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Chapter 170
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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
The Guardian's Return Chapter 172
Stephen stood up to find Ethan, but as soon as he did, he felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground.Fortunately, Liam caught him in time.“Why are you going to find Mr. Rivers?”Stephen shook Liam’s hand away and said, “He knew that Snow’s parents died, so he must know where her hometown is. I have to go find him.”He staggered and hurriedly left the station.Although Liam did not like Stephen, he could not help but worry seeing Stephen like this. It would be troublesome if an accident happened on the way.He quickly caught up to him and said, “I’ll bring you there.”With Liam’s driving, the two soon arrived at Ethan’s villa.At that moment, the villa gates were open just like before, as if awaiting their arrival.Stephen took a deep breath and mustered the courage to walk in.When he reached the living room, he heard a beautiful song playing.[The church’s doves will never kiss the crows.[Just like how I’m unworthy of him under the stars.[How did time bring us to this s
The Guardian's Return Chapter 173
Stephen’s eyes instantly lit up. “What is it? I’ll answer ten questions, let alone one!”Ethan asked calmly, “Snow died because of you. You killed her, but you’re so determined to find her grave now. Is it because you don’t want her to rest in peace?”Boom!That question was like a bomb, hitting Stephen viciously.He widened his eyes and fell to the ground.He could not answer!He had no response!Cold sweat slowly trickled from his forehead.Ethan looked at Stephen and continued, “You’re so selfish. You only ever think of yourself.”“I... I...” Stephen lowered his head, his body trembling. “No, that’s not true.”“Then, why did Snow die? Who was it who held that press conference to publicly sever ties with her? If you truly loved her, would you have cared about what the world thought?” Ethan asked. “If you hadn’t brought her to me to brag, would she have died?”Stephen did not dare to raise his head.If Snow did not know the truth about her parents’ death, perhaps she would
The Guardian's Return Chapter 174
Liam was dumbfounded.Was that the answer?He did not expect it to be money.However, after thinking about it, the answer made a lot of sense. All those emotional matters had nothing to do with Ethan. After all, love would not fill the stomach. Liam also did not find the situation particularly touching. He only felt angry.Stephen killed Snow. He was simply reaping what he sowed!Only money had any value to Ethan.Ethan took out his phone and called Simon.The call instantly connected.Simon anxiously asked, “Where did you go? Why didn’t you pick up?”Stephen did not seem to hear. “Transfer 10 million dollars to Ethan.”“What?” Simon thought he had misheard.Transfer money to Ethan?And 10 million at that! That was not a paltry sum.Most importantly, why was it for Ethan? Stephen wanted nothing more than for Ethan to die. Why was he suddenly giving him money?“Why?”“Transfer him 10 million dollars now.” Stephen did not explain and hung up after saying those words.Simo
The Guardian's Return Chapter 175
Stephen looked at the wilderness, lost in thought.He could not believe that this used to be a town!“Was Riveria that chaotic back then?”Looking at the abandoned houses, Stephen realized for the first time how chaotic Riveria had been before.“Yes, it was.” Liam continued, “Even the Grand Marshal couldn’t bring peace and went missing in the chaos.”“What?” Stephen was shocked. Even the Grand Marshal could not resolve the turmoil in Riveria? “How could that be?”Liam sighed. “It’s true. Back then, Riveria was plagued by both internal and external issues. It was dire.”Stephen asked, “Who ended the war?”Liam looked at him and slowly said two words, “Ethan Rivers.”Stephen instantly widened his eyes.It was him!The person he trapped in Drakthorn Ridge!He had accomplished even what the Grand Marshal could not!Could what those people said be true? Could Riveria really not survive without Ethan?That was impossible!Stephen quickly shook off those ridiculous thoughts.A
The Guardian's Return Chapter 176
“What are you doing here? There’s a whole group of people guarding you at Drakthorn Ridge!”Ethan said calmly, “You’ve gone to Lytton and seen Crestwood. None of their people could stop me. Why do you think a few of your men could keep an eye on me?”Furthermore, he had once moved freely through the South Regent’s army.For a moment, Stephen was speechless. He recalled his experience entering Crestwood with a group of people, only to end up tossed into a pile of trash, humiliated.Ethan slowly walked over to the grassy patch and sat down next to Stephen.He asked, “Have you ever thought about this while lying here? Years ago, Snow was just a carefree girl. She used to lie here and watch the stars too.”Stephen fell silent.He turned his head slightly, and in a daze, he seemed to see Snow lying beside him, smiling gently at him.She said, “The stars are so beautiful.”Stephen reached out to touch her but stopped halfway through.He did not dare to. He was afraid that if he tou
The Guardian's Return Chapter 177
Stephen’s voice trembled with fear. “No! I didn’t! I just…”“You just want to kill her again?”Stephen shouted, “No! Tell me where she is!”He was like a drowning man, desperately clinging to a lifeline. “I’ll give you another 10 million dollars. Please tell me where she is. She’s still alive, and I want to apologize to her in person. I won’t hurt her again.”Ethan smiled. “10 million isn’t enough.”“How much do you want?” Stephen urgently asked. “As long as I can afford it, I’ll give you whatever you want!”“50 million.”That figure hit Stephen like a ton of bricks. 50 million was not a small amount.However, he thought of Snow and immediately agreed. “I’ll give it to you now!”Once again, he gave Simon a call and told him to transfer the money to Ethan immediately.“50 million?” Simon was shocked. “Why are you giving him so much money out of the blue?”“Snow is still alive! Ethan saved her. Only he knows where she is now!” Stephen shouted.“What?”Simon was stunned.Sno
The Guardian's Return Chapter 178
Stephen and Simon waited for another half minute, but Ethan did not continue.“That’s it?” Simon asked. “That’s all you’re going to say?”Ethan nodded. “Yep.”“That’s ridiculous!” Simon could not accept it. 50 million for just that? Although it did reveal where Snow was, the area was vast. How many villages were there in Draconia? There were too many to count, and wanting to find Snow would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. The worst part was, they could not even search for her publicly. Everyone believed Snow had committed suicide out of guilt. If they suddenly announced that she was alive—that everyone was tricked, what would people think?On top of that, all eyes were on Stephen now. How could he explain bringing a criminal back home?In other words, although Ethan revealed where Snow was, it was almost like he had not. The chances of finding her were slim. Even if they could find her, it would take decades. Stephen and Snow would both be old, and what would b
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 878
The mayor looked out at the blue sky, lost in thought.“Since she chose you, I’ll step aside,” Rhys said as he handed his friend the keepsake his childhood sweetheart had once given him when they swore their love.“Besides, given these chaotic times, love isn’t something I can afford to dwell on. I have to live up to the expectations people have of me. I can’t let them down.” He looked at the girl one last time and took a deep breath before saying, “Goodbye.”His family was destroyed at a young age, so Rhys longed for peace more than anyone. He always wanted to be part of the effort to protect Riveria.The year he graduated from university, the Grand Marshal passed away. All of Riveria was in despair, believing that Riveria was doomed. However, Rhys was determined to join Ethan’s forces.In multiple operations, he displayed excellent skills, strategic thinking, and intelligence, allowing Ethan to take notice of him and guide him. In turn, Rhys learned a lot from Ethan.“Study the
The Guardian's Return Chapter 877
The mayor nodded and explained the origin of the festival and its name.“Riveria used to be a chaos-filled land, but many unsung heroes stepped up to make it better. The peace we enjoy today is all thanks to their selfless dedication.“The name Rhys Festival comes from a man named Rhys Estrela. He was once a subordinate of Mr. Rivers, who made great sacrifices for Riveria. There’s a local saying that goes, ‘A single spark can start a prairie fire.’ We always believe that as long as we don’t give up, Riveria will surely thrive.”Those words sent a chill down Stephen’s spine. The mayor mentioned Mr. Rivers, and while others might not know who that was, Stephen knew—it was Ethan! It meant that the festival was related to Ethan. To top it off, the festival was named after Ethan’s subordinate, Rhys Estrela, a name Stephen was unfamiliar with. He had been in Riveria for half a year but had never heard of that name before. He had no idea what Rhys did to leave his name behind like that.
The Guardian's Return Chapter 876
Hearing Stephen’s positive response, the people in Riveria calmed down slightly.“I hope they can recover the money soon.”“I took out a loan on my house to invest. If we don’t get it back, my family is done for.”“Let’s believe in Stephen. No matter what, he was the Grand Marshal’s mentee.”“He did a good job running Riveria before. I’m sure he can do it again.”“Yeah. This is just a minor issue compared to before.”Most people expressed their trust in Stephen. They could tell that he was far more worn out than before. His hair, which had shown signs of turning black again, had faded back to white again. Some people even felt sorry for him.However, there were others who doubted his abilities. The scammers had fled abroad. Would Stephen be able to catch them, and even if they were caught, could the money be recovered? What if the scammers had laundered the money by auctioning off artwork?They voiced their concerns online. Some people agreed, understanding why they were worrie
The Guardian's Return Chapter 875
Stephen looked at the contract. Other than the high price, there were no other problems.However, the high price was a humiliation for both Stephen and the whole of Riveria.He wanted to refuse and even curse them, but he had no leverage against the other party and was completely passive in this situation. If he did not agree, the crops and livestock in Riveria would be finished.Stephen closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Even though he knew that many people would hate him, he still signed the contract.“Pleasure doing business with you.” The foreigners took the contract and chuckled. With that, they left.The meeting room was silent, Stephen being the only one left. He slumped into his chair, uncertain if he had made the right decision.Half an hour later, his phone rang, snapping him back to reality. He had more work to do.Many people in Riveria had been scammed into buying virtual currency, losing over ten billion. Stephen had to give the people an answer.“How did the
The Guardian's Return Chapter 874
Stephen had no choice but to use a translation device, continuing the discussion while they mocked him.Despite his utmost sincerity and effort, they refused to lower their price at all, confident that they had Stephen cornered.His only option was to take money from the Quinns and pour it into developing the medicine. However, he knew the Quinns well. There was no way they would take out billions at once for something like this, especially when there were other diseases to deal with as well.They were no match for Ethan, but the Quinns were nothing to them, let alone Stephen.“We’ll get to the point.”They spoke in Stephen’s language to make sure that he understood. “You’re not good enough. Only Mr. Rivers can manage Riveria. You can’t even protect the people around you. How do you plan to protect Riveria?”Stephen’s expression soured. He knew that they were telling the truth. He had no way to refute, and being stubborn would only make him look more ridiculous.“I’m not as good
The Guardian's Return Chapter 873
Stephen felt that he could come up with a solution that could save both Riveria and protect the Quinns.However, did such a solution really exist? He was not confident.“I’ll go back to my room first.” Stephen walked away.Back in his room, he sat at his desk, deep in thought.“A perfect solution...”Stephen could not think of one. The more he tried, the more his mind uncontrollably drifted back to the past.“No.” He shook his head. “I need to focus.”However, his mind and body had deteriorated from the multiple tragedies. His hair had turned grey, and he struggled to maintain focus.Stephen sighed and planned to think of a solution later. Now, he needed to address Riveria’s current problems.Crops and livestock were falling ill. He sent people to investigate the cause, but research required massive funding. Replacing the crops and animals with new ones would not be easy either.At that moment, foreign corporations suddenly announced that they had the right medicine to cure t
The Guardian's Return Chapter 872
In the past, George also thought that Riveria would not collapse even without Ethan. With himself and the Quinn family, Stephen could still bring Riveria to new heights.Now, he understood.What the former governor, Liam, and the others said was true: Riveria would fall without Ethan.Neither the Lowes, the Quinns, nor even all the families in Metropolis combined, could manage Riveria.Without Ethan, Riveria was doomed.Stephen lowered his head. If it were in the past, he would have laughed if he had heard such words, thinking it was a joke.How was he inferior to Ethan? Whatever Ethan could do, he could do too, and better at that!Now, he could not laugh.He realized the truth too.The first city’s downfall was a coincidence, the second was due to negligence, and the third was an accident, but what about the fourth? The fifth?He could come up with a thousand excuses, but it would not change the truth.The reality was that he was far inferior to Ethan. Only Ethan could save
The Guardian's Return Chapter 871
A large number of people from Riveria poured into their cities. It was already difficult to find a job, but now that a bunch of outsiders were coming to compete for positions, employment was even harder.Furthermore, after arriving in a foreign place, many of those outsiders strayed and turned to robbery and theft. Some even slept on the streets, occupying public facilities and disrupting everyone’s daily lives.People from the surrounding cities of Riveria found it unbearable. They began cursing Riverians on the internet.Meanwhile, in Riveria, people had endured enough grievances in their daily lives. Their living conditions were far from satisfactory, and they held in a lot of frustration.Now, people were scolding them online, calling them beggars and telling them to go back to Riveria and wait for their death.How could they tolerate that?They immediately retaliated online. The arguments escalated, growing more intense by the day.Eventually, people from Riveria even trave
The Guardian's Return Chapter 870
Many crops had fallen sick in Riveria. The corrupted grains in Breeze City and destroyed fertile land had already dealt a huge blow to Riveria. Now, with more crops falling ill on a large scale, grain production had decreased, and fruit yields had dropped drastically. There was a problem with the livestock as well. An unknown disease spread and the affected livestock would basically end up dead, with no way to treat them and unfit for consumption. To everyone in Riveria, it was a huge blow. Prices of all food items began to rise, especially fresh vegetables and fruits. Their prices were comparable to meat. Even a single raw egg was 5 dollars, and boiled eggs for breakfast cost 7 dollars each. After hearing about it, Stephen tried to control the price, but it would cost money. Several cities in Riveria had been ruined under his management. He did not have any money left. He would not have needed to outsource infrastructure projects to other companies and corporates if he had mon
