The Poison Demon is Sometimes Merciful
Like any other chaebol conglomerate, the Mirinae Group was rife with fierce infighting over succession rights.
The Future Strategy Division was especially cutthroat.
It all came down to who you aligned with.
Your fortunes rose or fell based on your patron's position and achievements.
But Baek Seoyeonn had picked no side.
If I had the time for that, I'd just work harder.
Take Jeon Juhak, the deputy director. He was riding on the coattails of Lee Dongwoo, the group's second son.
The order to bring back the spore poison camel antelope antidote must have come straight from Lee Dongwoo.
He was the president of Mirinae Pharma, after all.
"Hey! Baek Seoyeonn! You really gonna play it like this? You wanna get buried in this industry forever?"
Jeon Juhak chased after her as she left, screaming his lungs out.
"This industry? I told you, I'm leaving New Seoul."
Jeon Juhak caught his breath, speaking in a coaxing tone.
"Fine, you're going to Gurye. But you'll come crawling back to New Seoul eventually, right? You wanna rot away in that dangerous backwater?"
"Yeah, I'm staying there for good."
"Hah, alright. Just get me the formula. I'm thinking 10 billion. You need money to set up shop, don't you? If cash doesn't tempt you, I can hook you up with a house inside Gurye City's castle walls."
"Tell them to dream on. The ones upstairs."
Jeon Juhak's face twisted into a scowl.
"You really got a death wish? Think Mirinae Group can't touch you just 'cause you're in Gurye?"
"So, threats now. Well, we've come this far—no clean break, I guess. No need for handover procedures, then? I'll email my resignation."
Baek Seoyeonn was resolute.
She wanted to get to Gurye as soon as possible.
So much to do.
Cancel the lease on her place, pack up...
Her father had called personally, asking for help.
He never made requests like that.
He'd set up a company with someone reliable, but they were short on staff.
Taehong Bio, was it?
A new outfit.
But full of potential.
They'd already launched the mosquito poison antidote and supplied it to the military. Now they were developing the spore poison antidote too.
First things first—build the company structure.
Who was this partner of her father's?
The antidote developer, probably.
She needed to check their identity first.
What were their motives? Why her father, of all people?
If they were using him as a figurehead for some shady scheme?
I'll meet them first and decide.
Taeju and his raid team of orphanage alumni returned to Gurye.
To the building he owned, which would serve as Taehong Bio's base going forward.
They'd fully verified the spore poison camel antelope antidote's effectiveness. They'd also butchered and brought back the antelope's meat, bones, organs, and the toxic and medicinal herbs.
Their backpacks were stuffed to bursting.
A bountiful haul.
Guess I'll be brewing antidotes for a while.
Just the mosquito poison and camel antelope ones for now.
Materials were limited.
They'd been sourcing herbs and toxins through the drugstore up to now.
But it was closed, cutting off supply.
Finish up quick and reopen it.
He'd gone into business with Baek Hongpyo and taken a stake in the drugstore, so he felt attached to it now.
After stashing the gathered materials and antelope meat in the storage and freezer...
"Good work, everyone."
"Yes, sir! You too, bro."
"Head back to the orphanage and rest up."
"Huh? We're staying here, though?"
"Why?"
Baek Changhoon looked at Taeju with genuine confusion.
"Uh, didn't your dad say anything?"
"Oh! It's about security, right?"
"Yep!"
"But after today, you still think that's necessary?"
"..."
Baek Changhoon's face fell awkwardly.
"Yeah, guess not."
"Exactly. Look after the orphanage kids. Protect Director Baek too."
In truth, the orphanage was safe.
Only one in free city Gurye.
Who'd dare touch it?
How would they face the wrath of Gurye's citizens?
But the world was full of real crazies.
Gurye especially.
No room for complacency.
They needed more reliable hands.
Once the company was staffed and they had people prepping antidote materials, they could branch into other drugs.
He'd bought up plenty of nearby empty land. Earn big, build new facilities.
Things had ballooned way beyond budget.
He'd planned to make just enough to settle down.
Oh well. Going big wasn't so bad.
Interior done yet?
Taeju took the elevator to the top floor, the fifth.
Second place he'd renovated after the basement shelter.
Nice.
A living space.
Kitchen, bedroom, study, living room, bathroom with a tub...
My house.
A strange feeling.
The first home he'd bought with his own money.
Born a mana rejector, he'd figured he'd die in Paju.
But he outlasted expectations, so his stepmother shipped him off to the army.
Then betrayal by a superior he trusted, discharge, porter life in Gurye... Short but eventful.
Bittersweet.
But he'd met good people.
That was the real win.
Gurye would be his launchpad.
A foundation to stand tall on his own.
Getting tired.
Time for bed.
Rustle, rustle.
On the outskirts of Gurye City, around the building Taeju had bought.
A group crept toward it stealthily.
"Ugh! Mouth's so dry. Running low on dope?"
"Don't touch the stash we brought."
"C'mon, boss, you know I keep business and pleasure separate."
"How can I trust a junkie?"
"Aren't you a junkie too, boss?"
"You little shit?"
Free city Gurye was different from normal cities.
Even ordinary cities had their sunny and shady sides, but Gurye's shadows were pitch black.
Gurye slums.
Drugs were just the start.
Violence, murder, rape, human trafficking, drugs... All manner of vile crimes happened, buried before anyone noticed.
One gang operated out of those slums.
Villains who'd long dealt with YJ Drugstore, getting drugs from Jo Hoonseok and handling his dirty work the law couldn't touch.
"That the building? Kim Taeju's?"
"Looks like it. Lights on the top floor."
"How long's he been in Gurye? Already snapping up real estate."
"Mosquito poison antidote's a smash hit. Spore poison one's coming soon."
Jo Hoonseok's commission.
Kidnap mosquito poison developer Kim Taeju, dope him up to get him addicted.
A ploy to extract the formula, no doubt.
Beginner awakener Ma Sang-sik, the gang boss, looked a tad regretful.
Tch. What a waste.
The guy's value was immeasurable.
Mosquito antidote alone was a goldmine.
He'd love to snatch him and monopolize the formula.
But no choice.
He was hooked on Jo Hoonseok's supply.
Cut off, and he'd be done for.
Give 'em what they want, demand more in return.
Drugs were terrifying.
Reduced to wiping some weakling's ass.
The villain thugs crept up the emergency stairs.
They reached the door.
Ma Sang-sik gripped the handle.
One twist, and it'd open. The guy inside.
"Once we're in, no chit-chat. Jab him first. One taste, his eyes'll roll back. Bundle him quiet into the car."
"Heh, this good stuff..."
"Sigh, you junkie fuck—don't smack your lips! Rip your head off first?"
"No, sir. Straight jab."
Ma Sang-sik twisted the handle.
Creak!
The door opened.
Taeju had been awake since they started up the emergency stairs.
Never fully dropping his guard in sleep—a habit from when Dang Gunak fled the Demonic Cult, wandering the martial world.
One, two, three, four... Total of four?
He'd expected some attack.
But this straightforward?
Of course.
Public opinion turning ugly, military contracts fattening coffers, spore antidote incoming—they were cornered.
Quick cleanup.
Perfect excuse for force.
Deal with them first.
Taeju rose slowly from bed.
Reached for the coat on the wall...
Suddenly!
Pat pat. Voices right outside the door.
Hm?
He heard clear.
Drugs?
Jackpot.
To deepen his poison essence, he needed diverse toxins.
Drugs counted as poison.
A new kind he hadn't tasted.
How much'd they bring?
The more, the better.
At Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong 4th stage, he could handle it.
Absolute Poison Demon Dang Gunak had sampled all sorts in his heyday: opium poppy aphrodisiacs, hallucinogens, ecstasy incense even peak warriors couldn't resist, yin-yang pills, lust confusers...
Taeju, halfway up from bed, lay back down.
At the same moment,
Creak!
Door opened.
"Bastard's asleep?"
"Idiot's got no guard up. Rich fuck... What're you waiting for? Shoot him deep in the vein."
"Yes!"
One goon rolled up Taeju's sleeve as he "slept."
Raised the needle...
Snap!
"...Y'know, on second thought."
Taeju grabbed the goon's hand, sitting up.
"I was just gonna take it lying down."
The villains freaked.
"Fuck, scared me."
"...He's awake?"
"Hurry, jab him!"
"I-it's, uh, h-hand won't move."
Taeju snatched the syringe.
"Forgot to mention. Hate needles. Hurts."
Brought it to his mouth.
"This drug—okay by mouth? Weaker effect?"
"...Wh-why the f-fuck eat it?"
Slurp!
The solution went down Taeju's throat.
Ma Sang-sik was baffled.
Woke suddenly—fine. But knowingly swallow drugs?
Oral worked, but...
Waste.
Intravenous was best, direct hit.
Taeju downed the syringe's entire load.
Ma Sang-sik and goons stared blankly.
"Smack. Bitter aftertaste. ...Got more?"
Crazy?
"No effect?"
"Nah."
"No hallucinations, floating high, euphoria?"
"Hmm, few more might do it. Pull out all types if you got 'em."
"You motherfucker!"
Ma Sang-sik raised a fist, lunging.
"Better just knock you out and drag you. Waste of dope anyway."
Then.
Taeju pointed finger like a gun.
Pew! Pew pew!
Freeze!
"...Huh?"
Ma Sang-sik locked mid-stride.
Martial arts had secret poison techniques known only to elites, and universal ones anyone could learn.
Pressure point strikes were universal.
Flick qi to hit acupoints or meridians, paralyze foes.
Humans easier than monsters.
Monsters had no points.
"B-boss!"
"What'd this fucker do?"
"Grab him!"
Whoosh!
Taeju's form blurred, vanishing from bed.
"Gasp!"
"Wh-where?"
"Be-behind..."
Poke poke! Poke poke poke!
Direct finger jabs beat qi flicks.
The villains froze like mannequins in the bedroom.
Taeju leisurely frisked them.
"Whoa. Loaded. Mind if I take these?"
Syringes everywhere.
He tasted each, smacking lips.
"You fuck!"
"Give that back!"
"I'll kill you!"
He skipped speech points.
They had info to spill.
Pulled out smartphone, launched camera app, video mode.
"Alright, spill. Who sent you?"
Ma Sang-sik burst laughing maniacally.
"Kekekeke, moron! Think I'll talk? Kill me, report me—do what you want!"
Drug-soaked trash, as expected.
Taeju grabbed his wrist.
"What, torture?"
"Nah, treatment."
"Treatment?"
"Suck the drug qi outta you. Not all—don't worry, leaving a bit."
"...What?"
"Withdrawal hits then? You'll bawl and beg. 'One shot, please!' Heh, torture in a way? Anyway, starting."
"W-wait!"
Taeju circulated Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong.
Drug's tasty.
Drug qi absorbed via meridians.
How kind, treating his would-be kidnapper.
"N-no! F-fuck, st-stop..."
Ma Sang-sik trembled like a leaf.
Withdrawal crashed as the high faded.
"Guh! Grk, keek, heeeek, hah hah! Kkuk!"
Weird noises, half-mad.
The other junkies paled in terror.
"I-I'll talk!"
"Jo Hoonseok sent us!!!"
"I just followed!"
Typical thugs.
No loyalty, no conscience.
Evidence secured.
Next?
Report to the vigilante corps?
Curious how they'd handle it.