Quinton did not speak, his brow furrowed tightly. Meanwhile, Christina's side suddenly let out a mocking laugh. Shawn's face flushed red with anger as he snapped, "Christie, what's so funny? Do you think my suggestion is a joke?" Christina gave him a cold glance, her voice dripping with disdain. "That wasn't a suggestion—it was idiocy. A suicide mission." Shawn clenched his fists, his temper flaring. "Christina, don't think just because Quinton favors you now, you can talk down to me." He leaned in, his voice low and threatening. "Mark my words, one day, you'll be mine." Christina's lips curled into a sneer, her eyes filled with contempt. "Shawn, did you forget how you slunk out of Jayrodale like a beaten dog after Andrew humiliated you?" She tilted her head, her gaze icy. "Look at you now. What do you think you are in my eyes?" Shawn exploded with rage. Christina had not spelled it out, but her look said everything—to her, he was nothing more than a pathetic mutt. Quin
At that point, Christina paused and swept a cold glance toward Shawn before letting out a sarcastic laugh. "Shawn, you've been out of Jayrodale for a while, haven't you? Clearly, you have no clue what the situation is like now. "Let me tell you—if Andrew wanted to, he could crush your little Fields family with the snap of his fingers. So if you're the one encouraging Quinton to go head-to-head with him, your family would be the first to get wiped out." Shawn stood there frozen, stammering, "I-I was just… you know, just talking big!" Meanwhile, he quickly rolled up his sleeve to wipe away the cold sweat dripping down his forehead. Quinton let out a cold snort. "Even if Andrew has every advantage—timing, location, and support on his side. If the Wrights really go all in, Christie, do you seriously think he could stop us?" Christina frowned. "If you come in full force, maybe Andrew wouldn't be able to handle the Wrights' top fighters. But have you thought about what that really
The Goth family had set up over a dozen banquet tables and held a modest celebration in Andrew's honor. Aside from Andrew and Francesca's group, the Goths had also invited several of their own guests. Sure enough, everyone who came up for a toast made a point to personally approach Andrew with respect. At the same time, whispers were already spreading—many privately congratulated the Goth family for managing to connect with the head of Moonlit Apothecary. Still clueless about the full scope of her family's affairs, Nyla looked a little lost. That was when Alfred stepped up and took charge of the event. However, he knew his place and never overstepped his bounds. He remained mindful at all times of the difference in status between himself and Nyla. After all, the one calling the shots in the Goth family now was not him—it was that young girl. If Andrew had not been backing her, Alfred would have definitely fought for the family seat himself. Nonetheless, as long as Andrew rema
"Underground king of Jayrodale? Ha! Never heard of him. What kind of trash title is that?" The two guards did not just ignore them—they started throwing out sleazy insults. Showing up at the Fields family estate and demanding to see the head without even setting foot inside? That was suicide. Francesca's face instantly turned cold as she looked at Andrew with an exaggerated pout. "Andrew, these dogs are seriously disrespecting me. You better make this right, or you're not getting anywhere near my bed tonight." Andrew sighed with a slight headache. When Francesca put on a show, she really committed to the role. He stepped forward and said to the two guards, "I'll give you one shot. Tell your boss that Andrew Lloyd from Moonlit Apothecary is here and wants a word." The guards sized him up, and one of them asked, "You're her man?" Andrew replied coolly, "That's right. Got a problem with that?" The other guard grinned nastily. "Come on, man, quit pretending. We've seen plen
"So, it was you two who laid hands on my people from the Fields family?" Tony demanded, glaring at Andrew and Francesca. Andrew answered calmly, "Yeah, I'm the one who hit them. And you're Tony Fields, right? The head of the Fields family?" Tony narrowed his eyes. "That's right. And who the hell are you supposed to be?" Andrew's tone stayed icy. "I already told you. My name's Andrew Lloyd—head of Moonlit Apothecary. I didn't come here to cause a scene. I came for one reason only. Tell your son Shawn to lay low from now on and stay the hell out of my sight. Otherwise, I'll wipe out your entire family." Tony's face twisted in rage. He scoffed, "You've got some nerve. You say you're Andrew and expect me to just believe that? Even if you are the head of Moonlit Apothecary, the Fields family won't bow to some power-crazy punk." Andrew remained composed. "I just shut down the Goth family. So, Tony, I suggest you be a little smarter than they were. I'm not here to negotiate. If you
"Our Fields family doesn't even measure up to the Goths," Tony muttered, his voice heavy with dread. "If he could take them down, wiping us out would be effortless." Oliver snapped, his tone biting. "Tony, call that bastard Shawn back. Right now. You heard Andrew. He doesn't want to see that punk anywhere in Jayrodale again. So, we either follow orders—or we prepare to die." Tony's face was grim as he immediately pulled out his phone to call his son. Meanwhile, Oliver said nothing more. He simply turned around and smacked both gate guards across the face. "Mr. Oliver—sir! W-Why are you hitting us?" The two guards were already a mess as Andrew had broken their noses earlier. Now, their swollen lips looked like sausages from Oliver's slaps. Oliver roared, "You two brainless mutts! You can't even tell who you were dealing with! Didn't hear what the man said? He said your mouths run a little too wild, and I'm here to give you some basic training." He landed another round of b
"Andrew, where are we going next? The Weller family?" Francesca was practically bouncing in her seat with excitement. The way Tony had gone from arrogant to groveling just now was beyond satisfying to her. Andrew's name really carried weight in Jayrodale now. He did not even have to raise a hand or flex—it just took showing up to scare a grown man stiff. Andrew kept his eyes on the road and replied casually, "We're not going to the Wellers. We're heading to the Stevens family." Francesca blinked in surprise. "The Stevens family? You're going to see Christina?" Her mood flipped fast, and her face darkened instantly. Andrew shook his head. "Not Christina. I just want to stop by and pay my respects to Mr. Stevens Senior. After today, I'll never be stepping through that door again." Francesca let out a soft 'oh' and said, "Alright, I'll come with you then. I heard the old man treated you well back in the day. Seems like the right thing to do." Andrew smiled. "Alright. Let's
Behind Harvey stood two of the Weller family's senior enforcers. He slowly strutted forward and landed two vicious slaps across Leroy's face. Blood flew as Leroy cried out in pain, stumbling backward. Irene exploded with rage and charged at Harvey, aiming a wild kick. However, Harvey just sneered. "You nasty old hag, I've been holding back on the Stevens family for way too long! Back then, Andrew protected you. Later, Aspen showed up to play the hero. But now? Your precious Stevens family doesn't have a damn guardian left, do you?" With that, he spun and slapped Irene so hard she flew sideways. Short and heavyset as she was, the impact sent her crashing to the ground with a loud thud, followed by her pitiful groans. "Harvey, you and your Weller goons are monsters! You're all going to pay for this!" she screamed through the pain. Christina's face turned ice cold as she stormed forward. "Harvey, you sick bastard—what the hell are you trying to do?" Harvey chuckled darkly. "
"But luckily," Derek continued, "I did find out that his name was Reginald Lloyd." Chantelle sneered. "Reginald Lloyd… Andrew Lloyd—what a coincidence. They're both Lloyds. Too bad one of them earned your admiration as a once-in-a-generation strategist…" "And the other?" She gave a dry chuckle. "Let's just say… he doesn't quite measure up." Derek smiled. "Elle, seems like you've got a bit of a grudge against our Mr. Lloyd. Care to share why?" Chantelle hesitated, visibly grinding her teeth. She obviously could not tell Derek that Andrew had already seen every inch of her thanks to an earlier incident. Instead, she cleared her throat. "Mr. McCormick, stop pulling my legs. We're public servants, and since Mr. Lloyd is working with you, I have no right to dislike him." She deflected smoothly with a rehearsed tone. Derek nodded. "It's obvious Andrew has potential. The old money clans have been monopolizing power and locking up economic control for far too long. Seeing someone
Chantelle let out a cold laugh. "That's right. That's exactly what he did. Mr. McCormick, don't you think the man's out of his mind?" Derek narrowed his eyes but stayed silent. After a long pause, he finally exhaled and said, "No. On the contrary, I think you're completely wrong about him. I don't see Andrew as a lunatic—I think he's playing a long, dangerous game." Chantelle had not expected Derek to say something like that, and her expression turned tense. "Mr. McCormick, without the protection of The Sovereign Residences, do you even realize what kind of storm that madman has invited upon himself? "Two of the most powerful families in Holtrien have issued bounty kill orders at the same time. The combined reward is nearly a billion—enough to send every killer and martial artist across Gabo Creek Province, maybe even the entire country, into a blood-fueled frenzy!" Derek gave a faint sneer, his tone laced with disdain. "It's true—money can make even the dead dance. The old sayi
Richard had always tried to be considerate about his son's humiliating past. Still, every now and then, he could not help but accidentally bring it up. After all, eating literal crap was not something easily forgotten. … Meanwhile, over at the Haywoods. Roy set down his teacup and asked, "Xavier, what's the latest on eliminating that bastard?" Xavier's sharp-jawed face was full of murderous intent. "The killers we sent were either stopped outside The Sovereign Residences or killed inside, their bodies dumped in the sewage canals." Roy scowled. "500 million was too tempting. Every lowlife out there thought they could take advantage of the Haywoods. Seth's body is still lying in the ice casket, waiting for a proper burial. You need to speed this up." Xavier's tone turned ice cold as he nodded. "Don't worry, Father. The moment Andrew laid a finger on our family, his death was sealed. Those who've died so far were just trash. "This time, I've prepared something special for And
News of the bodies floating in Blumedale's reeking drainage canal reached both the Goldings and the Haywoods within hours. "The first few were just appetizers. If they die, so be it—cannon fodder at best," Elon said coldly. "Andrew, you might have some skills, but you haven't seen my real trump card yet." Elon's pudgy face darkened with a sinister grin. He had not expected those initial mercs to succeed anyway—they were nothing but disposable thugs, and their deaths did not faze him one bit. Standing at the edge of the Goldings' main hall, he clapped his hands slowly. A thin, shadowy figure emerged, walking in with a dry, grating laugh. "Mr. Golding, I knew you'd eventually call me in," the man rasped. Elon spoke evenly. "300 million dollars from the Goldings, plus another 100 million from Dr. Lake. That's 400 million in total, Mr. Black Wolf. Same deal as always—the second Andrew's head hits the floor, the money hits your account." The shadowed figure stood in the backlig
Reuben shook his head, deciding it was best not to let his thoughts wander. He had once considered making a run for it after returning to Blumedale, hoping he might find an opening. But now, it was clear that the smart move was to follow the rules, behave, and wait for Andrew to willingly set him free. Natasha asked, "Darling, what about the other eight mercenaries? None of them are from Holtrien. If we kill them outright, could that stir up trouble with foreign powers?" Andrew replied flatly, "Wipe them out. I don't care where they came from—if they dared to step into Holtrien with a blade pointed at me, then I'll be the one cleaning them up." With that, Reuben and Natasha struck again, ignoring the furious roars of the remaining mercs. Just like before, the bodies were dumped into Blumedale's foul drainage canals, unceremoniously discarded. Soon after, the head of security for The Sovereign Residences—a fellow semi-martial king—rushed to Serenity Villa with his team in tow
It turned out, Andrew's caution was more than justified. That very night, three separate groups of infiltrators attempted to breach The Sovereign Residences. Two of those groups were quickly detected and driven out by the estate's elite security team. However, the last group was on a whole different level—professionals who bypassed surveillance and snuck past the guards, heading straight into Serenity Villa. What they did not expect, though, was that Andrew had already set a trap and was waiting for them to take the bait. With Natasha leading her squad and Reuben providing the knockout blow, it did not take much effort before the entire crew of a dozen-plus assassins was taken down. Fighting for his freedom, Reuben had zero mercy—he snapped a few necks with his bare hands. In the end, only three assassins survived, trembling in fear, eyes wide with horror. "Mr. Lloyd, please! Don't kill us!" the leader begged, a senior grandmaster drenched in cold sweat as he knelt on the floo
Natasha joked, "Aspen, of all times, you could've walked out, you just had to pick the moment I was getting cozy with my darling. You're not jealous, are you? Trying to ruin the mood on purpose?" Aspen let out a cold laugh. "Madam Vostokoff, you're overthinking it. If you two want to flirt or even start going at it right here, it has nothing to do with me. If you think I was interrupting, then I apologize. I'll leave right now so you two can carry on." Natasha chuckled. "Come on now, Snow Queen, we're all on the same side here. I was just teasing. Don't take it to heart." The icy look on Aspen's face finally faded a little. "I'm heading out. A small firm is requesting investment from Supreme Capital Group, so I'm going to check them out and see if they're worth our time." She threw that out to Andrew with zero warmth, then strutted off, her hips swaying confidently as she left Serenity Villa. Andrew immediately instructed Dylan's crew to follow and keep her safe. Natasha sc
Dylan and Natasha arrived in Blumedale the same night Andrew's orders were sent back to Jayrodale. They were accompanied by none other than the semi-martial king himself—Reuben. "Mr. Lloyd, that opportunity you mentioned… the one that could set me free—what is it exactly?" Reuben asked eagerly the moment he saw Andrew. Andrew waved his hand and said, "No rush. I haven't figured it out yet, but it won't be long." Reuben held back his excitement and simply nodded, saying nothing more. The more time he spent around Andrew, the more he realized just how unfathomable this man truly was. Back when he followed Elon to storm Jayrodale, he had been taught a brutal lesson. Now, there was not a shred of resentment left in him—only fear and awe. After all, a man who dared to kill a direct descendant of the Haywoods would have no problem ending him with a snap of his fingers. Reuben had only martial skills but no powerful family backing him—if Andrew ever wanted him dead, he would not la
For Quinton, it had never been just about sleeping with Christina. What excited him more was the thrill—the thrill of a top-tier predator closing in on an ice-cold beauty. To him, conquering a woman like Christina would stroke his ego and validate his inflated sense of self-worth. Unfortunately for him, Christina never felt even a flicker of attraction toward him. At best, they could be called business allies—or to put it bluntly, she only saw him as a temporary tool. Quinton wanted power, possession, dominance. Meanwhile, Christina only wanted leverage—specifically, to use him and his connections to push the Stevens Corporation into Blumedale. … Over at the Goldings family estate, word of the Haywoods' bounty hit hard. Both Richard and Elon were momentarily stunned when they heard. "This kid really doesn't know when to stop," Richard growled. "Now he's provoked the Haywoods and even left a body behind. He's practically asking for death! He's so arrogant that it's disgusti