Chapter 292
Stephen deeply regretted his decision now.
If only he had not abolished the rules Ethan set in place.
If only he had not allowed the property prices to soar unchecked.
Stephen gulped and asked, “Can we choose another location?”
“If it’s not in the city center, then there’s no point talking.”
“Are you really the Grand Marshal’s mentee who brought peace to Riveria three years ago? Hmph, it seems you’re not that great at all.”
“Just pay us the money.”
They did not want to listen to Stephen’s excuses anymore. They did not care about Celestial City or its future. All they cared about was whether they could make money.
Celestial City’s economy was now in decline, and many migrant workers were leaving. It would be impossible to attract employees if they were not in the city center.
With no reason to stay, the group
stood up
and left.
Even if they could not get back all their money, they still decisively chose to leave without hesitation.
Only Stephen and George remained in the meeting room. They stared blankly at the door, watching the backs of the business owners grow distant until they disappeared.
At that moment, the room was filled with deathly silence.
Stephen and George were quiet for a long time, saying nothing.
Swoosh.
Stephen sat down on a chair. He could not understand how the situation could have turned out like this. George sighed beside him. They were at a loss.
“Are we just going to stand by and watch Celestial City’s economy collapse?”
If they refunded the money, Celestial City’s GDP would drop to just a trillion dollars from 2.5 trillion! The impact would be catastrophic.
Many people would lose their jobs, and with high rents and heavy loans, people would be forced to leave their homes. Some might even take desperate measures.
The cost of living would also increase, making life even harder for everyone. Public infrastructure might not receive timely maintenance, leading to various problems. Most importantly, the city could become unsteady.
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Stephen and George thought of the consequences and felt a headache.
At the same time, they were also curious. How did Ethan manage to handle all of Riveria by himself?
George whispered, “Should we go find Ethan?”
Stephen was silent for a while.
Find Ethan again?
He still felt embarrassed the last time when he knelt in front of Ethan until his legs went numb. Furthermore, Ethan’s plan resulted in him giving away a community, handing out awards, and promising to provide pensions for many people, costing him billions.
Stephen was slightly traumatized.
However, the current situation was beyond his ability to manage, and he could not afford to fail again.
If Celestial City’s economy collapsed, he would have ruined four cities in a row! He could not bear the consequences.
“Let’s go see him.” Stephen relented. “Only someone with his experience might have a good solution.”
They rushed back to the capital and headed straight to Drakthorn Ridge in the evening.
In the living room, Ethan looked at the two of them and felt that the duo was rather forgetful. He had told them many times that he would not help, so why were they still coming to him?
George said anxiously, “Ethan, please help us just once. Celestial City really is in trouble.”
“No,” Ethan replied with a single word.
“You used to manage Riveria before. You can’t just stand by and let the people of Celestial City suffer.”
Ethan said calmly, “That was before. You’re the ones managing Riveria now, so it’s not me who’s abandoning the people. My hands are tied.
“You’re the ones abandoning them. Not only are you failing to save them, but you’re also standing by and doing nothing.”
George could not respond, unable to argue
with Ethan.
Stephen walked over and asked, “What will it take for you to help?”
Ethan looked at him and said slowly, “Maybe I’ve been too polite to you in the past. That’s why you developed the habit of coming to me to solve your problems whenever something
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Chapter 292
goes wrong.
“You’re a young master from Metropolis with a noble background. In the past, you’d just seek out adults to solve any problems you faced. Stephen Quinn, when will you realize this?”
Stephen felt uneasy. “Realize what?”
“You’re not a child anymore. You’re an adult. You’re the same age as the adults who helped you solve problems before.”
