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Chapter 531
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 532
Ethan living in Drakthorn Ridge would only benefit people like them. If the public hoped for Ethan’s return, it would mean the end of the world for them. “Because Stephen coveted his achievements and wanted to replace him, the Quinns imprisoned him and stole the fruits of his labor.”Here was another shocking revelation!The audience’s mind went blank, and they struggled to process everything. In just over ten minutes, Stephen’s image was changing in their minds. At first, Stephen was a good man by starting subsidy programs in Hill City and increasing welfare. Then, he turned out to be evil, resorting to unscrupulous means for money and even working with unethical factories. However, the subsidy programs and welfare improvements he established were real. Yet now? Stephen was unforgivable for stealing someone else’s achievement and using his family's influence to lock them up. The other person had done far better than Stephen, but Stephen had ruined everything. It was as if he
The Guardian's Return Chapter 533
The viewers suddenly felt like Charles was a much greater person, and for a moment, they even thought Charles could be called a “hero.” It was absurd to think that Stephen’s actions were so outrageous that Charles, despite his crimes and illegal actions, seemed like a hero compared to him!“Although I want to convince myself that it’s all fake, Charles is Stephen’s assistant. He definitely knows more than us. Besides, Stephen is someone who could be having a nap while his team is rescuing hostages.”“Could this be fake? Someone has proven the subsidy and medical insurance issue, and the factory owners have testified. Stephen has also made tons of foolish decisions in the past!”“It’s such a pity about Charles. If he succeeded, he might change the fates of countless people.”Most of the viewers had a massive shift in their impression of Charles. They understood that Charles became like that because Stephen forced him into a corner. Hence, the root of the problem still lay with Steph
The Guardian's Return Chapter 534
Stephen started to panic. What should he do now?Just when things could not get any worse, another major event rocked the city. The famous psychologist, Dr. Ganter Steel had decided to retire, stating that he would no longer treat patients and donate eighty percent of his assets to charity, helping the people in need in Hill City. The news quickly attracted public attention. Only then did the people know that Ganter had been in Hill City for a while, and his beloved mentee had become disabled. Now, he was announcing his retirement. “What did Dr. Steel and Austin experience in Hill City?”“It must have something to do with Stephen!”“Stephen is really something else, driving a legend like Dr. Steel into retirement.”Everyone speculated that Ganter’s retirement and Austin’s disability had something to do with Stephen. Reporters rushed to interview Ganter, starting with a very direct question. “Dr. Steel, was your decision to retire and Austin’s disability related to Stephen?”
The Guardian's Return Chapter 535
Everyone thought it was one way to handle the issue. Simon continued, “As for the deceased’s families, Stephen has made the necessary arrangements. As long as their families speak up, the problem will be solved.”The others nodded. “We can do that. But with Stephen’s current situation, he’s no longer suited to stay at Hill City. The people of Hill City are utterly disappointed in him.”Simon sighed. “I know.”Another city’s economy had collapsed under Stephen’s leadership. He quickly contacted Stephen and told him the meeting’s outcome, finally warning him that he had to get rid of Charles. The man knew too much. “He can’t be allowed to live. He must die.” After hanging up, Simon thought of Ethan but soon shook his head. Ethan had managed to increase Riveria’s GDP to 15 trillion in three years and was the Grand Marshal’s only mentee. It would not be wise to touch him. In fact, letting Ethan live for the moment might prove useful in the future. What Simon did not know was
The Guardian's Return Chapter 536
Upon learning of Charles’ death, Stephen felt a little upset, but at the same time, it was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Stephen returned to his room and began to pack his belongings. It was almost time to leave Hill City, and he felt an inexplicable sense of reluctance. Everything he had experienced in Hill City constantly flashed across his mind. The former mayor Julius, Nico, Tommy, Jeremy… It all felt like it had all happened yesterday, but it was also like a distant memory. Although his time in Hill City had been relatively short, it felt like he had been there for years. At this moment, Nolan came. He was the happiest when he learned that Stephen was leaving. “Do you really have to leave?” Nolan acted as if he was reluctant to part. Stephen nodded. “It’s the headquarters’ decision. I must leave. From now on, Hill City is in your hands.” He looked at Nolan seriously. “You must be careful. Hill City is not quite peaceful now, especially with the hidden
The Guardian's Return Chapter 537
Stephen fell silent for a while. Was he not even as important as going out with friends in her eyes? He thought his marriage was a complete failure. The butler said, “I’ll prepare some food.”Stephen was indeed a little hungry. He did not have time to rest properly or eat recently, and now that he was home, he finally felt a bit of relief. “Pack up the food and bring me two bottles of wine. I will eat out.”The butler did not probe and quietly went to prepare. An hour later, Stephen held a thermal box and arrived at Drakthorn Ridge. He looked at the mansion before him, door wide open, and walked in after taking a deep breath. He saw Ethan sitting on the couch, reading a book as usual. The scene left Stephen momentarily dazed. As a rich young heir, what he hated the most was to sit still and read a book. That was pure torture. However, seeing Ethan being calmly immersed in his book, Stephen felt genuinely jealous. This kind of life was far better than the one he was living n
The Guardian's Return Chapter 538
Stephen fell silent. “It’s fine if you don’t share your experience, but can you at least tell me who’s dangerous in Breeze City?”He had already assumed there would be problems in Breeze City. Ethan said calmly, “Finding the problem and solving it is your responsibility, not mine.” After that, he put down his bowl. “I’m full. Enjoy yourself.”Stephen looked down at his bowl. He had only taken a few bites, but he no longer felt hungry. “This time, Rachel will be following me to Breeze City. She will be responsible for managing Breeze City as well. If anything happens to Breeze City, it will greatly impact her.”He intentionally mentioned Rachel, hoping to sway Ethan. Even if Ethan did not want to help him, he would not want to see Rachel in trouble should he still care about her. Ethan said calmly, “Let alone greatly impacting her, I wouldn’t care even if she died in Breeze City.”Stephen slightly frowned. “Aren’t you being heartless?”“You watched as Jeremy died in front of yo
The Guardian's Return Chapter 539
Facing Rachel’s question, Stephen was suddenly at a loss for words. Was he truly at fault? He only felt that Rachel was being relentless and unreasonable. Stephen shrugged and strode toward his room, unwilling to bother with Rachel any further. When he walked past Rachel, her eyes instantly reddened, and tears almost fell as a wave of deep grievance surged within her. She just wanted a genuine apology. Was that so hard?If it were Ethan, he would have comforted her.Then, she thought of what Stephen just said—Ethan would not care even if she died in Breeze City. Did Ethan truly not care about her anymore?Rachel felt like the most miserable person in the world right now. The man she loved most did not care about her, her husband did not love her, and her father was in jail because of her husband. Why was her life so bitter?She returned to her room too, and the two only met again the next day. Even after a night, there was still tension between Stephen and Rachel. After havin
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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
