Juan let out an excited yell and tugged forcefully at Christina's dress. The delicate fabric tore apart, exposing a flash of her pale, flawless skin. "Stop! Get away from me!" Christina screamed, her voice cracking with fear and desperation. Tears streamed down her face as she broke down completely, the brutal beating earlier having nearly shattered her resolve. Now, faced with humiliation and violation, her defenses crumbled entirely. "Scream all you want—it only makes this more exciting!" Juan laughed wickedly as the East Side thugs, and even Herman cheered him on from the sidelines. "Go for it, Mr. Madden! Show her who's boss!" "But don't forget the order—Mr. Madden Senior will go after this, then the rest of us!" "Tonight, every one of us gets to enjoy her!" The room echoed with their wicked jeers. Christina could not take it anymore. She collapsed to her knees, clutching her head, sobbing uncontrollably. In her most helpless moment, she cried out, "Andrew… Andrew,
Tony gritted his teeth in rage, each word coming out like venom when he saw Andrew. Meanwhile, Andrew's expression was colder and more menacing than ever, unlike anything they had seen before. With lightning speed, he hurled the axe he seized during the fight, and it whistled through the air past East Side's elite fighters. The axe struck Juan's arm with devastating precision, causing him to scream in agony as his right arm was cleanly severed at the shoulder, blood gushing everywhere. Some droplets even landed on Christina's pale, horrified face, leaving her trembling in shock and disbelief. "My arm, my arm… Dad, help me! Kill him, kill that bastard!" Juan clutched at the stump of his shoulder as he writhed on the ground, rolling in the growing pool of blood. His once-arrogant demeanor was now reduced to a pitiful, blood-soaked mess. Tony roared like a madman, "Andrew, you bastard! I'll kill you and your whole damn family!" Then, he turned to his men and shouted, "Ge
Tony's massive frame froze, feeling weak all over. A moment later, he roared. "Andrew, you bastard! How dare you kill my son! Everyone, attack him! I want him dead and in pieces!" Tony was like a madman. Yet, despite his orders, the East Side thugs remained motionless. Instead, the remaining twenty or so thugs trembled uncontrollably, their weapons shaking in their hands as they backed away from Andrew, whose display of power had completely shattered their courage. Seeing this, Tony's bloodshot eyes bulged with rage. "You cowards! You spineless trash! Attack him! That's an order, damn it!" No matter how much he screamed, his men did nothing, their fear paralyzing them. "I'll handle this!" One of the three elite fighters Tony had hired stepped forward. The muscular man leaped into the air like a feral beast, aiming a devastating flying kick at Andrew. Herman snorted. "Don't worry, Mr. Madden Senior. With us three here, this punk won't cause any trouble." However, he qui
Herman glanced down at Erica's lifeless body, her wide-open eyes frozen in death. Fury consumed him as he kicked the chair behind him aside and stepped directly into Andrew's path. "Step aside, or you'll meet the same fate as them," Andrew warned in a low voice. Herman bristled at the insult. "You arrogant child, how dare you disrespect me!" He snarled, "Do you even know who I am? I'm an elder of the Crimson Alliance—surrender now, or even if you kill the Maddens, our clan will hunt you to the ends of the earth." "He's right, Andrew!" Tony chimed in, suddenly hopeful. "Touch me, and the Crimson Alliance will never stop hunting you. You probably don't know this, but they're the force behind East Side's power!" Andrew shook his head dismissively. "The Crimson Alliance? Should I be impressed? Sorry, but I don't keep track of every minor league martial arts organization out there." Herman smirked. "Our clan ranks among the top five martial arts organizations in all of Jayrodale
Herman's face contorted with rage as he spun around and slapped Tony, sending him flying across the room. He screamed, "Get away from me, you idiot! Don't you realize the trouble you've gotten us into?" He continued, "Instead of standing there clueless, you should get on your knees and beg for mercy!" Tony clutched his swollen face, his mind completely blank. Beg for mercy? What was happening? Nothing was making sense for Tony. Suddenly, about 200 men in black suits rushed into the building, quickly subduing all of East Side's remaining thugs. The suited men parted to make way as two figures walked in. Dylan walked in, immediately stunned. Meanwhile, leading the way was an elderly man with a cane, dressed in a style suit, radiating an air of authority so powerful it silenced the chaos around him. "M-Mr. Yates, why… why are you on my turf?" Tony stammered. Marvin, the wealthiest man in Jayrodale, ignored Tony completely and respectfully approached Andrew. "Mr. Lloy
"Please, help me beg for mercy and spare my life," Herman pleaded. Marvin responded coldly, "Given the Crimson Alliance's influence in Gabo Creek, I might have considered showing you mercy, Herman. Unfortunately, you didn't offend me—you offended Mr. Lloyd. Do you honestly think that even the reputation of a Crimson Alliance elder is enough to earn forgiveness in this case?" Herman's face turned ashen as he laughed bitterly. "You're right… I don't deserve mercy. This is my fate, my terrible luck." "Mr. Blackwood, who the hell is Andrew?" Tony demanded through gritted teeth. "Stop wallowing and explain! He can't possibly be that important!" Herman's expression grew lifeless as he sighed. "Since even Mr. Yates has acknowledged the truth, I might as well tell you, you ignorant fool." He continued, "He's not just important—even the most powerful would bow before him. He's a Lloyd and has the Blood-Eyed Black Dragon on his chest. Do you know what the tattoo signifies?" Tony gulp
With a sudden burst of movement, Herman struck Tony's head with his palm. Tony was stunned, muttering, "Mr. Blackwood, you… you…" Blood sputtered from his mouth and nose, and he did not even finish his sentence before collapsing. With a blank face, Herman said, "The moment we provoked Mr. Lloyd, we were already set to be buried six feet under. Don't worry. I'll join you soon." Dylan watched the scene unfold with chills running down his spine. Without any physical force or coercion, Andrew's mere identity had driven both a martial arts master like Herman and a crime lord like Tony to their deaths. He could not comprehend just how powerful Andrew's true identity was. "Mr. Yates, after I'm gone, please don't bring trouble to Crimson Alliance or my family," Herman begged, still kneeling. "Can you promise me this?" "Mr. Lloyd never harms the innocent," Marvin replied coldly. "Rest assured, the Crimson Alliance and your family will be safe." Herman sighed in relief before bit
Andrew scoffed without saying a word. Francesca assumed he was just talking tough since wiping out all of East Side seemed impossible. Well, at least she had never dared to imagine it. Just then, her phone rang with a call from Lauren. As soon as the call was connected, Lauren asked urgently, "Fran, something huge happened. Is Dr. Lloyd with you?" "Yes, he is. What happened?" Lauren's voice was deadly serious. "Ask Dr. Lloyd if he's responsible for eliminating the entire East Side and Tony." The question hit Francesca like a thunderbolt. Forgetting Lauren on the phone, she stared at Andrew in shock. She stammered, "Y-You actually destroyed Tony and all of East Side's criminal empire? How did you do it?" Before Andrew could answer, the hospital room door burst open. Irene rushed in, followed by other members of the Stevens family and Harvey. "Christie, Christie, are you okay? My baby, there's so much blood! How badly are you hurt?" Irene wailed, throwing herself beside th
Yet, of all the fearless, reckless men they had encountered, neither Aspen nor Chantelle had ever seen anyone as stubbornly arrogant as Andrew. Both women were completely stunned, wondering where he even got the guts to say things like that. In this world, commoners fear officials—but officials? They fear the men with guns—the military. However, here was Andrew, treating a colonel like Xavier as if he were worthless weeds. It was utter madness—like a sparrow challenging an eagle, a lamb taunting a wolf. It was sheer recklessness bordering on suicide. With a thunderous swoosh, Xavier's massive broadsword came crashing down with enough force to split boulders and level trees. Just the murderous pressure from that swing made Chantelle's face go pale. She was starting to doubt if she could even stand up to Xavier herself. After all, Andrew looked like he was about to be torn in half by that blade. What infuriated her even more was that, at the height of danger, Andrew just st
"Colonel Haywood, you know full well that with your rank and position, you can't just go around killing people on a whim," Chantelle warned coldly. She added, "Besides, your friend Andarov used banned weaponry on Holtrien soil, which is a serious offense. You can be sure Mr. McCormick won't just let that slide." Left with no other option, Chantelle had to drop Derek's name to try to rein Xavier in. However, Xavier was not intimidated at all. His voice dripped with venom as he said, "Ms. Garcia, I respect Mr. McCormick—he governs this province, and I'll give him that. But do you think the Haywoods' name should be trampled like dirt? Especially by some no-name punk who doesn't know his place? "I'll chop him into pieces, and if I have to, I'll apologize to Mr. McCormick myself. But with the military accolades I've earned, the Haywood family's backing, and my deep ties in the defense department, killing this bug wouldn't even cause a blip on the radar." Chantelle's stomach twiste
Chantelle sneered, "All in all, you're just an ordinary man, a slave to your desires with a pathetically mediocre mind." She had finally caught an opening to hit Andrew where it hurt, and she was not about to waste it. Andrew chuckled. "Ms. Garcia, you really do live up to your title as a master of psychology. You got most of it right. But you still missed one tiny detail—like the fact that, right now, I've got a very clear image of your naked body in my mind." The bluntness of that line stunned Chantelle, and her expression twisted in outrage. She snapped, "Andrew! That was in the past—how dare you bring it up like it's nothing? Aren't you worried I'll kill you?" The usually cold woman was genuinely furious now. Andrew shrugged lazily. "I'm sitting right here, wounded and unarmed. Go ahead, kill me. But even if you did, you still wouldn't erase the fact that you once stripped bare in front of me." Chantelle raised her hand in fury but forced herself to lower it again with
Andrew was sitting on the lawn outside Serenity Villa, watching the crew from The Sovereign Residences repair his home. After the attack last night, it was a miracle the place was still standing—if the villa had not been built to the highest security standards, it would have been reduced to nothing but ash and rubble by the Srovika Federation mercenaries. Felix Daughtry, the security captain from The Sovereign Residences, a semi-martial king-level fighter, walked over with a grim expression and reported, "Mr. Lloyd, Serenity Villa took quite a hit. Full restoration might be difficult." Andrew glanced at him and said coldly, "I want it restored exactly as it was, and not just that—The Sovereign Residences will need to compensate me for all damages, including emotional distress. If that's too much, then I don't want the house anymore. I'll go to the press and let the world know just how useless your brand really is." Felix's face darkened, turning almost pitch black with anger. H
Since the night before, Xavier had been fully suited in military attire, standing vigilant and sleepless. He gripped a massive broadsword, and when the butler spoke, his voice was ice-cold. "Don't worry. Andarov won't fail me. That bastard Andrew is as good as dead." Though those were his words, doubt lingered in Xavier's mind. After all, Andarov never took this long to finish a kill. Nonetheless, the sun was rising—he should be back any minute now. Andarov, commander of the Blood Wolf Mercenaries, was ruthless and battle-hardened. Xavier met him while stationed overseas, and after several missions together, they became close allies. "With the entire Blood Wolf squad under him, it doesn't matter if Andrew has bodyguards. He won't last five minutes," Xavier sneered, confident. He was already planning the next steps—hold Seth's memorial as soon as Andarov returned, then introduce him to Luna to score even more clout. Having a famous international mercenary as a personal friend? E
At the Golding family estate, Elon exclaimed in disbelief, "What did you just say? Black Wolf is dead?" The butler, face tight with unease, replied, "Yes, sir. Early this morning, his body was found dumped in the sewer. The cause of death matched the last group of assassins perfectly. There's no doubt that it was Andrew who killed him." Elon's expression darkened instantly. "Even Black Wolf failed and ended up dead? Andrew... you've clearly been hiding more strength than we thought." The butler nodded gravely. "Sir, that man is definitely not some pawn on the board. Not only is Black Wolf gone, but the Srovika Federation mercenary commander the Haywoods brought in also died at Serenity Villa." Elon gasped. "Even Xavier's overseas hitman got wiped out? Are you absolutely sure?" The old butler's brow twitched. "Completely sure. This morning, both bodies—Black Wolf and the mercenary captain—were found side by side in the sewer on Blumedale's main street." Elon clenched his ja
On the ground, Black Wolf writhed in pain, howling in disbelief. He finally understood why that last squad of heavily armed mercenaries had vanished without a trace after storming Serenity Villa. This place was not just a house—it was a damn death trap. "Who sent you to kill me?" Andrew asked calmly as he twirled the dagger Black Wolf had dropped. Pinned down by Natasha and Dylan, Black Wolf was drenched in sweat, his shattered legs leaving him gasping in agony. He growled, "Why the hell should I tell you? You should know exactly who you've pissed off. Even if I'm in your hands, kid, if you lay a finger on me, the consequences—" Andrew did not let him finish. Instead, he drove the blade straight into Black Wolf's chest. Whatever threat Black Wolf was about to spit out died on his tongue. His eyes bulged in shock before his head slumped to the side—dead. "If you didn't have the sense to act like a prisoner, then I did you a favor and sent you straight to hell. Next time, try
Aspen could not help leaning closer to see what Andrew was doing. To her surprise, his breathing was steady—he was already asleep. She stared at him, both amused and annoyed as she thought, 'I'm lying right next to him, and he still manages to fall asleep? Am I not attractive enough? Or does this guy just not find me worth the effort?' That split second of realization triggered an unexpected wave of disappointment and frustration in her. … Meanwhile, outside Serenity Villa, a black figure moved silently across the ruined outer wall, climbing with inhuman ease. It was Black Wolf—Elon's secret weapon, a top-tier assassin with a reputation to match. A matte-finished blade dangled from his lips as he surveyed the building, swiftly memorizing the layout of the damaged villa. He was not alone. At least a dozen other men hid in the dark, surrounding the perimeter and lying in wait. Nonetheless, they were not predators, at least not to him. He scoffed, thinking, 'They're the bait,
Through the second half of the night, Serenity Villa remained eerily quiet. Chantelle stepped out from her lookout post and announced, "Looks like no one else is coming tonight. Everyone should get some rest." Andrew stopped her. "Hold up. You all stay on watch—I'll go rest." Chantelle narrowed her eyes. "Are you giving me orders like I'm your subordinate?" Andrew responded calmly, "Not at all. I just want to isolate myself and draw the next assassin in alone." Chantelle frowned. "So, you're planning to be alone in a room and give the assassin a shot at you? You're using yourself as bait?" Andrew replied, "Exactly. One mercenary commander from the Srovika Federation is dead, but with the Haywoods and Goldings both after my head, there's no way they'd just send one decent hitter and be done." Chantelle nodded. "That… makes sense. But you're injured. What happens if something unexpected comes up? Can you really handle it?" Before Andrew could answer, Aspen blurted, "It's