As father and daughter embraced once again, there was so much to catch up on. James Lone, ever perceptive, chimed in, "You two catch up; I'll take a stroll and be back in half an hour." With that, he walked through the stone walls and left the room.

Lancy George knew that if James could pass through walls, he would surely inform Jack George, leaving no need to hide anything from him. In fact, another ability! Jack George marveled inwardly.

Once James had departed, the emotional dam holding back Lancy and Jack broke, and they held each other tightly, tears streaming down their faces.

A few moments later, Jack squeezed Lancy's hand and whispered, "How has James Lone treated you? If it's not good, I'll do everything to get you out of here!"

Lancy shook her head vehemently. "No! Dad, don't do anything foolish. He's very powerful, and you won't escape. Besides, he's treated me well. I'm safe and well-fed in this sanctuary. Sure, there are many women around, and things can get a bit competitive at times, but he's never mistreated me. He treats all the women equally."

"Alright, alright!" Jack George felt a wave of relief wash over him as he stroked his daughter's hair. Her demeanor, the healthy glow on her face, the clean new clothes she wore—all of it suggested she was doing exceptionally well.

In fact, it seemed she was far better off than 99.99% of the survivors out there. As for the many women... that hardly mattered in peacetime, and in a post-apocalyptic world, it was practically irrelevant! Simply surviving was the real victory.

The fact that his daughter was alive breathed renewed purpose into Jack George's life.

They exchanged stories about their experiences, and then Jack George laid it out calmly. "For now, you'll stay in the sanctuary. Don't come to me, as it might upset James Lone. On one hand, it's not safe for me; on the other, you're far safer with him, and it puts my mind at ease. He won't let you leave anyway."

Lancy nodded. She had never intended to leave. After seeing the group of women collected by James Lone, she realized he wouldn't simply let her go.

Jack George lowered his voice. "What's James Lone's strength? How many powers does he have? Lancy, this is crucial for how I approach our cooperation."

Lancy cast a nervous glance outside, vaguely aware of James's reconnaissance abilities. But since her father asked, she had to respond. Misjudging James's power could lead to irreversible consequences.

Taking a moment to recall, she stated with caution, "I can only say he's extremely powerful. If he wanted, I suspect he could take out the entire 910 Sanctuary by himself!"

Jack George's eyes widened in shock, only to be replaced by exhilaration. "Really? Please, tell me more!"

His daughter had always been mature for her age and wouldn't speak carelessly. He had even considered grooming Lancy to take over the family business, but her passion for customizing cars meant she had little interest in the hotel industry.

Lancy answered quietly, "He can pass through walls, shrink his size, promote plant growth, and he can carry me as he moves at high speeds through the treetops. He has a massive spatial storage ability filled with countless supplies. It seems he anticipated the arrival of the red mist and stocked up on an immense amount of resources beforehand..."

"Oh, and he has an abundance of power fruits!"

Jack George was stunned. "How many?"

"Countless! I often see him munching on them like snacks!" Lancy was astonished even by her own revelations.

"Are you serious?" Jack George could hardly comprehend. "He's not pulling a fast one on you, pretending some regular fruit is a power fruit, is he?"

Power fruits were exceedingly valuable treasures—priceless and rare. In the 910 Division, they were military-controlled strategic resources! There's no way someone would treat them like they were mere snacks!

Lancy affirmed, "I'm absolutely serious! It's true! He gives all the women power fruits, three for each of us, including... me."

As she spoke, Lancy's face flushed slightly.

Jack George was dumbfounded. "Wait, you have three powers?"

"Four," Lancy clarified. "I initially had a power that controlled earth and stone. He also gave every woman one fruit for sensing allies and enemies, one for enhancing our physical form, and another for passing through walls."

She illustrated her ability by demonstrating how to pass through walls.

Jack George felt a mix of shock and wild elation. James Lone was even more powerful than he had imagined, far exceeding his expectations. It seemed James might genuinely have the potential to establish a kingdom in this post-apocalyptic world!

"Wait, did you say he can sense enemies and allies?"

"Yep! I can do that too. If anyone harbors any hostility towards me, I'll know right away. So, don't even think about trying to deceive James Lone. He won't be fooled..."

Meanwhile, above in the treetops, James Lone was enjoying a power fruit while listening to the father-daughter conversation unfold below him.

He had intentionally given them space to talk, curious about what they would say. After listening for a few minutes, he felt a bit exasperated. Lancy first spoke about her powers, which was entirely reasonable.

But Jack George, after making his assessments, seemed to think he could rise to power in this apocalypse and was planning to help Lancy secure the "queen" title! He even went so far as to consider future grandchildren, considering plans to inherit the family business.

"Does this old man think too far ahead?" James thought. "I just want to survive!"

Though James found Jack George's ambitions rather absurd, he also pondered: without the imminent threat of aliens, there was a genuine possibility for him to carve out a place of power for himself.

If the challenges were restricted to evolutionary changes among flora and fauna, humanity might still reclaim its rightful place at the top of the natural order.

Even if the mutated creatures were terrifying, human technological advancement was far superior. This recent escape had already proven that. The 910 Division, barely a small force of over 10,000, managed to save numerous survivors.

What about the various military districts scattered across the country? The United States had millions active in its military, with stockpiles of ammunition and artillery sufficient to carve out safe zones!

Once established, those safe zones would offer a platform to gather survivors. Given enough people, as long as they could sustain themselves in the early days, humanity would eventually rebuild technological civilization and once again reign atop the Earth.

However... there were aliens.

James sighed to himself. Until he understood the aliens' motives and powers, he wasn't about to put himself in the spotlight. Staying lowkey was the best way to ensure longevity.

In any case, Jack George had no intention of betraying him. He merely wanted to leverage James as a means to boost his own family's influence during this chaotic time.

Such ambitions were human nature, and James Lone didn't mind at all.

He listened quietly for an hour as they spoke—their discussions did not yield any surprises for him. Of course, he also considered that Jack George, being a clever fox, might be aware that he was eavesdropping and that every word spoken was meant for his ears.

But that possibility seemed unlikely; James could see the colors around him.

Most of Jack's aura was green, with a touch of yellow—a blend of friendship tinged with caution.

Such a combination was entirely reasonable.

After half an hour, James returned to the stone house, finding the father and daughter considerably calmed.

Jack George stepped forward, saying, "Mr. Lone, I entrust Lancy to your care. I'm heading back to Saint Martin Town now."

James replied, "You're far too weak, possessing only a single explosive ability. To ensure your safety, I'll gift you a power fruit to enhance your physicality."

Jack George was taken aback, increasingly realizing the depth of James's insights.

How could he know Jack possessed only one explosive ability? James produced an enhancement fruit from his pocket.

Jack George's eyes widened in wonder.

"This really is a power fruit!"

Lancy's earlier words echoed in his mind: she had spoken true!