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Chapter 188
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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
The Guardian's Return Chapter 191
The route they were planning to take was different from that of Shawn and Brandon. People like Shawn wanted to flee because they had committed a crime. If they did not run, bullets would be waiting for them. Oliver, on the other hand, was doing legitimate business. The labor force there was cheap, and the location was close to the borders, so there was a market for the products. How could they possibly let go of a primary location like Aqua City? As for what would become of the environment in Aqua City, that was not their concern at all. Besides, if the environment deteriorates, it would be harder to farm fish, and the people could only choose to work in factories instead, which would only benefit them!Simon suddenly lifted his head and looked at those people in shock. He understood now that they were wrong about them from the start. He thought Oliver and his group would leave after making some money. However, it seemed they planned to settle there and continue destroying Aqu
The Guardian's Return Chapter 192
Simon nodded beside him. Fortunately, the situation in Aqua City had not developed to the worst yet. “Aqua City’s economy can bounce back as long as we follow the plan and develop steadily/”Seeing no major issues in Aqua City, Simon planned to return to the capital.Before he left, he warned Stephen again, “As long as you get Aqua City in shape, nobody would dare to point fingers at you, even if you have four or five women by your side. Got it?”Stephen nodded vigorously. “I got it.”Simon patted his shoulder. “This is your comeback. Don’t let such minor setbacks knock you down again.“You’re a Quinn. You need to prove to the world and Ethan that you’re the best!”Fired up, Stephen shouted, “Yes!”“Okay, I’ll get going now.” With that, Simon returned to the capital. He was confident that Stephen could handle the rest alone. Stephen then arranged for a large team to clean up the streets, first restoring Aqua City’s appearance. Next, he hired an expert to assess the water q
The Guardian's Return Chapter 193
Firstly, many people had been fish farming—some even spent their whole lives doing it. Once the fishing industry was abandoned, many people would lose their source of income, leading to widespread unemployment, which would be bad for the economy and stability of Aqua City. Secondly, due to the booming tourism, there were countless hotels, inns, and farm stays in Aqua City. Not long ago, they had just spent millions on relocating towns, building tourism areas, and developing agritourism. Now, all of that would be scrapped. The money would be wasted just like that, and people were going to have strong opinions about it!Most importantly, Aqua City did not have many factories either. Hence, they did not have enough jobs for all the newly unemployed or ensure everyone could make a living. It was no exaggeration to say that once they announced that decision, the people who took out loans to start fish farms, farm stays, and tourism projects would go bankrupt!Stephen asked, “Do you ha
The Guardian's Return Chapter 194
Everyone surrounded the building where Stephen and Adam were located. “Give us an explanation!” Their voices boomed in unison, so loud that the staff inside the building trembled with fear. They had never seen anything like that. Stephen sneaked a glance through the window and felt a chill run down his spine. “What are they trying to do?”Adam held the latest report he just received and said, “They’re fishermen, hotel owners, staff, and townspeople who built the agritourism farm stays. You cut off their source of income, so they have come for an explanation.”Stephen’s eyes widened. “Just because of that? Isn’t it just a change in career?”Adam, still looking at the report, continued, “Many of them took up massive loans. Once we focus on industrial development, they will not be able to repay their debts.”Their debts were in the millions! Even if they worked a nine-to-five, earning three to five thousand a month, they could not repay their debt their whole life. Besides,
The Guardian's Return Chapter 195
Hearing that, the people finally felt relieved. “Alright, let’s disperse.”“Go grab some food. When there’s progress, I’ll inform all of you.”The crowd gradually dispersed. Adam returned to Stephen, smiling. “It’s settled. I plan to drag this out. When they don’t get paid for too long, they’ll stop thinking about it.”Stephen nodded in satisfaction. “You did well this time. Good job!”Adam chuckled. “Not at all. It’s thanks to your guidance.”“Hahaha!” Stephen laughed smugly. Although Adam promised to compensate the people, the reality was that fishing was no longer feasible and the hotels and farm stays had lost their customers.The people, especially those with debts, were becoming increasingly anxious. Debts amounting to millions weighed down on them like a mountain, crushing them. The next day, someone could not wait any longer and rushed in to ask about the progress. A staff member replied, “The investigation is ongoing. Please wait a little longer.”By noon, ano
The Guardian's Return Chapter 196
Inside the building, Stephen was trembling with fear. The crowd today was even larger than before, and this time, it was not just a protest—eight people had died!Everyone in Aqua City wanted an explanation. They wanted justice. “Get the hell out!”“We did nothing to you. Why did you come here to hurt us?”“You murderer! You killed an entire family. May your family suffer just like ours!”The staff had closed the door. They huddled in the corners, pale and shaking, unsure of what to do. Soon, the security guards arrived, trying to stop the crowd from being reckless and doing something foolish. However, this time was different. Previously, the people might have shown some courtesy, but today, people had died, and who knew who might be next tomorrow? From the crowd, someone shouted the security guard’s name, “If you don’t get out of here now, you’re no longer my son!”Most security guards were locals, so they were caught in a difficult position. “Why do we even care abou
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 906
Simon called the doctor to ask about the cause of Harrison’s death.The doctor explained it truthfully. Harrison was old, sleep-deprived, and suffered an intense psychological blow that his body could not handle.Upon hearing this, Simon suddenly understood.Harrison had not rested properly for a long time because of the Quinn family, especially the night when Stephen revealed the truth. He did not sleep at all that night. Then, he went to beg Ethan, was rejected, and had a mental breakdown. He simply could not hold on anymore.“We were wrong,” Simon cried. “We were really wrong.”They brought this upon themselves. Because they provoked Ethan, everything that followed was inevitable.If they had not been blinded by greed, Harrison would not have died, Stephen would not be in prison, and the Quinns would not fall.What should he do now? What could he do?Stephen had sacrificed himself to give the Quinns a sliver of hope, but Simon failed to protect the family and Harrison. How w
The Guardian's Return Chapter 905
At the Quinns’ residence, Simon had been pacing back and forth anxiously, racking his brain trying to think of a way to save the Quinn family when a maid came to serve him tea. He reached out for it, but as his mind wandered, his grip faltered. “Clang!”The teacup fell and shattered on the spot. The scalding water getting on his hands and feet made him frown. The Quinns were in a crisis, and being scalded by tea caused his frustration to boil. “Get lost!” he yelled at the maid, telling her to leave. Simon sat down, an uneasy feeling still lingering on his mind. At that moment, his phone rang. He picked it up, and seeing that the call was from the federal government, he answered immediately. “Bad news,” said the person on the other end. “Your father has fainted after coughing up a mouthful of blood. Come to Riveria now!”Simon was stunned. Harrison fainted after coughing up blood? How could it be?Without a second to waste, he boarded a plane to Riveria and arrived at 4 p
The Guardian's Return Chapter 904
It was no longer about whether Ethan would forgive them. Even if Ethan forgave the Quinns, would the other families and factions let them off the hook? Obviously not. Harrison’s face went pale. He understood now that getting Ethan’s forgiveness could not save the Quinn family; only getting Ethan on their side could. However, was that possible? There might still be a chance if all they asked for was forgiveness, but to get Ethan on the Quinns’ side? Putting himself in Ethan’s shoes, Harrison knew it was impossible. The Quinns had worked with the Lowes to frame Ethan, imprison Ethan, and steal his achievements, turning the internet against him. Why would Ethan want to be on the Quinns’ side?If it were him, he could not forgive the Quinns either. When he finally pieced everything together, his body went limp. It was over. Things were much more serious than he thought. The Quinns were truly done for. “It looks like you’ve finally figured it out.” Ethan said, “All this time, y
The Guardian's Return Chapter 903
Harrison was choking up. Before Ethan could speak…“Mr. Harrison, what are you doing here?” A shocked exclamation sounded from the doorway. Harrison immediately whipped his head around to see a few people standing at the door. He knew those people. They were from the federal government, many of them the heads of several prominent families. Instantly, the blood drained from his face because he was kneeling before Ethan. Everyone could see him like that—stripped of his dignity and utterly humiliated. How could the Quinns ever show their faces again?Harrison’s first instinct was to stand up. However, he then remembered what he said to Ethan earlier, that he was willing to do anything for Stephen and the Quinn family. Was he going back out just because he was embarrassed? At that thought, Harrison forced himself to suppress the urge to stand up. Looking at Harrison kneeling before Ethan, those who had just arrived gasped collectively. At that moment, no one was thinking abou
The Guardian's Return Chapter 902
Simon hesitated to speak, knowing it was unlikely for Ethan to forgive them. However, he thought, what if? Stephen’s sincere apology and revealing the truth could have moved Ethan, making forgiveness possible. With that sliver of hope, he did not stop Harrison. Harrison immediately took an overnight flight to Riveria. It was seven in the morning when he landed, and without any rest, he headed straight for Drakthorn Ridge. His assistant could not help but advise, “Mr. Harrison, you’ve not rested all night. Why don’t you take a break before going up the mountain?”Harrison shook his head. “Time will wait for no one.”Ethan was about to leave Riveria, and the Quinns were on the brink of survival. He feared that if he slept, he would miss the final chance of saving the Quinn family. “This is nothing,” Harrison said, “I’ve gone three days without sleep before. Now, hurry up and drive up the mountain!”The assistant, exasperated, could only steer towards Drakthorn Ridge. At nine
The Guardian's Return Chapter 901
Already feeling guilty that the Grand Marshal passed away in Riveria, they could not afford to let Ethan down again now. On the other hand, Ethan’s achievements were too monumental—so great that they overshadowed everyone else’s. It was enough to warrant his own chapter in history. None of them had the right or the courage to raise their voices in front of him.Ethan said calmly, “I’ve gotten what I wanted. It’s getting late. You should go.”All of them looked uncomfortable. Before they came, they had imagined every possible reaction, from being yelled at to being beaten, even. At worst, he would blame them and scold them for everything. However, they were wrong. They thought of everything except for Ethan’s indifference. At their level of status, they thought nobody could reject them, but now, they understood that they were not as powerful as they thought. “We’ll take our leave.” They could not help but sigh.Given the current circumstances, they could only return anothe
The Guardian's Return Chapter 900
“Ahem.”The officials did not know how to greet Ethan, so they could only make a noise to signal their arrival.Ethan looked at them calmly.They forced out awkward smiles and said, “Ethan, we found out about what happened to you. We deeply sympathize and understand.”They walked forward together and took out various certificates.“This incident was also related to our negligence and carelessness. To make up for our past mistakes, we've prepared some things for you.”They placed the certificates on the table.Ethan glanced at them.As long as he signed his name, he would join the cabinet and be on equal footing with the Quinn family.However, he was not interested at all. He did not care about Riveria anymore, and the Quinns were finished.When the officials saw Ethan remaining still, they all tensed up nervously. They were afraid because foreign countries were all reaching out to Ethan.The fact that Ethan had not agreed to them meant that their offer was not tempting enoug
The Guardian's Return Chapter 899
At HQ, the meeting room was in chaos.Stephen’s sudden confession was too sudden and caught everyone off guard. In an instant, they learned of all his crimes and how Ethan was framed.Now, they had to interrogate Stephen, deal with the consequences of falsely accusing Ethan, and figure out how to face Ethan himself.They were all overwhelmed. An emergency meeting was called to discuss their next step.“Having the officials from Riveria meet Ethan wouldn’t be appropriate. His contributions are far too great, and we owe him too much. At this point, we must go meet him in person.”Ethan had achieved more than any one of them. However, they locked him away on Drakthorn Ridge without giving him a chance to explain.Now, they were all filled with despair. Without daring to delay, they hurriedly boarded a plane to Riveria.By evening, they arrived at the foot of Drakthorn Ridge. Their hearts felt heavy as they looked up at the towering mountain.If they were thrown into a remote mount
The Guardian's Return Chapter 898
How could Stephen reveal the truth?He would undoubtedly die if he did, yet he still dared to reveal everything in a livestream.George thought that Stephen had gone mad. Ethan must have driven him insane.His fear of Ethan grew deeper. Ethan had stayed at Drakthorn Ridge the whole time, yet he was capable of doing so much. It was as if everything had been under his control from the very beginning.“Rachel, you need to leave quickly.”George only had one thought now, and that was to send Rachel abroad as soon as possible. She would only have a chance of survival if she went abroad.Rachel was also terrified. Stephen was like a madman now, willing to say anything. If he exposed her involvement in the scheme to frame Ethan, she would be doomed too.“I know. I’ve already bought a plane ticket.”Rachel did not dare to stay any longer. Even if she was married to Stephen, the Quinn family would not be able to protect her if the truth were exposed. After all, they could barely protect
