Read The Poison Demon’s Strategy for the Martial Tower - Chapter 145 online free

The Poison Demon’s Strategy for the Martial Tower

Chapter 145

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Chapter 145: How to Win Without Fighting (1)

[Past ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍Life Gangho]

NovelFire reader preview #7ce9da0c4d93 (issued 2026-07-17).

"What book is that?"

I was reading as a child when my mother came over and asked.

"The Art of War."

"Your father gave it to you. What kind of person teaches a 7-year-old the Art of War."

My mother made a face of disbelief and sat down beside me.

And she quietly watched me read.

The Art of War wasn't a long book, so I finished it quickly.

"How do you feel now that you've read it?"

"Hmm. I'm not sure."

I wanted to run out to the garden and play, so I dodged the question.

Then my mother took out a ripe tangerine.

"Oh, a tangerine!"

"It was a gift that came in for your father, and your mother set a few aside. Here! Answer well and I'll give you one as a reward."

Back then tangerines were incredibly precious, so I swallowed my pooling saliva and nodded.

"Tell me. If you were to summarize it in one line?"

"Hmm……."

I tilted my head and answered like this.

"Win without fighting."

My mother smiled warmly and nodded.

"You understood it well."

But I asked back right away.

"But honestly I don't really get it. How do you win without fighting?"

"There will be times when fighting is necessary. However, you must think about how to achieve the greatest victory with the least sacrifice."

"Ehh! If there's sacrifice then you're still fighting in the end. The book is wrong."

I pushed my lips out into a pout.

My mother hugged me tightly as if she found me unbearably adorable, and then.

She spoke quietly.

"No. In this world there are cases where you truly win from the very beginning without fighting at all."

"How? Who in the world could do that?"

I looked up with eyes full of curiosity and asked, and.

My mother pulled out a whole pile of tangerines from the basket she'd brought and pressed them into my arms.

"You."

"Me?"

I didn't understand it then, and.

Only after a long time did I finally come to know.

From the very moment I was born.

My mother had spent her whole life letting me win.

* * *

[37th floor—Poison Valley]

The moment the bonus mission completion notification appeared.

A door leading out from inside the Poison Valley manor opened.

I hadn't yet received information about Japan's floors up to 46 from President Park Jae-yeol, but.

Putting together everything I knew so far, I could make a rough guess.

According to my memory.

37th floor required passing through Poison Valley's gate.

38th floor required passing through the manor and entering the main hall.

39th floor was where the underground battle would take place.

I walked over toward Park Je-hwang.

‘Kim Tae-yang.’

‘Tell me. What shall I do with Park Je-hwang?’

‘Say the word and I'll slice him, say the word and I'll split him—.’

Ding!

【Bonus Mission: Plunge Park Je-hwang into the depths of despair.】

: Make Park Je-hwang suffer as long and as thoroughly as possible. So that he dies alone, unloved by anyone.

—Reward: Happiness Points +100,000,000

A mission appeared.

‘……Is that your answer?’

The reward of 100 million points was excellent, but the standard for despair was vague.

Ding!

【Park Je-hwang's Current Despair Points: 0 / 100,000,000】

—Despair Points will increase Happiness Points by the same amount.

Alright, accepted!

In other words, I just had to torment Park Je-hwang by 100 million Despair Points.

Then 100 million Happiness Points would sync up, and on top of that they'd give me an additional 100 million points!

My heart began to pound fiercely.

"Tormenting people is my specialty."

I looked down at Park Je-hwang again.

Even accounting for Poison Valley not having used lethal poisons.

Park Je-hwang had fought far too well.

"Now that I look at him, his equipment is no ordinary thing."

It seemed like he'd gotten it from the Black Tower, and the armor was far too ornate—likely the old man's handiwork.

Perhaps because of the armor's sturdiness.

Park Je-hwang's wounds were mostly to his face, hands, and feet.

"A gold armor, how peculiar a taste."

I shook my head back and forth.

At that moment.

Twitch—.

"Ugh……."

Park Je-hwang let out a groan and tried to come to his senses.

Thwip—.

I immediately drove Storm Pear Blossom Needles into him and put him back to sleep.

"Oh goodness! Thought he was about to just spring up."

Park Je-hwang had to remain in the dark.

He had to keep wondering, and keep getting hit.

By me. And by everyone in the world.

I turned and walked toward the man lying beside Park Je-hwang.

"Cover his eyes first."

I tore off a piece of one of the Poison Valley men's clothing and tied it over the man's eyes as a blindfold.

Then I shook him awake.

"Ugh—."

Slap slap.

"Ugh—ugh."

The moment he sat up and got to his feet, he was startled.

"Ah, I can't see!"

—I put a blindfold on you.

"Who are you!"

The man panicked at the transmitted voice I sent and tried to pull off the blindfold.

I grabbed his arm.

—It's better if you don't look.

"……!"

The man flinched and then fell still.

He too was a climber.

Being a martial artist, from the silence around him and the killing intent drifting through this place.

He had caught the scent of death.

He asked me quietly.

"Did you save me?"

—That's right.

"Could you be…… Ghost?"

—Correct.

"Ahh. Of course!"

The man seemed to have his tension suddenly release as he swayed.

I asked him.

—Your affiliation?

"I am Lee Cheol-ho, Chief of the Presidential Security Service."

—The Presidential Office?

"Yes."

A presidential bodyguard, hm.

It was a good thing I hadn't killed him after all.

A Chief of the Security Service wasn't just anyone—they'd have been carefully selected.

He was certainly from the Gukmubon.

Chief Han or Chief Minister Han must have recommended him.

—Do you have family?

"Yes. A wife and two kids. I also have a younger sibling who's a police—."

—That's enough.

The man talked a lot.

Hmm.

He reminded me of someone. A bit on the plain-looking side.

—Wait. You said your name was Lee Cheol-ho just now? And your younger sibling is a police officer.

"Yes!"

—Your sibling's name is……?

"Lee Cheol-jung."

Ahh.

That passionate detective.

[I'm paying for it myself, so I'll eat what I want.]

Sergeant Lee Cheol-jung of Samil Police Station.

Ha! This is something.

‘Seems like fate keeps crossing our paths across past lives, Sergeant Lee Cheol-jung.’

‘And here I had Poison Valley's men rough you up, not knowing you were someone's older brother.’

I smiled and placed a single elixir pill in the man's hand.

—Take this. It will restore your strength.

The man hesitated.

Then he put the elixir pill in his mouth and swallowed it.

"Thank you."

And then he dropped to his knees and bowed deeply to me.

"It is a tremendous honor to meet you. Ahh! And thank you truly for saving us first. I was so flustered."

—That's enough.

'Park Jae-yeol made a move.'

If they survived meeting Ghost, he'd break even.

If they died, he could use it as a pretext to drive a wedge between Ghost and Chief Han.

Even if not, it was the kind of situation that could be played with the media.

I was stunned. If push came to shove, he was willing to use even his own grandson as part of a scheme.

[As President, Park Jae-yeol will hand over Park Je-hwang. As a private individual, Park Jae-yeol will fight. With everything he has.]

That remark came back to me.

Had Park Jae-yeol made his decision now?

The fact that he'd sent the Chief of Security to their death also had a positive angle.

Unable to trust even the very bodyguard he should trust most.

A state of extreme psychological desperation.

Park Jae-yeol was ripening deliciously, and.

That made it all the easier to drive a wedge between him and Park Je-hwang.

[Kim Tae-yang shouts. ‘Park Je-hwang! You'll be abandoned by everyone and die all alone!’ +1,000,000 Happiness]

‘Kim Tae-yang.’

‘Watch carefully.’

‘How I'm going to cook Park Je-hwang from here.’

I sent a transmitted voice to Chief Lee Cheol-ho.

—What did President Park Jae-yeol say to you when he sent you into the tower?

"He told me to look after Park Je-hwang, the Murim Alliance Leader."

—That's all?

"Is there more?"

—I had told them only Park Je-hwang was allowed to enter. I said I would kill anyone else who came.

"……Are you serious? I was never told that!"

The Chief looked genuinely shocked.

—It seems the President sent you here to die.

"Ahh. How could His Excellency…… Truly for just that……!"

—Park Je-hwang lying unconscious over there probably knew too.

"Th-that can't be!"

—Tsk tsk. Your life is in danger.

The Chief, eyes still blindfolded, crawled toward me and grabbed my feet.

"Please save me!"

—How can I do that.

"Please tell me a way. Ghost…… Surely there's always a way……"

I said nothing.

The Chief shed tears and pleaded with me desperately.

"Please help me!"

—How about trying this?

"Wh-what do you mean?"

I quietly told him the answer.

The Chief's face instantly lit up.

[The Chief of Security, who has a passionate detective for a younger brother, feels relieved to have found a way to survive. +2,000 Happiness]

—And say nothing about me.

"I will keep it in mind."

Slide.

I used Telekinesis to pull out the needle I had stuck in Park Je-hwang.

—When you return, receive your applause. And live happily.

"Thank you!"

—And buy your younger sibling some Bungeoppang too.

"Pardon?"

I smiled lightly and left one last word as I slipped out of the tower.

—Ah! I think you can pass this much along to Park Je-hwang.

"What might that be?"

—That he'll see me on 38th floor in 10 days.

* * *

A short while later.

Park Je-hwang opened his eyes.

His entire body ached as if it would shatter, every inch of it throbbing.

"Ugh!"

The moment Park Je-hwang came to, he ran his hands over his face and checked his hands and feet.

First making sure nothing had been cut off.

‘Thank goodness. Everything's intact.’

Just as he was breathing a sigh of relief.

"You're up?"

Startled by the voice, he spun his head around, and there stood the Chief of Security.

"You were alive?"

"……Is it strange that I'm alive?"

"That's not……What I meant."

Park Je-hwang could tell there was an edge to the Chief's words.

Looking around, he saw the Chief holding his sword.

Park Je-hwang tensed and asked.

"What are you planning to do with my sword?"

"……What would I be planning. Me."

Whoosh.

The Chief held the sword out.

Park Je-hwang snatched it and asked.

He was speaking formally again.

"How are we still alive? I clearly remember being struck hard on the back of the head and blacking out."

"Ghost saved us."

"Ghost did?"

The Chief nodded.

"Yes. The Poison Valley men were dragging us away, but Ghost appeared and took them all down."

"Hard to believe."

"It is exactly as it appears."

He turned to look—it was the Poison Valley manor.

All around were bodies strewn everywhere.

"Did you speak with Ghost? What kind of person is he?"

"I couldn't even see his face. He saved us and left with just one word."

"Wh-what did he say?"

"That he'd see you on 38th floor in 10 days."

"Haaa……."

Park Je-hwang let out a long sigh.

"Get up."

The Chief helped Park Je-hwang to his feet.

"Ugh!"

His head throbbed painfully.

Clutching his aching wounds, he looked around, and.

All that was visible was a single door that had already turned.

* * *

Whoooong—.

Click! Click!

The first thing Park Je-hwang's eyes caught as he emerged from the tower, supported by someone, was a barrage of camera flashes.

He'd entered at midnight, but for a moment it was bright enough to make him think dawn had come early.

Click! Click!

The golden armor he wore reflected the flashes and gleamed brilliantly.

"Murim Alliance Leader! You have finally conquered 37th floor!"

"……Ah."

Park Je-hwang, still slightly dazed, frowned and shielded his eyes from the flash of lights.

"Murim Alliance Leader! An incredible achievement. How do you feel, being the first to accomplish the Republic of Korea's greatest aspiration?"

"Ah, that—."

"And a Golden Tower at that! 37th floor, the Golden Tower!"

"……Golden Tower?!"

Park Je-hwang's eyes flew wide open as he spun around.

37th floor was radiating brilliant light.

Ghost!

A Golden Tower he had created.

His heart dropped.

More than relief at having survived, more than any sense of achievement—what terrified him most was the attention he was now receiving.

[I'll make you the first conqueror and a Golden Tower climber.]

His grandfather had certainly said those words to him, but.

The situation on 37th floor had been something he'd never seen in his life.

Poison Valley's gate had opened on its own.

Masters had poured out and fought him in life-and-death battles.

And then he lost consciousness and woke up to—this!

‘Something is very wrong!’

His instincts were screaming.

‘It's a trap.’

‘I can't get tangled up with Ghost!’

Park Je-hwang quickly looked over toward his grandfather.

His own grandson had returned in a battered state, covered in blood, but.

President Park Jae-yeol was smiling broadly.

[When you return, it would be best to return in glory.]

The words his grandfather had spoken before he entered the tower!

‘Everyone is being deceived!’

Everyone around him had fallen under Ghost's spell, but Park Je-hwang alone grasped reality with precision.

Someone was forcibly pushing him in the back—toward some deep darkness he knew nothing of.

‘This cannot go on!’

Park Je-hwang staggered toward a reporter.

‘I have to set this right!’

And on top of everything.

Ghost's message—that he'd see him on 38th floor in 10 days.

‘As if I'd just go along with that!’

The moment he reached out to grab the reporter's microphone.

Whoosh—!

The one who snatched the reporter's microphone first was.

The Chief of Security.

The Chief bellowed in a voice that rang out across the crowd.

"Murim Alliance Leader Park Je-hwang is Ghost!"

"……!"

[Park Je-hwang feels that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. +5,000,000 Despair]

[Happiness Points synced. +5,000,000 Happiness]

Park Je-hwang's eyes filled with a look of shock he had never once worn in his entire life, and.

The Chief, still holding the microphone, pointed at the Golden Tower and drove the final nail in.

"The Murim Alliance Leader—no, Ghost, Park Je-hwang—will ascend 38th floor in 10 days!"

[Park Je-hwang's mind goes blank. +5,000,000 Despair]

[Happiness Points synced. +5,000,000 Happiness]

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