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Chapter 202
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 203
After hanging up the phone, George sank onto the couch and sighed.Although he knew Stephen was not up to the task, he was also aware of his own limitations. Putting him in charge of Riveria with Stephen assisting him was like appointing two clowns to run Riveria. George was ready to be honest with everyone, but after reconsidering, he knew he could not tell the truth. If people found out that Riveria was previously run by Ethan, the public outcry would be unimaginable, and once their schemes were exposed, would they even survive it? "Since I can't reveal the truth, all I can do is push through." After thinking about it day and night, George finally had an idea. "Although I've never actually run Riveria before, I've seen how Ethan did it!"Even if he did not know how to handle things, he could try mimicking what Ethan did. "Back when Seaside City was also in a mess and various entities were fighting non-stop, how did Ethan solve this issue?"He picked one of the entities a
The Guardian's Return Chapter 204
That arrangement was incredibly beneficial to Oliver. "I can also offer you strategies to manage Riveria better."George and Stephen were thrilled. Oliver smiled faintly. He was not going anywhere now that he knew he would be the leading business soon. However, that did not mean that Oliver lacked ambition. He planned to take control of half the power in Aqua City!George had the contract ready, and once Oliver reviewed it to confirm there were no issues, he signed it. "I look forward to working with you," Oliver said as he shook hands with George. Seeing that Oliver was willing to help them, Stephen breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like the chaos in Aqua City would soon come to an end.Oliver noticed the look of relief on Stephen's face, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Stephen, I have some news for you. It's about Snow."Stephen's body stiffened. "Wait, do you know where Snow is?" Stephen asked.Now that he had lost direct control over Riveria,
The Guardian's Return Chapter 205
With Oliver's intervention, Aqua City's situation finally stabilized. The economic losses had finally been calculated. What was once a GDP of 2.3 trillion was now down to just 500 billion, meaning it was a 1.8 trillion loss! Stephen and George's faces went pale. Aqua City was done for. Even if they had decided to back Oliver, Aqua City would need several years to fully recover, and it was years they simply did not have. Even then, it would only be a recovery. Aqua City would not be able to surpass its previous state. George sighed as he looked at Stephen. "Look at what you've done." Stephen was helpless. "I didn't know things would turn out like this either. I didn't expect everyone to oppose my decision this much." Stephen thought that everyone would be happy to go into more industrial development. George replied, "You didn’t give people time to prepare. You were cutting off their income streams. Of course, they had a problem with it. " Seven days later, Oliver's plan
The Guardian's Return Chapter 206
Stephen pondered for a moment. The situation was different now. It was no longer the Lowes relying on him and the Quinns to join the cabinet but him relying on the Lowes. That was why he had to apologize! If he did not, and the Lowes succeeded in developing Riveria, they might call off the engagement with the Quinns. By then, the Quinns would be left with nothing! After taking a deep breath, Stephen decided to apologize to Rachel. He could not gamble with his future!Soon, the Lowes’ residence appeared before Stephen. When he entered, he saw Rachel sitting on the living room couch, scrolling through her phone.Stephen walked over and said softly, "Rachel."Rachel raised her head to look at Stephen briefly but immediately ignored him. Her heart had been shattered. She had done so much for Stephen, but he ended up hitting and yelling at her. If it were for a woman more impressive than her, she would have accepted it, but it had to be Snow. Whether it was her looks or figure, h
The Guardian's Return Chapter 207
However, Rachel knew that Ethan could not return. First of all, the Quinns would not allow it, but even if he could return, the consequences would be serious.Ethan would definitely expose the truth, and then both the Lowes and Quinns would get caught in a whirlwind of public scrutiny, especially Rachel, who reported Ethan back then. Rachel said, "Fine, I'll give you a little more time and another chance. Don't disappoint me again." Only then did Stephen look up. "Thank you." Though they were technically still engaged to be married, their interaction felt more like that of two strangers. Once back in his room, Stephen sunk into bed, feeling drained. He wished Snow was still by his side. At least then, he would have someone to comfort and encourage him. However, just thinking about Snow made his heart ache. If he had not hurt Snow, she would not have left him. At the thought of Snow, the weariness that had been weighing on him now felt more than physical; it was as if his ver
The Guardian's Return Chapter 208
Rachel's efforts could not be denied. Stephen stood frozen in place, surprised that Rachel had done so much for him. What had he done? He had only hit and insulted her. Even his attempts to apologize felt hollow, lacking any real sincerity.He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, and as if that was not enough, the memory of Snow’s sacrifices resurfaced, reminding him that he had hurt her too. Stephen felt like his heart was being ripped apart. The pain was unbearable.Disappointed in him, Rachel said, "I'm not feeling well. You should leave."Stephen wanted to say something, but she added, sounding a little impatient, "Just go." Left with no choice, Stephen quietly left the room, heading to find another room for himself. However, as he lay in bed, sleep would not come. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Snow's sobbing face and the look of disbelief on Rachel after he slapped her. He wished he could slap himself in return. The next morning, Stephen dragged
The Guardian's Return Chapter 209
"South Regent, we meet again.""Oh?" The South Regent scanned Ethan from head to toe, but he could tell at a glance that Ethan possessed an extraordinary presence—just as commanding as the late Grand Marshal. "Isn't this our first time meeting each other?" Ethan replied calmly, "Seven days ago, I met you with my mentor." The South Regent chuckled. "I see, but someone as insignificant as you is hardly worth remembering. A dead man wouldn’t remember much, anyway." The South Regent's smile immediately froze. That was the first time someone had dared to talk to him like that, throwing his insults back at him. "How impudent!" his guard beside him shouted, his hand already gripping the riffle as if he would pull the trigger on Ethan at any moment. "Wait." The South Regent stopped the guard. Then, he turned his cold, piercing gaze back to Ethan. "You're the Grand Marshal's mentee, and today marks three days of his passing. Also, I've just claimed the title of South Regent, so
The Guardian's Return Chapter 210
As long as the South Regent could get a hold of those people, it would mean he had something against his enemies. Even if they wanted to do something, they would have to think twice. Although that would not guarantee his position as the South Regent, it could buy him lots of time. The South Regent was tempted, but he knew better than to agree with Ethan. The more chaotic Riveria was, the better it was for him. If he were to send troops to help Riveria, it would not be easy for him to take over Riveria in the future. The South Regent sighed. "I wish I could help, but your mentor killed so many of my people. If it weren't for him, I would've helped you."In this situation, you’ve played yourselves right into a corner."He wanted to shift the blame onto Ethan’s former mentor for not being able to send troops to the Grand Marshal, hoping to make Ethan hate the man. However, all Ethan did was smile. For some reason, the smile unsettled the South Regent. "Actually, if you hadn't lo
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 880
Thanks to Stephen’s shout out, many tourists came to the town to join the festival. Stephen watched the bustling crowd, lost in thought, when two familiar figures suddenly appeared.Stephen trembled as his eyes widened in disbelief. They were Snow and Lily!He snapped out of his daze and rushed into the crowd. However, when he was standing right where he had seen them, they were gone. He looked around him, but with so many people moving around, he could not look far.“Was it just my imagination?”Stephen calmed himself down. He had been through so much lately that he was starting to hallucinate. How could Snow and Lily be there anyway?Believing he needed some rest, he booked a room and took a nap. When he lay down on the bed, he quickly fell asleep from all the exhaustion.He dreamed about Snow and Lily, as well as Rhys. However, Rhys was surrounded by thick fog that obscured his face.Stephen looked at him and asked, “Did you ever think of giving up?”Rhys said, “There are so
The Guardian's Return Chapter 879
“He’s amazing.” Stephen asked excitedly, “Where is he now? I’d like to meet him.”The mayor took a deep drag of his cigarette and blew it out. “You can’t.”“Huh?” Stephen did not understand.The mayor replied, “He’s dead.”Stephen froze. Rhys, the person hailed as the second Ethan Rivers, was dead? “How could that be?”The mayor gazed at the sky outside the door. “It’s been like this since ancient times. Heroes never live long enough to grow old in this world. He got cancer and passed away not long after Riveria achieved peace. We started this festival to honor him and other heroes.”The mayor’s voice was filled with regret.“He was a good kid. It’s such a shame.”Stephen was lost in a daze. Just moments ago, he was thrilled to hear of Rhys’ past, thinking he was saved. If he could find Rhys, the problems in Riveria would be solved easily. However, Rhys was dead. In fact, he had been gone for several years.Stephen’s so-called hope never existed.“How could this be…” He cou
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
