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Chapter 94
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 95
Stephen’s eyes widened.It was the first time learning about the story behind Seaside City’s three years of peace. It really was Ethan who brought peace to the city!Ethan’s support of Howard was not to foster a criminal but to boost the economy and suppress the lurking threats!“You might be wondering why Ethan chose Howard out of so many people,” Dennis continued to speak.“First, Howard has never killed anyone before. Second, at that time, only Howard and my names had enough weight to maintain order. Third, it was because Howard’s influence was powerful.”Stephen was stunned. The revelation that Howard had never killed anyone before was shocking.It meant Ethan did not pick anyone at random, and every step he took was carefully considered. Hence, all the accusations about Ethan harboring a criminal and Howard being a ruthless criminal were all false. What would happen to Stephen if the truth got out on the internet? Stephen could not bear to think about it. Dennis smiled i
The Guardian's Return Chapter 96
Once Stephen was taken away, he instructed his subordinates to speed up.Stephen’s arrival meant that the news of Seaside City’s unrest had spread, so they did not have much time left. They had to act quickly and make money fast!Half a day later, Stephen was found in a pile of garbage on the side of the road by a passerby.When the mayor heard of it, he was horrified. He rushed to the hospital to see Stephen.As soon as he walked into the ward, he saw Stephen sitting on the hospital bed, his eyes hollow and devoid of any light.The mayor’s heart sank. How could Stephen have gone to Crestwood and returned alone, looking like that?“Sir?” The mayor stepped forward and asked, “Are you okay?”Stephen slowly came to his senses. The truth had been such a large blow that he still had not fully recovered from it yet.The mayor spoke again, “There’s something I need to report. Due to the situation in North Hill City, not many can come as reinforcements. We might not be able to stabiliz
The Guardian's Return Chapter 97
“You know I was wrongfully accused, but instead of immediately revealing the truth, you want me to solve the problem first and then reduce the charges against me?”Howard laughed. “What a great plan. You’re just going to lock me up again after I solve the problem, aren’t you?”Stephen fell silent. He had thought about giving up on seeking Howard, but Howard was the only one who could go against Crestwood now.As such, he asked, “What will it take for you to come back?”“I’m not going back.” Howard’s response was firm.“You’ve loved Seaside City for years. Can you bear to sit by and watch it fall apart?” Stephen began to appeal to Howard’s emotions.“Think of your family and friends living in Seaside City. They’re suffering right now!”“Heh.” Howard chuckled disdainfully. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I sent them out of Seaside City long ago.”Stephen was stunned. He had not expected Howard to act so swiftly and decisively. Howard probably knew that Seaside City would be in
The Guardian's Return Chapter 98
Now that Howard was here, Stephen could not contain his excitement. He immediately handed Howard back the company and underground forces that had once belonged to him.Stephen continued, “If you start working for me, I can clear your name from these charges.”For Stephen, clearing Howard’s name was not a difficult task. Plus, Howard was wrongfully accused from the start. He was never guilty of murder, a fact even the mayor of Crestwood, Dennis, had personally admitted. If even the enemy acknowledged it, how could it be false?Howard nodded slightly, a small smile forming at the corner of his mouth, though Stephen did not notice.When Ethan told him to leave Riveria, he had thought of a plan. If he left with nothing but the clothes on his back, he would surely be miserable in the future.He had to reclaim everything he once owned and more!“Thank you, sir.” Howard said, “I’ll go to Seaside City now and assess the situation.”Although Stephen had returned his company and forces,
The Guardian's Return Chapter 99
“It’s settled, then!”Everyone unanimously approved of Simon’s plan. While the plan could not solve all the problems, it could resolve most of them, and that was enough.Half a day later, news that Howard had always been protecting Seaside City spread.“Howard was arrested and charged with various crimes, but it was all part of a plan to lure out the lurking threat in Seaside City. In fact, he’s always been defending Seaside City’s peace.”The moment the news broke, the internet exploded! No one had expected that to be the truth. Not only was Howard not a criminal, but he had been protecting Seaside City. In fact, he was willing to lure out the evil forces in the city to secure its peace even at the cost of his own reputation.“I didn’t expect the plan to be like that. Howard is truly incredible. I’m going to cry.”“I owe Howard an apology!”“He put himself on the line and defied all odds. Howard’s sacrifice is immense. I’m literally in tears.”“I feel so ashamed thinking bac
The Guardian's Return Chapter 100
He did not even bother when it came to forces like Crestwood. As long as he took down a few small gangs, he could proceed with the next part of his plan.Although Stephen had given him some guns, ammunition, and a decent amount of money, it was not enough. He needed to swindle even more weapons and money from Stephen. Once he had everything he needed, he would take all the money and weapons, flee Riveria, and head overseas! After that, he would not have to worry about Seaside City again and could live a peaceful life abroad for the rest of his days.The next day, thanks to Howard, things were indeed starting to settle down in Seaside City.Stephen saw that and nodded in satisfaction.“Howard is doing a good job. It seems it wasn’t Ethan who brought peace to Seaside City, but rather him relying on Howard to maintain it. The real capable one is Howard. If we can hold out for another day, the main reinforcements will arrive tomorrow, and everything will be resolved.”Stephen finall
The Guardian's Return Chapter 101
Without Dennis and Howard keeping things in check, Seaside City had become even more chaotic, with all the entities and organizations in Seaside City leaderless. At the same time, Stephen was enjoying a gourmet meal in his office. He had been under a lot of stress lately and felt like it had been a while since he had something nice to eat. Now that Howard, his trusted right-hand man was handling most of the difficult matters, he finally had the time to relax and indulge himself. Anything stressful or complicated he just handed it off to Howard. “Boom!”Suddenly, a loud explosion went off, and the entire building trembled for a moment. Stephen’s tea and fruits fell off the table, making a mess on the floor. The piercing sound of the alarm then filled the air, followed by several security guards rushing into the office and dragging Stephen to the corner of the room. “What’s going on?” Stephen asked, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. “Someone just attacked t
The Guardian's Return Chapter 102
Stephen had cleared Howard of his crimes and given him countless benefits. Was that how Howard repaid him? Even Dennis, who once tossed him into the trash, did not end up in his custody either. Meanwhile, Seaside City was still in chaos, and the GDP was plummeting by the second. Just as Stephen was still trying to figure out what to do next, a voice interrupted his thoughts.“Sir, this is bad! Howard Green sold the company to a foreign country! We just lost our biggest company! Every business is leaving, and the city’s GDP has plummeted to 1.3 trillion!” Stephen stood there, stunned, trying to process the fact that the businesses were gone and the city’s GDP had fallen to 1.3 trillion.Despite the mess Seaside City was in, Stephen still held hope for it for two main reasons. One was because Howard was still with him, and he could control the city from the shadows. Another was that Howard’s business was still around, so even if the city’s economy and market plummeted, it could r
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The Guardian's Return Chapter 884
After waking up from his dream, he must face the fact that they had already left. “I’m fine,” Stephen said weakly. “Please discharge me.”He knew he was not physically sick, but it was his mind that was troubled. Staying in the hospital further was useless. He knew he had more important things to do and that staying would only waste his time.The nurse frowned. “I’ll let them know.”Discharging Stephen from the hospital was not a decision the nurse could make on her own. The doctor arrived and gave Stephen a full-body examination.“You’re in a bad state. We recommend you stay in the hospital and have some rest.”Stephen shook his head. “No.”“But…”“No buts!” Stephen raised his voice, “I don’t have much time left!”After joining the Rhys Festival, learning about Rhys, and hearing that Snow and Lily chose to leave him, he had a dream. In his dream, Rhys said that he had a way to solve the problem and asked him to follow him.Although he could not follow Rhys, Stephen knew tha
The Guardian's Return Chapter 883
Stephen slumped to the ground, the strength drained from his body. Even his consciousness was fading away. Due to a misunderstanding, he lost Snow. For temporary happiness, he had missed Lily. He had been living in pain and regret, always fantasizing about the day he would find the two women, apologize to them properly, and provide them with a happy life. But now, just when he had finally caught a glimpse of them, they slipped away from his fingers. And before he even managed to find them, he was informed of the news that they did not love him anymore. These revelations felt like a thousand knives stabbing directly into Stephen’s heart, so agonizing that he could hardly breathe. It was even worse than death. “How did it end up like this?” Tears streamed down his face as he muttered, “I haven’t found them. I still owe them an apology. Why…” He had lost Snow and Lily forever. They were alive and well, but they no longer had anything to do with him. From now on, they would b
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
