there a wet towel?”
“Let’s quickly go to the emergency room.”
“N-no, I’ll finish eating the meat first before going.”
“Are you crazy? What meat at a time like this.”
“…It’s gorani. If I don’t eat it now, when will I?”
Kim Tae-ju wasn’t one to just watch this happen.
“Try applying this.”
“…Huh? Ah! Ch-Chairman.”
“It’s a prototype of Taehong Saesalssugsseuk.”
“Um, p-please apply a lot.”
Kim Tae-ju opened a flat, round metal container and scooped out a thick yellowish ointment to apply generously on the injured hand.
Then people rushed over to the injured employee.
Since they were pharmaceutical company employees, their curiosity about drug efficacy was inevitable.
The effect appeared immediately.
The bleeding stopped as soon as it was applied.
“…The bleeding stopped?”
“At minimum, the hemostatic effect is amazing.”
“Really not bleeding? Try opening the wound a bit.”
“You should press down firmly.”
“Still not bleeding.”
“Squeeze it hard. Let’s see if blood still doesn’t come out.”
It was chaos around one injured person.
“Damn, everyone get away! It already hurts like hell.”
People murmuring as they returned to their seats.
Department Head Ma Seok-woo and Team Leader Song Su-hui also sat back down in their chairs.
“It’s useful, right?”
“Yeah, that’s pretty good too. Though it doesn’t have as dramatic an effect as Saengibulkkun.”
“Sigh, there’s going to be a lot of work. Marketing work, and we need to decide on pricing too.”
“Patents come first. And we need to pass the Food and Drug Administration review too.”
“When promoting Taehong Saesalssugsseuk, we should add rapid hemostasis to the copy…”
The company dinner continued even after the commotion.
Everyone had good appetites.
The 3 Spore Poison Antelope Deer disappeared in an instant.
And when everyone was full and pleasantly drunk as the dinner was ending.
“Ahhh!”
The employee who had injured his hand earlier suddenly screamed.
“Why?”
“What happened now?”
“Is it bleeding?”
“Don’t tell me there are side effects?”
The scattered employees gathered again.
“Th-the wound…”
“What about the wound?”
“It’s healed. It’s completely closed up.”
“…Huh?”
The employee who had been cut by the knife raised his hand high.
“Look! There’s barely even a scar!”
“…Crazy!”
“Already?”
If it had been a sharp knife, that would be understandable.
But the steak knives here had serrated edges.
Meaning the wound wasn’t smooth. That kind wouldn’t heal well.
But this cleanly?
Ma Seok-woo, who had been staring blankly at that sight, said to Song Su-hui.
“…Make sure to include it in the promotional copy. Rapid external wound treatment.”
“We should add scar removal too.”
“The word ‘rapid’ is important. We need to emphasize that.”
Tae-ju was honestly surprised too.
The golden wound medicine, no, Taehong Saesalssugsseuk had only been used by himself until now.
Of course, the effects were excellent.
Wounds would heal just by applying it.
But didn’t he have fundamentally different regenerative abilities from others?
That employee was a mana adapter, an ordinary person.
‘I’ve felt it before, but now I’m certain.’
Earth’s medicinal herbs are of higher quality than those from Gangho Murim.
The Giant Panda Bear’s gallbladder was the same way.
And what about poisons?
Of course, there was the factor of absorbing Danggumak’s memories intact, but the reason he reached 7-star in such a short time was probably because of this.
‘The concentration of mana and qi is different from the start.’
Earth is much denser.
Anyway, he was satisfied.
The employees liked the new medicine he created, he had shown them a future vision to this extent, and it seemed like he had built rapport too.
Tae-ju asked Baek Seo-yeon.
“What’s tomorrow’s schedule?”
“There’s no set schedule. But I plan to work out a patent application strategy with former Executive Director Choi Dong-il.”
“Is that so? Hmm, then I’ll go to the Leaders Club.”
“Yes!”
Let’s go expand my network.
* * *
After the company dinner ended.
Tae-ju returned to his hotel room and lay down on the bed.
‘I’m tired.’
Perhaps because of his introverted personality, meeting people wasn’t an easy task.
Also, no matter how infinite the space was, carrying around human corpses and brazenly walking about was another matter.
‘Where’s the nearest monster concentration area from here?’
When he searched on his smartphone, there was no suitable place.
Of course.
This was New Seoul, the capital of the Samhan Empire.
There couldn’t be any monster concentration areas.
‘Do I have to go to Jirisan after all?’
Or maybe stop by the Baekdusan concentration area once.
‘The corpses should be fine.’
The infinite space was a place where time stopped. Organic matter would never rot.
They were preserved exactly as when first put in.
When he opened the infinite space, he saw piles of corpses stacked neatly in the miscellaneous area.
And in one corner, a space that was sparkling brightly.
“…Huh?”
Sparkling?
A place that wasn’t an area he had set up.
He remembered putting items there and being unable to retrieve them when the light disappeared.
‘Maybe I can take them out when it sparkles.’
He recalled putting one Willow Leaf Flying Dagger in there.
Of course, he had also put in spam and champagne, but those didn’t matter if he couldn’t retrieve them.
But the Willow Leaf Flying Dagger was different.
He needed to get it back.
Tae-ju focused on the sparkling area.
But?
“What, what’s this?”
The Willow Leaf Flying Dagger wasn’t there.
Neither was the spam or champagne.
What was there was a peach the size of a child’s head and a paper scroll.
“Why is this here…”
Tae-ju hurriedly took out the scroll and peach.
Swoosh!
He hadn’t seen wrong.
The peach fragrance filled the entire hotel room.
Tae-ju unrolled the scroll.
A letter, written in Korean no less.
– I am Danggumak. I enjoyed the spam and Dom Pérignon you sent. I was so surprised. To think I would experience Earth’s civilization so directly, I pondered the cause. Perhaps a shared storage was created…
Shared storage?
That sparkling place was a shared space where he could exchange items with Danggumak?
– …I don’t know when that shared storage sparkles either. However, it’s not fixed and the manifestation time is very short…
Hurriedly!
Tae-ju jumped up.
And opened the refrigerator in the hotel room.
Various premium liquors, snacks, and beverages came into view.
If he delayed, the light would go out.
He grabbed whatever he could and stuffed them into the infinite space’s shared storage.
What else was there?
Preferably expensive things.
His most expensive possession was a hidden weapon, but that wouldn’t be of much use to Danggumak.
Ahhh!
Guilt washed over him.
To think he had fed spam to an immortal.
What kind of absurd thing had he done?
“Ah! The watch.”
A watch worth a whopping 50 million won.
But he sent it straight to the shared storage without hesitation.
There was still room in the space.
What else was there?
But at that moment!
Click! The light went out.
“Damn!”
What a shame.
He couldn’t even send a few things.
And only with things that weren’t impressive.
“…It’ll open again, right?”
Next time he sent something, he’d have to prepare properly.
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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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