The Chairman of Pharmaceutical Company is a Poison King - Chapter 66

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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 66: The Emperor’s Gift

Recognizing each other’s level requires a certain degree of matching skill.

If the difference in ability is too great, it becomes difficult to tell whether the person in front of you is above or below your level.

That’s why newborn puppies don’t know to fear tigers and charge in recklessly, only to regret it later after getting beaten, thinking ‘Ah! So they were stronger than me.’

Almost all the masters who had conflicts with Tae-ju so far were like that.

They acted arrogantly calling themselves masters and attacked, but ended up dead, nearly dead, or knocked unconscious in one blow.

On the other hand, Tae-ju and Geum Su-ho both understand each other’s fearsome nature.

As soon as Geum Su-ho saw Tae-ju, his body shrank under an inexplicable sense of intimidation.

Actually, he had known for a while that he wasn’t just an ordinary pharmaceutical company president. He also knew about his activities during the Jirisan demon beast subjugation operation.

But there was something even Geum Su-ho hadn’t anticipated.

The unapproachable charisma and dignity he felt from Kim Tae-ju. It felt like standing before His Imperial Majesty.

This was a completely different matter from skill or talent.

In his gaze, one could glimpse the wisdom of years from someone who had lived through an entire lifetime.

Now he understood why the people around him called that young Kim Tae-ju ‘Chairman, Chairman.’

‘Is he really 29 years old?’

Tae-ju was no different.

He also acknowledged Geum Su-ho.

A true master.

To compare with the Gangho Murim, he fell slightly short of the top 10 masters but had sufficient skill to place his name among the top 20.

Fighting with him would surely lead to many realizations.

Should he politely request it?

Suggesting they have a sparring match.

Perhaps sensing Tae-ju’s intention, Geum Su-ho avoided even making eye contact with him and continued reading the Emperor’s letter.

“I, I’ll begin.”

– I have been watching you with interest since you created the antidote. I am also always grateful for your efforts in eliminating demons and protecting the safety and lives of the Empire’s citizens.

– I am well aware of your contributions in the Jirisan demon beast subjugation. I would like to summon you to the Imperial Palace immediately to bestow great honors upon you, but the Imperial Palace has been noisy lately, so I don’t particularly wish to recommend your entry.

The Imperial Palace is noisy?

Why?

Is there a succession war happening?

– My unworthy children may approach you. I earnestly request that you absolutely not take anyone’s side.

Then Secretary Geum Su-ho provided additional explanation.

“Though he appears middle-aged on the outside, His Majesty is quite old. Even Awakened Masters don’t live forever. So the struggle for imperial succession is unfolding in secret.”

That’s right.

“Isn’t there a Crown Prince who is qualified for succession?”

“Would the other princes acknowledge that? They’re all so outstanding, not to mention their maternal families.”

Even the Emperor, called the strongest Awakened, seems unable to do anything about his children.

The Emperor has many children.

Princes and princesses born from his empress and concubines – perhaps due to their bloodline, they were all exceptionally talented.

“For now it’s a confrontation between the Crown Prince and the other princes, but they’re all just targeting each other’s weaknesses. Finding sponsors or financial backing to expand their influence is just the basics.”

Tae-ju has a lot of money.

He’s also gained fame.

If this new drug succeeds, he might even enter the ranks of the Empire’s top 10 richest.

So there’s a possibility he could get entangled in troublesome affairs.

“That said, there’s no need to cut ties with Prince Oh. That was an unavoidable coincidence.”

“….”

Tae-ju didn’t think so.

He should keep his distance from Prince Oh too.

Let’s stay far away from the succession war altogether.

“Tsk tsk, I advised him not to marry so much, but he fell for his subjects’ coaxing….”

“….”

It was almost treasonous talk, but… well, Geum Su-ho was the Emperor’s closest confidant.

“Look at me! How comfortable it is living alone? So you shouldn’t marry either. Ahem.”

Geum Su-ho’s reading continued.

– The reason I’m not summoning you to the palace is because I don’t want your progress to be hindered by unnecessary gossip. So I’m secretly sending my loyal secretary to convey my commendation instead.

– I already know that you helped the Imperial Intelligence Agency catch demons. But don’t let your guard down. Be careful, and careful again when hunting demons.

– You might encounter demons different from the ones you’ve caught so far. First-generation Awakened are still alive, so why wouldn’t there be first-generation demons? If you meet them, don’t worry about appearances and run away.

“That’s what I wanted to say too. Of course I know your skills well, but first-generation demons are truly dangerous.”

The first appearance of Awakened was about 200 years ago.

They are called the first generation.

Awakened have relatively long lifespans.

Masters can easily live about 200 years.

What if there are demons that survived like first-generation Awakened Masters, even after 200 years?

What if the demon’s grade is similar to Secretary Geum Su-ho here, or matches the Emperor?

It’s right to be careful as the Emperor said.

But once he reaches the level of Toxic Spirit, even that necessity would disappear.

– I believe your success will become the Empire’s success. If you face any difficulties, ask Geum Su-ho for help. He will be of assistance to you.

And that was the end of the letter’s content.

“There, I’ve finished reading His Imperial Majesty’s personal letter.”

Geum Su-ho created fire in his hand and burned the paper with a whoosh, saying:

“Now it’s time to give you the reward His Imperial Majesty is bestowing.”

A reward?

What could it be?

Geum Su-ho untied a small leather bag connected to his belt.

It was a familiar bag.

The same bag that Corps Commander Oh Jin-hyeong had carried during the Jirisan demon beast subjugation, claiming he received Imperial support.

Could it be?

“Are you giving me a subspace bag as a reward?”

Then Geum Su-ho’s eyes widened in panic.

“…Sorry, but this is mi, mine, so, do you wa, want it?”

Even his voice started trembling.

“Would you give it to me if I asked?”

“Well, your co, contributions aren’t sm, small, so if you really want it.”

He could give it but didn’t want to.

Well, I have Infinite Space, so why bother!

“It’s fine. I’ll buy one when I make money later.”

“Haha, ri, right. I believe you’ll be able to buy one soon.”

Then he took something out of the subspace bag and placed it on the hotel floor.

“Huh? This is?”

It was a willow leaf dagger.

Identical in shape and size to the one he had been using.

There wasn’t just one or two.

He kept pulling willow leaf daggers out of the subspace bag.

Step by step.

When Tae-ju approached closer, Geum Su-ho flinched in surprise but continued taking out daggers while speaking.

“We obtained the dagger you used during the Jirisan demon beast subjugation and had Imperial Awakened craftsmen create masterpieces in the exact same shape.”

“…They’re worthy of being called masterpieces.”

The skills that Awakened learn through the system aren’t limited to combat-related ones.

There are also crafting-related skills.

Skill Awakened who are presumed to have created subspace bags and magical items are examples.

Commonly called Awakened craftsmen, the weapons and equipment they create are on a different level from those made by ordinary craftsmen.

“I’ve prepared all 200 of them. They contain materials like elite mana crystals, steel feathers, giant lizard claws, and mana alloy steel. In short, they’re incredibly expensive.”

The materials used were precious and the quantity was large.

How much would each one cost individually?

Moreover, since they were equipment made by an awakened craftsman, they couldn’t be ordinary.

Tae-ju was pleased with the Emperor.

He was quite a generous man.

“Each throwing knife has [Sharpness] and [Unbreakable] options. Try not to lose them if possible.”

Tae-ju picked up one of them and ran his hand over its surface.

The cold touch of metal.

The quality was definitely superior to what the Gurye craftsmen made.

“Hahaha, do you like it?”

“Please convey my gratitude to His Majesty.”

This was amazing.

This was even better than a subspace bag.

“My gift is separate. It’s not a subspace bag… I’ll help with the business you’re doing.”

“Help, you mean?”

“Lee Gi-eon’s sabotage will no longer exist. Feel free to pursue your ambitions.”

“…That’s fine with me.”

“You don’t need to decline. It’s already beginning.”

It wasn’t empty words.

It really was fine.

What was someone like Lee Gi-eon anyway?

He’d soon be hospitalized.

* * *

Mirinaei Group.

Chairman Lee Gi-eon was busy making phone calls one after another in his office.

The purpose of the calls was to prevent Taehong Bio from getting Food and Drug Administration sales approval.

“Yes, Director Park. I know too. Lobbying the Food and Drug Administration is impossible. But my request isn’t to approve a new drug, it’s to block it, isn’t it?”

The person Lee Gi-eon was calling now was a high-ranking civil servant in the administration, not from the Food and Drug Administration but an alumni junior of the FDA director.

“This isn’t a free city. A pharmaceutical company from the countryside of Gurye shouldn’t be allowed to sell unverified drugs in New Seoul.”

He wasn’t calling just one person.

Lee Gi-eon was mobilizing all the connections he could use.

“Hehe, thank you. Let’s have a meal sometime. Oh! Your son is doing well at the company. He’s so capable that people below are clamoring for his quick promotion. There’ll be good news soon.”

Another call finished.

‘Phew,’

Lee Gi-eon took a moment to catch his breath and drank a cup of warm tea placed on the table.

The more he thought about it, the more his anger boiled.

Kim Tae-ju, the humiliation he suffered from that bastard.

‘What? Don’t give up and keep fighting to the end? My group won’t be safe!’

He was even expelled from the Leaders Club.

‘Igor, that bastard too…’

He planned to get revenge a thousand, ten thousand times over.

So he called the club members he knew and urged them to withdraw from the club.

The same went for Changkong Guild Master Han Dae-hyeon.

He was knocked out in one blow by someone who wasn’t even awakened.

Having lost his utility value, he stopped sponsoring the guild.

‘I’ll kill them all even if I have to use all my strength.’

To effectively deal with Kim Tae-ju, that bastard, he needed to destroy his main base.

He had already sent people to Gurye.

He planned to take control of the Gurye Autonomous Committee and make him unable to move.

He also sent a warning to Baekdu Group.

If they dared to help Kim Tae-ju, they should prepare for all-out war.

Even if it meant dying together, he wouldn’t leave Baekdu alone.

It was truly total war.

Had he ever put this much effort into burying one person before?

And that person was a nobody from the countryside who came to the capital.

The game was already over, one could say.

That bastard could never beat him.

Right at that moment!

Knock knock.

A secretary entered with a knock.

“What is it?”

“Director Nam Il-bok from the Imperial Intelligence Agency has come. He says he wants to see you, Chairman.”

“The director of the Imperial Intelligence Agency?”

Why did he come?

Was it a problem related to his son?

When his son went missing and he reported it to the police, the police chief in charge had contacted him.

He said the Imperial Intelligence Agency might get involved if a missing person case occurred.

He said he understood.

He knew that was the original manual anyway.

And who knows?

If the Imperial Intelligence Agency investigated, they might easily find the culprit too.

‘Could it be they found a clue?’

That was possible.

Lee Gi-eon was convinced that Kim Tae-ju had killed his son.

Then he might have brought evidence.

Lee Gi-eon was secretly hopeful.

“Let him in.”

“Understood.”

Knock knock.

The door opened again with another knock.

Imperial Intelligence Agency Director Nam Il-bok entered the office with his awakened guard.

“Oh my, Director Nam. What brings such a busy person to see me?”

“Busy? The guys below do all the work.”

Imperial Intelligence Agency’s Nam Il-bok was a close associate of Secretary Geum Su-ho, who didn’t belong to any faction within the Imperial Palace.

They shook hands first.

After exchanging the usual greetings.

“You’ve been very busy lately, Chairman.”

“Does it seem that way? Rather than being busy, I’m suffering from insomnia because of my missing son and can’t sleep. Sigh, whether he’s dead or alive.”

At Lee Gi-eon’s worried words, Imperial Intelligence Agency Director Nam Il-bok smiled coldly and said.

“That’s why you should have educated your child properly from the beginning. Running wild like a scoundrel without knowing how scary the world is, only to be humiliated.”

“…Excuse me?”

Did he hear wrong?

“If he was humiliated, he should have stopped there, but trying to block a competitor’s entry into New Seoul by bribing Patent Office officials. By the way, I don’t know where he’s hiding, is he really dead?”

What?

Even if he was the director of the Imperial Intelligence Agency, to say such things to his face…

“What the hell? Director Nam! Have you lost your mind?”

But Director Nam Il-bok’s eyes were cold.

“Hey! Lee Gi-eon!”

“What, what did you say? How, how dare you…”

“Shut up! You fucking bastard! Acting up when you were even kicked out of the Club.”

“….”

Lee Gi-eon couldn’t even respond to the sudden burst of harsh language.

“You think no one knows you’re calling around here and there trying to obstruct Taehong Bio’s new drug Food and Drug Administration sales permit?”

“H-how?”

Even his secretary didn’t know about that.

He had never told anyone.

He had only conversed through one-on-one phone calls.

…Wait!

“D-did you wiretap my phone?”

“So what if I did? You worthless piece of shit, where do you get off pulling these tricks?”

“Uh, uh….”

Director Nam Il-bok’s verbal abuse continued.

“Don’t act up! Whatever Taehong Bio Chairman Kim Tae-ju does, you just stay away and suck your thumb.”

“K-Kim Tae-ju? Right now because of Kim Tae-ju….”

“Consider yourself lucky I’m not arresting you right now for bribery of public officials. But if you continue tormenting Chairman Kim Tae-ju with these despicable acts in the future… I’ll make you think it’d be better to appear at the prosecutor’s office in a wheelchair.”

Lee Gi-eon had no idea what was going on.

Was Kim Tae-ju someone who could even move the Imperial Intelligence Agency?

“Consider meeting me your good fortune. Keep doing stupid things if you want, then Secretary Geum from the Imperial Palace will come find you personally.”

He really didn’t understand.

The military, the prince, Leaders Club, Baekdu Group’s Jeong Uk-cheol, the Imperial Intelligence Agency director, and even Imperial Palace Secretary Geum Su-ho?

Connections that others would find difficult to make even one of.

Just who the hell was Kim Tae-ju?

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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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