๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๊ณต์
Chapter 246
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The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 247
โThatโs right. He fought against all of Riveriaโs enemies by himself three years ago. Why is he fleeing from two assassins?โโFleeing is one thing. Whatโs more important is that he didnโt arrest the two shooters.โโHeโs a disgrace to the Grand Marshal.โโHeโs not just a disgrace. If he really brought peace to Riveria three years ago, those two gunmen wouldnโt have shown up. They wouldโve been dealt with long before they made a move.โโItโs strange. The way Stephen acted doesnโt match General Kenningโs description.โโYeah. If he really brought peace to Riveria three years ago, why are North Hill City, Seaside City, and Aqua City in a mess?โโDo you think Stephen is faking his identity as the Grand Marshalโs mentee?โOnline, many people began doubting Stephenโs identity.โDoes anyone know what happened in Riveria three years ago?โโI donโt think Stephen was capable of pulling off those feats.โโYeah. Someone explain it, please.โMany people were curious about the truth. Was St
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 248
The shooters had not been found, many businesses were leaving, and no new companies wanted to come in. If they did not act quickly to stabilize Celestial Cityโs economy, the city would be done for. Any problem in that financial hub would have a serious impact on Riveria.Stephen slumped on the sofa, wondering what he could do. His mind was a mess now, and his heart even more so. He could not think of any solution.Meanwhile, George was not idle either. He racked his brain trying to recall if Ethan had faced such a problem. If he had, how did he deal with it?After thinking for a while, George came up empty. He was too focused on his good life to pay attention to what Ethan was actually doing.โIโm taking a trip back to Riveria.โHe planned to meet Ethan in person to seek the manโs help, and maybe he could offer Ethan something in return.Half a day later, George met Ethan, who was lounging in the courtyard, looking relaxed.George grumbled to himself, โEthan never used to have s
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 249
Ethan took off his sunglasses and finally looked at George. Even though his gaze was calm, George felt a shiver run down his spine. It was as if those eyes could see right straight through his soul!While no one online knew Ethanโs true identity, he did. Ethan was the person who brought peace to Riveria three years ago. Even the South Regent had knelt before him.For a moment, George did not dare to meet Ethanโs gaze.โWhat I want is simple,โ Ethan said slowly.George quickly looked up. โHow simple? What is it?โโI want you all dead.โSilence fell over the courtyard.George stood frozen, his eyes wide. He could not believe what he just heard. With a panicked stumble, he backed away several feet, afraid that Ethan would pull out a gun and kill him on the spot.โYou want to kill us?โEthan replied, โWrong. Itโs not me whoโs going to kill you.โSince Ethan had made his move, he had never personally killed anyone. He had countless ways to ensure someoneโs death, just like with St
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 250
Those three cities had stained his record. Unless he could manage Riveria and restore order in those cities, it would remain a black mark on his name. Clenching his jaw, Stephen said, โEveryone has failed before. Itโs just three failures. So what? Just wait. Iโll make those three cities better than ever!โHe then turned to George and said, โLetโs go.โTogether, the two left the mountain. Along the way, George was filled with worry.โWe havenโt thought of a solution. Celestial City is running out of time.โStephen said in a low voice, โWhere thereโs a will, thereโs a way. Weโll find it as long as we keep trying. I refuse to believe that everything went smoothly for him either. If we stay calm, weโll come up with a better solution than him!โGeorge stared at Stephen for a while, surprised.Stephen was confused. โWhatโs that look for? Is there something on my face?โGeorge shook his head and sighed. โYouโve matured a lot. In the past, you used to be impulsive and couldnโt hand
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 251
โThatโs a good point. We can consider it.โStephen stood up and said, โLetโs go to Azure Cloud Mountain now and take a look. Weโll only know if itโs suitable for developing into a tourist area if we check it out in person.โHe did not want any tragedies happening under his watch again.Recently, he had been waking up in terror from the same nightmare, where eight people with pale faces questioned him, โWhy did you cause our deaths?โJames led the way, and soon, George and Stephen arrived at the foot of Azure Cloud Mountain.โThe mountain is 700 meters tall,โ James explained. โAlthough itโs not the tallest mountain in Riveria, itโs well known. There are two churches on the mountain. One was built 300 years ago and has been abandoned. Now, itโs just a tourist attraction and a historical landmark. The other was built twenty years ago and is still active. Youโll see worshipers going up the mountain to pray every day.โAnd thatโs not all. Thereโs also a karst cave on the mountain. Onc
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 252
โNow, letโs check out the surrounding area. The last thing I want is to develop a tourist spot and end up ruining someone's livelihood, driving them to suicide.โStephen started by walking around Azure Cloud Mountain. The villages nearby mostly relied on farming for their livelihood and did not seem too concerned about the mountain or the lake. Stephen felt a little relieved.Then, he decided to climb the mountain to experience the scenery James described. One quick hike, and he had to admit that the scenery was impressive. Finally, he arrived at the church. The newly built church housed 81 clergy.Stephen chatted with the minister and learned about the churchโs history and rules for recruiting members.โThis churchโs history is a bit too shallow. Youโll want to add to it. You can market yourselves better by throwing in some backstory, like a strange childhood experience or visions youโve had in dreams.โAs for the requirements to join, they're a bit too strict. Not only do you
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 253
George said, โCelestial Cityโs economy is still declining. If a little pollution can help the economy to recover, I donโt think itโs a big issue.โThose words tempted Stephen. After all, the most pressing concern right now was indeed the economy!Despite that, he still decided to consult a professional and asked if building a food hall at the base of the mountain would cause any pollution. If it would, would it affect the mountain?โThere wonโt be any pollution,โ the professional assured. โFood halls are completely safe. They wonโt cause any pollution to the environment.โOnly then did Stephen relax completely. He tipped the man handsomely and sent him on his way.Outside, the man got into a car.โHow did it go?โ James asked from beside him.โI told him exactly what you wanted. Heโs convinced that building the food hall wonโt cause any pollution.โโExcellent.โ James smiled in satisfaction.In fact, he knew very well that the food hall would cause pollution. Things like cooking
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 254
Many people had forgotten that the assassins who tried to kill Stephen were still on the loose, and that was exactly what Stephen wanted. Although he planned to catch the two assassins, he could not find any trace of them despite searching every corner of Celestial City. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.As the construction of the food hall progressed and the story of Crystal Lake spread, many famous restaurants reached out to Stephen, expressing their desire to set up shop there. Stephen was over the moon. โCome! Everyone is welcome!โIn just one day, seven restaurants wanted to join the food hall.That night, Stephen woke up several times from his sleep, smiling.โItโs getting better. Itโs all getting better!โHe recalled the fortune card that he had drawn. It had really come trueโeverything in his future was going to be smooth sailing!However, it did not stop there. Even a film production company approached him.โWe think the legend of Crystal Lake is fantastic
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The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 920
After everything was settled, the people from HQ went to Ethan again. They apologized to him and begged for his forgiveness.โWeโve dealt with everyone involved in this matter. Are you satisfied with the outcome, Mr. Rivers?โWith that, they lowered their heads to the ground nervously. Their only hope now hinged on Ethanโs 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, โSend someone to help move my stuff down the mountain.โHearing that, everyone was first stunned, and then ecstatic.โOf course!โ 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, โWe respectfully
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 919
The day of Rachel and Georgeโs 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 judgeโs 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 Georgeโs faces paled to the point that they looked like corpses.The viewers in the livestream finally saw the full picture.โSo thatโs it! The Quinns and the Lowes conspired!โโThey deserve to die! How could they frame Ethan like that? Are they even human?โโThe death penalty! They deserve the death penalty!โThey 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 Returnย ย ย Chapter 918
They suppressed their disgust and returned home, only to see their parents and wivesโ panicked expressions.โWhat did you do out there?โโSo many people came today, asking for you by name.โHow 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.โItโs nothing,โ 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.โWhat have you done?โ Their parentsโ 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 Returnย ย ย 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.โHow could this be?โNo one expected this outcome. They thought, โSo what if I insulted him? Are they going to punish me for it? Besides, so many people are insulting him. They canโt possibly punish every single person who did it. At most, Iโll post a public apology and promise that Iโll never do it again.โHowever, 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.โWhy are they going this far? Arenโt they afraid of causing unrest?โOf 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 Returnย ย ย 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!โWhere else would she be?โ 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.โYou really have some nerve." The people from HQ sneered. โYou fooled us all completely.โโYouโve been hiding Ethanโs contributions all this time, havenโt you?โโYou two are nothing but disasters to this country! You deserve to die a thousand times over.โGeorge kept his head down while Rachel sobbed. โI was wrongfully accused!โโShut up! Are you still trying to fool us at a time like this? You were wrongfully accused? By who? Sim
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 915
They brought this on themselves, forcing themselves into a corner with no way out. โAh!โSimon could not take it anymore. He suddenly ran towards the window, trying to end his life. Fortunately, the officials quickly stopped him. โDonโt be reckless! Think about Stephen. Youโre all he has now!โThat sentence made Simon stop. Now, Stephen and Simon were each otherโs 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, โIโd like to file a report on someone.โTo 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. โShit!โ Someone exclaimed. โI heard Rachel bought a flight ticket overseas. Could she have fled?โThe room was filled with dread. If Rachel ra
The Guardian's Returnย ย ย Chapter 914
Seeing that Stephen was awake, the others rushed to get the doctor. The doctor was astonished as well. Stephenโs sudden awakening was nothing short of a miracle. However, after examining him, the doctorโs expression darkened. Stephen had regained consciousness, but the prognosis was far from hopeful.โHe canโt move,โ the doctor said. โAs of now, heโs paralyzed.โStephen 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. โHe might never be able to leave the bed again.โUpon 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 Returnย ย ย 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 Simonโs 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 Returnย ย ย Chapter 912
Due to Harrisonโs previous incident, the officials reacted quickly by sending Stephen straight to the hospital.After an emergency rescue, Stephenโs life was saved. However, he paid a heavy price. When the doctor walked out of the emergency room, the officials asked, โHow is he?โโThe situation isnโt looking good,โ the doctor said grimly. โHis body is in a bad state, and due to long-term emotional distress, he suffered a brain hemorrhage from the emotional shock.โHeโs still in a coma, and we canโt say for sure when heโll wake up again. It depends on his will to live.โThe officials drew a sharp breath. โDo you mean he might end up in a coma forever?โThe 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 Harrisonโs desperate pleas to Ethan back in his villa. โIโm willing to trade my life fo
