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Chapter 163
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 164
Stephen stared at Oliver in surprise. He did not expect such a response from Oliver.In all their previous interactions, Oliver had always spoken politely. Why was he taking up such a tone with him now?Oliver's plan was already complete. He had gotten rid of Snow, legitimately opened factories, and even profited from the sports complex. He no longer needed to pretend to flatter Stephen.If anything, the only people he should ingratiate himself with now would be those who were as successful as Ethan Rivers; not failures like Stephen who had ruined two cities and doubted the words of his own woman."I'll have someone investigate it right away," Stephen hurriedly responded.Stephen had people conduct tests, and the results came back quickly. The factories' pollutant emissions were only slightly above the standard permitted.These levels of emissions would not cause a large number of fish deaths in the river.Oliver looked at the test results and remarked, "Well, you've seen the re
The Guardian's Return Chapter 165
Stephen's current plan was to deal with Oliver and his group after the sporting event, once other businesses had come in.How dare they deceive him, use him, and make him hurt Snow's feelings?He absolutely would not let these people off the hook!This grudge must be settled!Oliver chuckled. "If that's the case, let me lay off a batch of workers first, then I'll tell you how much compensation we need."Laying off workers would also have a severe impact on Aqua City’s economy.Stephen could smell the thinly-veiled threat behind Oliver’s words. He clenched his fists, thinking that as soon as the sporting event was over, he would get rid of all these people!After striking the deal, the pollutant emissions from several factories began to decrease.However, there were too many factories set up, and pollutants were still being discharged, which served little to alleviate the river pollution situation.Moreover, a new issue had popped up too—an invasion of non-native species. As if
The Guardian's Return Chapter 166
At that moment, his phone rang.He looked at the screen and saw that it was Stephen calling.Simon’s heart skipped a beat, thinking that Stephen had already found the truth.Despite his experience, the always composed Simon felt a bit nervous now. He answered the call and asked, “What is it?”“There’s a small problem in Aqua City,” said Stephen.Simon sighed in relief.It was about Aqua.Thank goodness.It would be a much more serious problem if Stephen found out that Snow was dead.Wait!Simon snapped back to reality. There was a problem in Aqua City again!He felt incredibly overwhelmed. Snow’s issue was already serious. If something happened in Aqua City as well, it could not be overlooked!“What happened?”Stephen said quietly, “Oliver tricked me.”“Hm?” Simon frowned.Tricked?He instantly had a bad premonition.What was the cause of North Hill City’s ruin? Shawn, Eric, and Brandon had tricked Stephen. In the end, there was also Danny.What was the cause of Seasi
The Guardian's Return Chapter 167
Simon fell silent. He felt his body go numb.Stephen had scolded Snow before he went to Aqua City.In other words, Snow committed suicide after he scolded her.‘It’s over. His outburst at Snow is likely part of the reason why she killed herself. There’s no way I can tell him the truth now.’If Stephen found out that Snow died now, that she held onto her grievances and starved to death, he would never be able to apologize to her in his lifetime. He would never hear her say ‘it’s okay’.Simon’s body trembled. He did not dare to think what would happen to Stephen.He had to hide the truth!He had to hide it for as long as possible!“I’ll deal with Snow’s issue,” Simon said, “Just focus on the important matters for now. Snow is a good girl. She’ll understand and wait for you.”Stephen nodded. “Yeah. I’ll get back to work now.”The call ended.Simon’s hand trembled uncontrollably, his face pale.He could not understand how Aqua City, which had been progressing steadily, would su
The Guardian's Return Chapter 168
Simon felt that it was very difficult.Should he tell Stephen the truth? Aqua City was at a critical moment. He could not find out right now.However, the truth could not be hidden forever. Stephen would find out eventually, and the longer it was kept from him, the more misery he would feel later.Simon could only ask Liam, “What about the body?”“It was returned to her hometown according to her wishes.”“Give it to me,” said Simon. “She was part of the Quinns.”“Sorry, but I can’t.” Liam sighed and said helplessly, “She severed ties with Stephen before she died. Neither is she part of the Quinns nor is she worthy of them.”Bam!Simon slammed his palm on the table.That apology at the press conference!Stephen publicly cut ties with Snow, leading to this result.Snow was dead, and the Quinns could not retrieve her body. They did not even know where her body was!Liam said, “All this was her choice. Let’s respect it one last time.”Simon hung up the phone. He sat in his cha
The Guardian's Return Chapter 169
Stephen was completely unaware of such matters.All he saw was the growing economy.However, he did not know that this growth was a once-off thing. After people experienced it once, they would never come back again.Some of the influential attraction spots that Stephen specially approved also faced problems.Tourists got injured during their visits!Several water-based influences almost drowned to death!This also severely affected the attraction spots’ profits.News of Snow’s suicide after being charged also spread online. Even Adam knew about it. Only Stephen, barred by the ISP, had no idea.There were two days left until the event.Stephen called Adam. “I want to go out and have a look. Aqua City must be incredibly lively right now.”Adam’s expression was conflicted. He knew that Snow was dead, but he could not say anything. Word on the streets was still discussing this news.If Stephen went out, he might hear about Snow’s death, and it would be a devastating blow to him.
The Guardian's Return Chapter 170
At that moment, the assistant’s head went blank!His neck felt like it had rusted. Even the slightest movement took tremendous effort, and he strained to look at Stephen.Stephen had completely frozen.The two skewers dropped to the ground, covered in dust.Boom!The assistant felt like his head had exploded.It was over!He heard it!Stephen immediately ran to the group of tourists. “What did you just say? What happened to Snow?”The people looked at Stephen in shock as if they were staring at an alien.“She’s dead. Didn’t you know? It’s all over the internet. She committed suicide out of guilt.”Thud, thud, thud—Stephen’s legs grew weak as he stumbled back several steps.Snow was dead?She was dead!How could that be?He paled, his mind in disarray. The tourists were frightened and hurriedly left.Stephen quickly took out his phone to search.There was nothing!He could not find any news about Snow. Even when he typed part of her name, nothing came up.It was as
The Guardian's Return Chapter 171
“Hahaha—” Stephen suddenly laughed in anger.After a few laughs, he raised his hand and slapped himself hard.Smack!Once.Smack!Twice.Tears swirled in his eyes, but he did not seem to feel the pain at all.Adam and his assistant grabbed his hands, shouting, “Calm down!”Stephen’s laughter disappeared. He began to cry softly. Then, the crying grew louder until he was sobbing uncontrollably like a child.Adam and his assistant were helpless and could only sigh.Simon also heard the sobs. At that moment, there was nothing he could do.The Quinns could do anything, but they could not bring the dead back to life!Stephen got on the plane and called Liam. “How did Snow die?”“She starved herself.”“Why didn’t you force-feed her? Why didn’t you send her to the hospital? Why didn’t you tell me?”“I’m sorry. It was her decision.”Sorry. Another ‘sorry’.What use were apologies?Stephen wanted to ask, but then he remembered the last time he met Snow. He also owed her an apol
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 817
Hugo waited until Natalie fell asleep before leaving the hospital ward with the South Regent. He said in a low voice, “Please take me to see Mr. Rivers.”From that moment onward, he also addressed Ethan as Mr. Rivers.Ethan did not only save his life but also Natalie’s. He would repay that debt with his life.“Are you sure?” the South Regent asked. “If you take Natalie and her grandfather back to Metropolis now, you can stay out of all of this.”Natalie’s grandfather’s health had also stabilized after treatment.If Hugo wished, he could take them back to Metropolis, where the medical treatments were better. Furthermore, Hugo had worked as a psychologist for many years and even treated Stephen, so he had saved up over a million dollars.If he managed his finances well, he would not become rich, but it was enough for Natalie to grow up safe and healthy and ensure that her grandfather retired peacefully.Hugo did not hesitate. “I’ve made up my mind.”He played a part in how things
The Guardian's Return Chapter 816
“Stephen has always lived in Riveria. He is the Grand Marshal’s sole mentee and the one who brought three years of peace to Riveria. Ethan is a corrupt criminal.”Scrolling further down, there was also an apology video from Stephen. He claimed that the statement was true and expressed regret that he caused an outcry and wasted public resources.Hugo fell completely silent after watching it.How could this be? Others might not know whether Stephen truly was the Grand Marshal’s mentee or not, but he did.Victor had told him about Ethan’s achievements. Even assassins feared Ethan. Stephen had also admitted in front of him who Ethan really was.Only Ethan could save Riveria.In the past, Hugo thought that Stephen was just being misled and used, which was why he wanted to help him.However, now, Stephen insisted that he was the Grand Marshal’s mentee and that he was the one who had managed Riveria in the past.As a psychologist, Hugo could tell from Stephen’s expressions in the vide
The Guardian's Return Chapter 815
The doctors told Hugo what happened.“Back then, you had already lost too much blood. You’re lucky that there was a young man with the same blood type as you when you were brought in, so he gave you a transfusion. Then, our family head sent us to take care of you. If not for our excellent medical skills, you probably wouldn’t have woken up.”Hugo was confused. “Family head? Did Simon send you?”The two doctors suddenly froze, their expressions turning dark.“Watch what you say. Simon didn’t send us. Ugh!”They were so angry that they stopped the examination.Hugo was stunned at the sudden change in their attitude. They were not sent by Simon? Furthermore, why did they react so strongly to the mention of Simon’s name? If not Simon, who else could be the ‘family head’?“Who sent you?” Hugo asked in confusion.“We’re from the Ledger family,” the doctor said coldly. “Who’s Simon? We don’t know him. Don’t lump us in with that filth.”“Huh?” Hugo was still bewildered. “The Ledger fa
The Guardian's Return Chapter 814
Tyler frowned. “What happened?”“It’s about Riveria.” Nolan handed his phone to Tyler. “Simon and Stephen have completely lost all shame. I can’t believe they said something like this.”After reading the news, Tyler’s expression darkened. “Although I know they’re shameless, I still underestimated them.”In the past, they had slandered Ethan and stole his achievements. Now, after being exposed, they fabricated evidence and worked with headquarters to deceive the public.“Tyler, what should we do?” Nolan asked. “I can’t stand by while they slander Mr. Rivers like this.”Tyler said, “Let me think.”To them, Ethan was their savior. Without Ethan, the Spencers would never have made it out of Riveria alive. It was thanks to Ethan stepping in that they had a chance to start over.However, Simon was shamelessly going further to distort the truth and rewrite history. They could not watch this happen. The truth had to be exposed!A moment later, Tyler said in a low voice, “Let’s go to Ri
The Guardian's Return Chapter 813
The netizens had mostly been deceived by the internet trolls.When they saw Simon and headquarters both speaking out, they fully believed that Stephen was innocent and that everything was part of Leo and Ethan’s schemes. Even the few who had firmly believed in Ethan began to doubt themselves.Online, the uproar gradually died down. At that moment, Simon took the next step! He had someone publish the recording of the gala and instructed the trolls to guide the audience in revisiting the highlights.With that, both he and Stephen were completely safe.When people reviewed the gala recording, it also boosted Riveria’s popularity. It was killing multiple birds with one stone!Simon did not rest. Instead, he took the official statement and the trending discussions online and headed to the jail to meet Leo.“Has he confessed yet?” Simon asked the staff.After Leo was imprisoned, he had been questioned who the mastermind behind this was.“No. He keeps saying there’s no mastermind.”S
The Guardian's Return Chapter 812
“Yeah. I’m from Breeze City. If Stephen is driven away by all your insults, what are we supposed to do?”“All this is part of Ethan’s scheme. He’s deliberately trying to frame Stephen!”This was the next phase of their attack. They accused everyone of being too extreme and then created a victim narrative to gain sympathy. Finally, they flipped the story. Stephen was the pure-hearted and selfless one while Ethan was the true villain!While the internet was being flooded with manipulated narratives, Simon was not idle either. He felt that fabricating transaction records and hiring internet trolls alone was not enough. Ne needed more fabricated evidence.Thus, he had several people in Riveria publicly claim that Stephen had been the one managing Riveria all along.Ethan Rivers? Never heard of him!After a day of work, Simon was drenched in sweat. He felt his heart pound as if it might leap out of his throat.After all, he had not rested properly for days because of the gala. Furthe
The Guardian's Return Chapter 811
Simon stayed up all night thinking.The next morning, a little after 6 a.m., he called someone to forge records that Stephen had lived in Riveria before.At the gala, someone had questioned whether Stephen really was the Grand Marshal’s mentee. His response at that time was that Stephen had always lived in Riveria.Now, he had to fabricate those records as soon as possible and release them publicly. Protecting Stephen’s identity as ‘the Grand Marshal’s sole heir’ was extremely important. As long as that narrative was maintained, it would minimize suspicions from others.“But that’s not enough.”Simon continued to take action and hired internet trolls. Since he could not suppress the public’s interest, he personally intervened and made the trolls comment that Stephen was the one in charge of Riveria while Ethan was a corrupt criminal and that Leo was spewing nonsense!As soon as the money was paid, the trolls began their work.“You guys say that Ethan was the one in charge of Riv
The Guardian's Return Chapter 810
However, the event was quickly losing steam! Leo had shifted everyone’s attention away, and people were more curious about Ethan and Stephen’s true identities. The whole internet buzzed with discussions, and many were engaged in fierce arguments. Even if Simon tried to suppress the controversy, it was nearly impossible to stop it. Quite a few people were even starting to leave the event. Many planned to stay in Breeze City for a few days and tour the city, but after experiencing the incident, they no longer trusted Simon. Therefore, they changed their plans and decided to leave the next day!By the time the event ended at 1 a.m., the audience present had dropped to less than half of the original count. When Simon and Stephen took the stage and saw the half-empty seats, they felt dispirited. The celebrities and singers who attended the event could also barely manage a smile. They regretted coming. The scandal surrounding Stephen’s real identity could easily engulf them, and the l
The Guardian's Return Chapter 809
Stephen immediately raised his head and asked, “Where is she?”Simon fell silent. He had no idea where Lily was. Perhaps only Ethan would know her whereabouts, and he did not know how to answer Stephen. Stephen frowned as he waited for a response. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you say she’s alive? Why don’t you tell me where she is?”Simon took a deep breath. “It might not be the best time to tell you now.”He still tried to brush it off. “What do you mean?” Stephen was getting anxious. “Do you want me to get on my knees and beg you? Don’t you know how important she is to me?” Stephen pointed at his gray hair. “I want to see her again so badly.”As Simon lowered his head, looking conflicted, Stephen fell to his knees with a bam. “What are you doing?” Simon exclaimed and quickly pulled him up. At that point, he realized that he could not hide it anymore. He did not want to say that Ethan saved Lily, but only Ethan knew where she was now. Even if he wanted to lie, he could not. W
