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Chapter 568
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 569
Daniel and Caleb hung up the video call with a heavy heart. Their sons, Timothy and William took their phones back, still struggling to accept the harsh reality unfolding before them. Ethan had contributed a lot to Riveria, yet someone else was reaping the rewards of his hard work, leaving him locked up in Drakthorn Ridge. “Mr. Rivers, are you sure you don’t want to leave with us?” The two young men wanted to persuade Ethan to change his mind. Ethan smiled. “I like it here.” There, he was free to do anything. He could plant, relax, watch the sunrise and sunset, listen to the birds, and write a novel. When it rained, he could just lay on the rocking chair in front of the door with a pot of tea beside him, enjoying the sounds of nature. He could also watch as Stephen slowly ruined Riveria. Timothy and William sighed helplessly. “Mr. Rivers, we have one last question.” They knew that would be the last meeting with Ethan, so they had to ask every question they had in mind
The Guardian's Return Chapter 570
Ethan calmly said, “Money? You know what the Spencers did and you have proof. Just go to them for the money. As for how they’ll give you the money, it’s their problem to figure it out.” Timothy and William were stunned as a sudden realization dawned on them. They could get money from the Spencers.It was a solution they had never considered, but the more they thought about it, the more sense it made. After all, the Spencers had taken money from their businesses—it seemed only fair to ask for it back.“We understand!” They thanked Ethan once more for enlightening them. After asking all the questions that bothered them, they left with a heavy heart.“Goodbye, Mr. Rivers.” As they walked out of the mansion, they saw the city further away. Three years had passed, and the once-rural city became a modern one filled with skyscrapers. The changes were drastic, and the one who made the changes was locked up in the mansion behind them. Their thoughts returned to their own predicamen
The Guardian's Return Chapter 571
The wild animals would often damage the crops in front of the farmers. The farmers were driven crazy, but they could not do anything to the protected animals. They had to come up with ways to drive the wild animals away without hurting them. “This isn’t going to last.” After driving another wave of animals away, one of the farmers lay sprawled down on the ground. His body was covered in mud, but he was more worried about the future. “Maybe this will happen once or twice only. It shouldn’t last forever. We can’t hurt the animals. What else can we do?” The others sighed helplessly, feeling aggrieved and angry but they could not do anything. In order to minimize the damage to the crops, some farmers started to move their farms further away. Some of them reported the incident to the authorities, hoping to get a solution. When Rachel learned about the news, she said, “Let them be. This is their problem, not ours. I am not here to clean up their mess.” She decided not to help and d
The Guardian's Return Chapter 572
Rachel had been spending so much time with Theo lately that she barely had ten minutes with Stephen in a single day. Stephen looked at the feast on the table but felt lonely. He got emotional, wondering if his house was still his home. He missed his carefree days, especially when he was living with Snow. He could do whatever he wanted in the past, unlike now as he felt restrained. “Sigh.” He sat down and had dinner himself. The next morning, when Stephen came out of the room, Rachel was already prepared to go out. “You’re early,” he said, his tone surprised. Rachel usually woke up around noon, so this was unusual for her. She scoffed, “Do you think I’m as lazy as you?” She then strode out the door, leaving Stephen alone and baffled. Stephen had doubts. Had he ever been lazy? Now that Rachel mentioned it, ever since he came to Riveria, he barely had enough sleep. He worked hard whenever he opened his eyes but had never done anything big. “Whatever.” Stephen shook his hea
The Guardian's Return Chapter 573
Those who could not afford the branded grains or were not interested were forced to purchase the normal quality produced, which were actually the contaminated ones. The farmers saw their incomes shrink while facing challenges such as water shortages and animal damage. These issues deepened their grievances and made them less meticulous in cultivating their crops. As the quality of the crops went down, the water in the reserve was being drained even more. Farmers started to look for other jobs to feed their families. Foreign companies came into play and started to acquire chernozem. There was a lot of chernozem, or black soil that was extremely fertile and productive, in the reserve area, so people started to sneak in, smuggle the soil out, and sell it to the companies. Rachel and Stephen were unaware of these activities. Stephen was pleased that Breeze City’s GDP was going up. “It’s finally going up.” His eyes teared up. Before this, each city he took over went down in ru
The Guardian's Return Chapter 574
Several hospitals were overloaded with patients, and some of them even had to stand outside by the road. The incident started trending online. “A massive cold! Is there a plague coming?” Stephen noticed this, so he sent his men to investigate further. While waiting for an update, he felt strange while reading the comments online. Why would so many people get sick all of a sudden? Could it be a widespread disease? Soon, his men came back with an update. There was no outbreak of disease, but those who fell ill experienced a significant weakening of their immune systems. Stephen frowned. He did not notice anything strange as he assumed it was normal that one’s immune system would weaken during a cold. He told his men to release a statement online: “The cold that everyone is experiencing is not a disease or a plague. Don’t worry and carry on with your daily activities.” Stephen even said, “I swear on my name that it is just a coincidence. People around me are not sick at al
The Guardian's Return Chapter 575
Stephen was stunned. She said that he accused Theo out of jealousy, exactly like how he accused Ethan? The moment the words entered his ears, a realization struck. When Daniel and Caleb were locked up and Theo quickly took over the two companies, he already felt a sense of familiarity. Now with Ethan in the mix, he finally knew why it felt so familiar. It was the exact method he had used against Ethan. He had accused Ethan, framed him for something he did not do, and then locked him up so that he could take over everything. His body was shaking as the thought rose in his mind. Even though the investigation of the crops and grains was still going on, he already had the answer. Theo must be the problem. He must have sold the contaminated crops and grains! Daniel and Caleb were clean; they were framed! “Nothing to say for yourself?” Rachel scoffed, “Did I expose you and leave you speechless? Others don’t know you but I do.” “Shut up!” Stephen’s head was in a mess. He refused
The Guardian's Return Chapter 576
“If someone really dies, he won’t be the only person sent to jail. You’ll be arrested too!”Stephen felt that life with Rachel was unbearable. They had been married for so long, but she would not even let him touch her, always wore a sour face, and acted as though he owed her billions. When he asked what was wrong, she refused to explain.“You want a divorce, right? Fine, let’s get a divorce!”Rachel’s legs went weak. She did not expect the matter to be this serious. She had to go to jail too? “You’re joking, right?” She was no longer angry, and her tone softened as well. “I’m George Lowe’s daughter, as well as your wife. How can I go to jail?”“Why not?” Stephen clenched his fists. “Do you really think the Quinns are omnipotent? We still haven’t found Snow yet!”Rachel was thoroughly afraid now. She grabbed Stephen’s arm, her teary eyes wide as she stared at him. “You’ll help me, right? I’m your wife, and my dad went to jail because of you. Dad told you to protect me. You won’t l
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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
