Chapter 10: Police Dog Cemetery

“…Seriously, how can he be this smart? I’m telling you, trained police dogs really are something else.” That night, Wang Xiuyun brought it up again, full of praise.

After the young man left, she took Aofeng and Doudou to the police station and handed the wallet over to the officer on duty, asking them to investigate and contact the owner.

Shen Yuanhui nodded without saying a word. His eyes appeared to be fixed on the book in his hands, but his thoughts had long drifted elsewhere.

He was pondering a question: should he still adopt Aofeng? Of course, there was no doubt that he and his family adored Aofeng.

But judging by the two recent incidents and his own observations over the past few days, Aofeng clearly wasn’t just meant to be a pampered family pet. He belonged in a bigger world, destined for a more glorious life—just like his parents—as a proud Merit Dog.

However, Aofeng’s performance at the Training Base seemed completely at odds with how he’d behaved these past few days. Could a dog this smart really be incapable of following basic commands from a Trainer?

Shen Yuanhui couldn’t shake the feeling that Aofeng had deliberately disobeyed orders at the base, perhaps to fail the evaluation on purpose—like a child intentionally handing in a blank test. Maybe Aofeng simply didn’t want to become a police dog.

At that thought, Shen Yuanhui chuckled and shook his head. Maybe he was overthinking it. How could a dog have its own opinions?

But… do dogs really not have their own thoughts? Shen Yuanhui’s smile slowly faded, replaced by a serious expression. Aofeng, it seemed, truly did have a mind of his own.

If he really didn’t want to become a police dog, then what should Shen Yuanhui do?

Right now, Shen Yuanhui found himself facing the same dilemma as many parents: when it comes to a child’s future, should you follow the path you’ve planned for them, or respect the child’s own wishes?

Aofeng had no idea Shen Yuanhui was wrestling with such thoughts. At the moment, he was curled up in his bed, silently counting the days. It had been five days since he arrived at the Shen household. The day after tomorrow was the evaluation day for the puppies at the Training Base.

Those who passed would move to the base’s large training ground for six months of intensive training before being assigned to police departments across the country. Those who failed would be removed from the program and either adopted or auctioned off.

Usually, very few puppies were eliminated—only those with irreversible physical or behavioral issues.

Aofeng figured that besides himself, there were probably two others at risk. One was a Rottweiler puppy named Heizi¹ by the Trainer. Heizi was so hyperactive that he constantly messed up commands during training, a complete contrast to the always-lazy Aofeng.

The other was a Labrador puppy named Huzi². He’d started off well, but the Trainer soon noticed he was overly friendly. No matter who tried to leash him, he’d wag his tail and run up to them, licking and cuddling. A dog like that might end up treating criminals like long-lost friends.

The three of them were the headaches of the base. But thanks to Aofeng’s “brilliance,” the other two got a bit more leeway.

He wondered if anyone missed him after he left. After being away for several days, Aofeng realized he actually liked the Training Base. Whether it was Trainer Dezi³ or the quack vet Xu Dong, everyone there had treated them with genuine care.

If he hadn’t slacked off during training, they might’ve had a lot more time together. Thinking back, what was the reason he didn’t want to become a police dog in the first place?

Aofeng stared at the moon, thinking for a long time before it hit him—it was the trauma from his death.

That day, he had just gotten off work. Since his workplace wasn’t far from home, he always walked. Passing an alley, he heard the sounds of a scuffle and peeked in. That one glance sealed his fate. The men rushing out of the alley spotted him and shouted, “There’s another one!”

Before he could even process what that meant, there was a loud bang. His chest went cold, and he collapsed. As he lay dying, it slowly dawned on him—he’d stumbled into an arrest operation. With his tall frame and leather jacket, the criminals mistook him for an undercover cop and shot him.

He was just a law-abiding citizen, gunned down for no reason. The psychological scar ran deep. Even after being reborn as a puppy, he often woke from nightmares, reliving his death over and over. The pain of being shot through the heart felt so real that he’d instinctively raise a paw to touch his chest, just to make sure it was still intact. That incident had planted a deep fear of criminals—or perhaps, a fear of dying unexpectedly.

If he became a police dog, he’d inevitably face similar dangers. If fear held him back in a critical moment, he could endanger his teammates.

To avoid becoming a liability, Aofeng had made up his mind: he would never be a police dog.

…

“Aofeng, come on, I’m taking you somewhere.” Early the next morning, Shen Yuanhui said this mysteriously as he clipped on Aofeng’s leash and led him out of the yard.

Outside, an electric scooter was parked. Shen Yuanhui lifted Aofeng onto the footboard, then swung a leg over and got on himself. As they rode along, the morning breeze ruffled Aofeng’s fur, making him look extra round and fluffy.

Aofeng lifted his head and glanced at Shen Yuanhui in confusion. Why wasn’t he going to work today? Where were they headed?

The scooter weaved through the streets for a while, turning off the main road onto a more secluded path. They didn’t see a single soul for quite some time. Eventually, a solemn building appeared before Aofeng, with four large characters on it: “Police Cemetery.”

Aofeng’s demeanor turned serious, and his previously lazy sprawl shifted into a seated posture.

Shen Yuanhui stopped the car outside the gate and led Aofeng over.

“Officer Shen, here to visit the old comrades again?” An elderly man sat in the security booth at the entrance to the police cemetery. When he saw Shen Yuanhui, he greeted him warmly. Even though Shen Yuanhui was now the Bureau Chief, the old man still preferred to call him by his former title.

Shen Yuanhui liked that better too. As he signed in, he said, “Old Xu, I’m short on time today, so I won’t head over there. Could you do me a favor and make the rounds for me? Light a cigarette⁴ for each of the brothers and tell them I’ll come chat next time I get a day off.” As he spoke, he pulled two packs of cigarettes from his pocket and placed them on the desk.

Old Xu nodded, his gaze drifting to the German Shepherd sitting upright outside the booth. He studied the dog for a moment, then sighed. “Looks just like him.”

He didn’t say who it looked like, and Shen Yuanhui didn’t ask. The answer was already in both their hearts.

After signing in, Shen Yuanhui led Aofeng up the steps. The surroundings were quiet and serene, lacking the eerie atmosphere common to most cemeteries. Being here didn’t feel oppressive at all.

As they walked, Aofeng glanced around. Before long, they reached a narrow path. As they stepped onto it, Aofeng was startled by the sight of a large, fluffy dog crouched by the roadside. But on closer inspection, he realized it was just an incredibly lifelike statue.

Beside the statue stood a stone tablet engraved with three large characters: “Police Dog Cemetery.”

Aofeng looked at Shen Yuanhui in surprise. He had suspected before that Shen Yuanhui might have raised a dog, but there had been no trace of one at his home. So it turned out he had raised a police dog? And that dog had died in the line of duty.

As if reading Aofeng’s thoughts, Shen Yuanhui crouched down and gently touched the stone tablet, speaking with a hint of emotion, “I had this tablet carved back then. In the blink of an eye, twenty years have passed.”

“When I was young, I was proud and arrogant, convinced that with my skills, I didn’t need to take any criminal seriously. So when the department suggested I take on a police dog from the Training Base, I flat-out refused. I already thought having a human partner was a burden, let alone a dog.” As Shen Yuanhui recalled the past, the corners of his eyes crinkled with faint smile lines.

Aofeng sat down, watching him quietly, listening intently.

“My captain gave me a beating back then. Probably knew I was too hot-headed and wanted to temper my attitude. He told me that if I refused to take the police dog on missions, I’d be stuck in the office writing reports. I had no choice but to take the dog.”

“At first, I looked down on him. After all, a dog is still just a dog. But gradually, I realized he was more like a real cop than I was. He was meticulous on missions, always alert, and the moment a command was given, he’d charge ahead. When it came to fighting criminals, he was unbelievably brave. His performance made me feel ashamed. I learned a lot from him.” As he spoke of the dog, Shen Yuanhui’s stern face softened with warmth.

After a pause, he sighed. “Just when I thought we’d always fight side by side, something happened. The police received a report that someone was being held at knifepoint in a shopping mall. We responded immediately. By the time we arrived, the civilians had been evacuated, leaving only the suspect and the hostage.”

“During negotiations, I noticed the suspect was unstable and erratic. In cases like that, the risk to the hostage is high, and we had to act fast. So I took the dog and circled around behind them. While the front team distracted the suspect, we charged in. Caught off guard, I managed to pull the hostage to safety, while the dog stayed behind to fight the suspect. Just as I was getting the hostage to safety and turned back to help him, there was an explosion. No one had expected the suspect to be wearing a homemade bomb… I had promised him a chicken leg⁵ when we got back that day.”

Shen Yuanhui choked up, his eyes reddening. A human might not have smelled the explosives, but a police dog certainly could. Yet he still followed the order without hesitation.

Aofeng walked over and gently placed a paw on Shen Yuanhui’s arm.

The comforting gesture pulled Shen Yuanhui out of his grief. He looked up toward the distance and said, “His name was Xiaoyun⁶. Just like you, he was a German Shepherd. Come on, let’s go see him.”

Aofeng followed Shen Yuanhui forward, passing several tombstones. Each one displayed information about a police dog’s service and achievements, along with their photos.

In every photo, the dogs had their mouths open in wide, joyful grins. Aofeng thought, they must have been with their partners when those photos were taken. That’s probably why they looked so happy.

Xiaoyun was smiling too, just like the others. The usual sternness of a German Shepherd’s face was softened by that expression. Aofeng read the inscription and saw that Xiaoyun had earned many honors. He died at the age of four, right in the prime of his career, given that a police dog typically serves for five to seven years.

Seeing Aofeng staring at the tombstone with a surprisingly sorrowful expression, Shen Yuanhui became even more convinced that Aofeng was no ordinary dog.

He pulled a carefully wrapped chicken leg from his pocket and crouched down to place it in front of the tombstone. It was something he did every time he visited.

“Aofeng, do you know why I brought you here today?”

Aofeng turned to look at him. Shen Yuanhui continued, “You’re an exceptional dog. Your intelligence, your physical abilities, and your courage in the face of danger – all of these are qualities a great police dog must have.”

“This afternoon, someone will take you back to the Police Dog Training Base to participate in tomorrow’s evaluation. If you pass, I’ll be proud of you. If you don’t, the Shen Family will still welcome you home. No matter what, you’re part of this family.” Shen Yuanhui said.

Aofeng stayed silent for a long while, then gave a short, firm bark in response.

Shen Yuanhui smiled. He had a feeling that the roar was Aofeng’s response to him, a sign that it had agreed to take the assessment seriously. After thinking it over last night, he had decided to respect Aofeng’s own choices. But before it voiced its opinion, he had to make one final effort.

Translator’s Notes