For almost exactly three days, Zhan and Yibo had been traveling with their son and parents in a submarine to the mysterious island of Zhan's late great-uncle. In a very cramped space, they had tried to spend this time as best they could. Mostly by playing with A-Yuan, reading to him or telling him stories.

Twice, however, they were also allowed to the captain, who had a special highlight for the small group, but especially for A-Yuan. They could hear whale songs over sonar. The captain had said: "Now that there are hardly any people on the sea and fishing, the whale population will be able to increase again. Also those species of which there are only very few left. But that counts for all animals of this world. Who knows why these creatures appeared just now. Maybe they are just to bring nature back into balance."

These words got Zhan and Yibo thinking. They had, of course, long known through a scientist's assistant that the creatures had existed for many thousands of years and were simply frozen in a mountain range in the Arctic. But they also had to agree with the captain. Now that the creatures are there, nature and wildlife have been given a new chance to recover.

When Zhan and Yibo asked the captain if he himself had also had to fight the creatures, or the vampires, the captain nodded. "Yes. All of us, my crew and I, were aboard an aircraft carrier when the first attack occurred. These black creatures came swooping down on the ship out of nowhere and grabbed one man after another. We shot at them, but they didn't even care if we hit them. A few creatures managed to destroy the command bridge and kill the men including the captain. I and a few men managed to get below deck. Since the creatures stayed aboard the ship and spread out on the deck, we could do nothing but wait while the ship drifted at sea. And sometime after a few days, we heard noises and thought it was other survivors. But it were vampires. Men who had been bitten by the creatures and turned into vampires. I believe the creatures did this deliberately so they could kill us all. Fortunately for us, we were able to access the supplies unhindered. We also managed to make a few weapons, which we then used to gradually kill the vampires below deck. Still, we drifted at sea for almost 2 months before the creatures finally gave up and flew away. We managed to get the engines going again and night after night we slowly made our way towards home. When we finally reached our home port, everything was already destroyed. We looked for our houses and apartments, but there was no one there. Nothing but destruction and many dead bodies. We found this submarine here by chance when we all met back at the harbor. We decided as long as we could, we would travel around in the submarine looking for survivors. But our communications system wasn't capturing emergency calls until recently. It was my old comrade and friend whose voice was suddenly heard through our loudspeakers. And finally we knew that we were not the last survivors."

Zhan and Yibo could very well understand how the captain had felt. They too thought at the time that besides the group Zhan's father rescued and, of course, the two of them, no one else had survived. Because there were no distress calls. And on their way to the hotel, their first Dangerous Journey, the only person they finally met was the old dying man in that small town. Otherwise, they too saw only dead people.

On the evening of the third day, the submarine finally reached its destination. As close as possible, they approached the dock and decided to wait until dawn before leaving the submarine. Even though Zhan and Yibo are convinced that the gray creatures nesting on the island would not harm them, they do not know what it is like when they have young ones to protect.

But on this last night, no one in the sub was asleep. Instead, they were almost all up there fishing. They wanted to catch as many fish as possible to give as gifts to the gray creatures. And in the morning of the following day, the yield could be seen. They had caught more than enough fish.

Using a small boat, they began the morning by first bringing Zhan, Yibo, A-Yuan and their parents ashore, and then the many buckets of fish before the crew themselves also went ashore. They said goodbye to their submarine and the captain finished by saying, "I hope we never need you again. Thanks for giving us a safe home all these months."

They followed the now rather overgrown path from the dock to a small cottage that said "Registration." And much to Zhan's and Yibo's delight, all they had to do was start a small generator and the little house had electricity again. And the first thing they heard, after the computer also booted up, was the AI greeting them and explaining that it would now take care of them again.

In a garage about 20 meters from the little house, they even found vehicles. They loaded all the luggage and the buckets with the fish on the loading areas of the cars and after a short hesitation, the engines of the cars started.

As they moved inland, there was nothing around them but beautiful nature. And with the white sand that was everywhere, the island looked like a true island paradise.

After two and a half miles, Zhan and Yibo discovered what they had been looking for all along. The first gray creatures. And just like the gray creatures they met back then, these were also curious and not at all eager to attack. Especially when Yibo took a bucket of fish and showed them a fish.

One of the gray creatures came closer to Zhan and Yibo's vehicle. Little A-Yuan, who was sitting on Zhan's lap, looked at the creature with wide eyes and let Yibo give him a fish, which the little one then held out to the creature. The creature sniffed the fish curiously and took it very carefully from the excited little boy.

And as soon as the creature had the fish, it immediately ate it up. It didn't take long until other creatures came and let themselves be fed by all the people. Zhan and Yibo watched the captain reach out his hand to one of the gray creatures and pet it. He suddenly began to cry and whispered, "Thank you."

Zhan and Yibo knew he was crying because he was relieved. He was relieved because he knew that this gray creature would not harm him and that he would finally find a new home on this island without having to be afraid. And so it was not only for the captain, but also for his crew. They all cried with joy and relief.

And then suddenly Zhan and Yibo had to laugh out loud when two creatures came up to them and put apples in front of their feet. While another creature had offered them a dead bird. That was exactly how it was with their gray creatures back then.

The moment Zhan and Yibo thought of that very day, when they first realized that the gray creatures were different from the black ones, three creatures rushed toward them, while two larger ones hastily followed. Zhan had tears in his eyes, because he immediately realized that these were THEIR five creatures. Their unusual family, by whom they had been protected, fed, and somehow adopted.

The reunion of the more than unusual family, was heartfelt and at least for Zhan and Yibo, very tearful. Especially when the creatures were very curious about A-Yuan and carefully rubbed their heads on the belly of the little one and let him stroke them.

Then even their parents understood for the first time why it was so important for Zhan and Yibo to see these five creatures again. They could see how great their affection for each other was.

After a whole hour, during which A-Yuan even played with a very young creature and even the crew of the submarine played with the creatures, it was time for them to leave for the hotel. Now that Zhan and Yibo knew where their creatures were, they were sure they would see each other again very soon and most importantly, very often.

They had to drive another 12 miles over the overgrown road, during which they also got to see the houses meant for the employees, before they finally arrived at the foot of the extinct volcano and thus reached facility C, Hotel 3.

The group stood together in front of the entrance door to the hotel and looked up to the top of the huge extinct volcano. Except for the door in front of them, nothing indicated that this could be a hotel. And finally, Yibo changed the batteries for the locking system, Zhan entered the code to open the door, and the two large doors opened.

Three corridors appeared before them. The one straight ahead led directly to a light-filled area, which they quickly discovered went into the volcano's funnel, where a true biotope had formed. The corridor to the left led them to the common areas, as was signposted, and the corridor to the right to the staff areas. As well as the engine room, which is also equipped with a modern biogas plant.

They walked together to the engine room where they started up the biogas plant. After less than 2 minutes, everything around them was brightly lit and the AI reported. "Welcome. I will now start the operation and put the systems into operation one by one."

One by one, the AI reported which systems were back on line as the group made their way to the food warehouse and were more than delighted to find that the warehouse was filled to the brim with all sorts of shelf-stable food. Jubilant, the sub's crew rushed to pick up a bag of rice. They pulled out a few cans of soups and canned vegetables, as well as canned meats, and rushed to the kitchen with them. Zhan and Yibo smirked at this.

But the two of them could also understand them. For more than two months their meal consisted almost only of fish they caught, because they had no other food left. Even on unmanned drifting ships they found nothing more to use.

And only when they all ate together did the group continue their tour of the hotel. First and foremost, there were many rooms. From single rooms to family rooms, there was everything. They came to the ultra-modern infirmary, which is even larger than in Hotel 1 and 2. The supplies of medicines were also immense. And in a solar-powered refrigerator, there were even more medicines and vaccinations.

They looked at the many different workshops, the wellness area with its lake in which crystal clear water is and the stables, the areas for children and finally they also saw all the animals that were distributed on the island, when they finally arrived at the top of the observation deck.

The whole tour of the hotel had taken more than 2 hours. And after a short tea and coffee break, everyone started to look for a room and settle in. Zhan and Yibo, however, got a key to one of the houses and drove a car there. They don't plan to stay in the hotel with the others. They want to be by themselves, in their own little house.

When they reached house 1, they parked the car under the carport and unlocked the door to the house. It was flooded with light through the many large windows and even the entrance area was bright and spacious.

The fully furnished living room immediately invited to nice cozy hours, which could also take place in front of the fireplace, which was also there. A fully equipped modern kitchen with its dining area, invited to cook and eat together. One floor higher there were three bedrooms. One large and two smaller ones. In addition to two bathrooms.

Zhan didn't have to ask Yibo first if they wanted to move in there. Yibo grinned before Zhan could say anything and asked him, "Should I get our belongings?"

And before Zhan could answer, little A-Yuan called out, "Yes Dad. Go get the stuff. I'm going to my new room." And already he was running into one of the two smaller rooms and bouncing on the bed.

"A-Yuan, honey. You better not do that. Daddy has to clean it up first. It's all full of dust." Shouted Zhan, who saw a huge cloud of dust rising from the bed as the little boy happily jumped on it.

While Zhan tried to stop A-Yuan from jumping, Yibo stood in the doorway watching his husband and son with a smile and a beating heart. Just like this, he had imagined it. Just like this, he wants to spend life with his husband and his son. "Wait for me. Dad wants to join too." Yibo finally shouted and jumped up and down on the bed together with A-Yuan until the little guy dropped down on the bed laughing.

The three of them lay side by side on the bed and A-Yuan said, "Finally home with my dad and daddy. I'm happy." And his two proud and also overjoyed parents agreed with him.