Chapter 87
Chapter 87: The Poison Demon and The Antidote (2)
He called Chief Han.
"Give the antidote to the strange old man's daughter first."
"……Understood."
She followed my words without question.
She also took the separate elixir pill I handed her.
The old man's daughter had not received as much treatment as Chief Han, so her condition wasn't good.
But with the Reversal Secret Arts now cleansing her blood and beginning to restore even her organs, combined with my medicine, she regained her health at a rapid pace.
On the 3rd day, the old man was able to put on a protective suit and watch his daughter begin to recover through the glass wall.
On the 7th day, the poison energy levels in her body normalized, and he was finally able to hold his daughter's hand.
"Thank you……. Thank you……. No, I thank you. Truly."
He took my hand and wept freely.
The hand, full of thick calluses, was incredibly warm.
【An old man who has been reunited with his daughter says 'he owes you a debt he must repay for the rest of his life'. +10,000 Happiness】
I changed my plan.
Beyond the 20 bottles of antidote given in the first batch, I handed over all 30 remaining bottles I had prepared.
Dozens of people who hadn't yet passed the point of no return began to recover.
Chief Han found out I had been holding more antidote, but said nothing.
She only said this,
"Please convey that the National Martial Affairs Headquarters and the Republic of Korea are sincerely grateful."
I kept my promise, and the strange old man returned to work.
* * *
A few days later.
The strange old man came to visit Chief Han of the National Martial Affairs Headquarters.
She had been swinging the Blue Dragon Spear in the training hall when his sudden visit surprised her.
"What brings you here? Did you come to see your daughter?"
"Already did."
"Then?"
Instead of answering, the old man set down the large bag he had been carrying on his back.
"Brought this for you."
"What is it?"
Chief Han opened the bag, her eyes going wide.
"It's armor?"
Painted black to match her, the armor radiated a strange sheen—a faint crimson energy that seeped beneath the surface, giving it an uncanny luster.
The gleam was less like metal and more like the texture of something alive, as though the armor itself were breathing.
"……Good heavens."
"Try it on. It'll fit, obviously."
Chief Han quickly put the armor on.
It fit her body with astonishing precision.
The breastplate wrapped around her chest and abdomen, the greaves curved sleekly along her shins, and the pauldrons rounded over her shoulders.
Every piece settled against her without a hint of awkwardness, as though it had been waiting for its owner.
From waist to knee, shoulder to elbow, nothing restricted her range of motion—even watching her, one could imagine how fluidly she would move.
Indeed, when she slowly took a single step, the knee and hip plates folded naturally and followed without a sound.
For something made of metal, it was impossibly flexible and smooth as leather.
"Any uncomfortable parts?"
"No. None at all."
The old man smiled faintly.
Chief Han exclaimed in admiration one after another.
And notably, it lacked the bizarre details the old man was known for.
Except for one part.
She pointed at her own chest.
"Why is the neckline cut this low?"
"Last shred of pride."
"Ha……."
She laughed in disbelief and asked,
"Why are you giving this to me?"
"I'm not the one giving it."
"Then?"
"It's a gift from that person."
"……"
"Said he's cheering you on."
Chief Han ran her hand over the armor.
"Please tell him I'm grateful."
"Goes without saying."
The old man slung his pack back on and walked outside.
"Where are you going? Let me at least treat you to a meal—"
"Busy."
"Then I'll come by the workshop tomorrow."
The old man turned his head.
"I'm not at the workshop anymore."
"Pardon?"
"I'm with Red Dragon Gate now. If you want to commission me, speak to Red Dragon Gate."
* * *
Ding-dong!
—Delivered the message. I will complete the 20 sets of Carapace Armor you entrusted to me, Red Dragon, shortly.
—You've worked hard.
—Thank you. I will do my best.
The old man's messages came in.
Not the informal speech from before, but extremely polite language.
And he called me 'Red Dragon'.
Poison Demon, Poison Immortal, Chivalrous Hero, Nameless Hero, Ghost, and now Red Dragon.
As the titles kept increasing, so did the burdens I had to look after.
"Haah……. I'm doing the right thing, aren't I? Oh well. Time to tend the farm."
I let out a short sigh and walked into the medicinal herb field.
With a basket tucked under my arm, I picked leaves from the herbs needed to make additional antidotes for the 37th floor.
My reason for making antidotes wasn't something like patriotism or consideration for Chief Han.
"I need a vanguard to climb first."
Having a vanguard that climbs the tower ahead proved advantageous in many ways when it came to gathering information.
"It's genuinely convenient."
The Murim Tower was certainly based on my memories from a past life, but even so, knowing in advance about the situations and missions there made things far better.
I could prepare, and I could make plans to make the most of the time limits.
"Lately the bonus missions are getting harder and harder."
Killing Sa Hon-il in the early stages barely took 10 minutes.
But killing 5 Black Bears nearly ended in failure.
Liberating the Black Bear Demon Beast was something that had genuinely required me to stake my life.
So I intended to support the vanguard generously so they could keep climbing.
"Of course, I have to make sure I secure my own gains within all of that."
The higher up we went—
The things that had made my skin crawl just thinking about them—the days when I had faced all of the martial world—were drawing closer.
Enemies grew stronger with each floor.
The climbers' current ability wouldn't be enough to face the great sects of the martial world they would soon encounter.
"A little more time and I'll overtake the existing climbers."
At minimum, I had to bring other climbers up alongside me as I ascended.
If my memories were accurate, the day we would engage those enemies in a large-scale battle was not far off.
"I have to keep sending them up."
If I could, I planned to send them ahead as fast as possible.
Ding!
【The Poison Spider, now wearing armor, defeats 10 elite fighters from the National Martial Affairs Headquarters in a sparring match and lets out a long roar. +1,000 Happiness】
"……Maybe they'll die less than I thought?"
Among martial artists, those who wore armor were rare.
It wasn't some romantic notion of not minding being cut or stabbed by an enemy's blade.
"Actually, it's a very practical reason."
Unless you were a true master craftsman, poorly made armor was uncomfortable and heavy to move in.
Soldiers heading into battle only needed to wear armor and fight for a short time.
"Martial artists always have to be battle-ready."
Because a sword fight could break out at any moment—while walking a mountain path, eating at a tavern, listening to a courtesan play music.
It was something my father had drilled into my ears until they were sore in a past life.
So living one's whole life wearing armor was an incredibly taxing thing.
It was also why long polearms like spears and great axes and heavy weapons weren't preferred.
Too inconvenient to carry until the moment of death.
A sword or blade was more practical.
So armor that was lightweight and caused absolutely no hindrance to movement commanded whatever price the maker asked.
Like the Dark Tortoise Armor I wore.
Knowingly or not, only the family heads of great houses or sect masters would secretly don such armor beneath their magnificent robes just before a major battle or sparring match.
"Romance matters, but life matters more."
In that sense, the climbers needed to wear armor.
As long as they weren't facing Transcendent Peak masters, it could dramatically increase their survival rate.
"And above all, they only need to wear it during the climb."
Aah.
Getting the climbers to the upper floors was no easy task.
* * *
I visited the Choi brothers' home for the first time in a while.
It was to hear news about Goryeo Sword Sect.
As I was parking my white Porsche, there was an unfamiliar car in the garage.
A black Porsche SUV.
"These rich guys, already bought a new car?"
Anyway, money to burn.
When I entered the house, the brothers Choi Jae-jun and Choi Jae-hwa were standing at the entrance with both hands clasped together respectfully.
"What are you two doing there?"
"We're waiting for our master who has taken over Red Dragon Gate."
"With all due courtesy and respect."
I had already explained to the brothers beforehand, under the name Kim Tae-yang, that I had revealed my identity to Chief Han.
To make sure they didn't slip up.
"I'm not your master."
"Come on now. Don't be like that. It's hurtful."
I walked in with a smile.
The wide living room table was covered in unfamiliar weapons.
A great blade with a dragon head ornament, a crescent-moon blade with tiger claw decorations, a bow covered in elaborate feathers, and armor with cascades of beads hanging all over it.
These bizarre things were ones I had seen once before.
In the strange old man's workshop.
"Haah……."
I let out a sigh, but the brothers puffed out their chests and boasted.
"We scored big!"
"The best craftsman in Korea said he was suddenly selling off everything he owned."
Choi Jae-hwa lifted the dragon-head great blade.
The dragon head gleaming in the light.
It looked pointlessly heavy.
"Just look at this living-and-breathing detail. The pinnacle of craftsmanship, plain and simple."
"In 100 years it'll be designated a national treasure!"
"When I retire, I'll build a museum, and I'll put this front and center!"
I asked them.
"How much did you pay?"
The brothers answered excitedly, trading off:
"Got it cheap."
"All together it was 23 billion won, but since he was selling in a hurry, we got it for 18 billion."
"We emptied every coin we had, but it's still a bargain."
"A steal. In 5 years it'll double in value. In 10 years, who knows."
Choi Jae-jun stroked the bow covered in feather decorations.
Choi Jae-hwa spoke with what seemed like lingering regret.
"The one thing I'm still sore about is seeing a crimson Carapace Armor set in the workshop that I couldn't buy."
"He absolutely refused to sell it. It was breathtakingly gorgeous."
"We told him we'd pay whatever he named, but he wouldn't even look at us."
"Jae-hwa, didn't you spend all your money?"
"I've got Baekgyeong stock. Big brother will buy it at a good price."
"Are you insane?"
"Then I just let that go? It's the finest of the finest!"
"Well……. I can still picture it."
"Exactly. I really wanted it."
I was at a loss for words.
I had offered to pay the old man for the armor and weapons made from the Scarlet Scale Poison Centipede's shell, but he refused outright.
And when I offered to set up a workshop for him when he joined my Red Dragon Gate, he had stubbornly insisted on opening one with his own money, saying he didn't want to feel indebted.
So that money had come from the Choi brothers.
"Was the winged helmet from before also made by the same person?"
"Yes!"
"The strange old man?"
The brothers both looked momentarily startled.
Then, with expressions that said ‘well, of course, they nodded and spoke’,
"You know him? He's someone who doesn't meet just anyone—we only managed to meet him with great difficulty through Goryeo Sword Sect's Sect Master Kim. Sect Master Kim was making efforts to invite him with not just three visits but ten—"
"Wasted effort."
"Why's that?"
"He works under me now."
The Choi brothers' mouths fell open.
"……Should we transfer to Red Dragon Gate as well?"
"I'll pass."
I stopped the small talk and asked them about the situation with Goryeo Sword Sect.
They told me that since the brothers had driven out Elder Bong, Goryeo Sword Sect was being reorganized around Sect Master Kim Guk-bong.
Of course, with the brothers' sharp business acumen, they had ridden the rising momentum and absorbed most of Elder Bong's forces.
They had now built influence enough to more than match Sect Master Kim Guk-bong.
"You've worked hard."
"It's all thanks to you, Master."
"I'm not your master."
"Yes, Senior."
They grinned.
Time to leave.
"I'll be heading out."
"We'll see you off."
"That's all right."
The brothers insisted on following me all the way to the garage.
They kept on smiling—clearly they had something else up their sleeves.
As I approached the white Porsche, Choi Jae-hwa stepped between me and the car.
"It's time to say goodbye to this car."
"……?"
Beep-beep—!
Choi Jae-jun pressed the remote.
The trunk of the black Porsche SUV beside it opened, and balloons came pouring out.
"Surprise!"
"A gift, Senior!"
Inside the trunk hung a banner reading: ‘Congratulations on Senior's Takeover of Red Dragon Gate!’.
Laughter burst out of me.
"Thank you."
"Here, your new car key. Please give us the old one."
The brothers held out their hands.
I took the new car key, but didn't hand over the old one.
"Hm? You want to keep driving both?"
"……"
"If you like it, you can take both."
The brothers weren't flustered—instead they smiled broadly with delight.
More than the new car, the balloons, and the banner, that smile pleased me more.
‘This, this…….’
‘I'm actually touched.’
"I was going to leave these in the garage, but I should give them to you here."
"Pardon?"
"Paint the white one yourself."
I pressed the trunk button of the white Porsche.
Click—.
Inside were 2 sets of Carapace Armor made from Scarlet Scale Poison Centipede shells.
The brothers stared at me with their mouths open.
I smiled at them and said,
"Surprise."