The Guardian's Return (Ethan Rivers) novel Chapter 520

Charles went to the hospital to take care of the medical bills and then talk to his father. He believed even without Ethan, he and his family could live a good life.

“Ethan committed a crime and was jailed for it. If you want me to take him as our savior, I can’t do it. Besides, I have the money. I have 500 thousand dollars.”

Xavier was astonished by the astronomical amount. He looked at Charles, but there was no happiness or excitement in the man’s eyes. As a father, he knew exactly what happened.

“You took bribes.”

Charles’ expression froze, but he forced a smile and said, “What? No. I’m not that kind of person. I will never bow down to money.”

He was slightly stunned when the words escaped his mouth. They felt familiar. It was what Ethan had told him last night, and in less than twenty-four hours, he had done the complete opposite. It was a slap in his face.

Nevertheless, he feigned a calm look and said, “The money is clean.”

Xavier looked at him but said nothing. He simply sighed. After Charles left, Xavier told his wife about their son.

Meanwhile, as Stephen was still figuring out a way to get more money, Nolan knocked at his door and came in with a suggestion.

“I have an idea.”

Stephen’s eyes lit up. “What is it?”

Nolan said, “Many villages and towns have idle land right now. Why not lease it out at a high price to factories or similar businesses? This would not only make effective use of the land but also attract workers into the city.”

Stephen looked baffled. “This place has terrible traffic. Can the factories attract workers into the city?”

Stephen received several hundred million dollars, which put a big smile on his face. He could use the money to help the farmers and increase the benefits in Hill City. If it became successful, people’s impression of him online would shift for the better.

Hill City seemed to be thriving, but it only lasted for a short while. The conditions beyond the borders were filthy and unhygienic, making it a great place for plagues and viruses to spread.

Soon, someone carried a new disease into Riveria, and it started to spread. In two short weeks, many were infected. Although it was not a lethal disease, it would torment the infected. The hospitals in Hill City were overloaded with patients, but that was not the only issue.

Some illegal immigrants came into the city bringing dangerous weapons with them. After a few drinks, tempers flared easily, and fights broke out at night. One disagreement, and suddenly guns were drawn.

The worst part? A few of them decided working in factories was not fast enough money. Armed and desperate, they began robbing local businesses, planning to grab whatever they could and make a quick escape.

Chaos erupted in Hill City.