Someone mocked, "Heh, the sign says, [No entry for anyone from Rhodes Corporation's Pharmaceutical Division or dogs.] Doesn't that mean people from Rhodes Corporation are worse than dogs? Hahaha!" Another commented, "Mr. Brunner of Glorious Pharmaceuticals is a real entrepreneur here in Jayrodale. Rhodes Corporation may have a big name, but Mr. Brunner clearly doesn't care about that!" "Without a doubt, Rhodes Corporation's Pharmaceutical Division must have offended Mr. Brunner. Sure, Rhodes has a huge reputation in Jayrodale, but in front of Mr. Brunner, they're nothing. They have to come crawling and begging!" Glorious Pharmaceuticals employees, as well as others passing by, stopped to watch and gossip about Andrew and Marcus. The employees, especially, could not hide their contempt, their expressions dripping with disdain. Marcus turned to the security guard, his voice cold. "We haven't done anything to offend Mr. Brunner, have we? Why would he pull something like this witho
One of the men said, "Marcus, you're the head of Rhodes Corporation's Pharmaceutical Division, and we're giving you face today. Hurry up and take this fool and get out of here. We at Glorious Pharmaceuticals won't entertain trash like this!" Laughing, the employees of Glorious Pharmaceuticals, including the security guard, were all enjoying the moment. They acted as though they had won something, looking at Andrew like he was nothing. Marcus gritted his teeth and said, "Kenneth, we may not have gotten the visit we wanted, but we still have our dignity. Are you really planning to cut ties with Rhodes Corporation's Pharmaceutical Division over this?" Kenneth sneered. "Marcus, don't get ahead of yourself. Right now, Mr. Brunner has already secured a big deal. The mysterious VIP guest is negotiating with him as we speak. Rhodes Corporation? Maybe they were relevant in the past, but now? We at Glorious Pharmaceuticals don't owe you anything." Marcus looked at Andrew and muttered, "M
Kenneth never expected Andrew to actually fight back. After all, this was Glorious Pharmaceuticals' territory, and Andrew was supposedly just a small fry from Rhodes Corporation's Pharmaceutical Division. Who gave him the audacity? Armed with plastic batons, dozens of security guards rushed forward to surround Andrew. Meanwhile, a few Glorious Pharmaceuticals executives backed away in fear, shouting insults. "How dare this punk hit Mr. Mudge? You're dead!" "Mr. Mudge, hang in there! We'll take care of this little brat right now!" "Security, what are you waiting for? Beat him to death, teach him a lesson!" Andrew stamped on Kenneth's head, forcing his face into the ground. Kenneth's mouth and nose were filled with blood and teeth, spraying out in a horrific mess. "One more move, and I'll crush his skull," Andrew said calmly, not even looking at the dozen or so guards. Marcus was frozen in shock. Meanwhile, the security guards and the remaining executives of Glorious Pharma
Marcus was at a loss for words from Andrew's unconventional approach and thinking. It was unlikely that those at Glorious Pharmaceuticals embraced the martial spirit, but rather were fearful of Andrew. After all, he had slapped Kenneth so hard his blood was all over the place—now they have no choice but to obey. Marcus had gained a new level of respect for Andrew, thinking the director of the group was absolutely a force to be reckoned with. "You think you'll do anything to Mr. Brunner? You've hit Mr. Mudge, and you won't be leaving Glorious Pharmaceuticals in one piece today." "Yeah, you should release him and pay a few hundred thousand in medical fees, or you'll be dead before you know it." "Mr. Mudge is Mr. Brunner's right-hand man. Slapping him is the same as slapping Mr. Brunner's face. If Mr. Brunner doesn't deal with you today, I'll eat my shoe!" The executives leading the way were fuming, constantly threatening Andrew. Usually, they were the ones being treated
The elevator chimed, and the doors opened, leading them to the entrance of Stephen's office. Before they could even step inside, Andrew heard a loud voice along with two female voices from within the room. "Ms. Aspen, Ms. Christina, well then, let's toast to a successful partnership and making a fortune together! Oh, the two beauties from Stevens Corporation are really making waves here in Jayrodale. It's truly my luck to meet such heavenly ladies like you." The person continued, "If we could sit down and chat over some wine, that would make it even more enjoyable!" Aspen laughed. "Well, Mr. Brunner, since you're offering, it'll be rude to decline you!" Christina's voice also sounded cheerful. "Then let Aspen and I raise a glass to you, Mr. Brunner. We hope you'll take good care of Stevens Corporation's pharmaceutical business." Andrew let go of Kenneth, speaking calmly, "Open the door." Kenneth felt like he had been granted mercy, and he scrambled to open the door and rush
Stephen puffed on his cigar slowly, then scoffed, "Kid, you hear that? The two ladies don't even care about your life anymore. Now, if you come over here, kneel, and clean my shoes until they shine, and then pay Kenneth half a million in medical fees, I might let you live." Andrew, with Marcus at his side, walked into Stephen's office slowly, not rushing. He glanced around and casually sat on the left side of the couch. "Mr. Brunner, that's a bit much," he said coolly. "I hit him because he deserved it. Besides, he started it, and I only defended myself. Also, Mr. Brunner, you insulted people from Rhodes Corporation's Pharmaceutical Division. I came here to ask for an apology. Is that really too much to ask?" Stephen froze for a second as if he could not believe his ears. Then he sneered, "What? You came here to ask me for an apology? Are you serious? You want to ask me for an apology?" Then, Stephen burst out laughing, like he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.
Stephen, growing impatient, said, "Your name's Andrew, right? I'll give you one last chance. Crawl over here, kneel, and clean my shoes. Otherwise, you won't be leaving the gates of Glorious Pharmaceuticals today." Andrew raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me I won't leave? Are you, Mr. Brunner, going to carry me out?" The room went silent as Kenneth inhaled sharply. He thought Andrew was seriously out of his mind, asking for trouble. Aspen and Christina, furious, could not help but laugh. Andrew's defiance had clearly infuriated Stephen, and his outcome would be disastrous. "You've got a death wish, don't you? I gave you a chance, but you didn't take it. Now you'll pay the price!" Stephen sneered, taking a long drag from his cigar. Then, he shouted, "Someone, get rid of him." A group of bodyguards in suits stormed into the room, filling the space with menace. Stephen looked at Aspen and Christina. "Ladies, give me a minute. I'll take care of this brat, then we can go win
Stephen said, "By the way, I had a drink with Mr. Garner recently. I've asked him to look out for things concerning my business in South City, and Mr. Garner didn't hesitate—he agreed right away." His words were dripping with arrogance as if he thought being friends with Dylan made him a big deal. Kenneth sneered, "Andrew, do you see just how powerful Mr. Brunner is? He controls both the legal and underground worlds. He's on a first-name basis with underground bosses. What do you have in front of Mr. Brunner? What are you going to play at? The only thing you can play is with your life!" Andrew did not respond to him, but instead, he looked at Stephen and smiled. "Mr. Brunner knows Dylan, huh? You and Dylan are friends, right?" With a puff of pride, Stephen responded, "That's right. Mr. Garner and I are that close. But you, little punk, you're just someone I'll deal with. You're not even worth my time to call him for." Andrew replied, "That's perfect, then. Since you two are c
"He's my sworn brother, then standing up for him—no matter the cost—is only right," Logan said firmly. Elon's face instantly darkened, and deep inside, a gnawing jealousy bubbled up. Despite being the most low-key of the Five Apex Families' younger generation, Logan was arguably the most terrifying. He was about to take over the Keller family, a rising powerhouse. The Haywoods had Xavier—young, sharp, and fierce in combat. The Wrights had Quinton—manipulative, cunning, and notorious for his ruthlessness. But Elon? He was… just Elon. He was overweight, lacked presence, and had just been publicly humiliated when word spread that his wife had cheated on him. His reputation was already slipping, and now he had become the joke of Blumedale's elite circle. Still, no matter how pathetic things seemed, Elon believed he was far better than the man Andrew was. In his eyes, they were not even in the same league. So, it burned him even more to see Logan—someone he had always tried to i
"Logan, don't you know Andrew killed my younger brother?" Xavier shouted furiously. It was understandable for Luna to speak up. After all, the Phelans owed Andrew a small favor—but now even the Keller family was interfering. If this continued, Andrew would not just remain unharmed; he would likely rise to prominence in Blumedale. Andrew's rise would be a direct slap in the face to the Haywoods, humiliating them beyond redemption. Roy spoke grimly, "Logan, you're set to lead the Keller family. You should know better than to blur right and wrong. Andrew repeatedly humiliated the Haywoods and even murdered Seth. Do you expect us to swallow such a huge insult?" Logan replied calmly, "Mr. Haywood Senior, you know exactly why things turned out this way. I hate to say it, but Seth brought his death upon himself. Andrew may be impulsive, but he's done nothing wrong in my eyes." "I'll say this only once: if the Haywoods continue their vendetta against him, the Keller family won't stan
Xavier said, "Uncle Jude, you're in charge of internal discipline. My request is simple—either throw those losers out of the Haywoods and make them manage some backwater branch, or I'll kill them myself. And I doubt anyone in the family would object." Jude's eyelids twitched violently as he cursed the brats under his breath. Out loud, though, he nodded quickly and replied, "Don't worry, Xavier. I'll make sure they're kicked out of the family for good. They won't even get close to the front gate again." Xavier snorted and walked off, leaving Jude staring at his back, shaking his head. Jude muttered to himself, "Xavier… you really are the pride of the Haywoods. But you're spoiled by your status. With your father as the family head and all the elders favoring you, you've always kept the other branches under your heel. "That's understandable since you're the future heir and our strongest fighter among the younger generations. But the fact remains—you made a public promise and faile
Tiana had already been urging Andrew to make a trip to the Rhodes residence. With his current matters finally settled, Andrew made his way there. … Meanwhile, back at the Haywood residence, the funeral was underway. The place was shrouded in white—the last rites for Seth. It should have been a major event, but the atmosphere among the Haywoods was lifeless. No one looked remotely interested, and many of the younger members were outright slacking off, hiding in corners, smoking, drinking, and chatting. Someone whispered, "Xavier's the eldest son of the Haywoods and a damn colonel in the military, yet he couldn't even bring back Andrew's head? What a letdown." Another chimed in, "No kidding. Seth got taken out like that, which is a direct slap to the Haywoods' face." "Honestly, I've never seen our family this humiliated. Xavier even said he'd kill Andrew within three days or take his own life. Big talk for someone who came back empty-handed…" After just a few gulps of alco
Aspen and Chantelle both gasped in disbelief. They could not believe that Andrew had just toyed with Luna like she was some puppy. He offered her a treat, dangled it right in front of her face, and then yanked it back when she reached for it. Anyone with an ounce of pride would have snapped—and Luna Phelan was not just anyone. "Playing games on a razor's edge… Andrew, I'll be watching," Luna said coldly. "I'll watch how you destroy yourself." Her expression turned colder than it had been even when confronting Xavier.With one sharp step, she kicked up a gust of wind and vanished into the air. It was a clear sign that she was not just leaving, she was unleashing her fury. "That footwork was terrifying," Chantelle muttered. Even Aspen looked shaken. "Keep acting like this, Andrew, and someone's gonna hack you into pieces one day!" Chantelle snapped. After one last angry glare, she stormed off too. Aspen did not have quite the same fire in her. This demon of a man was hear
Luna turned around, clearly reluctant to even look at Andrew, and said flatly, "I can save you once, maybe even twice—but not a third time. To be precise, the only reason I stepped in at all was because you've done favors for the Phelans… and for Marvin. "But next time? Your life or death will have nothing to do with me. So, here's my advice—tone it down. This is Blumedale, not Jayrodale. You could show off back there, and no one cared, but here? Power and politics clash every second. Dying young might be the only fate you're headed for." Andrew frowned. "Luna, are you sick or something? Did I ask you to save me?" That one line did not just offend Luna—it also lit a fire in Chantelle. "Andrew, what the hell is wrong with you? General Phelan just saved your damn life. You didn't even say thank you, and now you're blaming her? Are you even a man?" She was speechless, thinking the guy was seriously unbelievable. Andrew shot her a cold glare. "Shut your mouth. No one asked for
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