LOGINShare
Chapter 49
Related chapters
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
The Guardian's Return Chapter 54
Rachel frowned. She could not understand why Ethan looked fine while in prison. In fact, he seemed healthier than ever, as if he was on vacation rather than serving time.“Did you hear about the chaos in North Hill City?” the reporter asked while the camera focused closely on Ethan’s face, hoping to capture a look of panic or guilt.“Yes, I’ve heard about it,” he replied He had seen it coming from a mile away. With him out of the picture, the town of Lytton would surely make a move. In addition to Stephen’s ‘genius’ move of promoting Eric, it was no surprise that the city descended into chaos. The reporter’s face twisted with disgust. “You really are despicable. First, you get caught for bribery and corruption, and now you want to take an entire city down with you? “Do you have any idea how many families have been destroyed because of you? You should be executed ten times over, and it still won’t be enough!” Stephen sat behind the reporter and looked at Ethan scornfully with
The Guardian's Return Chapter 55
Now that Stephen had put the wrong people in power, it would only make the people suffer more, and the future of Riveria was at risk. Soon enough, the local housing market and the economy would collapse. Liam asked, “Why?” “You already have the answer to your question,” Ethan said as he walked out of the room. Liam’s face drained of color. “No… Even he thinks Riveria is over… That means Riveria is really done for! It’s going down!” Even though people used to whisper about the region’s downfall, there had always been a sliver of hope. After all, Ethan was still around. Yet now, even Ethan was saying there was no saving Riveria. It was like the god who created the world suddenly declaring it had no future.Meanwhile, the reporters parted ways with Stephen and returned to their office to edit the footage and start writing their articles. The interview with Shawn, Eric, and Brandon was also wrapping up in North Hill City. The three were eloquent, presenting themselves as the r
The Guardian's Return Chapter 56
The video went viral. It was all over social media, everyone’s feeds, and even chat groups. Whenever the police officers saw Ethan, they felt a mix of feelings. They could not understand why Liam would treat Ethan, a man who’d committed so many heinous acts, so well. Would it not be easier to just put a bullet in him and be done with it? Liam was also questioned by his parents and wife at home. “Why are you helping that monster?” “Do you know how many people are homeless because of him?” “How do you sleep at night, knowing you’re protecting someone like him?” Liam faced a dilemma. He wanted to defend Ethan, but as he faced the accusatory looks of his loved ones, he found himself at a loss for words. He felt helpless, sad, and also despair. Meanwhile, the reporter who interviewed Ethan got promoted. At the Lowes’ residence, Stephen, George, and Rachel gathered to watch parody videos mocking Ethan. Ethan's head had been photoshopped onto different bodies, and eggs were th
The Guardian's Return Chapter 57
Ethan noticed a lot of hostility directed his way. He knew the interview must have made the headlines, and it seemed like he had officially become the public enemy. Seeing Liam coming into his cell with lunch, he chuckled and asked, “Why are you doing this?” Liam knew exactly what Ethan was implying. Why help him when things had gotten that bad? “Sigh. The others are still young, and they don’t know what really happened, but I do.” Liam sighed. He knew what Ethan had done for Riveria. If not for Ethan, Riveria would not have seen so many changes and benefits. How could all of those be false? Maybe he had been deceived, but what about the enemy? South Regent showed so much respect to Ethan. His arrival even brought peace to Sky Peak for a day. Not to mention, Ethan had also helped many veterans’ family members to settle down. Some of them were Liam’s personal friends and subordinates, so he viewed Ethan as a benefactor, a kind man. The others, however, stared at Liam from
Latest chapter
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
The Guardian's Return Chapter 881
The two people he thought about day and night and felt the most guilt for were on the opposite side of the river. The day he lost Snow, he searched desperately through the abandoned village, overwhelmed with agony. The day he lost Lily, his hair turned grey overnight, and he stood on top of the cliff on Drakthorn Ridge, the thought of jumping down crossing his mind several times. Later, when he stole Ethan’s achievements and gained the hope of joining the cabinet, he thought he had another chance to find them. That was until Riviera plunged into chaos again, and his chance disappeared. He thought he would never be able to find them for the rest of his life, yet now, there they were across the river. They were so close to him—only twenty meters away!Stephen trembled as he watched them gently raise their sparklers with bright smiles lighting up their faces. When he returned to his senses, he dashed past Ethan and rushed to the riverbank, waving his hands frantically. “I’m here!
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
