That night, in a private hospital in Jayrodale, Dylan stormed in with over 100 of his men dressed in black. The hospital staff and visitors trembled in fear, wondering who had earned the wrath of South City's most notorious crime lord. Dylan, usually sporting a buzzcut and friendly demeanor, was oddly absent of smiles. When the doctor emerged from the ward, Dylan extinguished his cigarette and asked, "How's Bobby?" The doctor's face was grave as he shook his head, replying, "It doesn't look good." "What does that mean? Explain!" "H-He's in a vegetative state," the doctor said carefully, casting a wary glance at Dylan. Surprisingly, Dylan showed neither rage nor murderous intent. "Mr. Garner, we must get our revenge!" "Let us tear this punk into pieces for daring to touch one of our own!" "Just say the word, Mr. Garner; I'll take care of this clueless punk right now!" Dylan raised his hand. "Keep it down. Don't disturb Bobby's rest." "But Mr. Garner…" Dy
Marvin chuckled and said, "Dylan, let me give you two choices!" Dylan's eyes lit up instantly. "Please, Mr. Yates, I'm listening!" He thought this might work in his favor—after all, getting an offer from Jayrodale's wealthiest man could mean millions in compensation for losing his best fighter. Marvin continued, "First choice: we forget this ever happened." Dylan immediately shook his head. "That's impossible. I'll take the second option!" Marvin laughed again. "The second choice is this: Jayrodale's four crime lords go down to three, and I'll display your head on South City's highest wall for all to see!" Dylan's smile froze as he stared at the seemingly gentle old man. "Mr. Yates, I know better than to offend you. But may I ask why you're treating me this way?" Dylan was known for his ruthlessness. Yet, he found himself nearly in tears before Marvin. Marvin grinned ominously. "Why? Because that man is someone far beyond both you and me! Honestly, if you hadn't been
After examining Eunice, Andrew immediately confirmed it was the same poison used on Cecelia. The method was sophisticated, and most people would not have seen it coming. "Dr. Lloyd, can you treat her?" Lauren asked anxiously. Andrew nodded confidently and said, "It shouldn't be too difficult." Then, he reached for his silver needles and was ready to start the detoxification process. Suddenly, a cold voice called out, "Stop right there!" A group entered the room, led by a man in a suit with an air of smug entitlement. Lauren turned with a frown. "Michael, what are you doing here?" It was Michael Rhodes, her cousin and one of Jayrodale's four most eligible bachelors. He replied, "Lauren, isn't it obvious from Eunice's poisoning that someone's targeting Rhodes Corporation? You can't be that blind." "And?" Lauren's face remained expressionless. "And it's time to get rid of your pretty boy doctor here. My people will handle this, so stay out of it!" Michael shot Andrew a di
Michael praised, "Fran, you truly live up to being Dr. Aicker's protege! Your medical skills put us men to shame!" Francesca could not help but feel smug at the compliment, glancing at Andrew. She said in a condescending tone, "Well, Andrew, I'm sure my detoxification technique and medication choice are beyond your capabilities. Since you watched the whole process, you might want to take notes. It could really improve your skills." Andrew just shook his head with a smile, which prompted Francesca to raise an eyebrow. She asked, "What? You seem unconvinced." "Oh, I'm convinced," Andrew replied. "It's not every day you see someone put on such a dramatic show with zero actual results. That's quite an achievement." Francesca's expression turned cold. "Are you questioning my medical expertise?" Coming from a prestigious medical family with a legendary grandfather, she had always been confident in her abilities and could not tolerate any challenge to her skills. "I wouldn't da
Andrew ignored Francesca and immediately began treating Eunice. The silver needles danced between his fingers as he inserted them into specific pressure points on Eunice's body, all while stopping the spread of the toxin with a few taps. His mastery left Francesca dumbfounded. She stuttered, "Y-You actually know the pressure-point technique?" "Isn't it basic knowledge? Anyone with hands can do it," Andrew replied casually, leaving Francesca nearly choking with anger. Her grandfather, Cedric, had trained his whole life and, at 80 years old, had barely mastered the basics of pressure point techniques. Yet here was Andrew, wielding it as if it were child's play. Francesca thought Cedric would probably faint if he saw this. One by one, the needles drew out the poison, their silver surfaces turning black. Lauren beamed with pride and exclaimed, "Dr. Lloyd, you're amazing!" Then, she turned to Francesca with a smirk. "Well, Fran, are you convinced now?" Francesca stubbornly argu
Andrew calmly pointed out the flaws in their logic. "If they learn that Ms. Rhodes has access to someone who can neutralize poison, what's to stop them from using more lethal methods next time? Are you ready to take responsibility for that?" His sharp questions made Michael's face turn bright red. "You worthless parasite, how dare you speak to me like that! I'll…" Lauren cut him off, pointing toward the door. "Michael, I run Rhodes Corporation now, not you. If you're going to be useless and disrespect Dr. Lloyd, you can get out!" Michael glared venomously at Andrew. "Fine! Let's see what this loser can do!" Lauren flashed Andrew a charming smile. "Dr. Lloyd, since you've already saved Eunice, would you help us figure this out? Pretty please?" It was impossible to say no to a beautiful woman. Even though he thought Lauren was a flirt, he still replied, "I have a theory, but I'll need more information from you, Ms. Rhodes." "Ask away! I'll tell you everything," Lauren said ea
Lauren gazed at Andrew with sparkling eyes. "Dr. Lloyd, please tell us how you figured it out." Andrew explained, "It's quite simple. You have a predictable routine between three locations. Since the culprit couldn't act at photo shoots or your home, that only leaves the company." Francesca chimed in, "That's obvious. But how can you be so certain it's a high-ranking insider at Rhodes Corporation?" Andrew replied calmly, "Think about it—as CEO of the corporation, would regular employees have access to her? To poison her food or drinks, they'd need access to her office or personal items. Only executives have that kind of privilege." "Dr. Lloyd is absolutely right," Lauren exclaimed. "At Rhodes Corporation, only senior executives have that level of access to get near me." Michael snickered. "Then how do you explain Cece's poisoning? She didn't eat or drink anything—she just visited briefly and got poisoned. Your theory makes no sense!" "Exactly. You can't explain that part w
Francesca looked at Andrew with a hint of jealousy. "Well, well, it seems like you've got some skills after all." Michael scoffed beside her. "It's just a basic theory! Anyone who's watched 'Detective Kobe' could figure that out. Nothing to brag about!" Lauren shot him a cold smile. "Says the guy who spends all day watching 'Idiot Bears'." Michael's face flushed red as he argued, "I don't watch 'Idiot Bears' all day! Lauren, there are other people here. Can't you cut me some slack!" Lauren feigned understanding. "Oh right, my mistake—you're too busy watching adult films." Michael's face turned crimson with rage. "Did you go through my computer?" Lauren ignored him, her expression turning deadly serious. "Now that we know it's someone from senior management, they shouldn't blame me for showing no mercy." "Ms. Rhodes, I'm sure you already have some suspicions about who's behind this," Andrew commented. Lauren nodded hesitantly. "I do, but suspicions alone aren't
As Andrew stepped back, he widened the distance just in time, causing Aidan's furious iron punch to swing through thin air. It felt like punching into a pillow—no resistance, nowhere for the force to go, leaving him frustrated and thrown off. A strange, muffled crack echoed through the air. Andrew flicked his fingers lightly against Aidan's face. In an instant, half of Aidan's cheek swelled up, skin split and bleeding. The sheer precision and power of the move left everyone in the Rhodes family gripping their chests in disbelief. Andrew followed up with a sharp elbow strike, landing squarely between Aidan's shoulder blades. Aidan roared, his body crackling with strain as he unleashed every ounce of strength he had left, determined to go down fighting. Andrew just smirked with disdain. With another palm strike heading toward Aidan, he suddenly shifted mid-motion. What had begun as a soft open-hand strike transformed instantly into a straight, vertical knife-hand blow. "You
Andrew took down Aidan in a flash, and before anyone could react, he had Kenny and Sherilyn on their knees. His attack was so fast and fierce, it stunned the entire Rhodes family like a lightning strike. Jerry clutched his chest and collapsed on the ground, his face frozen with shock. Jameson was holding onto Tiana, so stunned he forgot about his own pain. He mumbled, "No way… Tiana… I told you, you misjudged him!" "No... I was blind too," she admitted. "This guy is so powerful!" Tiana's heart was pounding from the impact of what she had just witnessed. She had always known Andrew was dangerous, and she knew he was smart, always ten steps ahead of everyone else. She had even considered the possibility that he might be at the peak of senior grandmaster level—maybe even something insane, like her own semi–martial king rank. But even with all that in mind, it still was not enough. After all, with someone like Joe from the Driscoll family in the picture, Andrew was still second
Aidan was stunned, realizing that something was very off. In that split second, Aidan, who had brushed off Andrew like an insect, suddenly realized that this so-called "nobody" was not just tough. In fact, he was dangerous. The instant their moves collided, Aidan's instincts—honed on the edge of martial king mastery—screamed in alarm. With a low growl, he made his move. Instead of dodging Andrew's whip-like kick, he charged forward, trying to smash his forehead into Andrew's knee. At the same time, his fingers hooked like claws, launching a brutal move right for Andrew's heart. "You little punk, since you have a dead wish, I'll rip your heart out and show it to you while it's still beating!" Tiana gasped in horror. "Andrew, you're not his match—get out of there, now! If you die here for nothing, everything we've fought for will be wasted!" Andrew's voice was calm but sharp. "Mrs. Rhodes, let me give you a lesson. Watch closely. Taking out trash like this? It really isn't that
Aidan cast a quick glance down at Tiana, who was struggling to get up from the ground, her body drenched in blood. He sneered with contempt. Even now, he had not used half of his true strength. Jameson suddenly roared, "Everyone from the Rhodes family, follow me—protect our home and save Tiana!" The few remaining guards and fighters from the Rhodes side rushed in without hesitation. However, they were nothing against Aidan, who had already entered a killing mindset. With every punch he threw, someone coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground in agony. Tiana barely managed to stand, the world spinning around her. She forced out a shaky cry, "No… Don't… Don't throw your lives away! Jameson, take Lauren! Get her and Andrew out of here—run, now!" However, Jameson's voice was firm. "We live together, or we die together. Running is not an option." He turned to Andrew, his expression urgent. "Andy, take Lauren and go. Get back to Jayrodale. Don't come near the capital again!" A
The moment Kenny and Sherilyn heard Andrew's name, they both exploded with fury. "You little bastard! Where are you? Show yourself!" Kenny shouted, veins bulging in his neck. His face twisted into a mask of rage as Andrew calmly stepped out from the crowd, his expression blank. The moment Kenny saw him, his eyes went blood-red. "Andrew, you killed Michael. Today is the day you die!" Andrew replied coolly, "Kenny, you old mutt—you know damn well how he died. If I remember right, you signed a written agreement promising not to challenge the Rhodes family leadership." Kenny's face twisted in a snarl. "Whether I stick to it or not is none of your damn business, you little punk! You think you're in a position to tell me what to do?" However, Andrew did not take the bait. Instead, he smirked. "Of course it's my business. That's why I sent Michael six feet under before you broke your word. Now we're even; nothing owed between us." Kenny trembled with fury, nearly passing out fro
Sherilyn grinned and said, "Mr. Haywood, your two apprentices really are extraordinary." Aidan let out a proud snort and replied with disdain, "I don't even need to step in. Keep watching—Tiana's defeat is only a matter of time. I told you already, that the Rhodes family is nothing more than a joke." Suddenly, a voice rang out from the crowd. "Attack low!" Tiana's heart jolted the second she heard it. Instead of retreating, she lunged forward, striking with both palms in a fierce assault. Following the mysterious tip, she immediately shifted her focus to Butch and Spike's lower stances. In just seconds, their formation wobbled—only slightly, but enough. The crushing pressure on Tiana lifted, and she felt the change instantly. Seizing the moment, she let out a sharp cry and shaped her fingers into claws, brutally gouging at their eyes. Two blood-curdling screams rang out in perfect sync. Blood gushed from their eye sockets as both Butch and Spike went down, instantly blind
Butch and Spike immediately rushed to Aidan's side, their faces filled with panic. "Mr. Haywood Senior, are you alright?" "Please, hang in there, sir!" Meanwhile, Kenny and Sherilyn both looked horrified—if Tiana’s sneak attack had actually taken down Aidan, this whole day would have become the ultimate joke. "That filthy bitch couldn't hurt me even if I handed her the opportunity," Aidan growled. He did not even glance at the small patch of blood on his chest. However, his old face twisted into a storm of fury and darkness. Jameson stared at Tiana in disbelief. "Tiana, so you weren't really—" Tiana cut him off with a snap. "You idiot! Did you seriously think I'd stoop that low? Do you think I'd ignore a handsome man like you just to kiss up to that wrinkled sack of rot? You think I could stomach that?" Jameson was hit with a rush of surprise and relief, but it quickly turned into frustration. "If you were going to strike, why didn't you tell me first?" "No time for t
Aidan stared down at the beautiful woman kneeling at his feet, and something dark flickered in his eyes. His throat moved, and a twisted chuckle escaped his lips. "You really mean every word you just said?" Tiana raised her hand and vowed, "Every word I just spoke was true. If I'm lying, then may you tear me limb from limb, right here and now." Aidan burst into loud laughter, his eyes gleaming with greedy heat. His voice turned sleazy, laced with disgusting desire. "Wonderful—just perfect! Tiana, you were famous for your beauty in the martial world back in the day. "But back then, I was obsessed with training and had no interest in… other pleasures. Now that I'm older and wiser—and looking at you still so ripe, still so stunning—I've got to say, it's hitting me all at once. Honestly, I'd feel bad wasting a woman like you." Tiana's cheeks turned slightly red, but there was no sign of embarrassment or shame. Instead, her mature allure only intensified, like a perfectly ripened pe
Tiana's sudden move left everyone stunned. Even Andrew's brows furrowed tightly as disbelief flickered across his face. Jameson shot to his feet, his voice shaking. "Tiana, you—" Tears streamed down Tiana's face as she shouted, "Don't even try, Jameson. You're nothing but a coward—weak and useless. What? You want to know why I did this? Fine, I'll tell you—I don't want to die! I'm not letting you drag me down, and I won't let Lauren die alongside you!" From the crowd, one of the Rhodes family elders, Bruno Rhodes, roared with fury. "Shameless! Tiana, as the lady of the Rhodes family, how could you throw away all dignity like this? Stand up right now! I said, get up!" He shouted, "Kneeling to a violent brute like that? You've disgraced our family!" With rage boiling over, Bruno stormed toward her and reached out to yank her to her feet. Aidan's expression darkened as he growled, "How dare you? Calling me a brute—what, you think I'm beneath you? Well, let me send you off, fre