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Chapter 82
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 83
The people of Seaside City were surprised. “Has Howard killed before? I doubt that happened.” “Yeah. He’s active at giving. A charitable man can’t be a murderer.” “This can’t be true.” Many were skeptical. In Crestwood, however, Dennis jolted to his feet in thrill at the news. “Has Howard been arrested? Go and find out if it’s real.” Howard had been keeping Crestwood in line, preventing Dennis from being a menace, and Dennis had had enough. The worst part was the dwindling drive of his men. Some of them had actually settled down—working regular jobs, getting married, and starting families. Few had even persuaded Dennis to stop raising hell. “We like our lives now. Isn’t that good enough?” “Yeah, we’ve worked hard to get where we are today. Now, we can finally relax and enjoy the fruits of our labor.”“My family is my priority, and I want to spend more time with them.”Dennis knew that was his last shot at making a fortune and getting even. His two right-hand men a
The Guardian's Return Chapter 84
Stephen quickly sought out Howard’s men. “Howard has been arrested, but fear not because you can work for me.” Stephen’s men barged into the place, guns blazing. The speech bore striking similarities to Dennis’ recent remarks, and Howard’s people quickly came to a decision. Sure enough, their peace was short-lived. Here came another to recruit their services. Even though pleading allegiance to Stephen would get them killed, they could not say no to his face. They would be done for if Stephen had them arrested on the spot. Hence, they expressed their loyalty to Stephen. With Howard’s forces yielding to him, Stephen burst out in laughter. “I win this time. I took the fruits of your labor, Ethan. How are you going to react when you find out?” Stephen could not wait to fly to Drakthorn Ridge to tell Ethan. However, he still had more things to do in Seaside City. After Stephen left, everybody set out for Crestwood and joined Dennis’ gang. Dennis laughed out loud at the tur
The Guardian's Return Chapter 85
Stephen wanted to take Howard to Ethan. Since they both would only have a life on the inside, Stephen thought it was appropriate for them to meet and cry in each other’s arms. “I bet it’s going to be funny. I should have everything ready to take a picture.” Howard looked haggard dressed in his orange jumpsuit during his first day in prison. It seemed like he had aged ten years overnight.His hair was a mess, and he looked out of it. Stephen approached his cell and said, “How do you feel, Howard?” Howard glanced up at him but did not say anything.Stephen snickered. “If you hadn’t turned me down, things might have turned out differently. I guess there’s no turning back now.” Howard remarked solemnly, “Are you here to make fun of me?”“Not at all.” Stephen said with a smile, “I’m here to help you. Come with me.”He led Howard to a car, and they set off for Drakthorn Ridge. As the car went up a mountain, Howard perked up. Was he going to be executed, or was he being brough
The Guardian's Return Chapter 86
Ethan sized Stephen up.Stephen? A genius? Well, he certainly did not see it. If Stephen were truly a genius, North Hill City would not be in its current state. Honestly speaking, Ethan could not even think of a way to save it.Ethan mused, "Your family background is impressive. Perhaps you are indeed a genius in the eyes of ordinary people, but you still need to learn to see things from their perspective."Ethan was probing Stephen with his words. The deeper meaning was clear—Stephen had spent too long on his pedestal, and it was about time he learned how ordinary people lived and thought.Stephen scoffed, "Learn the foolish thinking of the commoners?"Ethan shook his head.Stephen had completely missed the point. It seemed he was not a genius after all. He was merely an ordinary person born into the right family.At that point, Ethan had only one thing to say."No," Ethan said as he slowly stood up. "It's about learning to see me from their perspective."A breeze swept by,
The Guardian's Return Chapter 87
Half a day later, Simon received the materials and immediately called for a meeting. Everyone was puzzled as to Simon’s sudden and urgent gathering."What's going on? What’s the rush?""Has something happened in North Hill City again?""I hope not. We handpicked the new mayor ourselves this time. Surely there won't be any more problems?"They had been frightened by the string of incidents that unfolded in North Hill City. As such, the new mayor they appointed had been sent directly from the capital.He had no connections to the local people, and the federal government knew his background inside out. They were certain that there would not be any issues."It's not about North Hill City," Simon said. "It's about Ethan Rivers.""Ethan? What's he gone and done now?""Is he unsatisfied with the villa we gave him?""Giving him a villa was our biggest concession. He should curb his greed."They all assumed Ethan was trying to ask for more benefits."That's not it either," Simon sa
The Guardian's Return Chapter 88
"What's going on with Ethan Rivers? Wasn't he an ally of justice, fighting against the criminal forces in North Hill City?""Wake up, you fool. This is the real Ethan.""I knew Ethan couldn't possibly be innocent!"Online discussions about Ethan were intense. His status had gone through multiple transformations—from criminal to hero, and now back to criminal."He must be up to something. Maybe his fight against the criminal elements in North Hill City was all an act.""That makes sense. Shawn Hill and his group might’ve been working with Ethan all along. When Ethan was arrested, they foresaw the end of the line and quickly grabbed the money before running away.”"Maybe Danny Brooks was Ethan's backup plan all along.""I have to say, they did a great job this time. Howard Green almost got away clean.""The company that the criminal started must be profiting from the people's misery. The authorities should save the people who are trapped working there!"As soon as the news repor
The Guardian's Return Chapter 89
Stephen's office was festively decorated, with a banner hanging on the wall that read, "Seaside City GDP Breaks Two Trillion."After arresting Howard, taking over the leading enterprise, and subduing an entire entity, Stephen was filled with optimism about Seaside City's future. Seaside City’s economic outlook was undeniably bright.He was confident it would not be long before Seaside City's GDP actually broke two trillion. For that reason, Stephen was now rehearsing for that momentous moment, preparing for the day when Seaside City's GDP would reach that milestone.“Knock, knock.”At that moment, there was a knock on the door.Stephen, lounging in his chair, answered, "Come in."The door opened, and Rachel entered.Feigning confusion, Stephen asked, "Rachel? What brings you here?"Rachel smiled warmly. "I'm here to congratulate you.""Congratulate me for what?" Stephen continued to play dumb, despite knowing full well why she had come.Rachel's congratulations were part of t
The Guardian's Return Chapter 90
Jimmy had experienced the chaos in Seaside City years ago and knew how bad it used to be. However, the current situation was ten times worse than what he had seen three years ago!People were acting like a pack of wild dogs that had been chained up for a decade and set free, running wild.Jimmy’s legs quaked as he made the phone call. The situation was so dire that he was even considering fleeing."Why aren't you saying anything?" Stephen noticed Jimmy's silence and asked, "Are you too excited to speak?""No!" Jimmy snapped back to reality, his voice panicked. "Seaside City is in trouble.""What?" Stephen frowned. "How could it be in trouble? What happened?"Stephen was breaking out in a cold sweat just hearing the words "in trouble."Jimmy frantically explained, "A large number of dangerous individuals have suddenly appeared in Seaside City. They're moving in groups, smashing up shops and looting everything in sight."Many of them even have guns. Now everyone is too afraid to
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 920
After everything was settled, the people from HQ went to Ethan again. They apologized to him and begged for his forgiveness.“We’ve dealt with everyone involved in this matter. Are you satisfied with the outcome, Mr. Rivers?”With that, they lowered their heads to the ground nervously. Their only hope now hinged on Ethan’s response.They did not dare to ask for much. All they hoped for was that Ethan would not leave the country.Ethan glanced at them calmly and said, “Send someone to help move my stuff down the mountain.”Hearing that, everyone was first stunned, and then ecstatic.“Of course!” they replied in unison.They understood what Ethan meant. He was staying! Although it was not his complete forgiveness, he was willing to give them another chance.They were all overjoyed. As long as Ethan did not leave, there was plenty of time to slowly make amends.They took out their phones and made arrangements to help Ethan move.After the call ended, they said, “We respectfully
The Guardian's Return Chapter 919
The day of Rachel and George’s trial came.The livestream began at 10 a.m., and hundreds of thousands of viewers joined instantly.Rachel and George slowly walked into the courtroom in handcuffs.Bang! The judge’s gavel fell, and the room went silent.It was not a lawsuit. It was a trial to expose the sins of Rachel and George.The judge read out their crimes one by one, until Rachel and George’s faces paled to the point that they looked like corpses.The viewers in the livestream finally saw the full picture.“So that’s it! The Quinns and the Lowes conspired!”“They deserve to die! How could they frame Ethan like that? Are they even human?”“The death penalty! They deserve the death penalty!”They were all furious.Many people had lost their families as a result of supporting Stephen and scolding Ethan. After watching the livestream, they realized just how deeply they had been wrong.They were accomplices to the Quinns and the Lowes' crimes in framing Ethan!Their current
The Guardian's Return Chapter 918
They suppressed their disgust and returned home, only to see their parents and wives’ panicked expressions.“What did you do out there?”“So many people came today, asking for you by name.”How were they supposed to answer those questions? They could not just say that they had insulted Ethan online.If they did, their parents would beat them to death before anyone else could.“It’s nothing,” they replied stiffly. They had no choice but to hide the truth. After all, they could not say that they had insulted Ethan, or that they had lost their jobs.However, the next second, their parents received text messages. After their parents glanced at their phones, their expressions instantly changed.It was a message from the bank, stating that their child had been listed as a defaulter and urging them to repay the loan immediately.“What have you done?” Their parents’ voices trembled.Seeing that there was no way to hide it anymore, they had no choice but to confess the truth.They los
The Guardian's Return Chapter 917
Seeing that message, they immediately felt as if their world had ended.Because they had insulted Ethan, they lost their jobs, were blacklisted, and could not find work again.“How could this be?”No one expected this outcome. They thought, ‘So what if I insulted him? Are they going to punish me for it? Besides, so many people are insulting him. They can’t possibly punish every single person who did it. At most, I’ll post a public apology and promise that I’ll never do it again.’However, now they were all fired. Everyone who had insulted Ethan had been dismissed from their jobs.It seemed like there were several tens of thousands of people involved! It was hard to imagine just how many people had lost their jobs in real life.“Why are they going this far? Aren’t they afraid of causing unrest?”Of course, HQ had considered that. However, they knew what was more serious.If Ethan went abroad and cooperated with foreign countries, the consequences would not be limited to a few pe
The Guardian's Return Chapter 916
George thought that Rachel had already escaped abroad, so he was not afraid when he arrived.Now, when he saw Rachel there as well, he completely panicked.This was not what he had expected!“Where else would she be?” someone from HQ asked.George looked nervous and stammered, unable to say a word.With Rachel caught and him being brought here, it was clear that HQ already knew the truth. Coupled with his fear of Ethan and his helplessness in the face of reality, he no longer had the strength to make up any excuses.He had resigned himself to fate.“You really have some nerve." The people from HQ sneered. “You fooled us all completely.”“You’ve been hiding Ethan’s contributions all this time, haven’t you?”“You two are nothing but disasters to this country! You deserve to die a thousand times over.”George kept his head down while Rachel sobbed. “I was wrongfully accused!”“Shut up! Are you still trying to fool us at a time like this? You were wrongfully accused? By who? Sim
The Guardian's Return Chapter 915
They brought this on themselves, forcing themselves into a corner with no way out. “Ah!”Simon could not take it anymore. He suddenly ran towards the window, trying to end his life. Fortunately, the officials quickly stopped him. “Don’t be reckless! Think about Stephen. You’re all he has now!”That sentence made Simon stop. Now, Stephen and Simon were each other’s support and burden. Simon slumped on the ground weakly. Right now, they both wanted to die, but neither of them had the courage to follow through. All they could do was live on in pain. After a long silence, Simon said, “I’d like to file a report on someone.”To obtain some kind of reward and survive a little longer, Simon decided to turn in George and Rachel. When the officials heard him, they were stunned. They did not expect Rachel to be involved in framing Ethan. “Shit!” Someone exclaimed. “I heard Rachel bought a flight ticket overseas. Could she have fled?”The room was filled with dread. If Rachel ra
The Guardian's Return Chapter 914
Seeing that Stephen was awake, the others rushed to get the doctor. The doctor was astonished as well. Stephen’s sudden awakening was nothing short of a miracle. However, after examining him, the doctor’s expression darkened. Stephen had regained consciousness, but the prognosis was far from hopeful.“He can’t move,” the doctor said. “As of now, he’s paralyzed.”Stephen could open his eyes, but the rest of his body was unresponsive. He could not move his limbs or his neck and mouth. The only part he could move freely was his eye. Even his breathing was dependent entirely on medical equipment. “He might never be able to leave the bed again.”Upon hearing that, Stephen closed his eyes in despair, tears continuously rolling down his cheeks. He had fought so hard to wake up, only to realize he had missed his final chance to meet Snow and Lily. Worse yet, he also lost the ability to move. From now on, he would be confined to the bed and hooked up to machines just to stay alive.
The Guardian's Return Chapter 913
His father died a miserable death, his son was in a coma, and the Quinn family was shattered, leaving only Simon behind to finally realize all his mistakes. However, it was too late. Harrison could not come back to life, the Quinn family could not be whole again, and Stephen could not recover. Simon would forever be haunted by pain, despair, and regret for the rest of his life. At that moment, in complete darkness, Stephen heard Simon’s voice. He was conscious but failed to open his eyes or speak; he could not move a muscle. He wanted so badly to sit up and tell Simon that it was not solely his fault. They were all wrong, and this was their retribution!Just then, two women walked into the ward. When the officials saw them, their eyes widened in shock. For a second, no one even breathed. They were Snow and Lily!The officials thought they were seeing ghosts. Those women were supposed to be dead. Why were they there? Snow and Lily noticed their shocked gazes and offered them
The Guardian's Return Chapter 912
Due to Harrison’s previous incident, the officials reacted quickly by sending Stephen straight to the hospital.After an emergency rescue, Stephen’s life was saved. However, he paid a heavy price. When the doctor walked out of the emergency room, the officials asked, “How is he?”“The situation isn’t looking good,” the doctor said grimly. “His body is in a bad state, and due to long-term emotional distress, he suffered a brain hemorrhage from the emotional shock.“He’s still in a coma, and we can’t say for sure when he’ll wake up again. It depends on his will to live.”The officials drew a sharp breath. “Do you mean he might end up in a coma forever?”The doctor nodded. No one saw coming that Stephen would fall into a coma, with little chance of ever waking up again. However, it also meant he did not have to die anymore. He would be alive but confined to a bed. Suddenly, they thought of Harrison’s desperate pleas to Ethan back in his villa. “I’m willing to trade my life fo
