?Chapter 1296:


    As Harlee felt inspired, she recounted stories of Tonya to Rhys, who listened intently, his grip on her hand firm, never loosening even for a second.


    Their exploration of the vi area took nearly three hours as they moved from one architectural marvel to another, a mix of ancient and modern styles that melded traditional city walls with contemporary designs. It appeared chaotic, but in reality, it was precisely the grand vision Harlee and Tonya had once encountered.


    “Let’s head back,” Harlee suggested, studying the vi onest time from the gate. “We’ll start redeveloping this area tomorrow.”


    “Okay,” Rhys responded, still holding her hand securely.


    They proceeded back toward the tents at a leisurely pace. By that time, Patrick had already coordinated the ns and discussed with Goodwin how to manage the captives.


    Upon their arrival, Patrick promptly said, “Harlee, Rhys, I’ve consulted with Goodwin. We’ll hurt those bastards to torture them and then heal them to keep them alive. This cycle will be repeated until all the inders’ need for retribution is satisfied.”


    “I’ll take over from here,” Harlee said firmly.


    Rhys gazed at her with a look of concern, noting her reddened eyes. “Lee, you need some rest.”


    g ? lnσ ν?? ?s, your storytelling home


    Harlee felt the fatigue weighing on her. She gave a slight nod and walked toward the tent she shared with Rhys, deliberately ignoring Tania’s presence.


    Tania, her fists clenched, was visibly uneasy. What was happening? What was Harlee’s n for the captives they had brought back?


    Patrick didn’t trust Tania much. As soon as she approached, he sent her away, leaving her still unaware of what had happened tonight.


    Rhys cast a meaningful nce at Tania before looking away.


    “Noel!” Rhys called out to Noel, who was not far away. “Go to your tent.”


    “Okay,” Noel responded, setting aside his tasks and heading directly to his tent.


    Before Rhys left, he took a moment to approach Robbie and murmured, “Be vignt and ensure no one approaches. Harlee included. Got it?”


    Robbie was puzzled. Wait a minute. Given the diverse group they had now, he could understand why Rhys might be cautious of others. But to keep Harlee at a distance… That was beyond his ability to handle!


    Just as Robbie was about to express his reluctance, he caught the worried look on Rhys’ face and quickly agreed, saying, “Okay.”


    Such concern was rare for Rhys unless it involved Harlee. Considering Harlee seemed safe and was even expecting, Robbie wondered why Rhys appeared so troubled.


    As Robbie mulled this over, he saw someone moving toward them and promptly stepped forward to intercept. “Where are you headed?”


    Tania, startled, felt her heart race, but upon seeing it was Robbie, she smiled and rxed. “I noticed some wild fruits over there. I thought I’d pick some.”


    For a moment, Robbie was stunned. Her gestures and demeanor mirrored Tonya’s so closely that it was as though Tonya had been reborn in her.


    Robbie quickly dismissed the thought. Reincarnation? That was absurd. Tania only resembled Tonya!


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