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Chapter 257
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 258
"Not bad." Stephen even showed George the story, and George also nodded in approval. With that, the two immediately started promoting the risotto restaurant as a traditional specialty of Celestial City.The restaurant quickly partnered with influencers and online promoters to recommend their risotto online. As people learned about the risotto's backstory, they were deeply moved. "They met and regained their memories because of risotto. I'm in tears! I must try it out!" "It's not far from my place, so I'll check them out first!" "This story is so touching! But that old priest is so wicked for erasing their memories."The risotto restaurant became an overnight sensation. Many people came, attracted by the news, all eager to taste the risotto that was said to have been shared by the priest and the troll. Seeing the demand, the restaurant kept raising the risotto's price until they were fifty dollars a plate, with each plate barely containing any protein. Moreover, the taste
The Guardian's Return Chapter 259
James understood now was the best time for the food hall to generate revenue. Every day, they were raking in millions. If they were to lower the prices or shut down a few stalls, it would upset other businesses and lower their revenue. Everyone knew the vendors were using top-quality ingredients, so most people were willing to put up with the higher prices. After all, James said it himself. Stephen and George had personally checked everything. If those two had signed off, it had to be legitimate. Moreover, Stephen was involved. Who was he? He was the Grand Marshal's mentee and the legend who brought peace to Riveria. Since the businesses could pass through his inspections, there was no doubt everything was above board. Stephen and George watched as the food hall’s profit grew, grinning ear to ear. George said, "This is just the beginning. Once the other businesses get going, we'll earn even more." Stephen nodded. He really wanted to show Ethan how much progress Celestial Cit
The Guardian's Return Chapter 260
"You should get Michael to ask the other villagers about it, and I'll call James over," Stephen said to George.Stephen could not help but feel relieved. Having a partner to work with made things a whole lot easier. If it had just been him, he would have not thought of such a clever solution. While Ethan might have been able to outsmart him before, he had George working with him now. Even if Ethan were to step in, he would have to leave in defeat! Soon, James arrived.Stephen asked sternly, "I just received complaints from the villagers saying that the compensation you gave them was too low, only 6,000 dollars per square meter of housing and 30 thousand dollars per 666 square meters of land. Is that true? James immediately refuted, "Who said that? Such accusations! I gave them 10 thousand dollars per square meter of property and 50 thousand dollars per 666 square meters of land." Stephen narrowed his eyes as he asked, "Is that so?""I swear it’s true!" James answered.Steph
The Guardian's Return Chapter 261
"You're lying! The mayor clearly gave us 6 grand, and we were never a criminal organization," one of the villagers protested."Our children sacrificed their lives to protect Riveria!" another added. "Those weapons were meant to fight our enemies."Having already given his warning, Michael did not want to deal with these people anymore. He spat dismissively, "Just leave. Everyone's busy. Don't act entitled after getting what you were given."Lucas was thunderstruck, unable to believe the outcome. The mayor had taken their village away, and now Stephen Quinn refused to meet them. With this, it meant that they no longer had a place to live.Warm tears rolled down old Lucas’s cheeks. He never imagined that after all the sacrifices their entire village, including his own family, had made for Riveria and Celestial City, this would be their fate."Children, everyone, I've failed you!" Lucas cried out. Then, in full view of everyone, he slammed his head against the wall.Bang!Blood i
The Guardian's Return Chapter 262
Michael panicked. As someone close to George Lowe, he knew very well whether these stories were true or false.If the lies were exposed, it would be a massive blow to the tourism industry around Azure Cloud Mountain and Crystal Lake! It might even affect the food court.He hurriedly called for security to disperse the crowd, then rushed off to find Stephen Quinn and George Lowe."We have a problem!" Michael burst into the office.Stephen and George frowned. For over a month, they had been receiving streams of good news. Celestial City's GDP had recovered to 2 trillion dollars, which was not far from its peak of 2.5 trillion.Hearing "we have a problem" now seemed like bad luck."What's all the fuss about?" Stephen said coldly. "Calm down and explain."Michael was nearly out of breath. "The village chief of those villagers who came seeking justice... He just slammed his head against the wall outside!"Stephen's heart skipped a beat, but then he thought about how these villages u
The Guardian's Return Chapter 263
Taking advantage of the crowd, someone shouted, "Did you make up the legend of Crystal Lake?""Did you really take away their village and leave them homeless?""Aren't you the Grand Marshal's mentee? Aren’t you aware of those who shed blood and sweat for Riveria?"Stephen felt his face burning with shame.Each question was like a sword piercing his heart, or a slap across his face.He could not bear to look at anyone. He could only hurry back to the office with George, seeking refuge.Stephen sat restlessly, taking out his phone to browse the web. Online, he saw that Celestial City's affairs were already trending.[Shocking: Village chief who has shed blood and tears for Celestial City, whose wife and children all sacrificed themselves, is driven to suicide by Stephen Quinn!][Breaking News! The legend of Crystal Lake is fake!][Riveria's biggest scam: The Crystal Lake legend!]Clicking on these posts, he could see many on-site videos of villagers kneeling and revealing the t
The Guardian's Return Chapter 264
Many who had eaten at the risotto restaurant immediately went to the hospital for check-ups, fearing they might have fallen ill."Compensation!""Refund!""Execute them!"The entire internet was enraged. Everyone had been deceived, moved to tears by a recently fabricated story, and even swindled out of a significant amount of money.Tourist numbers in Celestial City dropped by 30% in just one day. The decline did not continue only because all plane and high-speed rail tickets for that day were sold out. Many people could not leave immediately.Numerous food businesses approached Stephen, saying, "What a massive scam. You've played us all for fools.""A Celestial City like this isn't worth staying in!"They all wanted to pull out of Celestial City!Companies that had reserved office space in the business district demanded refunds. However, since the mayor had transferred all the money out, where would they find the funds to issue refunds?The food court's customer traffic also
The Guardian's Return Chapter 265
Celestial City's population began to decrease, and its reputation started to deteriorate.However, Stephen and George did not notice any of this yet. They were still overwhelmed by Lucas's suicide attempt. They sent people to investigate the truth.The results showed that everything the villagers said was true. Not only were they not criminals, but they were also heroes who had made great sacrifices for Celestial City years ago.However, they had slandered these very heroes, calling them criminals and leaving them homeless!This was an extremely grave issue!"Where's the mayor?" Stephen demanded. "How did he conduct his investigation to cause such a mess? We can't let him escape!"The assistant replied, "We've been watching him. So far, he's been staying at home with no signs of leaving. He can't run away."Stephen breathed a sigh of relief. If the mayor had not fled, it meant he was not trying to deceive them. He must be thinking of ways to resolve this too."Let me report thi
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 664
Stephen pushed his hand away. "You don't understand.""No, I understand perfectly." The man's weathered face showed no emotion, but his words stopped Stephen in his tracks."I lost my wife in a car accident, and my child to a terminal illness. Yet here I am, year after year, each difficult, but still getting by."After that, he turned and left, leaving Stephen staring at his back.While Stephen was still lost in thought, the funeral began.Everyone gathered in the cemetery to watch as "Lily's ashes" were lowered into the ground. Many people began crying softly. Stephen stood at the front, holding a white rose. Though silent, his eyes were red, tears threatening to fall.After the ground was filled in and people began laying down roses, Stephen spotted a familiar face in the crowd. It was Ethan!Stephen stopped in his steps, wondering why Ethan was there. After all, the man had no connection to the Fords.After Ethan laid down his rose, Stephen quickly caught up to him as he was
The Guardian's Return Chapter 663
Seeing him silent with his head bowed, no one else approached to speak with him.Meanwhile, in a distant room, Ethan took a sip from his teacup, sampling the supposedly premium tea from an elite family. Finding it rather ordinary, he set down the cup and asked softly, "You don't want to see him?"Beside him, Lily gently shook her head."No."After experiencing death, she gained clarity about many things. The current situation could not be changed by her wishes alone.Stephen was not the head of the Quinn family, just as Jason was not yet the head of the Fords. They all had to mind their families' opinions and follow their orders.That was why meeting Stephen now would not change anything; it would only create more problems. Besides… "I have more important things to do now."She glanced sideways at a young woman standing nearby. It was Snow.Ethan had brought Snow there to show Lily another world. Born into the Ford family, Lily had grown up wealthy and privileged, thinking
The Guardian's Return Chapter 662
The next day, Stephen, Simon, and Rachel went to the Fords’ residence for the funeral.The Fords’ mansion was packed that day, with representatives from various families. Many business executives and celebrities were in attendance too. Some of them had red, swollen eyes, clearly devastated by Lily's death. However, the moment Stephen appeared, all eyes turned to him.Everyone present was influential and knew about Stephen's relationship with Lily. They had grown up as childhood friends, and everyone remembered Lily always saying she wanted to marry Stephen one day.When they saw Stephen's graying hair, everyone was stunned, and a shiver ran down their spines.Just six months ago, Stephen had jet-black hair and was an air of confidence. He was the epitome of a young business prodigy, admired by every up-and-coming member of elite families and companies. Now, however, his hair was gray, his energy completely drained, and he walked with a slight stoop. He hardly looked like the youn
The Guardian's Return Chapter 661
"Don't be nervous," Ethan said. "What I need you to do is simple. All you need to do is say one sentence."Simon felt increasingly uneasy. "What is it?""Tell the Fords that the Quinns unconditionally support all of Jason Ford's decisions."Simon slammed his hands on the table with a bang. "You–"That would pit him against the Fords!Now that Lily had been rescued, Jason would certainly oppose some of the Fords’ decisions. When that happened, the family would pressure Jason. If Simon publicly stood with Jason on behalf of the Quinns, it would mean openly opposing the Fords. Although both Jason and Lily would be safe that way, the Fords would hold a grudge against the Quinns until Jason became the head of the family. Moreover, once Jason became the head of the family, his gratitude would be for Ethan, not Simon or the Quinns. After all, it was Ethan who saved Lily and sent the Quinns to help.If Stephen found out that Lily was still alive and that Simon knew yet secretly support
The Guardian's Return Chapter 660
Should he tell Stephen the truth? If he blurted it out and Stephen learned that Ethan saved Lily, he might side with Ethan just like Jason. Most importantly, Stephen was the future head of the Quinns. If Stephen really lowered his head to Ethan, it meant Ethan could control the Quinns in the future!Should he hide the truth from Stephen and use the time and opportunity to shower him with love and care?Still, he could not hide this forever. The longer he kept it from Stephen, the more intense Stephen’s reaction would be when he knew the truth. At that time, he might still choose to side with Ethan. Simon had been through many storms and made many important decisions in critical situations, but at this moment, faced with two choices, he could not choose either. To tell or not to tell—neither would work, and he was stuck in the middle. The final winner would still be Ethan. Ethan was imprisoned in the mansion on Drakthorn Ridge, but he still had everything in control!Simon as
The Guardian's Return Chapter 659
He really could not figure out Ethan’s thoughts. However, if Ethan truly wanted to turn Stephen against the Quinns, Stephen might indeed be used or manipulated after everything he had been through, especially with what happened with Lily. Compared to Scott and Cora, the contrast was enough to make him detest his family and the power struggles even more.“By the way,” Ethan said while he put his phone on the table and pushed it forward to Simon, “I want you to see something.”Simon frowned. “What?” He took the phone, not really bothered about what Ethan wanted him to see. He merely wanted to delete the recording immediately. However, the moment he picked up the phone, Simon froze on the spot, and color instantly drained from his face. Despite having weathered countless storms, he could not help but tremble uncontrollably now.He nearly dropped the phone, and his breath became rushed and erratic as if he had seen a ghost!He saw a photo that had been taken that afternoon. There w
The Guardian's Return Chapter 658
Scott and Cora were safe and sound, and their child was even old enough to walk now. But Stephen and Lily?Lily committed suicide by poisoning herself, and Stephen’s hair turned gray overnight, making him look haggard and miserable. “Ethan! Him again!”Because of his existence, Scott and Cora were able to escape danger while Stephen and Lily must be separated by life and death just because they did not receive help. Simon immediately took a car to Drakthorn Ridge. He wanted answers from Ethan. Why did Ethan not help when Lily died on Drakthorn Ridge?Soon, Simon arrived at Ethan’s mansion. “Ethan, get out here!” Simon did not see Ethan and yelled in the living room. “Just because your son is incompetent, you came here to throw a tantrum at me?” Ethan’s voice rang out behind him. Simon turned around sharply and saw Ethan slowly walking in. Sunlight shone on him, making Simon hesitate to look directly at Ethan. He immediately asked, “Did you know Lily died on Drakthorn Rid
The Guardian's Return Chapter 657
Upon hearing that Stephen’s hair had turned gray out of the blue, Simon hurriedly boarded a plane to the capital. Soon, he saw Stephen, who was lying on the hospital bed. His originally jet-black hair was now mixed with many gray strands. Simon felt distressed and quickly asked the specialists, “What happened? Is this some kind of disease?”Dr. Moore nervously asked, “Have there been similar situations in the family history?”Simon shook his head. “If it’s not a hereditary disease, the gray hair could only be due to overwhelming stress, an emotional breakdown, or heartbreak.”Heartbreak? Simon thought of Lily’s death. He knew Stephen still maintained a great relationship with Lily. They had been playmates since they were young, true childhood sweethearts, and Lily had even said she wanted to marry Stephen as a child. Now that Lily had poisoned herself to death, it must have been a huge blow to Stephen. “Give him a prescription for treatment.” Simon said, “Money is not an iss
The Guardian's Return Chapter 656
The next morning, Scott and Cora brought their child up the mountain again. They heard that someone had died on Drakthorn Ridge, so they hurriedly brought paraphernalia that could ward off evil and misfortune. Cora was cleaning the house for Ethan, saying she wanted to chase away all the filth and bad energy, while Scott walked around, spraying holy water, and vigorously scrubbed the path in front of the mansion. Just as the two were busy, Stephen walked down from the mountain, staggering and unsteady. When Scott, who was cleaning the path, saw him, he was shocked. At this moment, Stephen was pale, and his hair had turned gray, making him appear like a dying man.“Hey, are you okay?” Scott quickly went to support him. “Is everything alright?”He shouted toward the mansion, “Honey! Can you bring a glass of water? Hurry!”“What’s up?” Cora hurriedly came out with a jug of water. “Coming!”When she saw Stephen, she was also stunned. “Did you lose your way in Drakthorn Ridge? How
