**Chapter 26: Daily Routine – Alliances and Forced Labor**
The next day began with a heavy atmosphere after **Ingemar** was eliminated. The competitors were divided, but the humiliating tasks continued, and new alliances began to form.
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### **Servitude Routine – New Airs**
#### **1. Breakfast – Tension and Passion**
**Hardy** and **Drake** prepared breakfast together, a scene that left everyone surprised.
**Drake** (passing the coffee to **Hardy**): *"Don't think that means I like you."*
**Hardy** (smiling): *"Of course not. You're just trying to poison me."*
**Drake** (laughing): *"Not yet. But the day is far from over."*
**Glenda** (to **Leerstrom**, growling): *"What's going on with those two?"*
**Leerstrom** (smiling): *"Love and hate are two sides of the same coin, honey."*
#### **2. Cleaning the Bathrooms – Unexpected Friendship**
**Calley** and **Grayrock** scrubbed the floor, while **Towerfall** (of the Shadows) "accidentally" threw mud.
**Towerfall** (smiling): *"Oops. Guess you're going to have to clean up again."*
**Calley** (annoyed): *"Why don't you go lick that mud, boar?"*
**Towerfall** (laughing): *"Because I like seeing you on your knees better."*
To everyone's surprise, **Grayrock** let out a low chuckle.
— *Rock thinks you're funny. That's rare.*
Even **Calley** was surprised.
#### **3. Laundry – The New Couple**
**Katun** was washing clothes alone, but this time, without provocation.
**Belor** (approaching): *"Are you okay?"*
**Katun** (not looking at him): *"No. I didn't want to betray Ingemar, but I had to do this."*
**Belor** (smiling): *"Sometimes, we have to do things we don't want to do in order to survive."*
**Katun** (looking at him): *"You're wiser than you seem."*
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### **Gossip and Secret Alliances**
#### **Among the Guardians**
**Hardy** (to **Drake**): *"We need to unite. They're destroying us from within."*
**Drake** (smiling): *"I'm already on your side, Hardy. But don't think that means I trust you."*
#### **Among the Shadows**
**Glenda** (to **Leerstrom**): *"We need to get rid of **Hardy**. He's the heart of the Guardians."*
**Leerstrom** (smiling): *"Sure, dear. But first, let's have some fun."*
#### **The Most Unlikely Passion**
While gathering firewood, **Grayrock** and **Towerfall** found themselves alone in the forest.
**Towerfall** (curious): *"You really don't feel anything? Neither anger nor happiness?"*
**Grayrock** (slowly): *"Rock feels. It just doesn't show."*
**Towerfall** (smiling): *"Hmm... so you're more interesting than you seem."*
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### **The Climax of the Day**
At dusk, **Henry** appeared with an enigmatic smile:
— *Tomorrow, a new challenge will begin. But today... we saw something rare: enemies becoming allies, rivals becoming lovers. The game was never just about winning... but about surviving.*
**Hardy** and **Drake** exchanged glances.
**Katun** and **Belor** chuckled softly.
**Calley** growled, but without conviction.
**END OF CHAPTER 26**
*(Next: The Wishing Bridge Challenge – Truths and Consequences!)*
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**Note:** *Unlikely friendships, forbidden passions and forced labor have never been so interesting. The game is changing... and you won't want to miss the next chapter!* 💘🔥