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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 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
