Chapter 117: Trouble’s Coming

“What about that clearing? Did you find anything?” Aofeng asked.

Da Ju let out two meows, then summoned a slender tabby cat. The tabby looked like it had just reached adulthood. Its eyes sparkled with curiosity whenever it encountered something new, but its temperament was fairly steady. That was why Da Ju had entrusted it with the task.

The tabby had spent the entire day perched in a large tree overlooking the clearing, keeping its eyes fixed on the direction Da Ju had pointed out. It didn’t move an inch, as if it had grown into the tree itself. Even when it got hungry, it didn’t come down to look for food.

According to the tabby, three people had entered the clearing that day. The first was an elderly woman carrying a large bag, who went in to collect empty bottles. Unfortunately, due to poor manners, some people would just toss their empty drink bottles out the window, figuring no one was around back there to get hurt. After gathering the bottles, the old woman left without lingering.

The second was a young boy. He and his classmates had been playing soccer nearby when the ball accidentally got kicked into the clearing. He came in to retrieve it, stayed only at the edge, then left.

Aofeng immediately ruled out the first two as suspects. Neither had the means to torture and kill those cats. He gestured for the tabby to continue.

“The third person was a man. He brought in something really strange, and after he came out, he disappeared.”

That caught Aofeng’s attention right away.

“A strange object? What did it look like? Can you describe it?” Aofeng pressed.

The tabby described it as round with sharp teeth. To better illustrate, it stood up on its hind legs and spread its front paws in a circle, indicating its size.

Da Ju looked completely baffled, but a suspicion formed in Aofeng’s mind. He asked the tabby to lead them to the object. When he saw it clearly in the grass, he thought, Just as I suspected.

A bear trap.

Made of metal, about the size of a bowl, with jagged teeth. If someone accidentally stepped on it, the jaws would snap shut instantly, the teeth sinking into the leg. At best, it would tear flesh; at worst, it could shatter bone. For most animals, stepping on a bear trap meant certain death.

These traps were extremely dangerous. Because they were often hidden, even people occasionally stepped on them and got seriously hurt. That’s why, two years ago, public security and forestry departments across many regions had explicitly banned the private use of bear traps—especially within city limits. If that elderly woman or the child had entered after the trap was set and accidentally stepped on it, they could have passed out from the pain on the spot. If even people were at risk, small cats and dogs didn’t stand a chance.

Aofeng was nearly certain that the person who set the trap was the same one who had been cruelly killing kittens lately. Scattered nearby were some pellet-shaped pieces of cat food, the same kind Aofeng had seen earlier that morning. He figured there were two likely reasons for placing the trap here: either the man noticed that cats often passed through and wanted an easy catch, or he wanted to observe up close and snatch them the moment they were caught.

Aofeng believed it was the second reason. Judging by his previous actions, the man was extremely sadistic, likely getting some twisted satisfaction from hearing the kittens’ cries. Someone like that would prefer to torture them personally rather than just let them die in the trap.

The thought that this pervert might be silently watching from somewhere nearby sent a chill down Aofeng’s spine. Thankfully, the area was dense with trees and shrubs, so anyone looking down from above would see only leaves and undergrowth.

What should he do? He couldn’t let the trap stay here and hurt someone. But even if he removed it once, the man could just set another one. Aofeng couldn’t be out here every day, and if he ever slipped up, another kitten might fall victim. Worse, he still had no idea who the man was. If removing the trap made the culprit suspicious and he moved his activities elsewhere, it would be even harder to track him down.

As Aofeng pondered, Da Ju and the tabby stayed silent, waiting for their boss to come up with a plan. Aofeng glanced at them absentmindedly, and suddenly, an idea struck him.

He leaned in close and whispered a few instructions. Then he adjusted the trap’s position slightly and retreated with Da Ju into a nearby thicket to hide.

“Meow—” A kitten’s cry rang out. The tabby, still young, pinched its voice to sound like a tiny kitten.

“Meow—meow—” It dragged out the sounds, meowing as if searching for food, or maybe its mother.

“Meow!!” Suddenly, its voice turned shrill, a hoarse screech that sounded like it was being tortured. The cries continued, growing more and more desperate, rising to a piercing wail.

In his heart, Aofeng gave the drama queen Xiao Lihua a big thumbs-up. Who would’ve thought the feline world had such talented actors? If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he really would’ve believed this little tabby was writhing in agony.

The cat’s cries grew more and more pitiful, echoing through the dead of night with a chilling edge that made one’s skin crawl. Aofeng and Da Ju waited patiently. Sure enough, before long, the sound of footsteps approached from not far away.

The steady thud of footsteps drew closer, soon entering the clearing. Aofeng carefully poked his head out from between the branches. The first thing he saw was a pair of sneakers. Looking up, his eyes widened in shock. The man was dressed entirely in black, with a black mask covering his face. Only his eyes were visible.

Seriously? Dressed like that in the middle of the night? Was he afraid someone might actually see him? If he knew what he was doing was wrong, why do it at all?

The man didn’t notice Aofeng and continued walking toward the sound of the cat’s cries. He held a small flashlight in his right hand and carried a black bag in the other. Judging by the way it sagged, there was definitely something inside.

That black bag made Da Ju uneasy. All the cats they’d found before, tortured and killed, had been stuffed into bags just like that. Could there already be a victim inside?

Da Ju unconsciously took a step forward, his back arched, eyes burning with barely contained fury. Aofeng quickly reached out a paw to stop him. They still couldn’t be certain this man was the cat abuser. If Da Ju rushed in now, the guy would just run. Sure, Aofeng was confident he could catch him, but then what? Bite him? Drag him to the Municipal Bureau? He was a police dog. Attacking someone without solid evidence of a crime could get him fired. He wasn’t about to lose his job or his life over this scum. Even if the scumbag didn’t know Aofeng’s identity, he could still turn the tables and claim he was attacked by stray animals, demanding action. That would put every animal in the neighborhood at risk.

Da Ju calmed down a little after being stopped. He glanced at Aofeng, then backed off.

Meanwhile, Xiao Lihua was howling with gusto. When he heard the footsteps, he immediately acted like he was struggling but trapped, his cries growing longer and more desperate.

“Heh.” A cold chuckle slipped from the man’s lips. He stood leisurely a short distance away, using the flashlight to enjoy the scene before him, clearly pleased. Once he’d had his fill, he clamped the flashlight between his teeth, reached into the bag with his right hand, pulled out a thick pair of cotton gloves, and put them on. Then he reached out, ready to grab the cat by the scruff of the neck.

Just as he thought tonight’s catch was in the bag, something unexpected happened. The cat that had been wailing in agony suddenly leapt up, claws flashing, and swiped at him. Caught off guard, he instinctively leaned back, but not before the cat raked its claws across his neck, sending a searing pain shooting through him.

“You little bastard!” he cursed, swinging a leg to kick the cat to death. But Xiao Lihua was too clever. After landing the hit, he immediately darted back. The man’s kick missed completely. Just as he lunged forward to give chase, a powerful force struck him from behind, throwing him off balance and sending him sprawling.

As he fell, a piercing scream rang out from the grass. His outstretched hand had landed right on a repositioned animal trap. The moment it sensed pressure, it snapped shut, clamping down tightly on his hand. If he hadn’t been wearing those thick gloves, his hand might’ve been crushed.

After Aofeng knocked him to the ground, Da Ju and Xiao Lihua took turns attacking, tearing off his mask and clawing at his face. The man screamed and scrambled to his feet, swinging the bag in his left hand and kicking wildly to keep the two cats at bay. Da Ju and Xiao Lihua tried to press the attack, but the man suddenly slammed the bag hard onto the grass.

All three of them clearly heard a cry from inside the bag. Seeing an opening, the man bolted, the trap still clamped on his right hand. Aofeng silently followed, watching as the man entered Building Eleven, Unit Three, Apartment 501. The first battle was a success, and now they had his hideout. Everything else would be easier from here.

He turned and headed back. Da Ju and Xiao Lihua were licking a silver-shaded cat¹ that seemed to have fainted, trying to wake it up. Judging by the red ribbon around its neck, it was clearly someone’s pet. Who knew how it had ended up in that man’s hands? Thankfully, it hadn’t suffered too much harm, though the impact from being slammed to the ground had been especially painful. Even in unconsciousness, it had let out a cry of pain.

Aofeng leaned in and sniffed. He noticed a faint medicinal scent around the silver tabby’s mouth—most likely the result of some drug used by that person to knock it out. Its breathing was steady, and its chest rose and fell with strength. It didn’t seem to be in any serious danger.

Aofeng gently bit the scruff of its neck and carried it to Da Ju’s scooter shed, placing it on the footboard of an abandoned electric scooter. He told Da Ju and Xiao Lihua to take good care of the silver tabby. As for him, it was getting late—he had to head back right away.

Tonight had been a fruitful night. Aofeng ran ahead with a spring in his step. Once back at the Municipal Bureau, he slipped in while the gatekeeper wasn’t looking, then weaved his way past the surveillance cameras and returned to the kennel behind the bureau. His movements were smooth and practiced, like a spy in a movie. But just as Aofeng was starting to feel proud, he froze in place.

Someone was sitting at the kennel entrance, watching him.

Under that gaze, Aofeng felt as if all the blood in his body had stopped flowing.

“Aofeng, where have you been?” Song Changfeng looked at him. His eyes were calm, and his voice sounded calm too—but to Aofeng, it felt more like the calm before a storm.

In another kennel, two police dogs lay as if asleep, but their perked-up ears betrayed their true thoughts. Right now, they were thinking, Aofeng’s in trouble. Caught in the act of a “prison break,” he’d probably be tethered even while sleeping from now on.

Translator’s Notes