Production Begins
Taeju was in the research lab at the New Seoul factory.
The third clinical trial was set to take place in New Seoul.
With 1,000 participants, they needed a spacious venue.
Ma Seokwoo, the sales manager from Taehong Bio's New Seoul branch, and Song Suhee, the marketing manager, had come to assist.
"Chairman!"
"Ah! You've arrived. Good to see you."
Taeju looked genuinely delighted.
"We figured you might need some help."
"Plenty of work to go around."
"Just tell us what to do."
Ma Seokwoo and Song Suhee clenched their fists with determined expressions.
This was their chance to join the development of a mana rejection cure.
An honorable mission reserved for the chosen few.
Someday, far in the future, they might even make it into the history books.
Something like, 'Ma Seokwoo and Song Suhee, Taehong Bio employees who contributed to the cure alongside Chairman Kim Taeju.'
Taeju handed Ma Seokwoo ten brand-new smartphones.
"What's this?"
"You see the OTT platform app on the screen?"
"Y-yeah, I see it."
"I've logged them all into my accounts. Download animations and puppet shows suitable for kids over ten. Make sure to include anything with penguins or sharks."
"...Pardon?"
"It's really important."
Ma Seokwoo stared blankly.
But if the chairman said it was important...
"Uh, uh, got it."
One more task left.
"And Suhee, take this card and clean out a toy store. Toys suitable for kids over ten."
"...Clean it out?"
"Exactly that. Buy the whole store if you have to—get every type of toy and store them in a suitable warehouse. No spending limit, so go wild."
"Y-yes, sir."
Ma Seokwoo and Song Suhee were utterly baffled.
They'd come to contribute to the grand cause of developing the mana rejection cure.
But fetching kids' videos and toys?
"Oh, and grab kids' clothes and shoes in all sizes too."
Are they sending this to the orphanage?
"We'll head out right away."
It was the chairman's orders.
They had to obey.
Siberia Pioneer Legion.
Brigadier General Kim Ungbang, leader of the legion's elite monster special raid team, had been summoned by the top commander, Legion Commander Yang Ilguk.
"Demon Slayer! Brigadier General Kim Ungbang reporting as ordered."
"Ah! Come in. Everything alright?"
"All good, sir."
Yang Ilguk was unusually affable today.
"Have a seat first."
"I'm fine standing."
"Come on, it's bothering me."
Kim Ungbang felt uncomfortable.
Why was a superior two ranks above treating him like this?
It had to be his son's halo effect.
"Brigadier General Kim, we're halting hunts effective immediately."
"Halting?"
"You'll have a new mission."
"..."
Halting hunts?
Just when raids were accelerating and the Trans-Siberian Railway was being restored section by section.
What had happened?
Is it because of Taeju...?
They were sucking up on their own.
Currying favor to score points.
A while back, Major General Seo Gangjin from the Gobi Plains pioneer unit had reached out too.
Asking if he'd consider transferring—offering a command position and pushing for promotion.
But Kim Ungbang had refused.
He already felt guilty enough.
Riding his son's coattails was shameless.
"I came here to fight monsters on the front lines. Let me keep doing that."
"Hahaha, orders are orders. It's because of your son."
Knew it.
Taehong Bio's Kim Taeju.
The empire's rising star.
That's why even superiors were groveling before him.
"Sorry, but I won't ride my son's coattails. I'm not in a position to."
"Huh? Must be a misunderstanding."
"...Misunderstanding?"
"Take a look. Orders just came down."
Kim Ungbang read the document handed over by Yang Ilguk.
• Taehong Bio Chairman Kim Taeju succeeds in developing mana rejection cure.
• Urgent material procurement for mass production; full Imperial Army support authorized.
• All Imperial forces to immediately halt current missions and prioritize material gathering.
• Applies without exception to pioneer divisions, defense divisions, etc.
...Ah!
It was because of his son—but not in the way he'd thought.
Kim Ungbang stared at the orders in a daze, rereading them.
His son's achievement.
He's done it again.
Pride swelled uncontrollably.
Not content with overcoming mana rejection himself, he'd created a cure for others.
A smile crept onto his face.
"So? You'll do it, right? More important than monster hunts."
"I'll lead my troops to gather ingredients immediately."
"Good, you're in command. Here's the material list—memorize it."
"Yes, sir! Demon Slayer!"
It wasn't just the Siberia Pioneer Division.
Every unit in the Samhan Empire mobilized for ingredient gathering.
Materials began pouring into Taehong Bio's factories in New Seoul and Gurye.
Baek Seoyeonn was meeting with Miri Group's Chairman Yi Byeongwoo.
With Lee Gieon, who once led Miri Group from the front lines, still comatose in the hospital, his eldest son Yi Byeongwoo had taken over.
"You want to acquire Miri Pharma shares?"
"Yes. Here's my offer. Your personal shares, hidden ones, friendly stakes you can move—all of them!"
Yi Byeongwoo smirked.
3,000 billion?
Was this a joke?
Arrogant bitch.
"Hey, Baek Seoyeonn."
"Yes?"
"You messing with me? That's over 55% combined. You think this price makes sense?"
"I think it's fair."
"Ha! Weren't you in Miri Group's strategy office? Can't imagine how you functioned with that brain."
Baek Seoyeonn's face hardened.
They were offering to take over a crumbling company.
"I get you're hyped from the clinical success. But you've crossed a line."
"Me?"
"Trying to snag my shares for pocket change?"
"Then what price do you want?"
"Add one more zero, maybe I'll consider."
"..."
Mass production was urgent; they needed facilities now.
The fastest, most efficient way: acquire an existing pharma company with large-scale plants.
"Chairman, seems like you're misunderstanding. I'm offering you a chance."
"Kekeke, the one confused is you. Miri Pharma? Yeah, it's in bad shape. I could sell. But not to Taehong Bio!"
"Sigh, so you'll play hardball to the end."
"What? Gonna tattle to Chairman Kim Taeju?"
"No, I've got someone else to tell."
"What...?"
That's when it happened.
The door to the Miri Group chairman's office burst open.
"Hey, you must be that Yi Byeongwoo bastard."
"..."
"You know who I am, right?"
It was Imperial Secretary Geum Suhu—white-haired and grizzled, but boasting a sturdy, muscular build.
Chairman Yi Byeongwoo was stunned.
Why was he here?
"President Baek, not done yet? We've got places to be—let's wrap this up."
He strode in, glanced at the share acquisition proposal on the desk.
"3,000 billion? For a debt-ridden mess like this?"
Baek Seoyeonn smiled faintly.
"Time's tight. We need the facilities, even at a loss."
"Tsk tsk, too pricey. Knock off a zero. Or two, if you're dumping the debts on us."
Yi Byeongwoo looked incredulous.
What the hell were they doing, right in front of him?
Trying to steal his company like this?
"Even the Imperial government can't overreach like this. There are laws..."
"Laws? Love 'em. The empire doesn't run on His Majesty's whims alone."
"Then why—?"
"I'm playing by the rules. Let's see, how long since Miri Group's last tax audit?"
"Pardon?"
"Hmm, tax audit's too soft. Maybe sic the prosecutors on you? Dig up hidden slush funds, say."
"..."
Gulp.
Yi Byeongwoo swallowed dryly.
His heart pounded.
It sounded like a threat, but they might actually do it.
Miri Group hadn't grown by following laws.
One shake, and it'd all spill out.
"Think we stayed quiet out of ignorance? Your corruption files fill dozens of boxes at the Audit Office and Prosecutors. We could've jailed you anytime. Only held back for your employees' livelihoods."
Geum Suhu's eyes turned icy.
"But things have changed. This is for the mana rejection cure. For that, we can dismantle Miri Group atom by atom."
Yi Byeongwoo's face drained of color.
Geum Suhu, power second only to the emperor—this was the emperor's will.
"Here, the proposal. Fix it to a fair price yourself."
No choice.
Yi Byeongwoo's trembling hand erased one zero.
"That's it?"
He erased another.
3,000 billion became 30 billion.
Geum Suhu still looked dissatisfied.
Baek Seoyeonn stepped in.
"That's enough. We'll take it at this price. I don't want to lowball you either."
"As expected of our President Baek. Such a big heart."
Yi Byeongwoo was dumbfounded.
Big heart?
Her?
"Good! Clear all shares to Chairman Kim soon. Oh, hidden ones too. Hide any... you know."
Yi Byeongwoo could only nod.
Regret gnawed at him.
He should've signed at 3,000 billion.
A few procedures left, and Miri Pharma would be Taehong Bio's—securing large-scale production facilities.
Truth be told, the third trial wasn't even necessary.
The results so far proved the drug's efficacy.
But mass production was impossible yet.
Facilities were short, and above all, materials insufficient.
Resurrection flowers, other toxic ingredients...
Plus training factory staff.
Skilled workers dispatched from each plant moved in perfect sync under Taeju's orders.
They knew the cure's importance.
Many had family who were mana rejectors.
The third trial proceeded.
Mana rejection patients gathered from the Samhan Empire and worldwide.
Divided into 10 groups of 100, dispersed across New Seoul's major hospitals.
Day 1.
First doses administered.
Day 2, 3, 4, 5.
Results emerged.
"Group F shows vastly superior effects. We could declare them all cured."
"Weakest is Group B. They'll need one or two more doses."
"No side effects in any group."
Time to decide.
Taeju, Baek Seoyeonn, and branch manager Choi Dongil discussed final pricing.
"Materials, labor, distribution—about 500,000 won per dose."
2.5 million won for five doses.
"Medical Insurance Corporation?"
"They'll cover it."
No patient in the Samhan Empire would go without due to poverty.
"Start production?"
Materials weren't fully secured yet...
But no more waiting.
Taeju made the call.
"Yes. Begin production."
He named it too, considering exports.
Mana Rejection Cure (MRC).
The Imperial government fast-tracked patents and FDA approval.
Other nations followed.
Approvals before even receiving samples.
Prepayments arrived before production.
Everyone was desperate.
When would it come?
Using Group F's formula, production kicked off simultaneously at Gurye Taehong Bio, New Seoul factory, and Baekdu Bio Science.
Paju would join once complete; Miri Pharma, now Taehong Bio's, in a week.
Goal: First doses for severe patients worldwide, starting with the Samhan Empire.
One shot to sustain life.
Not out of bed, but off ventilators, breathing independently—no issue.
Military transports from nations landed at New Seoul Airport.
MRC delivery like a military op.
Upon arrival, doses rushed to waiting patients.
The world was abuzz.
Everyone talking about the mana rejection cure, MRC.
And naturally, its developer, Kim Taeju.
Kim Taeju's face hadn't spread widely due to Imperial controls, but his name was etched in every mind worldwide.
And from that day on.
No one died from mana rejection.
This was the true miracle.