Chapter 84: Here Comes the Husky

After another day of training, Aofeng dragged his tired body along beside Song Changfeng as they made their way to the Police Dog Canteen.

Because of the puppies, the canteen had been serving a lot of dairy products lately. The whole place was filled with the sweet, creamy scent of milk. It actually smelled pretty good. Every time Aofeng went in to eat and came back out, he felt like his whole body reeked of milk, which made him a little uncomfortable.

But once he realized that even the tall, burly men like Song Changfeng smelled like milk too, he felt better. If anyone was going to laugh, they’d all be laughing together.

When they arrived at the canteen, Aofeng noticed that the food today looked especially good. They’d even prepared big bones for them to chew on. A few of the dogs who’d arrived earlier were already lying on the floor gnawing away, baring their teeth and making faces that made it clear those bones were rock hard.

As soon as Song Changfeng brought over his food bowl, Aofeng buried his head in it and started eating eagerly. The training today had been just as intense as the past few days. He had no idea what was going on with Song Changfeng lately. It was like he’d been pumped full of fertilizer, running training like a madman, as if he wanted Aofeng to graduate in a single day. Was he trying to work him to death before his transfer? Tsk. Speaking of the transfer, why hadn’t he taken any time off to handle the paperwork? Was he sneaking out at night to do it?

As Aofeng ate, he grumbled to himself. Just then, a man and a dog walked up beside him. He didn’t even need to look up to know it was Dezi and Shan Dian. That’s one of the perks of being a police dog – a sharp nose that misses nothing.

“Song, I heard you’re transferring?” Dezi didn’t even bother with a greeting, blurting out the question in a tone that sounded pretty anxious.

“Yeah,” Song Changfeng replied crisply.

“Then what about Aofeng?” Dezi was even more worried now. He regretted handing Aofeng over to Song in the first place. If a dog switches trainers too often during its training phase, it can lose trust in humans and become less affectionate.

If Song was about to leave, Aofeng would get a new trainer. Then by the end of March, when the officers from various departments came to take over, he’d get another new trainer. Even if Aofeng was smart, switching trainers three times in less than six months would be too much for any dog.

“Don’t worry just yet.” Song gestured for him to sit down. Dezi had been standing, and people were starting to look their way. Director Li had already filled Song in on the situation with Aofeng, but it wasn’t something that should be made public just yet.

Seeing how calm Song was, Dezi figured he wasn’t the type to shirk responsibility, so he sat down, still half-skeptical. Song leaned in and explained the situation in a low voice.

Dezi’s eyes widened in shock. “So that means you’ll be able to go on missions with Aofeng from now on, all the way until he retires?”

Dezi couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. Shan Dian had already been assigned to a border unit. That area had a lot of illegal border crossings, and the border patrol needed dogs with stamina and speed to help with arrests. That meant unless Dezi made a special trip to visit, he’d only be able to see Shan Dian through video calls. But Song was different. He’d get to stay with Aofeng every day!

“Yeah, that’s the plan,” Song said, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He looked like he’d just won the lottery.

“Sigh, I really thought you weren’t considering Aofeng’s future. Looks like I was wrong. Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease.” Dezi felt a twinge of guilt. He’d always felt like he’d abandoned Aofeng. If Aofeng didn’t end up doing well, it would weigh heavily on his heart.

Down below, Aofeng was lying there pretending to chew on his bone, but he’d been eavesdropping the whole time, and now he was stunned. So this was an option? Did this mean he and Song Changfeng were going to be permanent partners, bound together until retirement?

Once the surprise wore off, Aofeng felt a wave of relief. Honestly, he didn’t really want to bond with someone new again. Not everyone in this world truly saw police dogs as their partners. He was lucky. Both his previous trainer, Dezi, and his current one, Song Changfeng, had treated him with respect, allowing him to live with dignity beneath his canine skin.

With that weight off his chest, Aofeng’s mood stayed upbeat. In the days that followed, aside from training, he spent his time visiting his little nephew, Qi Qi. Truth be told, he had a soft spot for this pup who was family. Among all the puppies, Qi Qi was the one he liked best.

Since they knew Aofeng wouldn’t hurt the little ones, the nursery caretakers would sometimes bring Qi Qi out to play with him. Aofeng used the opportunity to teach him all sorts of tricks. Qi Qi often tilted his head in confusion, looking adorably clueless, but over time, he started to show signs that set him apart from the other pups. Even at such a young age, he was already smart and steady. He also knew how to make the most of his strengths. With his keen sense of smell, he never failed to find the hidden biscuits the caretakers tried to stash away.

Aofeng was proud. All his effort wasn’t in vain. As long as this little guy didn’t develop a bad attitude, he was sure to become an outstanding police dog.

Time flew, and before they knew it, February had arrived. One ordinary morning, the base suddenly buzzed with excitement. The reason? Director Li had made an announcement.

Aofeng wasn’t surprised. Back in Jingdu, he’d already heard that Li Zihao had agreed to take the job on the condition that his husky got a shot at being a police dog too. The husky had been recovering from an injury, then the New Year holidays came, and things kept getting delayed. That’s why it was only now, in February, that it finally joined the force.

The moment this husky appeared, every police dog who saw it was baffled. Their small eyes were filled with big confusion. What was this goofy-looking mutt with an air of fake wisdom? And what was with that weird “awoo awoo” howl? Totally bizarre.

Li Zihao, on the other hand, looked at all the sharp, heroic police dogs around him and couldn’t help but feel inspired. If his Kaka stayed here long enough, with its intelligence and wit, it was bound to surpass them all.

It had to be said, his pet filter was ridiculously thick!

Because of Li Zihao’s unique line of work, he wasn’t restricted by location. As long as he had a computer, he could work from anywhere—even from inside a dog kennel.

Of course, the base would never actually let him work from a kennel. After some discussion, Director Li arranged for the room next to Song Changfeng’s to be cleaned out. Half was set up as a study, the other half as a bedroom, so Li Zihao could work comfortably from there.

Initially, Director Li had flat-out refused the “assignment” handed down from above. Their training base was a serious institution, not a daycare for people and their pets. It seemed the higher-ups felt a bit guilty too, so they promised to increase the base’s annual funding.

The moment he heard that, Director Li’s mental abacus started clacking. After a quick calculation of the pros and cons, he came to a clear conclusion: taking in Li Zihao and Kaka was like Emperor Qin biting into an electric wire¹ – a guaranteed win! All they had to give up was a single room and a bit of effort from two employees, and in return, they’d get a hefty budget boost. It was practically free money!

However, one of those two employees had a serious problem with it.

Aofeng stared at the foolishly grinning Kaka trailing behind him, his face dark with frustration. He didn’t even know where to begin complaining. In just one morning, this guy had made a name for himself at the base for being completely undisciplined.

It started during the morning run. As usual, Aofeng was leading a group of police dogs around the track when Kaka, tongue lolling and full of excitement, tagged along. Before long, it suddenly sped up and overtook Aofeng, then turned to show off in front of the stunned police dogs – “Lao Da, look how awesome I am!”

Aofeng sneered. Morning runs weren’t just a lap or two. Since this guy wanted to be the lead, fine, let it try. So Aofeng said, “Awesome, awesome. Keep it up.”

Encouraged, the husky kicked into high gear, dashing around like a wild dog off its leash. For the first few laps, it was still going strong, but soon enough, it started running out of steam. For a dog that had spent most of its life lounging in a villa with its owner, today’s workout was already way beyond its usual limits.

After that, Kaka collapsed on the grass, eyes rolling as it panted for breath, while the other police dogs, led by Aofeng, kept running lap after steady lap.

Then came breakfast. The moment it heard the word “eat,” the husky, who’d been sprawled on the grass, leapt up and gleefully slipped into the middle of the line, trotting off with the group toward the Police Dog Canteen.

Its owner, Li Zihao, didn’t take part in the morning run and was already waiting at the canteen. As soon as Kaka entered, it reared up on its hind legs and scrambled toward him, front paws clawing at his chest while stretching its neck and howling, urging Li Zihao to get its food. It had smelled the delicious scent before it even walked in.

This begging routine stunned the police dogs around them. Even as puppies, none of them had ever been this shameless. What shocked them even more was Kaka’s eating style – it dove headfirst into its bowl like a pig rooting for food. Bits of kibble flew everywhere with each movement, causing the surrounding police dogs to silently push their own bowls away, leaving it alone in the center like a one-dog quarantine zone.

There was no helping it. Back home, Kaka had always eaten the highest-grade dog food. Even if it spilled on the floor, it didn’t mind picking it back up, and it actually enjoyed the process, like a game of scavenger hunt. Li Zihao had never thought anything of it. But now, with a group of well-mannered, disciplined police dogs as contrast, he suddenly felt deeply embarrassed. And yet Kaka remained blissfully unaware, happily munching away.

After breakfast, everyone took a short break before starting Morning Training. It began with basic drills, followed by specialized exercises based on each dog’s role.

Stuffed and satisfied, Kaka spotted the lush green grass of the training field and bolted toward it, rolling around wildly and even trying to dig holes. Once stopped, it finally realized that everyone else was lined up on the other side.

After sneaking into the formation, the instructor began calling out commands. Sit, lie down, stand, heel – not a single one did it know. It just sat there dumbly, like a failing student who’d wandered into a class full of geniuses. Watching his handsome, charming, and supposedly clever Kaka look even more clueless in contrast to the police dogs, Li Zihao finally made up his mind and went to find Song Changfeng.

“Brother Song, you were right. A jade needs polishing to become a gem. Since Kaka wants to be a qualified police dog, it has to be disciplined. Starting this afternoon, I won’t come anymore. You guys… train him however you see fit. I won’t interfere at all.”

With that, Li Zihao stared at Kaka with a pained expression, probably imagining the hellish training it was about to endure.

Kaka, completely unaware of what was coming, continued to sit there dumbly, watching its companions “perform” and occasionally trying to mimic them.

Translator’s Notes