Wen Boyuan and his wife regained consciousness quickly after being lifted onto the sofa.
Although the outside temperature had plummeted and the blizzard and biting winds had penetrated their bodies, the -33°C temperature wasn't enough to actually freeze them. However, they had exhausted almost all their strength traveling along the way, and once they fell in the blizzard, it was difficult for them to get up and move again.
Now they were covered with warmer blankets and drank warm ginger tea. They recovered in a few minutes and were able to move freely again.
Wen Boyuan held his still-crying baby daughter with a smile on his face. Even though he could hear the howling wind and snow outside the window while sitting in the hall, it couldn't dampen his joy.
"Thank you for your trouble, Manager Zhou. My husband and I are fine now."
When the lobby manager Zhou Ren saw that the distinguished guest had indeed recovered, he felt much more at ease. This was the eldest young master of the Wen family, the current head of the Wen family, and he absolutely could not be allowed to have any accidents in their hotel.
"It's good that you're alright. Actually, you could have called me if you wanted to come back, and I would have arranged for security to pick you and your family up. It's really a bit dangerous for you to come back alone like this now."
Wen Boyuan smiled but didn't say anything.
He could indeed call the hotel manager to have someone pick him up, but could the person who came to pick him up really guarantee the safety of his family?
Just like the sudden drop in temperature and the sudden onset of a blizzard, let alone protecting the family of four in such a heavy snowstorm, it's uncertain whether the security guards can even guarantee their own safety.
Moreover, he really didn't want to wait until night.
When he hid in the mall, the first thing he saw was those four tall, strong men who were only wearing down jackets but sandals.
Others might find these four people somewhat strange, but their family was standing very close to them.
He heard almost every word they said.
From their calculations of time and the sudden drop in temperature, to their quick search for the nearest hotel and their decision to leave, and even the gesture of the long-haired youth with a high ponytail pulling out four pairs of pants and four pairs of shoes from his backpack.
The more he listened and watched, the more alarmed he became.
As the heir to the family business, Wen Boyuan believed that he had an extremely accurate eye for people.
He could tell from the conversations, actions, and even the glances the four people gave him that they were no ordinary people.
Wen Boyuan had met mercenaries and veterans before, because his family's bodyguards came from both of these groups.
The tallest man among the four was even more terrifying to him than the top-notch mercenary who always followed his father.
Because he was listening so intently to their conversation, he quickly caught the man's cold glance, a glance that made him stiffen and even instinctively want to back away defensively.
Having seen so many people and witnessed so many grand scenes, this was the first time he had been intimidated by a single glance from one person.
It was a kind of absolute suppression in terms of power and life and death, different from the feeling he had from his stern father.
Then, Wen Boyuan heard that they were going to the hotel, and he followed them with his daughter, wife and son almost without hesitation.
Now it seems he was right after all.
Moreover, with the situation regarding the blizzard still unclear, he must continue to maintain a friendly relationship with those four capable individuals.
These thoughts raced through Wen Boyuan's mind, and then he stood up and walked towards Gou Fugui and the other three who were still standing by the hotel door.
At this point, the hotel staff had given up on the idea of closing the glass side door. Forcibly closing the door would require a lot of strength against the wind and snow, and excessive force could easily damage the entire glass door. Rather than that, it would be better to move a few boxes over to block the door, at least to prevent the blizzard from pouring into the lobby.
"Mr. Wealthy".
With a polite smile, Wen Boyuan addressed Gou Fugui, who was watching the waiter blocking the door, saying, "And Mr. Xie, thank you for saving our family's life just now. Our whole family is extremely grateful."
Gou Fugui exclaimed and waved his hand, "No, no, it's not that serious. We just lent a hand, and it wasn't exactly free help. Mr. Wen, you don't need to take it to heart."
Wen Boyuan's smile became even more sincere. "If it weren't for Mr. Fugui and Mr. Xie's help, my wife, my two children, and I wouldn't have been able to get here safely. This is truly a life-saving grace, and I will remember it forever."
"And next to me is Zhou Ren, the hotel manager. If it's convenient, Mr. Fugui, would you like to come with me to the front desk to register? You four can choose any of the hotel's best suites; consider it a small token of my appreciation."
Wen Boyuan's words were extremely polite and courteous, and Gou Fugui thought about it and followed him without hesitation.
I came here to stay anyway, so of course I'd take the best suite for free.
It's still unknown how low the temperature and how heavy the blizzard will drop in this world, so they probably won't be leaving here anytime soon.
"Then let's go."
Gou Fugui nodded, then turned to Xie Tianlang and the other two: "How will you live? Together or separately?"
Song Sanchuan clicked his tongue twice: "Look at how these two dislike each other, how can they possibly live together? They should just stay next door like before! It's better for both of us!"
Of course, he's a good teammate of his boss, so of course he should create good opportunities for his boss to be alone with his sweetheart.
As expected, Song Sanchuan received an approving look from Xie Tianlang after he finished speaking. However, Si Wuyai, standing to the side, wore a particularly sarcastic expression, his eyes gleaming with the knowing light that he had long known Xie Tianlang's wicked intentions.
So Gou Fugui followed Wen Boyuan to the front desk and said, "Let's get two rooms. We don't have to stay in the best suite."
Wen Boyuan shook his head repeatedly: "If we're going to stay, we should stay in the best. We have eight VIP suites on that floor, are they all available right now?"
Hotel manager Zhou Ren wore a particularly polite and even admiring smile: "There are two adjacent suites in the VIP presidential suite on the 30th floor that haven't been booked yet."
"Mr. Fugui, please don't be shy. As Mr. Wen's friend, you are a valued guest of our hotel. After check-in, if you have any requests, please call the front desk. Also, this is my business card; you can call me directly if you have any questions."
Zhou Ren's ability to become the manager of a hotel in the best business district of a top-tier city where land is extremely valuable demonstrates his foresight and shrewdness.
Putting aside Wen Boyuan's overly enthusiastic, even somewhat awe-inspiring, attitude towards Gou Fugui and his three companions, the fact that the tallest and most imposing man could rush into the blizzard without hesitation to accurately find and carry Wen Boyuan and his wife back was enough to prove that these four people were no ordinary individuals.
Zhou Ren always tries to befriend capable people whenever possible.
Gou Fugui raised his eyebrows as he looked at the business card Zhou Ren handed him, but he didn't quite accept it.
"So you're in charge of the entire hotel."
Zhou Ren paused for a moment, then a slightly proud smile appeared on his face: "This is a career I am proud of."
Gou Fugui nodded at his proud smile, and then immediately began a barrage of probing questions.
"Can you tell me how much food the hotel has stored and how many days it can last?"
How many backup power supplies does your hotel have, and how long will these backup power supplies last?
How well does the hotel protect against frost, cold, and wind? If the temperature drops further by tens of degrees, will the hotel be able to guarantee heating in all the rooms?
The smile on Zhou Ren's face gradually disappeared as he was asked the question.
He didn't pay much attention to the first question, assuming it was just a customer's concern about the blizzard blocking the roads. But when he heard the second, third, and even fourth questions, he couldn't keep his composure.
Why is this long-haired guy asking such a question? It's as if this blizzard not only won't stop, but will continue indefinitely and cause a major disaster.
"...Mr. Fugui, you don't need to worry too much. Our hotel has a dedicated food warehouse, which stores enough rice, flour, cooking oil, canned fruits and vegetables, seafood and frozen meat to feed 3,000 people for a month."
"And this is just our basic reserves. Our hotel also purchases enough fresh fruits, vegetables and meat to feed a thousand people every day. You absolutely don't need to worry about food shortages here."
"As for our hotel's backup power and heating and antifreeze measures, you can rest assured. When this hotel was built, the goal was to create a world-class, high-end hotel. The backup power fuel is enough to keep the hotel running normally for fifteen days, and the hotel's earthquake and strong wind resistance levels are all above the highest standards."
"So you don't need to worry about living here. Even if the disaster of the blizzard you mentioned occurs, our hotel can still provide our guests with the best accommodation and service!"
As Zhou Ren finished speaking, his expression became proud again, and even Wen Boyuan next to him nodded repeatedly.
He had been a little worried that the snowstorm would last a long time, but Zhou Ren's words put his mind at ease.
"Oh, can you tell me how many people are there in the hotel right now, including waiters, hotel staff, and customers?"
Zhou Ren: "..."
Wasn't this guy even listening to him?! Why is he asking such a question?!
However, Zhou Ren gritted his teeth and patiently answered, "Our hotel has a total of 240 employees, and the current number of guests staying here..."
As Zhou Ren spoke, he looked at the receptionist who was already waiting to register. The receptionist immediately gave a standard smile and quickly pressed a few keys on the computer in front of her, reciting the exact number of guests.
"Hello, there are currently 823 guests staying at the hotel."
Gou Fugui nodded, so the total number of people in the hotel was 1063. Adding the four of them and the four college students, the total was 1071.
Not counting the small number of 1,000 people, the hotel's food reserves could feed 3,000 people for a month.
That means the hotel can at least guarantee food for the 1,000 people staying there for three months.
Having enough food greatly increases the chances of survival.
Choosing this hotel was definitely a wise decision.
"Good."
Seeing that the "distinguished guest" who had been asking questions and doubts finally nodded with a satisfied expression, Zhou Ren also finally showed a satisfied smile.
"That's why I say that all the facilities in our hotel are the best, and we will make sure that every guest who stays at our hotel feels the best service and the best experience."
"Mr. Fugui, these are the key cards for the two VIP suites, 3007 and 3008. Please take them. You can now take your friends upstairs to rest."
"Our suites have a jacuzzi and massage chair to help you relax, as well as panoramic double-layered protective floor-to-ceiling windows with views of Longhu Lake. If you feel hungry, you can order food directly, or we have prepared some snacks and drinks in the suite's refrigerator."
"You will not be disappointed."
Gou Fugui raised his eyebrows. To be honest, he'd never stayed in such a luxurious five-star hotel VIP suite before. He thought the jacuzzi was quite impressive!
Wen Boyuan was in a good mood when he saw Gou Fugui take the key card. After thinking for a moment, he directly invited, "Mr. Fugui, it's already 5:30. Why don't you go upstairs and rest for an hour first? I'll treat the four of you to dinner in the restaurant on the sixth floor after an hour, how about that?"
"I hope the four of you will not refuse, as I really want to express our gratitude."
Gou Fugui didn't really want to have anything to do with this family anymore. He could tell that Wen Boyuan wanted to befriend them and give them more security. But their goals made it impossible for them to protect anyone alone or stay in one place indefinitely.
However, when Gou Fugui looked at Wen Boyuan, he suddenly thought of Jin Mantang from the Sea World. That top-tier rich second-generation also relied on excessive intuition to insist on making him a brother and then following him to the end.
The point isn't that Jin Mantang survived until the end with him; the point is that Jin Mantang took him to Grandpa Jin's planting base, indirectly helping them find the core of the world.
Gou Fugui looked at Wen Boyuan and finally nodded.
What if this guy is also a clue? Anyway, having a meal won't make a difference, and they're not in a hurry right now.
"Okay, see you at 6:30 then."
Wen Boyuan was delighted to hear the affirmative answer. He had just noticed the hesitation of the person in front of him, but in the end he agreed. At least their friendly relationship could continue, and Wen Boyuan felt that he could probably get some information from these people.
For example, why did Mr. Fugui have an expression that suggested he was convinced the heavy snow would turn into a snow disaster?
Afterwards, Gou Fugui gave the room key for room 3008 to Song Sanchuan and Si Wuyai, while he and Xie Tianlang stayed in room 3007.
When they were handing out their room keys, the four college students also went to the front desk. However, looking at the room rates for this top-tier hotel, all four of them seemed a little hesitant.
In the end, it was Wen Boyuan who spoke up, and Zhou Ren arranged for them to stay in the two smallest standard rooms, for which the four college students were very grateful to Wen Boyuan.
Wen Boyuan smiled and said, "It's fate that we came together. Let's consider it a good connection."
The fact that these four college students were able to decisively follow Mr. Fugui and his group at the first opportunity proves that there must be someone among them who is very decisive and has excellent observation skills, or that they were just lucky.
Wen Boyuan glanced at the bespectacled college student who was leading the group and nodded.
The VIP suite at the five-star hotel was indeed very nice.
The living room, dining room, study, and mini-bar exude sophistication and style, while the oversized bathtub and bathroom by the window, along with the plush bed and massage chair, showcase the superior amenities.
If it weren't for the need to eat, the wealthy and beautiful woman would definitely be soaking comfortably in the bathtub next to the floor-to-ceiling window for two hours.
However, he eventually took a nice, relaxing shower and then stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor of the hotel, looking down at the view outside.
Looking at it this way, my previously pleasant mood dissipated considerably.
It's six o'clock in the afternoon, and the sky is already dark in late December.
What should have been a night scene of dazzling lights amidst a deep blue-black landscape, but after wiping away the frost-covered glass window and opening up the small field of vision, Gou Fugui could only see a sky full of white through the window.
Large snowflakes were swept across the windows by the storm, and even the double-glazed windows of the VIP suite could not block out the howling wind and snow outside.
Looking down through the glass opening he had cleared, the Longhu Lake below was already frozen over and covered with a thick layer of snow. The commercial buildings that they had previously passed by were also covered by snow and wind, and at least a third of the area was without lights.
Gou Fugui looked at the shopping mall in the center of the business district.
That's where they came from.
However, the mall still hasn't had power, otherwise the lights would be on like the rest of the mall.
After watching for a while, Gou Fugui turned around and went back to the sofa in the living room.
He thought for a moment, then turned on the TV and tuned to CCTV, hoping to see if there were any news reports or alerts about the blizzard in central China.
The blizzard made the signal jumbled, affecting even five-star hotels. It wasn't that no video feeds could be received, but the frequent buffering was incredibly frustrating.
So, having brought all the necessary equipment, Fu Guiyuan took out his state-made mobile phone from his pocket.
His phone quickly connected to the hotel's Wi-Fi, and he finally found news reports about the weather changes online, as well as various messages on Washington State's largest social media platform.
#Nationwide Snowfall!#
Blizzard conditions in Northeast, Northwest, and Central China!
#ArcticIceFrozen! #
#Global Climate Anomalies! Frequent Heavy Snowfalls.#
Is the Ice Age Coming?
Gou Fugui scrolled through the headlines on social media and found that almost all the top trending topics were related to the sudden snowfall.
And the cities affected by the blizzard were not just in central Washington State, but almost the entire state of Washington, or rather the entire Northern Hemisphere, were experiencing snowfall.
The amount of snowfall is basically related to the latitude of the region—the higher the latitude, the more severe the extreme cold and blizzards. Gou Fugui clicked on several trending topics and saw many photos of heavy snow taken by mobile phones and even by satellite.
What he looked at the longest were two comparison photos of the Arctic taken by satellite.
One is a satellite photo of the Arctic taken in August, and the other is a satellite photo of the Arctic taken on December 25, which was yesterday.
In August, the entire Arctic was still in a state of gradual melting of icebergs, with more than two-thirds of the Arctic ice and snow land exposed as black soil, a scene of "global warming and the disappearance of ice and snow".
However, in December, the Arctic ice and snow that seemed to have disappeared in August due to global warming had completely covered the earth, and even three extremely huge Arctic glaciers that almost formed a mountain range appeared out of nowhere in the entire Arctic Circle.
The sight of snow-covered landscapes and towering ice formations makes it hard to believe that just four months ago, the snow and ice here were about to disappear. But now, the reality is undeniable: the white expanse that fills the field of vision, with its purest color and coldest temperature, proclaims the arrival of the winter era.
Gou Fugui stared at the two photos for a long time before exiting the trending topic and clicking on another headline: #IceAgeComing?#
Many science popularizers on their platforms are analyzing the reasons for sudden heavy snowfalls around the world. Some science popularizers believe that such sudden heavy snowfalls are a manifestation of abnormal climate but do not mean that an ice age is coming. They say that talking about an ice age is alarmist.
However, some people say that they are actually in the "time frame" of the fourth ice age. It's just that because human history is too short, the ice age time frame is sometimes a "deep freeze zone" and sometimes an "interfreeze zone." They have always been in the "interfreeze zone," so people have not actually experienced the terrible "ice age."
A true ice age can last for hundreds, even thousands or tens of thousands of years. Once the Earth enters a period of ice cover, the end of the ice age is very difficult to stop.
Every previous ice age on Earth has resulted in devastating mass extinctions. The entire planet would freeze, starting at the Arctic and Antarctic, gradually engulfing the world's oceans, spreading from the poles to the equator, leaving no place on Earth untouched.
If an ice age truly arrives, then humanity has virtually no chance of survival. But until then, perhaps we can humbly pray that the snowfall across the Northern Hemisphere and the freezing of the Arctic are merely the beginning of a "mini ice age." If that happens, humanity might be able to hold on for a little longer.
As a survival-oriented science blogger, I suggest that everyone stockpile as much food as possible in the next few days, buy enough warm clothes and shoes, and, unlike other disasters, prioritize purchasing basic supplies that can be burned for warmth, such as lighters, flint, coal, and gasoline.
Otherwise, when the power and heating are cut off, even with food, people will die from hypothermia in extremely cold temperatures.
Finally, while the disaster is still in its early stages, those who are able can try to move to lower latitudes near the equator. Although it's uncertain whether this sudden blizzard truly signals the arrival of an ice age, with winter approaching, seeking shelter in warmer areas is definitely the right choice.
Gou Fugui looked at the last paragraph and tapped his fingers lightly twice.
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