Semua Bab The Guardian's Return: Bab 781 - Bab 790

At that moment, it was clear to Lucy that Avery's heart belonged to Ethan now, and her dedication to medicine was driven by her desire to keep him safe. She worried about him getting hurt in battle or, worse, succumbing to illness like the Grand Marshal.The mansion grew quiet again."Just a few more minutes," Avery told Ethan with a smile. "Dinner's almost ready."Meanwhile, Simon was heading down the mountain with George and Rachel, fuming. Not only had they failed to get Ethan's help, but they had been thoroughly berated as well. Looking at the two useless Lowes only made his mood worse.The contrast between the women infuriated him. Avery had fought five people to defend Ethan, while Rachel could not stand up for Stephen when Stephen was criticized.He had to take several deep breaths before he could speak calmly. "We're going to Breeze City."With New Year's just two weeks away, his priority was Stephen's recovery. The situation in Breeze City could not wait any longer eithe

Now that the traitor had completed his plan, he was off enjoying a carefree life abroad with the money, while Simon was left to suffer the consequences."Someone's behind this," Simon muttered.Ever since Jeremy was killed, they had remained hidden in the shadows, never once revealing themselves. Even now, Simon had no idea who they were.Even with the full weight of the Quinns’ resources, the past few years had seen Riveria become a chaotic mix of players, making it nearly impossible to uncover any useful leads in a short time. Only one person might know who was pulling the strings—Ethan!After the Grand Marshal died, Ethan took charge, clearing out every threat to Riveria. He had to know who was behind it all."But he'll never tell me." Simon's regret ate at him. "We should've handled him differently. We should’ve bought him off, offered him power, and made a deal to take over properly. Then, we could've used his help when things went south."The more Simon dwelled on it, the m

"Stephen, do you know the answers?" his friend asked.Stephen nodded slightly. Under everyone's gaze, he stepped forward and took on the first riddle."What goes up but never comes down? The answer is noon," he said."Impressive, you got it!" the vendor said. "What about the second one?"Everyone looked at Stephen. How did a hundred musicians reduce to ten?"Because only the tenor stayed," Stephen answered slowly.There was a moment of confusion before everyone got it.Once it clicked, they laughed. "Now, that's a proper brain teaser!"Stephen's friends cheered. "That's our Stephen!"Stephen’s answer had never even crossed their minds.The vendor nodded appreciatively. "Quick thinking, young man. Now, the third question… What's vinegar's boiling point?"One of Stephen's friends jumped in. "I know this one! It’s 60 degrees!"The vendor smiled. "Wrong.""What?" Everyone was surprised. They thought vinegar had a low boiling point since performers used it to simulate boiling

Stephen was showered with praise, yet his heart was filled with bitterness. Those questions made him think of Snow and Lily. Without them, he would not have known the answer. However, it was a painful lesson to learn, and he would rather know nothing at all.The vendor sized Stephen up and asked curiously, “Young man, how do you know the answers to these questions?”His words stabbed Stephen’s heart. The last thing he wanted to recall was that night, but the vendor was forcing him to remember everything. Every time he remembered the night Lily died, the memory would grow clearer. “A friend of mine taught me.” Stephen’s voice was bitter. “A friend who really liked me.”“Your friend sure is a good one.” The vendor smiled. “You must cherish her. Because of her, you won the runner-up prize..”Stephen stayed silent, feeling too suffocated to reply. It was as if someone had punched him right in the gut, and he had to fight the urge to cough up blood.“Okay, here’s the last question. L

“The boiling point of vinegar… Snow told me before she left. As for the tears flowing backward, I understood it when I stood alone on the edge of a cliff after Lily died. As for the negative one-twelfth, it was the question those criminals asked me before detonating the bomb. I got it wrong.”Everyone was stunned, especially Stephen’s friends. When Stephen gave the correct answer, they cheered, but now, they realized that each answer came at an unforgettable and agonizing cost. Snow was missing, Lily was dead, and Hugo had turned against him because of the detonated bomb, only to sacrifice himself in the end for him. They finally understood why Stephen had coughed up blood. “Stephen…”His friends felt a heavy weight in their chests suffocating them. They could not imagine this would become of an arrogant young man like Stephen.Harrison also fell silent for a while. He understood that everything his grandson had experienced was far worse than what he or Simon had in their life