The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 1549

Claire offered a sheepish smile.

She genuinely hadn't expected the trail leading back to the deep pool to become such a nightmare after a single storm.

On top of that, the temperature had plummeted. Her breath plumed in thick white clouds with every exhale.

Despite the misery, Claire gritted her teeth and pushed through.

Her resilience was nothing short of extraordinary.

Officer Miller hadn't joined the march. Colonel Harrison had ordered him back to the staging area to coordinate the logistical rollout.

Taming The Aila Highlands was going to be a monumental endeavor.

Establishing a permanent garrison in this undocumented, lethal terrain required meticulous planning.

With so many moving pieces, it made zero tactical sense to bury both the commanding and executive officers deep in the jungle.

Miller understood the logic.

He knew his injuries were a severe liability for a rapid deployment unit.

He was far more useful managing the supply chains and medevac routes from the rear.

His intimate knowledge of the terrain made him the perfect logistical anchor, allowing Colonel Harrison to push forward without looking over his shoulder.

Claire was technically the only person slowing the column down, but not a single soldier dared utter a word of complaint.

Her medical expertise was unparalleled, and the emergency treatments she provided were literal lifesavers.

Furthermore, her personal bodyguards, combined with Dane's elite operatives, provided a massive blanket of security.

They required zero babysitting from either National Security or the border garrison.

Aside from the physical toll the trek took on her, she was an absolute asset.

Dane hated seeing her suffer, but he stayed close, doing everything he could to help her harvest the rare flora.

He even initiated a strategic conversation with her. "You are the primary reason we successfully dismantled that black-site laboratory. You hold all the leverage for future negotiations."

Claire wasn't wired for corporate maneuvering. Honestly, the thought hadn't even crossed her mind.

But Dane was different.

He was a ruthless apex predator in the corporate world. The moment Claire showed an interest in the wild botanicals of The Aila Highlands, Dane was already structuring a monopoly.

Since the military was going to lock this entire region down, why shouldn't they leverage their massive contribution to secure exclusive harvesting rights?

Claire had already agreed to collaborate with the military on previous medical tech.

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