Chapter 22:
The Poison Demon and the Chaebol Subordinates (2)
I returned to the grand mansion with the brothers.
They were excited, recounting their tales of valor.
"We were passing through the Plank Road, you see. When we were entering through the secret passage, there was a Demon Wind Manor warrior right at the entrance!"
"Oh my!"
"We hid behind a corner and held our breath."
"And then?"
"Even after waiting a long ti, he wouldn't disappear. We wasted a lot of ti there."
Well, well. So that's what happened.
That's why it took so long.
Then the older brother, Choi Jae-jun, stood up abruptly with a aningful expression.
"But then, the warrior suddenly turned and began walking toward us!"
"Hmm!"
"We were incredibly tense. The distance was closing, and it was obvious we'd be discovered if we fought—what were we supposed to do!"
"And then?"
"Whoosh! Thwack! Done!"
…What?
Choi Jae-jun stood up and mimicked drawing a bow.
"Just like you taught us, Senior! Whoosh! shot it, thwack! hit it, then done! finished."
Choi Jae-jun lightly swept his hand sideways like a blade.
……Did I really do it like that?
The younger brother, Choi Jae-hwa, clapped.
"It was a complete success! We gained so much confidence right there and charged in!"
"Remarkable! Truly remarkable!"
I clapped. Honestly, it wasn't very entertaining.
It felt sothing like watching children with far inferior skills show off their tricks.
But the notification ssages were telling to shower them with praise.
Thanks to that—
[Choi Jae-jun is overjoyed. 1,000 Happiness]
[Choi Jae-hwa feels proud. 1,000 Happiness]
I earned quite a few points.
Ahh, praise makes even chaebol heirs dance.
These two had achieved Scarlet Rank for the very first ti.
And having achieved it just the two of them, they were enormously pumped up.
"Now then……"
When I opened my mouth, the brothers perked their ears up and focused.
What brilliant sche would he offer next to help them achieve Red Rank on the 23rd floor.
Their eyes were sparkling.
I opened my mouth slowly.
"Let's run."
Bwoong—
The brothers' sports car raced along the highway and arrived at a quiet villa.
Villa was putting it mildly.
A single room was the size of our entire ho.
The brothers followed my words well.
Thanks to the result of achieving Scarlet Rank on the 22nd floor.
[Breaking news. The color of the 22nd floor of the Republic of Korea's Murim Tower has changed. From the existing Yellow to Scarlet Rank—]
The news kept rolling.
Everyone would be searching for whoever was responsible.
Their sect, the Goryeo Sword Sect, along with Gukmubon, would surely be in an uproar.
By now they'd be confirming identities, but soon they'd find out the brothers had succeeded.
Then they'd eat away at the training ti needed to conquer the 23rd floor.
So the mont we succeeded, we grabbed what we needed and imdiately fled.
"Is this really a place no one knows about?"
Choi Jae-jun answered.
"Yes, it's a place only our family uses."
"Even our family rarely cos here."
Literally, cloths to keep the furniture from gathering dust were draped all over everything.
First command.
"Take them all off."
"Yes!"
The second-generation chaebol heirs cleaned the villa for .
They looked ready to make up my bedding too if I asked.
In the anti, I called Mother.
"Mom, I've co on a short trip with so friends."
"Friends…… A trip?"
"Yes."
"If you've been kidnapped right now, tell you want to eat pizza!"
Mother suddenly on the verge of tears.
"I—I do have friends, and I can go on trips too!"
The one who was flustered was .
After a lengthy call, I explained to Mother that I was not with bad people.
Kim Tae-yang.
……Apparently sothing like this had happened in the past too.
After dinner, I talked with the brothers.
The most pressing question first.
"Why did second-generation chaebol heirs beco Tower Climbers?"
Choi Jae-jun scratched his head and told —
When the Murim Tower appeared, he had an instinct.
'The Murim Tower is exactly the new money-making venture of the age!'
It had started as climbing for experience.
Through chaebol connections, they entered the Goryeo Sword Sect, said to be the finest in the Republic of Korea.
With the Goryeo Sword Sect's help as they climbed the Tower, they ca to realize they had quite a talent for it.
Just around that ti, the brothers' father, Chairman Choi, began to fall ill.
And they were able to obtain information that Onon Grass was the cure, and so they had challenged up to the 21st floor.
Sothing doesn't quite add up……
It seed like there was more to the story, but I didn't ask.
Next, I checked the Tower conquest rewards.
The reward for Scarlet Rank on the 22nd floor was—
'Secret Manual of Demon Wind Archery Arts.'
None other than an archery secret manual.
The brothers offered to give it to as a gift, but I declined.
This wasn't the reward for my mission.
On top of that, there was also an unexpected gain.
Naly—
Boom!
When Choi Jae-jun shattered the Demon Wind Ghost King's Treasure Orb—
A considerable amount of energy flowed out and beca attributed to the older brother, Choi Jae-jun.
And it was absorbed not into an Artificial Dantian, but into Choi Jae-jun's own Dantian.
A stroke of fortune.
I took Choi Jae-jun's pulse and nodded.
"Remarkable. Your internal energy has doubled."
The Choi brothers, being second-generation chaebol heirs, had consud many dicinal herbs and elixirs over the years, so their Dantians were already well-stocked—yet even in that state, it had doubled.
Had it been an ordinary climber, it would have multiplied several tis in an instant.
Choi Jae-jun smiled brightly, then caught sight of his brother and suppressed his joy.
"But this is through mine and my brother's effort……. Without Jae-hwa, it wouldn't have been possible."
"No, big brother. You were the one who took down the warrior in the secret passage, and you're the one who hit the Treasure Orb and made it happen."
"You shoot on the 23rd floor. Your internal energy will grow enormously then."
Choi Jae-hwa shook his head.
"Big brother should shoot. If big brother, with your increased internal energy, uses the Secret Manual of Demon Wind Archery Arts, the success rate will be much higher."
The brotherly bond between these two is admirable.
Aren't chaebol families supposed to fight each other?
I had assud that people with things to lose not having good brotherly bonds would be the sa in the Murim world as here.
I said to them.
"Choi Jae-hwa should be the one to shoot on the 23rd floor."
"B-but……"
"Are you worried about insufficient internal energy? What's the problem? Since older brother Jae-jun succeeded on the 22nd floor, Jae-hwa can do it too."
And I placed sothing on the table.
"This should supplent Choi Jae-hwa's internal energy."
What I placed down was an Artificial Dantian.
It was Park Jeok-sa's—which had served as excellent fertilizer.
The brothers looked up at with eyes full of reverence.
"This grace…… How shall we repay it?"
How, indeed.
Pay it back in money, of course.
Isn't it obvious? Don't you know?
One of those sports cars outside won't be enough.
I trained them solidly for three days.
The part I focused on most was—
None other than the Storm Pear Blossom Needles.
The reward I received from their success.
My Storm Pear Blossom Needles totaled 600.
[The Storm Soul-Crushing Needle Tube is given to you. (Single-use)]
A Storm Soul-Crushing Needle Tube capable of firing needles.
It was clearly sothing the Tower had placed in my hands for the success of this mission.
The Pear Blossom Needles that could be loaded into the tube numbered 200.
One third of what I had.
Just right.
Storm Pear Blossom Needles are area-of-effect hidden weapons.
Capable of taking down dozens of people at once.
And the Storm Soul-Crushing Needle Tube was what converted this area-of-effect hidden weapon into a single-target concentrated one.
Which ant that as long as it hit—the Demon Wind Ghost King could be killed.
……As long as it could hit.
I showed them the Storm Soul-Crushing Needle Tube.
"This is my treasure. The most precious one I have."
Of course, a lie.
But the brothers had no way of knowing.
Upon hearing I would lend them a treasure, the brothers beca so moved their eyes welled with tears.
Well then, that's enough erasing the debt of gratitude in their hearts—
Now it was ti for training.
"Just once. It's only possible just once."
I warned them repeatedly.
They knew it too.
That the mont they failed, their heads would be taken by the Demon Wind Ghost King's hands.
"It's far more difficult than last ti. Because you need to approach within close range of the Ghost King."
The sequence was as follows.
I drew a detailed interior map of Demon Wind Manor from my mory, and—
"From here, to here. And then from there, to there!"
I laid out the brothers' movents and Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C.
And so, three days of planning and repeated training were carried out.
After all that, I returned ho.
Because—
Tring tring!
"Mom, I'm already on my way ho."
"Hurry up! I'm worried."
"I'm really with good friends, I'm telling you."
Calls had been coming in at full speed from Mother throughout those three days.
If she's going to worry, not making her worry is filial piety.
I stepped out of the taxi.
"Tae-yang!"
Mother, waiting outside the house.
"I'm back."
"Are you safe?"
Mother examining my face and entire body.
Checking whether there were any injuries anywhere.
……My heart aches.
I ate at ho, and Mother asked this and that.
I answered as I'd thought out in advance.
Fortunately, it went over well.
In the anti, the Bungeoppang business had been doing far better than expected even without .
Our now-famous 'Handso Bungeoppang'.
Mother held sothing out to .
[Miraejegwa General Manager Kim Tak-gu]
It was the business card of a confectionery company's general manager.
"Tae-yang, a person like this ca by. Says they want to buy our Bungeoppang."
"How many?"
"No, the store itself."
Miraejegwa wanted to acquire the Bungeoppang brand, technology, and reputation exactly as they were.
The amount they proposed was 200 million won.
Ahh, the miracle of a business started with a re 500,000 won turning into 200 million.
The business genius, Kim Dok-ma.
But this was not to be.
For one, the offered price was far too low, and above all, the Bungeoppang technique was not mine.
It belonged to the master grandmother.
"First, the Grandmother's permission is needed."
"The grandmother says we can do as we like, but still, how could we?"
She'd already asked?
Mother seed to have her heart swayed by the 200 million won the company proposed.
Even though we were already earning well over a million won every day—
Bungeoppang is a seasonal business.
With February already almost over now—
The days left to do business were few, and 200 million was an enormous sum Mother had never had her hands on before.
"What do you think?"
"I think no."
I could have listed ten or more reasons. Just as I was about to open my mouth—
"Understood."
Riiip—
The mont my answer was out, Mother tore the business card in two.
……Was she angry?
Contrary to my worried expression, Mother's face was bright.
"I trust you, Tae-yang. If you say no, then it's no."
"Mom."
"All the money we've earned so far, I've been saving it. In an account under your na."
"……"
"Winter hasn't ended yet, so let's work hard."
"……"
"What? Don't you believe I've been saving it? Should I show you?"
She is angry.
"I do believe you."
"'I believe you', he says. Show then. Look."
Pressed by Mother, I opened my banking app on my phone.
"Give it here. Look at this."
Her checking my balance.
"See this. It's all right here. The money saved up until now, 1,030,124,000 won……. Huh?"
Mother's eyes went wide.
She checked the balance several tis.
"1…… 1 billion?"
"Yes."
"1 billion?"
"Yes."
Her hands trembled uncontrollably.
"……Why?"
"I helped so wealthy friends out a bit, and they said thank you and gave it to ."
"Tae, Tae-yang! Is, is this okay?!"
"Because of the daily transfer limit it's 1 billion for now, and another 1 billion will co in tomorrow."
"Tae-yang……!"
Grumble.
Mother fainted.
Oh my. This, this……
I can't tell her that if the 23rd floor conquest succeeds—
I'll beco the owner of a ten-story building in a bustling comrcial district.
Jangle.
In my pocket—
The key to a 340-million-won Porsche that was now my possession jingled pleasantly.
* * *
[Mission Success!]
[Second-generation chaebol heirs, the Choi brothers, achieve Red Rank on the 23rd floor of the Tower!]
—A deep connection is forged with the large corporation Baekgyeong.
—The Choi brothers regard you as their lifelong benefactor.
—Happiness Points 20,000
One week later.
A notification ssage of congratulations appeared.
Woong.
The 23rd floor of the Murim Tower glowed red.
"Heh heh heh."
Mmm, now that a building would be coming my way too, I could say things were quite comfortable.
Plenty of resources, and both parents alive.
It sowhat brought back mories of the old Sacheondang Family days.
I felt quite satisfied.
"Senior!"
The brothers ca running to , looking disheveled, and threw their arms around .
"Senior! Seniooor!"
The brothers crying tears of joy.
"Let's have a look."
"Yes!"
In the brothers' hands, a single root of Onon Grass was radiating light.
[The brothers are greatly overjoyed. 5,000 Happiness]
Three days later.
I watched the news on my phone in my room.
"We have with us the climbers from the Goryeo Sword Sect who succeeded in conquering the 23rd floor!"
A glamorous-looking news anchor interviewed the Choi brothers.
"It's an incredible achievent accomplished by just the two of you. What was the secret?"
Choi Jae-jun's answer, dressed in a suit.
"Our father is ill. The Red Rank reward was absolutely necessary!"
"Your father being…… The Chairman of Baekgyeong Corporation?"
"That's right!"
And then at the bottom of the news screen—
[Baekgyeong Corporation stock hits upper limit for consecutive days!]
A subtitle that appeared as if prepared in advance.
Ha, as expected! Chaebol families are different.
Tap tap.
I opened my stock app. Heh heh.
Red everywhere!
I'd bought in advance knowing this would happen.
Brothers.
Fight on!
Wishing them the best—
Woong—
I returned to my dicinal and poisonous herb field.
Jangle, clatter.
I set the things brewing decoctions down on the ground too.
I made a makeshift furnace.
I planned to brew dicine here today.
From my bag, I took out sothing wrapped in silk.
'Onon Grass.'
The one the brothers had brought.
I had said to the brothers—
"Please give the Onon Grass to . I'll prepare the dicine for you."
The brothers entrusted the Onon Grass to without a word of protest.
I'm grateful for their trust, and I pay respects to their choice.
Pharmaceutical preparation and compounding.
Honestly, I'm confident that in this world, I would do this best.
I lit the fire and set the decoction on the fla.
If I brew it through the night like this—
"Decoction complete."
The image of the brothers embracing their awakened father and rejoicing in their reunion was clear in my mind's eye.
Now then—
Shall I get to work for my own happiness as well.
I carefully set the Onon Grass down on the ground. Cautiously reaching out my hand—
Tick.
I plucked the Onon Grass's berries.
Twelve in total.
The fragrance of the red berries was sweet.
Since the berries weren't needed to treat the brothers' father—
I would plant and grow these myself.
Well, the Ice Energy cure for 4.3 billion won?
Absolutely ridiculous.
I'll sell mine for 5 billion. Heh heh.
Oh, you might ask if Onon Grass doesn't only grow on snow-capped mountains?
Correct.
I can't grow it in my poisonous and dicinal herb field.
It needs poor sunlight, almost no humidity, and a steady temperature of at least minus 60°C.
But—
"If it can't be done, make it happen."
In front of —
Woong—
[This is a cutting-edge energy-powered refrigerator. It can be set down to minus 120°C.]
There was a 68-million-won happiness right there.
First ti for you to carry soil and grow seeds, refrigerator?
And after connecting the Artificial Dantian I received from Choi Jae-hwa—
The refrigerator itself humd along happily at full capacity.
Not electricity, but energy.
It ran perfectly well even in my poisonous herb field.
I'm counting on you.
Tap tap.
Woong—
Master, is this right?
Yes, yes.
[68,000,000 won of happiness 50 Happiness]
I am—
A martial artist utilizing cutting-edge science and technology.
The Science Poison Demon.
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