Inside the SUV, Dylan personally drove Andrew toward West End. "Dylan, this isn't the way to South City, is it?" Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow. Dylan explained with a wry smile, "Mr. Lloyd, we're heading to West End. Tonight is a crucial three-way meeting between us South City, Northern District's Atlas, and the last major underground power in Jayrodale—West End's Natasha Vostokoff. "I wouldn't have dared ask for your company if it wasn't important." Andrew analyzed and commented, "So the conflict between South City and Northern District has reached a critical point. That's why West End couldn't stay neutral anymore and had to step in for negotiations, right?" "You've hit the nail on the head, Mr. Lloyd," Dylan said admiringly. "Last time, you helped us take down Griffin, giving South City a chance to counter-attack. "Now, neither Norther District nor South City can gain the upper hand. With Madam Vostokoff getting involved, I'm worried about potential tricks, which is
Dylan forced an awkward laugh and ducked his head sheepishly. "I was just kidding, Mr. Lloyd. Please don't be angry." He had no doubt about Andrew's influence. With one word, this man could actually have him performing stand-up comedy for the rest of his life. … The SUV pulled up in front of a towering building in Jayrodale's West End district. "Mr. Lloyd, this is Madam Vostokoff's headquarters—the main base of West End's underground operations," Dylan explained while opening the door for Andrew. "Impressive…" Andrew nodded after taking in the sight. At that moment, an alluring woman wearing a veil and dark smoky eye makeup approached them, surrounded by several imposing bodyguards. "Mr. Garner, you've finally arrived. Please come in. Mr. Giordano and Mr. Moore are getting impatient," she said with a smile, her eyes deliberately lingering on Andrew. "Mr. Lloyd, this is Natasha Vostokoff, the leader of Jayrodale's West End," Dylan introduced. Before he could introduce
Atlas and Finley were already seated in the massive conference room. When Natasha entered with her signature sultry walk, Finley's eyes lit up with desire, but Atlas quickly shot him a warning glance. Atlas was well aware of Natasha's reputation in Jayrodale's underground circles, and he worried Finley's wandering eye might compromise their position. "Thank you for your patience, Mr. Giordano and Mr. Moore," Natasha said with a smile. "Mr. Garner and South City's representative have arrived, so we can begin." "What capable fighter could South City possibly have besides Dylan?" Finley scoffed. "They're all trash in my eyes." "Pretty big talk from you, Mr. Moore. Better be careful not to bite your tongue," Dylan's voice sounded from the doorway as he and Andrew entered the room. Initially, both Finley and Atlas wore looks of contempt, feeling confident in their position against Dylan. However, when they saw Andrew beside him, their expressions quickly changed. "So this is who
"Finley and Atlas can't be trusted," Dylan warned. "If you believe their lies, once they destroy South City, West End won't be spared either." "Oh? What makes you say that?" Natasha asked with a smile. "Are you suggesting Northern District plans to take over West End as well?" Before Dylan could respond, Atlas cut in, "Dylan's just a brute—don't take his words seriously. Northern District and West End have always maintained peaceful relations, and even if we wanted your territory, we wouldn't have the strength after dealing with South City. That would be suicide!" "Mr. Giordano is right," Finley added smoothly. "In fact, West End stands to gain the most from this. The only reason we're pursuing this vendetta against South City is because Dylan treacherously killed Mr. Giordano's lieutenant. Such a betrayal demands justice." Their coordinated pitch seemed to sway Natasha, while her lieutenants behind her nodded approvingly. "Madam, we should stay neutral and let them fight it
"How dare you insult Madam Vostokoff! Are you asking for death?" West End's enforcers erupted in anger. "In all these years, no one has ever dared to disrespect our leader on our turf!" Over the years, many have experienced Natasha's ruthless cunning firsthand. For this young upstart to openly mock her intelligence right to her face—he must have been tired of living. Atlas and Finley could barely contain their joy at this turn of events. "Dylan, is this your way of making South City perish faster?" Finley taunted, fanning himself with a smirk. He added, "Andrew, I know you're trying to get Madam Vostokoff's attention, but this thorny rose is far beyond your reach. Now, you'll probably leave here in pieces!" "Mr. Garner, he's your man," Natasha snapped. "For old times' sake, I'll give you one chance to explain what he means. Otherwise, none of you will leave West End's headquarters alive." "Madam Vostokoff, Mr. Lloyd can be quite direct, but let me explain—" Dylan began
He leaned forward, his voice biting as he said, "Answer me this: Atlas promised you a 50-50 split of the territory once he takes down South City. Did you seriously believe that just because he said it?" Natasha's glare intensified, but before she could respond, Andrew continued. "Second, Jayrodale has three major underground organizations, with Atlas and Northern District being the strongest. Surely, you know this much. And now, with Finley and the Hidden Dragons backing him, Atlas is more powerful than ever. After he crushes South City, do you really think he won't turn around and wipe out West End next?" Natasha scoffed, though there was hesitation in her voice. "Do you seriously think I don't understand the dynamics of Jayrodale better than you? After taking South City, Atlas will be weakened. How could he possibly come after me?" Andrew shook his head, smirking. "Calling you stupid is honestly being too kind. As I said, Atlas has the Hidden Dragons and the ambitious Finley by
Natasha's expression darkened as a chill ran down her spine. Though Andrew's words were harsh, they struck with undeniable truth—she had almost fallen into Atlas and Finley's trap. "I understand why you were so eager to fall for their scheme," Andrew continued calmly. "You wanted South City eliminated so you could grab a piece of the pie. Your ambition isn't small, Madam Vostokoff—West End wants to dominate too." "Unfortunately, greed often exposes one's weaknesses," Andrew added with mock concern. "As a woman in this business, you should be more careful playing games with cunning men like Atlas." His patronizing tone made Natasha grind her teeth. While it was her first time being lectured by such a young man, she could not deny the truth in his words. She did have ambitions and had been swayed by Atlas's promises. "Mr. Giordano, Mr. Moore, please leave. You're no longer welcome in West End," Natasha ordered through clenched teeth. "Madam Vostokoff, you can't actually belie
In the West End district, Andrew and Dylan received a grand welcome from Natasha. "Mr. Lloyd, I never expected you to make such bold moves. You even managed to shock someone like me," Dylan admitted, still in awe of Andrew's earlier actions and words. Dylan could not shake off the memory of how Andrew had brazenly called Natasha an airhead and lectured her to read more books as if she were just one of his men. He found it incredible that Andrew dared to act this way on someone else's turf, surrounded by their elite fighters. What bewildered Dylan even more was that Natasha did not get angry after being scolded. Instead, she switched sides, driving Atlas and Finley away while graciously hosting him and Andrew. As one of Jayrodale's crime lords, Dylan had never felt this triumphant. "I'm not as remarkable as you suggest," Andrew said calmly. "She simply came to her senses and realized she couldn't let Northern District become too powerful, and once I pointed that out, Atlas and
Rodney declared, "If my side loses, then you'll get their 60 million, handed over without question. But if you lose, I don't want anything else except…" At this point, Rodney suddenly stopped, his eyes gleaming with lust as he licked his lips in an incredibly vulgar manner. Behind him, his martial arts students joined in with sleazy snickers. Lauren felt goosebumps all over her body. She asked with disgust, "What do you want?" Rodney smiled. "Don't worry, my request isn't too outrageous. I just want your stockings, Lauren. And specifically, the ones you're wearing right now—I want them while they're still warm!" Then, he burst into laughter. Lauren's face turned slightly pale, clearly suppressing both rage and humiliation. She controlled her emotions well, though, and turned to look at Jerry. "Don't worry, Miss. I can defeat these petty thugs with one hand tied behind my back," Jerry said coldly. Lauren turned to Andrew, blushing slightly. "Dr. Lloyd, my stockings are on
Rodney's lips curled into a mocking smile. He sneered, "Mr. Keoghan, you've got quite the attitude, showing off in front of my Madblade Martial Academy. What do you think this is, some kindergarten playground?" Jerry, being a renowned senior grandmaster for many years, carried himself with natural authority. "Mr. Sanford, if it were your father, Vince Sanford, I would show him proper respect. But you're still too young and inexperienced, so I advise you not to make any foolish decisions." Jerry continued, "Just hand over Dean and let Ms. Rhodes deal with him. If you do that, we can put this whole incident behind us." Lauren gave a cold smile and turned to Andrew. "Don't worry, Dr. Lloyd. Jerry is one of the top fighters in the Rhodes family. If Rodney wants to play rough, we're more than happy to oblige!" Andrew's expression showed traces of doubt. Jerry's power as a senior grandmaster was indeed undeniable. Even if he had only recently reached that level, it was still enough t
Rodney's words made the skilled fighters behind him burst into raucous laughter. The students stopped their practice to stare at Lauren with strange expressions. "Rodney, I told you years ago that I wasn't interested in you," Lauren said calmly, showing no sign of anger. "Your persistent pursuit might be romantic to some, but even if you offered me the entire Madblade Martial Academy, I wouldn't give you a second glance." Rodney's face darkened immediately. He had tried to embarrass Lauren, but her sharp tongue had turned the tables on him instead. A hulking man beside Rodney sneered, "Ms. Rhodes, if you're going to reject Mr. Sanford, why are you even here?" "For our money," Lauren replied curtly. Dean scoffed. "Atlas owed Rhodes Corporation money, not me. If you want it, go ask him in hell." Lauren smirked. "Atlas may be dead, but not all Northern District's people are gone. I know you cleaned out Atlas's accounts. Dean, are you really going to pretend you don't owe us?"
Inside Madblade Martial Academy, hundreds of students were practicing martial arts with loud shouts. They barely glanced at Lauren and Andrew's group before turning away, displaying obvious arrogance and dismissal. Lauren was unfazed by their attitude. She explained, "The students here are all from Jayrodale's wealthy families. Most of them are spoiled rich kids who couldn't succeed academically, so their families sent them here to learn martial arts. Over time, they've developed quite a superiority complex." Andrew did not mind. After all, it was natural for martial artists to have some attitude. Whether it was looking down on others or being arrogant, this kind of temperament came with this lifestyle. As long as they were not all talk and had no skill, he could tolerate their pride. A young man in casual clothes approached them with a smile, his pale complexion suggesting a life of extravagance. He was flanked by about four clearly skilled martial artists. As he passed the
Jake could not help but marvel at how a single conversation had completely changed his fate. His head was still spinning from the series of surprises. "Ms. Rhodes, should we head to Madblade Martial Academy now?" Andrew suggested. Lauren smirked playfully. "Dr. Lloyd, Natasha seemed quite different around you. Did something happen between you two?" Andrew shook his head. "She's West End's leader, a widow. What could possibly happen between us?" Lauren said suspiciously, "I don't believe you. The way she looked at you was exactly like a lonely woman gazing at her lover." Women's intuition was truly frightening. First Francesca, and now Lauren was just as perceptive. Andrew started the car and decided there was no point in hiding it. "Natasha wanted to be with me, but I turned her down because it didn't feel right." Instead of getting jealous or upset as Andrew expected, Lauren became excited. "Really? Natasha offered herself to you? That widow sure moves fast!" Andrew's
Natasha chimed in and explained, "Dean Mayer was Atlas's senior apprentice from the same martial arts school and Northern District's second-in-command. He was known as 'Iron Palm'. However, his skills never matched Atlas', which is why Atlas always held the position of Northern District's leader." Andrew asked, "So you're saying most of Atlas' assets and personnel fell into Dean's hands?" Natasha shook her head. "In terms of manpower, Dean only took about seven elite fighters with him. However, he did make off with the majority of Northern District's wealth—Atlas' years of accumulated fortune." "Natasha, do you know where Dean is now?" Andrew frowned. "As my people previously informed Mr. Lloyd, some of Atlas' forces have regrouped," Natasha said gravely. "Dean is their leader, and they've aligned themselves with the Madblade Martial Academy." Andrew was shocked. "Madblade Martial Academy? You mean the place that calls itself Jayrodale's premier martial arts institution?"
"I'm here at Northern District's headquarters. One of your men is here, and I'm planning to get him promoted," Andrew spoke into the phone. "Of course, I'll be there in five minutes. Wait for me," Natasha replied urgently. As Andrew hung up, Jake shook his head. "Sir, this act isn't funny anymore. Don't tell me you actually have Madam Vostokoff's number?" "Of course I do," Andrew replied simply. "How else could I call her?" Jake did not bother responding and headed downstairs to hand out flyers, hoping to sell the abandoned building soon and get his promotion. He dismissed the supposed lunatic upstairs, remembering how he had only seen Natasha once since joining West End. Regular people never got close to someone of Natasha's status, let alone have her private number—unless this guy was her boy toy, he thought cynically. Minutes later, a convertible sports car screeched to a halt in front of the building. Jake, clutching a stack of flyers, stared in disbelief at the beauti
Jake burst out laughing. "Another group looking for money? I've seen several people like you today. Go home and forget about the money—Mr. Giordano is dead, and the Northern District has been stripped clean. There's nothing left." Jake continued, "You've heard of Christina Stevens, the Ice Queen of Stevens Corporation, right? And another gorgeous woman named Aspen Stevens came by too. Do you know what happened? Aspen went ballistic, trashing the place and cursing Mr. Giordano, demanding her billion dollars back." He shook his head with a smirk. "Can you believe how crazy that woman was? That man is already dead—how's he supposed to pay her back? And cursing a dead man? Man, you should've seen her face—she looked like she was having a mental breakdown!" Andrew understood Aspen's reaction well. Anyone would lose their mind after losing a billion dollars to the Northern District. The loss would make anyone's heart bleed. Andrew replied with a knowing smile, "You're right about
"What you're saying isn't wrong, but you do know where Atlas is now, right?" Andrew asked with a knowing smile. Jake turned awkward as he fell silent. Andrew continued, "So stop trying to con people. Northern District is done for—it's yesterday's news. This abandoned building probably has a body count, and it's probably been carved up by the other two underground powers by now. Try to trick us into buying it, and you might be in serious trouble." Jake replied with an apologetic smile, "Sir, I didn't realize you were so well-informed about the situation—my mistake. Go ahead. Nobody wants this building anyway." Of course, Andrew was aware of the matter. After all, he had helped orchestrate Atlas's downfall. He gestured for Lauren to wait and asked Jake, "Since this building is now under West End and South City's control, are you working for them?" Jake shook his head. "No, I used to work for Northern District. I had nowhere to go after Mr. Giordano got taken out at his subu