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Chapter 182
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 183
Simon asked, “Why is the water black?” Adam answered shakily, “The factories are releasing pollutants into the water, and people are throwing rubbish into the river. “The location of the stadium is also problematic. It obstructs the lower stream, causing pollutants and trash to accumulate.” The factories, owned by Oliver and the others, produced steel, concrete, and paper—industries notorious for their environmental impact, and the pollutants they discharged were foul-smelling and filthy. The nearby residents had lodged many complaints, but due to the status of Oliver and his leverage over Stephen, no one could stop them. Until now, Stephen still had to provide Oliver and the others compensation fees. Simon was baffled when he heard the explanation. The magnitude of the problems was too overwhelming for him to comprehend at once. “And Stephen just has to drop the ball at this moment! Damn it!” Why did Stephen have to leave now, right when the sports game was happening and
The Guardian's Return Chapter 184
Ethan looked at George and Rachel calmly, saying, “Sure, but I have three conditions.” George was delighted that Ethan had finally agreed to help. It seemed like bringing Rachel along was the right choice! He must still have feelings for Rachel! With the Lowes’ and the Quinns’ status, they could easily fulfill his three conditions. George flashed a confident smile. “Go ahead. Tell me what you need.” Ethan said with a smile, “First, give me a reason why I have to help. Second, if it’s related to the Quinns, I’m not helping. Third, anything related to Riveria is off the table.” The smile on George’s face froze. The three conditions were basically another way for Ethan to say he was not going to help. George had come all this way to get Snow’s location so that Stephen could get himself together to take care of the mess in Aqua City. In other words, Ethan had to help the Quinns and Riveria. He frowned and said, “Are you joking?” Ethan shot back, “I don’t need to. Honestly
The Guardian's Return Chapter 185
“Rachel, calm down! He’s trying to deceive you!” George said nervously. Ethan smiled. “You must have assumed that I still love Rachel. If you think I still love her, why would I try to deceive her?” George’s eyes widened in shock. He was rattled. Ethan did not just see through his thoughts but was even using it against them, and it was terrifying! Shaken, Rachel looked at her father and said, “Dad, he’s right. We can’t let Snow come back! If he’s back, Stephen won’t even look at me! And it’ll be even harder for our family to move to Metropolis!” George was left speechless. It was over the moment Rachel started siding with Ethan. At that moment, he realized he had severely underestimated Ethan. In fact, not just him, but everyone else had underestimated Ethan. Trying to stay composed, George looked at Ethan and asked, “Do you know what is going on in Aqua City right now? The city needs Stephen there! “Ethan, for the sake of the people, please help Stephen just this once!
The Guardian's Return Chapter 186
Simon was rendered speechless for a moment. There was nothing he could do about Ethan, and he could feel his blood pressure hike. “Do you really think we can’t solve this without your help?” “Then why are we having this conversation?” Ethan asked. Simon’s fists clenched tightly. Knowing there was no way he could win an argument against Ethan, he slammed his phone on the table and ended the call. He leaned back on his chair, his face ashened. Just moments ago, he cursed at George for being useless, yet even he could not get through to Ethan, which made him useless too. He felt like he had been slapped in the face—his pride stung with embarrassment. He quickly called for his assistant to get him his blood pressure pills. Meanwhile, George stayed quiet for a while after the call ended. He was shocked that even Simon had failed to convince Ethan. “Ethan, is it necessary to push things far? We know you’re upset, but maybe we can compromise? Everyone gets hurt sometimes. We’r
The Guardian's Return Chapter 187
Before Adam could address the issue, something serious happened at the sports game. A poisonous snake bit a member of the audience and slithered across the audience seat, disrupting the sports game. Worst of all, everything was broadcast live to viewers worldwide, and the international viewers wasted no time mocking the situation.“Do they live in a cave? They are like savages!” “They must sleep with snakes every day.” “I wouldn’t go there if you paid me. It’s like going into a tribe with no modern civilization!” “Look at trash in the water and the snakes slithering around. The people there are living like cavemen!” Even people back home were no kinder, criticizing the city’s poor management. “They’ve embarrassed us on the world stage!” “What’s going on here?” “Where is Stephen Quinn? Why isn’t he doing anything?” Soon, Aqua City was trending on social media. Companies planning to invest were now reconsidering, and tourists who had booked trips were canceling their
The Guardian's Return Chapter 188
Simon’s heart pounded when he heard the phone. He asked seriously, “What happened?” George told him what went down in Aqua City. The number of agritourism farms and hotels had grown out of control. They charged exorbitant prices to maximize profits, taking advantage of tourists and scamming them. The factories had been dumping waste into the water, and in retaliation, frustrated tourists started littering everywhere. People were releasing wild aquatic species into the waters, disrupting the local ecosystem and balance, and invasive foreign species overran the local habitat, devastating native populations. Without natural predators to control them, many local species faced the threat of extinction. Fish, once a hallmark of the region, were dwindling in number, and their quality had dropped so much that even local markets did not want them anymore.The worst thing would be the influence of illegal criminals sneaking across the borders, bringing in illegal goods, trafficking,
The Guardian's Return Chapter 189
Between environment and industrial development, Ethan chose environment and focused on developing local tourism, aquaculture, and logistics. He denied Oliver and the others set up factories in Aqua City, not because he was short-sighted but because he knew their arrival would destroy the city’s environment. Stephen, on the other hand, allowed Oliver and others to set up factories the moment he arrived, destroying aquaculture and tourism. The construction of the stadium on water also affected the logistics industry. One wrong step set off a chain reaction of cascading mistakes. With a pale face, Stephen asked nervously, “What should we do now?” North Hill City and Seaside City were already in ruins. If Aqua City followed their footsteps, he would not be able to shift the blame again. If his right to govern Riveria was taken away, he would not be able to find Snow for the rest of his life. “Calm down. Get yourself together and think of a way. Your priority now is to stabili
The Guardian's Return Chapter 190
Simon went silent. He realized they were threatening him. He originally planned to shut down the factories for as long as possible, at least six months. His goal was to get Oliver and the other businessmen to beg him for mercy. Yet now, Oliver was using the people against him. Simon knew he could not shut down the factories for too long. “I will give you an answer soon. While the investigation is going on, just wait patiently,” he explained. “Don’t worry. We have the patience,” Oliver said with a grin. He and his friends had been waiting for three years, and dealing with Ethan back then had honed their patience. Then, a few men came in through the door. One of them announced, “We are from the water company. Is the water of Aqua City still safe? The quality has dropped below drinking standards. If you cannot provide a solution, we will leave Aqua City for another place.” Simon felt a headache coming.The environmental destruction of Aqua City was huge, and it affected m
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 890
Simon asked weakly, “Is there really no chance?”Ethan replied calmly, “Figure it out yourselves. This has nothing to do with me.”With those words, Simon’s last hope was completely shattered. His body swayed. He wanted to say many things, but in the end, he could not utter a single word and stood up in a daze.“Sorry for disturbing you.”With that, he turned and slowly left. At that moment, he felt like he aged a lot. Regret filled his heart. If he had known, he would never have provoked Ethan in the first place. He was the one who cut off every retreat and every path to survival.He had doomed himself!As soon as he left the villa, his phone rang. It was a call from his father, Harrison.“Something's happened!” Harrison said anxiously. “Stephen just announced that he’s going to reveal the truth that he deceived everyone! What’s he trying to do? He’s not really going to expose the truth, right?”Simon was silent. He did not expect Stephen to act so quickly. Stephen had just ca
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Stephen continued, “I’ve already made up my mind. I just called you to tell you about this. This is my decision. No matter what happens next, don’t try to help me.”Simon was moved. Stephen was telling them to watch as he walked to his death. Simon could not bear it, but the problem was too significant. Refusing would make no difference.In the end, he took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “I understand.”Stephen forced a smile. “Thanks.”The call ended.Simon stood still, holding his phone, lost in thought. In that final moment, Stephen did not seem like a young man, but an elder.“He really has... surpassed me.”Stephen finally had the strength to take over the Quinn family and lead it to glory, but he was going to die. Simon looked up at the sky and could not help but remember the word that Stephen said.“Fate.”What if he took Stephen’s place in death? Could that save him?However, after thinking about it, it was impossible. This whole incident involved Ethan. Ethan
The Guardian's Return Chapter 888
“What?” Simon was shocked.Reveal the truth? How could they do that?Coveting Ethan’s achievements, they wanted to take Riveria from him and claim his victories as their own. They worked with the Lowe family to frame Ethan, erased all his contributions, and painted him as a corrupt official who embezzled money to support his mistresses.Even now, many people still believed them and cursed Ethan online every day.If the truth were exposed, the Quinns would be finished. No one in the Quinns and the Lowes would be able to escape.“Have you gone mad?”Stephen shook his head. “I’m thinking straight. I’ve never been more rational than I am right now. I’ll reveal the truth, but I won’t implicate the Quinns.”He said slowly, “I’ll take all the blame upon myself. The only one who dies will be me.”Simon paled. “No!”Sacrificing Stephen to save the Quinns—he could not accept that!Stephen was the only heir of the Quinn family, and he represented the family’s image. If the public found
The Guardian's Return Chapter 887
A few minutes later, Stephen finally accepted reality and slowly walked out of the washroom.Still feeling lightheaded, he searched through the medicine cabinet, swallowed some fever medicine, and sat on the couch.“I don’t have much time left.”Stephen began executing his final plan. He would take the blame for everything and reveal the truth. Once he did that, Ethan’s name would be cleared, and he would reclaim everything that was rightfully his. The Quinns would also have a chance to survive.The only person who would die was himself.Stephen was afraid of death in the past, but it was different now. He had lost everything. His heart was shattered beyond repair. His heart completely died the moment Snow and Lily walked away from him.Rhys’s experience gave him the courage to face death. They had gone through similar experiences and shared the same fate of death, but Rhys had chosen to meet it head-on.Stephen took out his phone and started drafting his statement. He had to ex
The Guardian's Return Chapter 886
George rushed out upon hearing Rachel’s scream.“There’s a stranger in the house! He’s in the bathroom now!”George grabbed a broom and walked forward nervously. Who would dare to break into the Lowes' house? However, when he saw Stephen’s current appearance, he froze.George was in his fifties and had greying hair and wrinkles while Stephen was only in his twenties. However, Stephen looked even older than him.George rubbed his eyes, thinking they were playing tricks on him. When he opened them again, Stephen still had a head full of white hair.“That’s Stephen?”Behind him, Rachel covered her mouth in shock.The first time she saw Stephen, she had been attracted by his looks. Although he was not as handsome as Ethan, his status as an heir, along with his background and aura, added to his charm.However, that once-dashing Stephen had turned into an old man with white hair and wrinkles. His powerful aura as the heir of the Quinns was completely gone. Now, he no longer looked li
The Guardian's Return Chapter 885
Stephen’s mind went blank. Pleading Ethan to return did not work. He had missed his final opportunity. Ethan no longer cared about Riveria anymore. He was doomed, and so was Riveria. “Enough,” Ethan said. “You can leave. This should be the last time we meet.”After that, Ethan turned around and walked back into the villa. “No!”Stephen scrambled over to Ethan on his hands and knees, trying to grab hold of his thigh. Thud! Ethan’s strength surpassed that of a military expert. Before Stephen could reach him, Ethan kicked him to the ground. Stephen rolled on the floor disgracefully and was covered with dust when he stopped, looking like a beggar on the side of the road. “Please. Give me and Riveria a chance. I’ll tell everyone the truth!”Bang. Only the sound of the door closing slowly responded to him. Stephen crawled up and slumped on the ground. He failed to get Ethan to step in. Even his life was not worth anything now. All of the karma had come to him.Stephen’s b
The Guardian's Return Chapter 884
After waking up from his dream, he must face the fact that they had already left. “I’m fine,” Stephen said weakly. “Please discharge me.”He knew he was not physically sick, but it was his mind that was troubled. Staying in the hospital further was useless. He knew he had more important things to do and that staying would only waste his time.The nurse frowned. “I’ll let them know.”Discharging Stephen from the hospital was not a decision the nurse could make on her own. The doctor arrived and gave Stephen a full-body examination.“You’re in a bad state. We recommend you stay in the hospital and have some rest.”Stephen shook his head. “No.”“But…”“No buts!” Stephen raised his voice, “I don’t have much time left!”After joining the Rhys Festival, learning about Rhys, and hearing that Snow and Lily chose to leave him, he had a dream. In his dream, Rhys said that he had a way to solve the problem and asked him to follow him.Although he could not follow Rhys, Stephen knew tha
The Guardian's Return Chapter 883
Stephen slumped to the ground, the strength drained from his body. Even his consciousness was fading away. Due to a misunderstanding, he lost Snow. For temporary happiness, he had missed Lily. He had been living in pain and regret, always fantasizing about the day he would find the two women, apologize to them properly, and provide them with a happy life. But now, just when he had finally caught a glimpse of them, they slipped away from his fingers. And before he even managed to find them, he was informed of the news that they did not love him anymore. These revelations felt like a thousand knives stabbing directly into Stephen’s heart, so agonizing that he could hardly breathe. It was even worse than death. “How did it end up like this?” Tears streamed down his face as he muttered, “I haven’t found them. I still owe them an apology. Why…” He had lost Snow and Lily forever. They were alive and well, but they no longer had anything to do with him. From now on, they would b
The Guardian's Return Chapter 882
Stephen spun around anxiously, glancing and trying to find the figure of the two women in the crowd. The South Regent and Victor could not help but laugh at the side. “Stop teasing him,” Victor said. Stephen looked at them. “What do you mean?”The South Regent tried to hold back his laughter. “I tricked you. You didn’t run in the wrong direction. We took the boat here.”Stephen glanced at the river and, true enough, saw a small boat. He was in such a rush that he did not notice it. “Where are they?” Stephen could no longer care whether he was tricked. Right now, nothing was more important than finding Snow and Lily. “They left. Duh.” The South Regent said, “The festival is almost over, so they left. Although you didn’t run the wrong way, you were too late.”Stephen yelled, “Impossible!”“It’s true. They left,” Victor added. “Nonsense!” Stephen stood on his tiptoes and scanned his surroundings. “Snow! Lily! Where are you?”Victor shook his head. “Did you really think
