Since Zhan activated the AI four weeks ago and he learned about Facility B, which Zhan and Yibo discovered is an exact copy of the hotel, Facility A, a lot has happened. Aside from long-awaited spring, which finally drove away the bone-chilling cold and caused nature to awaken.

When the AI was activated, it automatically took control of all systems of both hotel complexes and also their defenses. Unable to overcome the hotel's defenses, after almost two weeks the black creatures gave up even coming close to the hotel and its inhabitants. They even avoided the two hotel facilities. However, there is still no sign of the gray creatures.

The vampires also do not come to the hotel. Now that spring and with it the strong sun are here, they can't move outside during the day and hide in some run-down houses or other holes. However, many of them were so weakened by the long autumn and winter with hardly any food that at some point they simply collapsed and did not get up again.

Zhan's father made it his mission, along with his soldiers, to collect the bodies of the vampires and burn them. This way they also want to avoid an outbreak of epidemics.

Meanwhile, many more people came to the hotel looking for a safe place that could become their new home. Many of these people reported that they heard the general over their radios and thus learned about the hotel. But many of them did not make it to the hotel sooner because they were trapped in Dangerous Places. Dangerous places because they were surrounded by vampires. They had no choice but to stay in their hiding places and wait until they finally had an opportunity to escape.

The AI checked each newcomer carefully by scanning their fingerprints and searching the police network to see if they had a criminal record. But so far, if at all, there were only people with minor offenses that the AI had no problem with and let them move into the hotel.

Now that spring is here, the hotel residents have also started planting vegetables. They worked from morning to night from the large fields and in the garden that is directly behind the hotel and was originally intended for the children as a kind of school garden.

All the hotel residents live peacefully with each other and work hard for their own utopia. They have all made the hotel and its Annex B, their little safe paradise that is their home.

Only one is skeptical and afraid that this is just the calm before the storm. Zhan! Although he enjoys being married to Yibo and raising little A-Yuan with him, going about his work and seeing all the happy people around him, he has a strange feeling in his gut that just won't let him go.

He remembers far too well that there are not only good people. He still often thinks about how he and Yibo took their first dangerous trip to get to the hotel and learned from this old man in the small town that their mayor and police, murdered all the residents.

And then there was the group of people who planned to take the hotel by misleading Zhan, Yibo and a group of soldiers. They lured them away from the hotel with false calls for help and in the meantime tried to take the hotel under their control. Only they did not reckon with the fact that there were many more soldiers in the hotel protecting the hotel and its inhabitants.

On top of that, the board of directors actually took control of the hotel after Zhan's father went off with many of his soldiers to take care of the construction of District 2 and District 3. They threw the old people out of the hotel and killed anyone who was against the board and their new rules. They killed people seeking help, which included children.

He also can't get it out of his head that he would have liked to have his own little house where he would live with Yibo and A-Yuan. When this wish arose in him, there was no talk of A-Yuan, since he was not yet part of the family at that time. But now that the three of them have become a small family, the desire sprouted again in Zhan and the more time passes, the stronger his desire becomes.

But for one thing, that safe house didn't exist. And for another, even if there was, Yibo wouldn't want to move there. Zhan knew that all too well. Because Yibo loves being a policeman at the hotel. And he also loves to eat together with the whole family in the big common room every night.

Just a week ago, Yibo happily told Zhan that he wanted to stay near his parents and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. They got on the subject because Zhan's father had started talking about District 3 again. A tiny village with only one street and 8 houses. Already last year Zhan's father and his soldiers had started to secure this village with high massive fences. But because of the incident with the board and the hard winter, they didn't get any further.

And now that spring is here, Zhan's father plans to resume securing District 3. And that's what Zhan and Yibo talked about, where Yibo made it very clear that he wants to stay at the hotel.

Zhan can and will accept that. As long as Yibo is by his side, he would be fine with anything. Still, he would like to see something other than the hotel again. He missed traveling with Yibo, seeing other places and discovering new things. Just escape from the regular life for once. Because Zhan is bored.

The AI has created a schedule for everyone and everything. Nothing is spontaneous anymore. Everything from morning to night is thoroughly regulated and planned. And then there is this increasingly strong feeling in Zhan that something is wrong. That they are overlooking something and may soon be facing new dangers again.

That night, however, Zhan just wanted to escape everything for once. He left Yibo and A-Yuan in their apartment and went to the bar, where he met Jenna, who also felt like having a drink. Zhan thought to himself that Jenna, the adventurer, must not find it easy to always be here in the hotel either. After all, she had always been traveling with her hot air balloon. But since her arrival at the hotel, she had not taken a flight in her hot air balloon and instead had been teaching history to the school children and helping the field workers.

Zhan sat down with Jenna and ordered a whiskey. Jenna looked at him thoughtfully and asked, "Where did you leave your husband today?"

"He's at the apartment with our son. They are watching a cartoon." Replied Zhan.

"And you don't feel like it?"

"No. I feel like I've seen this cartoon a hundred times."

"Oh yeah, when kids have a favorite movie, they can't watch it enough."

"Mmm."

"Can I ask you a question Zhan?"

"Sure."

"Why do you look so unhappy lately?"

"Mhhh? Do I?"

"Yes."

"I'm happy. I love Yibo and our son."

"But?"

"But the ceiling is starting to fall on my head. I just can't see these walls anymore and I want to get out and travel."

"I can understand that. I also often just want to take to the skies in my hot air balloon and like to see something different."

"Then why don't you?"

"Well I don't know. I had suggested high altitude flights as a distraction program and for a little fun. But the AI is against it. It's too dangerous because the AI can't defend the hot air balloons. Now the hot air balloons are in storage, which only the AI has access to."

"Mhhh, I have access to it too."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"That's good to know."

"Can I tell you a secret Jenna?"

"Sure my boy."

"There is another facility C. One that is much bigger than this hotel and facility B."

"Oh really? And where is facility C?"

"Annex C was built inside an extinct volcano. And it's on a private island. According to the information my great uncle left me, after the volcano went out, a real biotope was created there. Next to the hotel there, there are hot springs, streams with clear clean spring water. Cabins that were meant for the employees. Fishing facilities, a golf course, like here also fields for growing vegetables. And much more."

"That sounds like paradise."

"Mmm. But you can't get there that easily. Either you need a ship or you get there by air."

"I see. Would you like to explore the island, perhaps?"

"I'd like to. But for one thing, I have my duties here. And then there are the questions of how to get there? There's a dock for a ship. But you have to have the ship first. We would also need one or two experienced captains. And then there is the air way. But since I don't know if you could even land anywhere there, because my great uncle didn't write anything about that, that would probably be out of the question."

"Well, with a hot air balloon like that, maybe it would work. But depending on how far it is, you have to charge for gas. And the more gas cylinders you need, the less room there is for passengers and supplies."

"Yes that's clear."

"A few months ago we flew our hot air balloons over the harbor. And I can tell you, you won't find a ship there. It's all destroyed there. Let's say there was a ship and we had a captain or we were flying the hot air balloons, the creature problem still wouldn't be solved. In and around the hotel, the AI protects us. But in the air or on the high seas, no."

"Yes I know. That's why I haven't told anyone else about Annex C except Yibo and you yet."

"And what does Yibo say about it."

"Nothing more. Or actually, he said Annex C sounds very interesting. But we have our safe home now and can spare ourselves this dangerous trip."

"Well, he's kind of right, isn't he?"

"Mhm. He does."

"But?"

"Oh, I don't know. Right now I really just want to get out of here and see something different. It feels like I'm suffocating in here."

"Why don't you talk to your husband about it? Surely it would do you good."

"Yes I know it would be better to talk to him. But you know, he's comfortable with the way things are right now. And I'm afraid that if I tell him how I feel at the moment, we'll have a fight. And even if he understands me, we wouldn't be able to get out of here after all, because we can't put our son in danger. I would rather die than risk Yibo or our son getting hurt."

"Then travel alone. If your husband doesn't want to and to keep your son safe, why don't you travel alone? There are several residents here who are out on a regular basis."

"Yibo would never allow that."

"You're right. I would never let you travel anywhere alone." Said Yibo, who had been secretly eavesdropping on the two of them for a while and was angry because Zhan didn't talk to him about his worries and thoughts and instead talked to Jenna.

"Oh Yibo? What are you doing here?"

"Well what am I doing here? I was looking for my husband because I missed you."

"And where is A-Yuan?"

"He's sleeping. Don't worry, my mom is watching him. She came to see us earlier. She had a fight with dad again and wants to spend the night with us tonight."

"I understand."

"Will you come home with me? Then we'll talk."

"You two should do that. I'll say my goodbyes, too, then. Good night." Said Jenna and left.

Yibo approached Zhan and put his arms around him. "I'm sorry I didn't see how you were feeling these days." He said.

"It's not your fault."

"I'm your husband and I should see when you're feeling bad. Come on, let's go home and talk."

"Ah don't feel like it. Your mom is there and she always hears every word and always interferes right away."

"When do you want to talk then mhm?"

"Tomorrow after work?"

"Really?"

"Yes Yibo."

"Alright then. I'll listen to you carefully. Now come home honey. Let's go to bed and cuddle."

"Mhm. Oh Yibo, my father told me earlier that new people will be arriving tomorrow. He told me to tell you that he hopes you can help record everything."

"Yeah sure. Now come on. Or do I have to carry you?"

"Of course not. I can go myself."

"Zhan?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too Bo." Replied Zhan. Yibo took Zhan's hand and together they walked to their apartment. Yibo's mother had fallen asleep on the sofa and Yibo immediately pulled Zhan into the bedroom with him.

Yibo, who had overheard a small part of the conversation between Zhan and Jenna, could understand Zhan. It made him angry that Zhan confided in Jenna rather than him, but he also understood. Sometimes it helps more to talk to others who have a lot of life experience like Jenna.

And Yibo was well aware that he hadn't paid enough attention to how Zhan was doing in recent weeks. Usually, he could always tell by looking at Zhan. But now he had to admit that lately he had put his focus too much on his work and being a dad, not paying the same attention to Zhan. He resolved to change this from now on. Because no one was and is more important to him than Zhan.