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Chapter 508
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 509
Ethan did not want money, power, or even Rachel. Stephen felt that there was no way to persuade him.Now, the best solution was to find Ethan’s weak spot and use it to threaten him. That way, Ethan would have no choice but to help. He thought about it. Family?Before coming to Riveria and seizing Ethan’s achievements, the Quinns had already investigated his background. Ethan was an orphan, and his parents were unknown. Three years ago, he joined the Lowes and secretly helped them manage Riveria. At the same time, he helped George become the mayor.Looking back at it now, the only person with a close relationship with Ethan was the Grand Marshal, but he had passed away three years ago. Since then, Ethan returned to a solitary life.Friends?Stephen could not think of any. In his memory, Ethan was always alone. It seemed he did not have any friends.Health? Ethan did not have to worry about his meals. He had a disciplined life, exercised regularly, and had a healthy body. Stephen c
The Guardian's Return Chapter 510
“Unfortunately, your arrogance and pride haven’t changed. Did you think you understood me so well that a few words would convince me to help you? If it were that easy, there would not be any poor people left in the world.”Stephen was stunned. Ethan’s response caught him off guard. He thought that Ethan would agree to help him.“I do have a way to help you.” Ethan smiled faintly.Stephen’s eyes lit up. “What is it?”“Go down the mountain now, head home to charge your phone, and take bus No. 11 to the plaza. Then, start a livestream to confess the whole truth, then kill yourself on camera. After that, I’ll come down from the mountain and take over Riveria again. I’ll enter the cabinet and destroy the Quinns for you.” Ethan smiled. “If you were to take the Quinns on for yourself, it would take twenty or thirty years, but if I handle it, it won’t take long. I’ll get rid of them in just fourteen days.”Swoosh!Stephen stood up, glaring at Ethan furiously. “Are you mocking me?”Ethan
The Guardian's Return Chapter 511
“You noticed Snow gave me five million dollars but failed to see that it was her entire life savings, and you certainly missed her subsequent death," Ethan said."You saw the South Regent gave me 10 million dollars but missed the fact that he and Jeremy had only met once—and Jeremy was actually an enemy who infiltrated his company to steal information."Stephen's head drooped lower and lower as Ethan continued."If you can give me the Quinns’ entire fortune, kill Simon, and somehow survive afterward… I might consider helping you once. Or, if you can get one of your enemies to ask for my help with money in hand, I might consider it. I won't ask for much. Just a single dollar would do."Stephen was speechless. Those conditions were impossible to meet.He slumped back onto the sofa, his energy visibly draining away. After being mocked, Stephen had no counter to Ethan's arguments, both emotionally and logically. Though frustrated, Stephen truly could not think of any solution.At tha
The Guardian's Return Chapter 512
Instead of rushing, Stephen rushed back to Hill City while contacting Howard and the others. Although Ethan had not provided any help, he managed to come up with his solution. He did not need them to vouch for him; he just needed them to stop talking about the Grand Marshal's mentee situation.Stephen spent several hundred million dollars, successfully silencing Howard and the others. After resolving that issue, he had his team prepare a statement. The content focused on an apology, explaining that everything was a conspiracy and claiming that someone was deliberately trying to frame him.Since he had paid Howard and the others to keep quiet, he could loudly proclaim his innocence without worrying about them coming forward with explanations. As long as they stayed quiet, even if people had doubts, there would be no concrete evidence to prove anything. Then, he would video himself helping others, promote those videos heavily, and continue suppressing the negative voices. Before long
The Guardian's Return Chapter 513
Hearing that, Stephen finally felt the weight lift from his shoulders. At least, part of the issue was settled now. All that remained was to hold a meeting to discuss how to increase welfare in Hill City, and that incident would be over. However, Stephen dared not rest yet. He immediately called people over for a meeting.In the conference room, Stephen spoke gravely, "I'm going to increase welfare in Hill City. I want everyone to report which areas need improvement."Everyone found it strange that Stephen would suddenly think about increasing welfare.Nolan frowned and said, "Sir, we understand what you want to do and how you’re feeling, but Hill City's current situation doesn't allow this."Hill City's GDP had fallen to just one trillion dollars, and it was taking everything they had just to prevent it from dropping further. Increasing welfare now would only burn through Hill City's GDP, meaning that the disadvantages of the decision outweighed the benefits.Stephen looked at
The Guardian's Return Chapter 514
Stephen fell silent as he recalled his thoughts. Ethan had remained calm throughout their interaction, while he was the one who had been anxious. Their interaction could not be considered an argument as Ethan had crushed him, one-sidedly.Nolan continued, "Being scolded is one thing, but you didn't threaten him or try to deceive him, did you?"Stephen remained silent. He had indeed tried to play innocent to trick Ethan into helping.Seeing Stephen's reaction, Nolan's heart sank. This was bad! The worst-case scenario had happened."Let me guess. You had a problem and tried to trick Ethan into solving it?"Stephen snapped out of his thoughts, asking in confusion, "What's wrong with that?"Nolan paused before responding, "You’ve invited disaster, and worst of all, you didn’t leave before it hit. I admire your courage, but it should be directed elsewhere."Too many people had tried to deceive and kill Ethan before. However, the many deaths that unfolded proved one thing: if they wer
The Guardian's Return Chapter 515
"Who are you?" Charles asked nervously. Finding a stranger in his home, he suspected a burglar had intruded. However, based on how calmly the man was sitting on the sofa, it seemed like the man had been waiting.Charles quickly introduced himself, "I'm Stephen Quinn's assistant. What do you want here?"Ethan looked at him and smiled faintly. "I'm Ethan Rivers."Charles felt a shiver down his spine."You're Ethan Rivers?"Just moments ago, he had been talking about Ethan, saying if he ever got the chance to meet him, he would handle him for Stephen’s sake. Now, before him, in his house, was Ethan.Charles then recalled what Nolan had said about people across Riveria owing Ethan favors and that someone might come home to find Ethan waiting for them.He thought long and hard. He had never met Ethan before, much less owed him any favors. Since he did not owe Ethan anything, it meant he did not have to be afraid of Ethan!Realizing that, Charles sneered, "So you're Ethan Rivers. I
The Guardian's Return Chapter 516
Justin pulled out a bank card and handed it to Ethan with both hands. “There’s one 100 thousand dollars here.” Ethan nodded and said, “Give him the card.” Justin turned around and gave Charles the card with one hand. Charles was confused. Why would the director of the Security Bureau give him 100 thousand dollars? “Are you bribing me? Is that what you can do, Ethan Rivers?” He laughed. “I’m telling you, money is not almighty! I won’t take this! I won’t take whatever you have to offer, and I will not bow to money! And most importantly, I will not bow to you! “You are a criminal! So is the director of the Security Bureau! The hammer of justice will be waiting for you!” He tapped Justin’ hand away, sending the card flying. “This is my answer! I will never compromise!” Charles looked at Ethan scornfully. Ethan glanced at the card on the floor. “The money inside the card was originally yours.” “Huh?” Charles was surprised. “What do you mean?” Then, a middle-aged man stro
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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
