The Guardian's Return by Old Pumpkin

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?"
Nolan nodded. "I'm sure they will."

Stephen was not familiar with Riveria but Nolan was. He knew that due to its geographical location near the border, people tried
to sneak contraband across the border to sell, but it was dangerous.
What if Riveria itself had places that would produce illegal items for sale? Not only could those operations bring in foreign
workers, but they could also conduct online scams to lure victims beyond the borders.
In addition to its terrain being surrounded by mountains, the owners of the
factories would love to set up factories in Hill City. If things went south, they could flee, and no one could stop them.
Stephen said, "Let's give it a try."

He made the announcement and
hoped people would set up new factories in Hill City. Immediately, Nolan contacted his connection from beyond the borders and
d told
him to bring men into Hill City to set up the new factories.
The South Regent saw it as an opportunity and quickly joined the fray. The other factions also made a move after seeing the
South Regent's reaction. With no time, the idle lands were filled.
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. Cóntent
belongs to
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 HilbCity 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.