Business Trip Preparations
Baek Seoyeonn arrived with the contract documents she'd prepared in advance.
Before signing, Taeju explained the key points Jeong Yeonhui needed to know to Oh Jinhyeong.
"First off, you'll need to resign from the Imperial Pharmaceutical Bureau. It might be tough, but I'll help you..."
"I'll submit my resignation immediately."
She had been transferred from the military to the bureau.
It wouldn't be easy to leave so soon after joining, but if he requested it, there shouldn't be any major issues.
"Just tough it out for three years. Until the Taehong Bio Paju branch is established..."
"I'll do it. Three years or even ten."
Ten years? Three should be plenty.
"Also, lend a hand in the DMZ monster dense zone subjugations from time to time..."
"I won't miss a single one."
It would help her growth too, and successful subjugations would expand the territory.
"My disciples' progress in the Bokma Sword Technique is slow. If you could share some insights you've grasped..."
"Leave it to me."
He wanted to teach them himself, but circumstances didn't allow it.
Jeong Yeonhui, having acquired the Sword Queen trait, was even better than him at it.
"Paju is a very underdeveloped area. It might be rough at first..."
"Adapting is my specialty. If that bothered me, I never would've entered the cadet academy."
Her affirmative response came the instant he finished speaking.
Does she even think before answering?
She must be hooked on the Bokma Sword Technique.
"In exchange, I have a condition."
There it is.
He knew something was coming.
"Tell me. I'll do my best to accommodate."
"When the bureau gets a mine capture request, you have to take me along."
"Ah..."
He understood why.
He recalled what Jeong Ukcheol had told him.
His granddaughter with a painful past.
Her father was killed in a mine ambush, right?
With that, Jeong Yeonhui pulled out her smartphone.
"I have something to show you."
Ding!
A notification chimed, and a message arrived on Taeju's phone.
Checking it, there was an attached file.
"...A photo. Of a monsterized mine."
"That's the mine suspected—no, confirmed—to have killed my dad."
"You want me to kill him?"
"No, the opposite. Even if we meet, don't kill him."
"Pardon?"
"I'll kill him myself."
"Aha!"
Classic girl crush Jeong Yeonhui.
He might be too much for her now, but once she mastered the Bokma Sword Technique, most mines wouldn't stand a chance.
One more thing...
"You're an adult, but do we need to inform your family?"
"It's fine. Grandpa even told me to quit the bureau and head to Paju."
"Really? Why?"
"To take a position like Paju construction division head for Baekdu."
He got it.
Baekdu Construction was fully committed.
Apartments, department stores, hotels, factories—major investments planned.
"But instead of Baekdu Construction division head, you're heading to Paju for the Taehong Bio branch."
"Well, if Chairman Jeong says so..."
"No, he'll probably love it."
Love it?
Anyway, they signed the contract.
Taeju handed her a spare smartphone.
Copied from his tablet in advance.
"The rest of the Bokma Sword Technique forms. Destroy the device once you've mastered them."
"...Th-thank you. I'll study hard."
Now for items.
Regular monsters were no issue, but elite monsters were a problem.
Regular swords wouldn't cut it.
They needed high-performance weapons.
Weapons fit for master rank.
By his estimate, all his disciples would reach master within a year.
Jeong Yeonhui might be faster.
At least nine swords needed...
Eight disciples plus her.
He could craft and distribute them.
It would take time, but doable.
With Jeong Yeonhui joining, Paju was worry-free.
Now he could prepare for the trip in peace.
It would likely drag on longer than expected.
He set a baseline of three months.
Goals: Add new poison DNA to his poison essence, achieve 10th stage Hunwon Musang Dokryeong Gong as a result, and scout the suspected mine organization hiding in the Gobi Plains.
One more thing.
So before leaving, he planned to meet Baek Hongpyo.
Spending time on various preparations.
Taehong Bio headquarters.
Taeju's office.
He finished gearing up for the Gobi Plains.
Not charging in blindly.
Assume the mines were hiding in the Gobi.
They needed to eat and survive.
A place with solid infrastructure, cell service.
A somewhat developed city.
That's how he chose his destination.
"Nyaang...?"
"Yeah, you're coming too."
"Nyang!"
Wouldn't be boring.
With Ilbaek along.
Infinite storage filled too.
Needed to send goods to Dang Gunak in the Gobi.
Suddenly!
Knock knock.
Baek Hongpyo entered the office.
"Chairman Kim."
"Ah! Brother, come on in."
"When are you leaving?"
"Tonight. All prepped."
"I see. About what you mentioned before... I looked into it."
What Taeju had asked Baek Hongpyo wasn't anything else.
"Gurye City has quite a few with mana rejection symptoms."
"As expected."
Mana rejectors made up about 5% of the population.
Five out of a hundred.
Naturally, Gurye had them.
"I contacted those in their early to mid-twenties. They all consented. Got consent forms too."
Mana rejectors typically lived into their early to mid-twenties—meaning not much time left.
Taeju's next drug would definitely be a mana rejection cure.
But to test efficacy, test subjects were unavoidable.
Baek Hongpyo had met them and asked them to participate in clinical trials.
"Thanks for the trouble."
"...Think you can do it? Mana rejection isn't a disease or poison."
True.
A congenital body that rejects mana—a heavenly punishment to endure, some said you had to be reborn to fix it.
"I'll find a cure, no matter what."
"I hope so. It'd be huge hope for those kids."
Finding a mana rejection cure.
Combine various poisons to create not medicine, but poison.
Reconstitute the human body itself.
Another goal for this journey.
And that night.
Taeju mounted the Manri Bigeom.
First west through Chinese territory, then north to the Gobi Plains.
His final destination: Nabban, one of the Gobi Plains pioneer cities.
A city booming with development after the Gobi Plains Pioneer Division cleared monster dense zones.
He'd considered a bigger city, but Nabban had plenty of remnant monsters nearby.
Plus, Barun—the largest pioneer city—was just two hours away by car, with high foot traffic.
If mines were around, Nabban or Barun.
Start with Nabban.
Vroom-vroom-vroom!
The distinctive Harley muffler roar echoed through the Immortal Realm.
Onlookers gathered.
"He's coming!"
"Harley! It's a Harley!"
"Where, where...?"
Whinny...
Geomseon's bike slowed, revealing itself.
"Haha, incredible."
"How's it look so cool?"
"I thought it wouldn't suit him at first..."
"Who'd imagine the sword-bearing Dongbin riding a Harley?"
The bike smoothly stopped in front of the Immortal Realm multiplex.
Chug-chug, burble!
Geomseon dismounted in his black leather suit, gloves, helmet, and a sword with a red tassel slung on his back.
"Whew!"
Geomseon removed his helmet.
Revealing his closely cropped hair.
Cut short just for the helmet.
His wristwatch gleamed silver as he did.
"Ooooh!"
"Insane."
"The immortals would flip."
Geomseon hit the smart engine button to shut it off, stowed his helmet and gloves in the bike's compartment, and strode inside without a glance at the crowd.
As if basking in the immortals' stares.
On the first floor of the Immortal Realm multiplex, Gwigok Seonin pored over an encyclopedia, studying the new world called Earth. Cheoljang Seonin chugged cola nonstop, belching away.
A cocktail bar was prepping too.
Juseon Ta Baek Seonin in a white shirt, black vest, and bowtie.
Polishing glasses meticulously with clean cotton cloth.
Geomseon approached.
"Vodka martini, shaken not stirred."
"...Ease up. Quit the 007 act."
"Wasn't it natural?"
"James Bond with a sword natural?"
"Hm, the sword's the issue. But it's my identity. Anyway, no cocktails?"
Juseon snorted.
"Hmph! Not open yet, and who knows if you can even pay."
Not house poor, car poor—Immortal Realm's one and only bike poor Geomseon.
Broke as can be.
"Credit card's coming soon. Swipe that."
"Haha, you'll ruin yourself. Never heard swiping blindly leads to ruin?"
"..."
Credit card.
More precisely, credit plaque.
Prepaid by Dang Gunak via seondo, but credit possible.
Though it goes negative then.
"Wanna lose the bike again?"
"...Why?"
"Immortal bank is Dokseon. Borrow and can't repay? Sell the bike. Or the watch."
Geomseon's face darkened.
Couldn't part with either.
Had to earn money.
Where to make some?
Demo in front of Taesang Nogun?
Or raid DoWon secretly again.
Get caught, and no leaving Brain Hell.
Disturbed, Geomseon headed out.
About to mount the Harley.
"Geomseon-nim."
"Hm?"
A woman in a long slit skirt baring her legs, twisting seductively with constant smiles—Mihosunja from Do Hwagung.
"What?"
"Give me a ride? Wanna go together... Geomseon oppa?"
This one.
Where'd she hear that?
Dramas and movies left behind.
Oppa, my ass.
Of course, willing to give a ride.
"...One lap around Immortal Realm for one seondo."
"I-I'm broke now. Next time? Credit this once?"
Mihosunja winked.
Her alluring eyes—fatal temptation.
Fox spirit ascended, but nine tails don't lie.
"Shut it! Lewd fox! Save your useless charm!"
"Tch!"
Macho Geomseon ignored her.
Ride for free? No way!
Sat on the saddle, about to start.
Hm?
His eye caught the round gauge.
Orange light in the center.
What's this mean?
Dragged Gwigok Seonin out to ask.
"Gwigok, orange light on. What's this?"
"Tsk tsk, don't know the fuel warning? No gas, no ride."
"What?!"
Forgot.
Runs on gas, right?
Disaster.
No gas, can't ride.
Wait!
Great hero Kim Taeju is meticulous.
He'd have included gas.
Geomseon went straight to Dang Gunak.
"Dokseon! Question."
"Hm? What? Busy now, unless important..."
"Bike fuel's out. Spare?"
"Ah... Gasoline."
Dang Gunak grinned.
Bike free from Taeju as Bokma Sword Technique master, but not gas.
"Gas can: 10 seondo. No haggle. Cheap."
Geomseon frowned.
"...Cheap, sure, but I'm broke."
"Tough. Push it."
"Ahem, no credit?"
"On what faith?"
Geomseon panicked.
Just getting into biking.
"No way? Please, Dokseon."
Dang Gunak pretended to ponder.
"No seondo? Barter fine."
"B-barter?"
"You got those collectibles, right?"
"..."
Geomseon's collectibles? Swords.
Rumored hundreds in his abode.
"Ascended, need for swords? Sell me some."
"Hm..."
Geomseon pondered.
Long-collected treasures.
Mostly from descending to human realm for escaped yokai.
Plenty besides the Manri Bigeom made in Immortal Realm for Taeju.
Pondering didn't last.
One sword's enough.
Sword immortal—even a twig is a blade.
Still, cherished collection. Bit wasteful.
"Good treasures: 100 per sword."
Geomseon's eyes gleamed.
"Let's go."
"Pardon?"
"To your place, pick swords. Don't forget 100 each."
"Think I'm a swindler?"
Honestly, kinda scammy.
Geomseon's swords all masterpieces.
Earth metalworking outshines Murim.
First item from Taeju: Earth-made leaf-shaped dagger, rivals skilled Murim smiths.
Beyond that, different story.
Swords of profound iron, cloud iron.
Weapons with artisan souls.
Not inferior to Earth arms.
Maybe better.
Plan: Pick best from Geomseon's place, send to Taeju.
What's Bokma Sword Technique without fitting weapons?
"Hop on back. Grab my waist."
"...Pass."
Vroom!
Geomseon's bike sped down the long road with Dokseon aboard.
"Oh! Geomseon."
"Yes?"
"Ever been to Demon Realm?"
"Of course."
"Demons with poisons there?"
"Plenty. Sick of 'em."
"Oh!"
Should visit sometime.
Useless for him, poison spirit Dokseon, but not for Taeju.
Curiosity too.
What kinda poison beasts in Demon Realm?
End of Business Trip Preparations
ⓒ Kucci Kucci