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Chapter 45
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 46
Doubling North Hill City’s GDP would mean turning one trillion into two trillion, and it was no longer a small figure, even for a city. Riveria’s total GDP was fifteen trillion, and the federal government had tasked them to increase the amount to twenty trillion as soon as possible. If North Hill City’s GDP could double annually, in addition to the other cities’ GDP, he could likely complete the task from the federal government within a year. Once he pulled that off, he would secure a seat in the cabinet and leave his name in the hall of fame. He could even be recognized amongst the younger generation across the country and even the entire world. Stephen’s hands trembled as his fantasy ran wild. “Great! This is great!” He had not outright declared his choice, but his mind was made up that Shawn Hill must become the mayor of North Hill City! On top of that, Shawn used to be oppressed by Ethan. It was obvious now that Ethan must be jealous of Shawn’s capabilities, hence the
The Guardian's Return Chapter 47
Since the mayor of North Hill City was from the town of Lytton, the townspeople could do whatever they wanted without any scruples. Many illegal businesses had sprung out from the dark corners in less than a week. Some small companies were even raided by thugs who destroyed their officers and stores. Eric and his men arrived and arrested some of the thugs, but in less than a day, the arrested thugs would appear somewhere else, raiding and destroying other people’s properties. In addition to the casinos and moneylenders, the whole city plunged into chaos. While more than a dozen small companies were forced to close down, the medium-sized companies decided to leave North Hill City overnight. Some of the investors wanted out as well. All the chaos happened because of Lytton’s operating casinos, moneylenders, and even smugglers, forcing some other companies to join their illegal businesses. If the other companies refused, the thugs would destroy their officers and properties. The
The Guardian's Return Chapter 48
“Ethan River’s dirty tactics aren’t going to work on us!” Shawn’s words struck a chord in Stephen’s heart. “Well said!” Stephen excitedly said, “You’re right. Ethan Rivers is a despicable man, and his dirty tactics won’t work on us! We will only be stronger!” Shawn brought Stephen to the prison and showed him the troublemakers the police had caught. Stephen was delighted that the police were doing their job. After that, Stephen was then taken to Lytton to meet with Brandon. “This is the mayor of Lytton, Brandon North. He’s not from here but was brought up by the townspeople after he was adopted as an orphan. “Not forgetting his roots, Brandon stayed in the town after school and started his own business, which led him to become a successful entrepreneur. “The businesses in Lytton are some of the best in North Hill City. I know the city is in a bit of a mess right now, with a lot of businesses and investors wanting to leave, but Brandon has never thought of moving. “In fa
The Guardian's Return Chapter 49
Stephen then explained the situation in North Hill City, clarifying that the city was in chaos because the remaining forces that used to work under Ethan had decided to make their last stand and challenge the authorities. Fortunately, with the support of Lytton, the mayor, Shawn, and the police commander, Eric, were eliminating the remaining forces for good. Even though many businesses were forced to close down and investors had left the market, Stephen believed the investors would return as long as the city returned to normal. North Hill City was not the most advanced city in the country, but as a key part of Riveria, it had massive potential to grow. Anyone who left now would regret it later when they would have to fight tooth and nail to re-enter.After learning about the truth, George grunted coldly. “So it’s Ethan again. Hmph! To be pulling out these underhanded moves? I bet he’s getting desperate.” Stephen nodded in agreement. “He is. He wants to drag us down with him, but
The Guardian's Return Chapter 50
At the meeting, everyone went through the report in their hands with their brows furrowed. “Outrageous! This is outrageous! I thought Ethan Rivers was a good person, but he’s rotten inside!” “The people of the city dare not step out of their houses at night, and it’s all because of him.” “Now, it seems like the appreciation letters are fake. It’s all a show Ethan Rivers put up!” Simon nodded happily at everyone’s reaction. He wanted the others to take their side so that he could crush Ethan to bits. He continued, “In this operation to foil Ethan River’s wicked scheme, three people played a vital role. “The first one would be the new mayor of North Hill City, Shawn Hill. With his thirty years of experience in management, he has devoted his life to serving the people and has proven to be a capable man, but Ethan Rivers oppressed him out of jealousy. “It wasn't until Ethan was locked up and Stephen visited Riveria that Shawn’s talent was recognized and he was promoted to may
The Guardian's Return Chapter 51
Simon put his phone on the table and tapped play. Brandon’s sobbing voice came from the phone. “Leave? I can’t leave my home. My family is here, and I’m not going anywhere. Even if Ethan Rivers destroys North Hill City, I won’t leave. No matter what the city becomes, this will always be my home.” When the recording ended, some in the meeting had started to tear up. “Sigh. An entrepreneur like him is rare.” “We need more people like him.” “One should not forget their roots. He really taught the other businesses a valuable lesson.” “It’s the city’s honor to have someone like him.” Someone said to Simon “Can I have the recording? I will send it to the media and tell them to praise this man.” Simon nodded. “Sure. It’s because of them and many others that the city could recover in such a short time. Stephen has also done a good deed by finding them.” Everyone applauded and cheered that the city had overcome the crisis. “They have done well.” “Without them, the city m
The Guardian's Return Chapter 52
Inside a grand mansion, Eric and Brandon walked into the living room and saw Shawn on the couch. They curiously asked, “What’s the matter? You sounded urgent.” “Good news!” Shawn could not even hold back his smirk. “We’re going to be rich this time!” While Eric looked confused, Brandon sat opposite Shawn and asked, “What is it?” “The federal government just had a meeting, and they’ve praised us for what we’ve done here in North Hill. Reporters will be interviewing us in the next two days. Until then, we’ll be famous across the country.” Brandon instantly understood. “With a better reputation, it’s easier for us to make more money!” Although Eric could not quite follow the details, he perked up and grinned when he heard he was about to make more money. “But that’s not all. Stephen Quinn wants to sell you a piece of land at a lower-than-market price to develop. It’s that land that you’ve always wanted!” Brandon bolted up from his seat, momentarily doubting his ears, but h
The Guardian's Return Chapter 53
He could kill two birds with one stone and seize all the benefits for himself!“Speaking of Ethan Rivers, can you tell us what kind of person he is?” Stephen was delighted to comment on Ethan’s character. It was the perfect chance for him to crush him underfoot! “I believe everyone knows he is a vile person, but he’s also a hypocrite, narrow-minded, and jealous. He can’t stand others doing better than him. “Take this recent incident, for example. The mayor and the police commander, who had done so well, used to be oppressed by him. “Ethan’s a master at putting on a facade. He likes to pretend that he’s doing it for the people, but it’s all smoke and lies. He even forged a lot of appreciation letters to fool the people into believing he’s a good guy. But, honestly, I think he’s starting to believe his own lies. “And despite being incompetent, he always loves taking credit for others’ achievements, claiming them as his own. In truth, he’s contributed nothing to the development
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 802
That step was called "forging the heart." The logic was simple: if they could kill someone they loved, what else would they hesitate to do?Yet, even with such brutal training, those assassins failed, and their organizations were eventually destroyed root and branch."If it were me," the South Regent said, "I would ask him: 'Everyone around you, in every city you've been to, has met with misfortune. You had solutions to all these problems, so why did you just stand by and watch it happen?'"He turned to Ethan with a grin. "What do you think of my question, Lord Rivers?""Don't ask such foolish questions during dinner," Ethan replied coolly. "If you want to break him, just have Hugo ask him when he plans to die."The South Regent froze, stunned by the vast difference between his approach and Ethan's. Ethan's question was not just more concise; it was lethal.Hugo was Stephen's greatest weakness. If Hugo were to ask Stephen about his death, the results would be devastating. A blow
The Guardian's Return Chapter 801
Perhaps he would end up coughing up blood and being hospitalized again. Then, all their previous efforts to comfort him would be instantly ruined. On top of it all, those questions would reveal many truths they had desperately tried to conceal.Simon quickly had someone escort the lucky audience member away while ordering others to forge Stephen's spending records. After that, he hurried up on stage himself."I’m sorry. There was a small interruption just now. I know all of you have many questions, so let me explain everything. Stephen is indeed the Grand Marshal's only successor. As for what that person said about the spending records, those were baseless lies. I've gotten someone to retrieve the spending records, which will be published online later.”Simon spoke with conviction. "That person earlier was deliberately trying to sabotage the event."Due to our excellent security measures, they found no way to disrupt the event. And so, they got desperate and started making up lies
The Guardian's Return Chapter 800
The number of viewers in the livestream skyrocketed.Everyone wanted to know if Stephen’s skills really came from the Grand Marshal. Would the Grand Marshal really have trained a student like him?All eyes were on Stephen.Now, it was Stephen’s turn to be silent. He had not expected this question, and he instinctively wanted to lie.However, just as he was about to speak, Ethan’s words from today flashed through his mind.“You don’t even dare to tell the truth. What right do you have to apologize?”Maintaining a lie often meant weaving an even bigger one, over and over, until the truth was inevitably exposed.Should he admit the truth?Stephen hesitated. If he revealed the truth here, everything would end. He would not have to be so exhausted anymore.“What are you waiting for?” Suddenly, Simon’s voice rang in his earpiece, “Hurry up and answer. You are the Grand Marshal’s student. The gala is our only hope. Nothing can go wrong!”Stephen’s heart instantly sank. He wanted to
The Guardian's Return Chapter 799
The celebrity host took the stage, delivered a welcome speech, and introduced the theme of the gala. The host was quite well-known and starred in several hit dramas. The audience below the stage cheered her name.Three minutes later, Simon stepped onto the stage and gave his New Year’s greetings to everyone following the prepared script.Then, the opening performance began!Five major celebrities participated in the first act, combining singing, dancing, and a dazzling light show with fireworks, leaving the audience in awe.Each of the five celebrities took turns singing a few lines one after another, mesmerizing everyone. When they came together for the chorus, the crowd could not help but applaud.As the song neared its end, even more stars and singers joined hand in hand on stage, singing together and igniting the crowd’s atmosphere.The audience stood up in excitement, some even moved to tears.Meanwhile, the viewers in the livestream took screenshots, recorded videos, and s
The Guardian's Return Chapter 798
Avery said faintly, “If you’re done apologizing, you can leave now. We’re about to have lunch. After lunch, we have things to do. We’re not idle like you. We’re very busy.”Those words hit a nerve. Stephen did not want to be idle either.Now, he had no friends left. Everyone kept their distance from him. It was New Year’s, but the only person he could think of who he could talk to was just Ethan.However, Ethan was not like him. He had a happy family, and there were countless things to do as a couple such as going for walks or visiting family and friends...Stephen let out a heavy sigh.“I see.” His voice was soft. “Sorry for disturbing you.”Then, he turned and left. When he walked out of the villa, the cold mountain breeze cleared his mind a little.Stephen let out another sigh, then took out a bouquet from his car and slowly walked to the summit. He wanted to go to the place where Lily died to give her a bouquet of roses and tell her that he missed her.Not long after he lef
The Guardian's Return Chapter 797
The next day at noon, Stephen gathered enough courage to go back up the mountain.He was scared now.He was scared of seeing Ethan with a happy family while he himself was a lonely, pitiful man. The comparison would make him feel so miserable that he would not even be able to lift his head.At the same time, he was also afraid of missing this perfect opportunity to apologize to Ethan on New Year’s Day.Stephen arrived at the villa again. Holding a gift in hand, he took a deep breath and slowly walked in. He saw Ethan in the living room and quickly greeted, “Ethan, Happy New Year. I brought you a gift. Please accept it.”Ethan looked at him calmly. “There’s still a gala in Breeze City tonight, and you’re an important guest. Do you have time to run around like this?”Stephen smiled wryly and gently placed the gift on the table. “I’m not interested in that gala.”He knew what the purpose of the gala was. It was just to stimulate Breeze City’s economy. However, that was not a long-t
The Guardian's Return Chapter 796
Stephen immediately opened his eyes, but there was no one beside him.“Stephen, I wish you an early happy birthday too!” Lily’s voice rang out from his other side.Stephen turned his head and saw Lily lying beside him, smiling sweetly.Then, he looked toward where Snow’s voice had come from. Snow was also lying beside him, looking at him with gentle eyes.Stephen knew in his heart that it was just an illusion.“Aren’t you making a wish?”“What’s your wish?”Stephen closed his eyes again. At that moment, a thousand thoughts rushed through his mind.Who was he?He was the heir of the Quinns. From the moment he was born, he held a position that countless people envied.However, out of a million possible paths, not one was truly his own.He could not be with his loved ones. He could not achieve success overnight. He was not admired by all or surrounded by family and friends.Stephen thought that at least one of those fates belonged to him and her.However, their final meeting
The Guardian's Return Chapter 795
Stephen would be lighting the first segment, and Simon would light the final one.As the celebrities arrived, the riverside became even more lively. People called out their favorite celebrity’s names or nicknames.Seeing this, Stephen felt emotional. If he had not made mistakes, perhaps these people would be calling his name too.When it was nearly midnight, Simon approached Stephen and said, “It’s about time. Get ready to light the fireworks.”He pulled Stephen over to the spot where the fireworks he was responsible for were, and a staff member handed him a torch.“When the countdown ends, use the torch to ignite the fuse, then run and pass the torch to the next person, who will continue lighting the fireworks.“Good luck,” Simon encouraged him. “You can do it!”Stephen took the torch and sighed inwardly. He felt like this whole thing was meaningless. However, when the countdown began, he started to feel a little nervous.“Ten! Nine!”Stephen instinctively tightened his grip
The Guardian's Return Chapter 794
After Simon’s livestream, everyone felt slightly more reassured about Breeze City’s situation.“If he dares to guarantee this, he must have prepared thoroughly.”“It should be safe to attend the gala, right?”“My favorite celebrity will be there, and right now, Breeze City has 40% off train fares, 20% off flight tickets, and 50% off tour packages. It’s so tempting.”Simon placed all his hopes on this gala. He was willing to pour money into it to ensure its success.The event venue was fully set up three days before the new year. The tickets were completely sold out, and the city’s visitor count was now dozens of times higher than before!Breeze City’s declining economy finally showed signs of rising!Simon’s eyes nearly welled up when he saw the financial reports.Two days before the gala, the celebrities attending the event started arriving and followed Simon’s instructions to interact with fans so that more tourists would be attracted to come and spend.Even some celebrities
