Jerry immediately refused, "I'm sorry, but I won't do something that risky. Andrew is obviously very close to Ms. Rhodes. If I harm him, she'll never forgive me. I work for the Rhodes family to secure my future, not to be your hitman." Then, Jerry disappeared into the woods, ignoring Michael's furious expression. "Bane, since Jerry is too scared, why don't you take care of that guy yourself? Eliminate him before he causes more problems!" Michael suggested. Bane's face darkened with uncertainty as he replied, "We can't rush this… One wrong move, and we lose everything. We now know Tracia was killed by at least a junior grandmaster-level fighter, and that person might be backing Andrew. If that's the case, moving against him carelessly would only bring us trouble." Michael was frustrated by how his sure victory had turned into a complete defeat, and he shouted, "Bane, are you afraid of that worthless pretty boy too?" Bane scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous! I've dominated Gabo Cree
Lauren was shocked and exclaimed, "Even Mr. Weller Senior is here? Well then, let's see what they're really up to." Upon entering the main hall, Andrew noticed not only the Weller family members but also Christina. When she caught Andrew's glance, Christina remained expressionless and turned away. Harvey smirked, looking down at Andrew with contempt. Lauren greeted Kane respectfully, acknowledging his status as one of Jayrodale's most influential family patriarchs. His local influence sometimes exceeded even the mayor's, particularly in matters concerning traditional martial arts circles. "Lauren, it's been years since I've seen you!" Kane chuckled before breaking into a cough, quickly covering his mouth with a white handkerchief. Though Kane tried to be discreet, Andrew's keen eye caught sight of blood on the cloth, and noting Kane's pale complexion and dim eyes, he could tell the man was gravely ill. "Mr. Weller Senior, if you're unwell, we can discuss this another time
Lauren maintained her composure and replied, "My relationship with Dr. Lloyd isn't your concern, Mr. Weller Senior. Perhaps we should focus on business matters now." Kane's brows furrowed at her bluntness. As the head of a prestigious family, he was not accustomed to being dismissed, especially by a junior. His intentions were genuine—Harvey had mentioned Andrew's abilities, but from Kane's perspective, Andrew was clearly not in the same league as Lauren. However, unlike Harvey, Kane maintained his grace and smiled. "Very well, let me be direct. My price for the Oakridge Club is 150 million." The number shocked both Lauren and Andrew. "I'm sorry, Mr. Weller Senior, but at 150 million, I'll have to pass on this deal," Lauren replied, disappointed that Kane would try to take such a blatant advantage of her. Harvey chimed in with a smirk, "Lauren, we're giving you first priority here. If you're not interested, there are plenty of others lined up to buy Jayrodale's premier cl
The situation was frustratingly complex since Kane technically had the upper hand. As a family patriarch and Lauren's elder, Kane had made what appeared to be a concession by lowering the price by 30 million, making it difficult for Lauren to refuse without seeming disrespectful. If Harvey had been the only one present, Lauren could have continued negotiating. However, with the cunning Kane there, it was awkward for her, as a younger person, to keep bargaining. Nonetheless, she was not foolish enough to accept such an astronomical sum of 120 million dollars. Meanwhile, Harvey was secretly delighted that bringing his father along worked out so well. Kane's negotiating skills far surpassed his own, and the Weller family was past caring about their reputation—they just wanted to rip off the Rhodes family while they could. "Lauren, if there's no issue, let's sign the contract!" Kane said with a seemingly friendly smile. Lauren silently cursed the crafty old man while outwardly
"Alright, we'll follow Dr. Lloyd's suggestion and proceed with the 120 million," Lauren decided. Even though she was unsure why Andrew agreed to such a price, she trusted that he had his reasons and was willing to spend that amount on him. Just as Kane and Harvey's faces lit up with triumph, Andrew dropped a bombshell. "I think there might be a small misunderstanding. When I mentioned 120 million, I wasn't just talking about the Oakridge Club." He continued, "What I meant was that 120 million should buy the entire Weller family holdings. Everything the Weller family owns in Jayrodale would become Rhodes family property, and Ms. Rhodes can transfer the money right now. Now, that's what I call a win-win situation!" The room fell into a stunned silence as everyone reeled from Andrew's words. His suggestion was not about meeting the Weller family's greedy demands—it was about buying out their entire family enterprise. "What the hell are you talking about?" Harvey snarled. "The W
With those words, the Weller family was immediately silenced, holding back their protest. Harvey stared in disbelief and said, "Lauren, the Oakridge Club is such a precious asset. Surely you wouldn't give away something so valuable just for a man, would you?" Lauren smiled and simply stated, "Because I want to!" Kane, speaking as an elder, felt compelled to step in with a warning. He cautioned sternly, "A casual fling is one thing, but your father would be furious if he found out you're purchasing the Oakridge Club just to gift it to some young man." Lauren remained unfazed and replied, "Mr. Weller Senior, just focus on the sales. How I spend my money and what I do with my purchases is my business alone." After repeatedly hitting a wall with Lauren, Kane let out a cold snort and said, "Since you won't listen to reason, fine—the price remains at 120 million, not a dollar less." Andrew quickly interjected, "Ms. Rhodes, since they're not budging, let's leave. There are better
Lauren and her group could not help but chuckle. After all, 22.5 million dollars was somewhat unreasonable. However, Andrew spoke coldly, "What's wrong with 22.5 million? The Weller family wouldn't be selling their assets if you weren't drowning in debt, would you?" He continued with a piercing observation, "Since your family is clearly desperate enough to sell your properties, you're hardly in a position to be picky—without Ms. Rhodes, I doubt anyone would offer even 15 million for the Oakridge Club." Kane and Harvey's expressions shifted subtly, as Andrew's words had struck a nerve. During the Weller family's prime, they could have easily demanded 150 million for the Oakridge Club, and buyers would have lined up. However, with their reputation tarnished by debt, they were lucky to get any offers at all. "Fine, 30 million—it's a deal!" Kane gritted his teeth, fearing that Andrew might lower the price. At this point, he could not risk losing even the 30 million offer. Clos
In the next moment, Kane exploded with rage, "You ungrateful brat, are you threatening me? I order you to stand down right now!" Harvey did not move, instead giving his father a sinister smile. "Dad, I need money, power, the family's influence, and our best people—and I can only control these things as the head of the family." He snarled, "But I can't wait five years. If you truly love me as your son, then hand over your position quickly, and I promise the Weller family will return to its former glory under my leadership!" Kane refused to listen and shouted, "I told you to stand down! Or are you planning to rebel against me?" Harvey's fierce expression gradually softened as he knelt respectfully. He said with sudden humility, "Dad, I apologize for my impulsiveness just now. As you said, I'm still inexperienced and not ready to lead the Weller family. Five more years of training will do me good." Kane's boiling anger began to subside as he snorted. "Do you really mean that?"
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