"It's over. Mr. Wright is furious, and the consequences will be severe!" someone whispered. "Andrew is good as dead! When Mr. Wright gets angry, it's like the sky is falling!" another added. "I really admire this guy's guts. Even now, he's not begging for mercy on his knees. He must be an idiot to think he's untouchable," a third voice said. The onlookers' gazes toward Andrew were filled with both pity and mockery. If Winston went on a rampage, no one could help Andrew. Whatever Andrew had done to Raymond, Winston would pay back a hundredfold. "Andrew, you might be able to humiliate Mr. Chapman, but in front of Mr. Wright, all you can do is grovel," Aspen said with a cold smile. Andrew remained unmoved by the chatter and discussions surrounding him. He slightly turned his head, glanced sideways at Winston, and asked casually, "And who are you?" The crowd erupted again. They thought Andrew was insane and just too arrogant. Winston had already stepped forward in anger, yet he
Jason's cold, emotionless voice echoed, and the onlookers quickly backed away. They were frightened by the chilling aura emanating from him—it felt like being targeted by a venomous snake. Aspen's face filled with uncertainty as he sized up Jason. She thought Winston's personal bodyguard was impressive, possessing fighting skills matching Gordon's, at the peak senior grandmaster level. It was indeed just as expected from the elite families of Blumedale. Gordon alone was enough to make the Stevens family of Bridgefields walk with their heads high. If Jason was not even the strongest in the Wright family, then the other experts in the family must have surpassed the senior grandmaster level. In an instant, Aspen became absolutely certain that Andrew had met his match. No matter how hard he struggled or how lucky he got, death was inevitable. "How dare you!" Natasha and Dylan tensed up, glaring at Jason. Jason chuckled. "You two wimps—if you don't want to die, move. With your pat
Jason taunted Andrew as he launched a flying kick. Any peak senior grandmaster worth their salt had signature techniques they relied on—Gordon had his deadly Plaguebringer's Palm, while Jason was known for his vicious Unstoppable Chain Kicks. Unfortunately for Jason, he was facing Andrew. The latter simply said indifferently, "What a pathetic trick!" With that, Andrew's right hand shot forward, cutting through Jason's flurry of kicks. In one swift move, he grabbed Jason's ankle and twisted it violently. Jason let out an agonized scream as Andrew snapped his tendon. Large beads of sweat dripped from Jason's forehead as he crashed heavily to the ground, clutching his ruptured Achilles tendon and howling in pain. Everyone was stunned into silence, unable to believe their eyes that Jason had actually been brought down. After all, that devastating chain kick of his could shatter a car, yet Andrew had countered it like it was nothing. Christina's face paled in horror, and she wond
This kind of situation usually indicated only one thing: a high-level expert had unknowingly slipped into their territory. Winston gulped audibly, unable to believe what he was witnessing. "You actually defeated Jason? Impossible! This can't be happening!" He stepped backward, desperately trying to deny the outcome before his eyes. Jason was a personal bodyguard and servant assigned by the head of the Wright family specifically for Winston. The Wright family paid ten million Holtrien dollars per month for his services, plus all the training resources Jason required for his martial development. Yet, Andrew had taken down this ten-million-a-month expert in just a few moves. Even though Winston came from a powerful family, his entire worldview was severely shaken. "My dear boy, nothing is impossible," Andrew said as he approached Winston and delivered a stinging slap across his face. "If it seems that way, it just means your experience is too limited and your perspective too n
"Bring them all here," Andrew said calmly. Dylan immediately had his men drag Raymond, Jason, and Winston over, forcing them to kneel before Andrew. "Andrew! Do you even realize who Mr. Wright is? You actually hit him? You're absolutely—" Before he could finish his rant, Andrew delivered a slap that sent Raymond's head crashing against the floor. His eyes rolled back as he passed out again. The spectators who had gathered to watch the commotion began quietly slipping away. They did not dare linger any longer, not after seeing Winston beaten so brutally. It was only a matter of time before the Wright family's enforcers from Blumedale stormed into Jayrodale seeking vengeance. "Andrew, please calm down," Christina urged. "Winston's status isn't something to be taken lightly. If this escalates too far and catches the Wright family's attention, you could be in serious trouble." Andrew smirked. "Ms. Stevens, are you actually worried about me?" Christina hesitated for a second
Andrew chuckled. "Mr. Wright, it seems you still don't understand your situation." Grabbing Winston by the hair, Andrew slapped him across the face again, his swollen cheeks taking yet another brutal beating. Then, he asked, "Now, do you finally see who should be begging for mercy?" Winston's nose and mouth spurted blood as he was slapped into submission. Never in his life had he been slapped this many times, and Andrew had literally smacked him senseless. "P-Please stop hitting me. W-We can talk this out!" Winston's voice had taken on a whimpering tone as he shielded his face with his hands. Andrew nodded with satisfaction and slowly said, "That's more like it. So let me ask Mr. Wright once more—do you acknowledge your mistake?" Without a moment's hesitation, Winston nodded frantically. "Yes, I was wrong! I'll definitely change my ways completely!" Andrew immediately delivered two more slaps, the sound making Finley, Christina, and Aspen jump with fright. They all thoug
Andrew said casually, "I just remembered—there's still one thing I haven't taken care of."Winston shuddered, his voice trembling. "Andrew, what are you trying to do? I'm warning you—if you go too far, the Wright family will have no choice but to go to war with you."Andrew chuckled. "Relax, Mr. Wright. You're way too afraid of dying, so of course, I wouldn't do anything drastic to you. Now, go on and swallow this Bone-Corroding Poison Pill. That's the only way I'll believe you won't come back to cause me trouble."Winston's face turned pale with terror as he staggered backward. "What? You want me to take poison? No way! I absolutely refuse!"Andrew's expression darkened. "If you refuse, then no one here is leaving today. You all can stay in Jayrodale permanently."Winston's face twisted with rage, humiliation, and helplessness, his emotions shifting wildly.Jason quickly whispered, "Mr. Wright, just take it. Once we get back to Blumedale, the family will definitely bring in a ma
Aspen asked, "Is it just because Andrew is successful now and no longer the same as before?" Aspen's question caught Christina off guard. She sighed and said, "Aspen, Stevens Corporation needs someone strong to support it. I want Andrew back by my side to work for me!" Aspen smirked. "So, you're just planning to use him? This isn't about rekindling old feelings, is it?" Christina hesitated, conflicted. "It's hard to explain… Seeing him doing so well, especially with other women by his side, makes me so upset that I just want to take him back." Aspen burst into laughter. "Christie, I totally get that feeling! We're best friends, after all—we can't just sit back and let someone else take what was once ours! Fine, I'll support you all the way. Use Andrew's lingering feelings for you, take him back, and make him crawl at your feet again!" Christina smiled. "As long as he's willing to return and help me, I won't hold anything from the past against him. In fact, I'll even promise h
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