The group of young men froze for a moment, then their expressions shifted to full alert.

“Dragon King? Never heard of him. Get lost.”

“Last warning–move your car or we’ll smash it!”

Andrew raised an eyebrow and said calmly, “Isn’t the infamous Onyx Dragon King of Blumedale always holed up in this Onyx Serpent Bar?”

Before the lead thug could spit out more nonsense, Andrew planted a hand on his face and shoved him aside effortlessly. The guy roared in anger, reaching for his baseball bat.

Andrew pointed right at his nose, voice icy. “Scram. Get in my way again, and I’ll bulldoze this trash bar into the ground.”

The pressure that suddenly burst from Andrew’s presence made the group of bouncers feel dry-mouthed and paralyzed, unable to take a step. Powerful figures who had long operated within elite circles naturally carried a sense of dominance.

Andrew was exactly that kind of man, and he did not need to bare his fangs or scream threats. Just a flicker of attitude was enough to make most people fold.

The nearby patrons gawked in hushed amazement as Andrew walked straight through the front doors of the bar.

“Who the hell is that guy? He’s bold as hell!”

“I’ve never seen anyone act that cocky in Onyx Serpent Bar before.”

“He doesn’t look like a nobody. He’s still young, but that aura? No way a random punk could fake that.”

“I don’t know the guy, but the woman behind him is Madam Rachel Gardner. She’s on the Gabo Creek rich list and a total powerhouse!”

The murmurs rippled through the room.

A few heavily made-up women were already eying the duo, mentally calculating how to seduce Andrew.

Inside the bar, Andrew glanced around before casually taking a seat at the counter. He did not even glance at the near-naked dancers grinding in the center of the dance floor.

The couple next to him, who had been making out, quickly separated and scooted away with visible discomfort.

Andrew chuckled and asked Rachel, “Do I really look that scary?”

Rachel grinned. “Mr. Lloyd, you? Scary? No way! You’re practically adorable. Well, unless someone doesn’t know who you are. Then yeah, different story. This bar is the Onyx Dragon King’s turf, but hardly anyone knows that. Those who do never dare stir up trouble here.”

She explained, “That’s why those thugs earlier were so stunned. Not many people would dare call their bluff like you did.”

Andrew smirked and glanced behind the bar.

A scruffy-looking bartender with bleached yellow hair and a cigarette dangling from his lips, asked grumpily, “What’ll you have?”

Andrew tilted his head toward Rachel. “Ladies first. What would you like?”

Rachel smiled sweetly, clearly flattered by the gesture. “In that case… I’ll take a glass of Martell.”

Andrew snapped his fingers. “One Martell for the lady. I’ll have a glass of plain water.”

Tommy Carson, the bartender, was annoyed. “I’m sorry, but this is a bar, not a retirement home. If you want plain water, get it elsewhere.”

Andrew’s smile widened. “But what if I insist on plain water?”

The bartender sneered. “Are you looking for trouble? You really think you can just roll into Onyx Serpent Bar and pull this crap?”

Andrew’s tone remained friendly. “Sure, sure. Your bar, your rules. In that case, I’ll change my order. How about this one?”

Tommy scoffed. “Knew you were all bark. Freakin‘ poser.”

He leaned in, trying to read the menu and see what Andrew picked. However, Andrew suddenly reached out and clamped his hand around the bartender’s neck.

Tommy shouted, “Are you insane, you piece of-”

His muscles tensed as he tried to fight back across the bar, simultaneously reaching for a bottle behind him.

Rachel screamed, stumbling back in shock. She had not expected Andrew to snap so suddenly.

The bottle never landed.

Andrew caught it with his other hand, then yanked it out of Tommy’s grasp and slammed it down on his head.

Glass shattered, and ooze and blood ran down Tommy’s face as he let out a shrill cry of pain. “You bastard! I’ll fucking kill you!” He struggled to break free, but could not.

Andrew had him pinned with just one arm, holding him against the counter like a helpless little bird, utterly unable to move.