Chapter 26: A Perilous Moment

It was a July morning, the temperature just right, the sunlight warm and pleasant. From time to time, crisp birdsong echoed through the quiet forest, and the air carried a faint floral fragrance. Aofeng wagged his tail as he strolled leisurely along the path leading to the mountain peak, calmly taking in the beautiful scenery on either side of the trail.

Every now and then, a cool mountain breeze swept by, gently ruffling his fur and making him look much fluffier. It softened his usually stern appearance, giving him a touch of charm.

Song Changfeng held Aofeng’s leash, occasionally chatting with fellow hikers nearby. Everyone wore relaxed smiles. In such a serene setting, it seemed even tempers had mellowed.

Aofeng took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. The fresh air filled his body, as if his very soul had been cleansed and uplifted.

Although the Police Dog Training Base wasn’t far from the forest park, the air here was noticeably fresher. No wonder people were increasingly drawn to the forest. This natural oxygen bar didn’t just relieve the tension caused by stress, it also helped regulate the body, offering respite to those in a state of chronic fatigue.

Aofeng wondered absentmindedly whether the forest park ever hired patrol dogs. If he could work here, it would probably be quite enjoyable.

As another breeze blew past, Aofeng took another deep breath. Suddenly, his expression turned serious and he came to a halt.

In that gust of wind, besides the faint floral scent, there was a trace of something metallic and sweet. The smell was familiar—just like the scent that had hit his nose when he bit into that criminal’s hand last time. A sense of unease crept over him. A small wound wouldn’t produce a scent strong enough to carry this far.

Aofeng twitched his nose, carefully sniffing for the source of the smell. Fortunately, the wind was still blowing. Using the faint trace of blood in the air, he quickly locked onto the correct direction.

Song Changfeng had already noticed Aofeng standing still for an unusually long time. Now, seeing him sniffing intently, then suddenly turning to stare into the woods beside the trail, he realized Aofeng might have discovered something.

He remembered Dezi once mentioning that during an assessment in the forest park, Aofeng had used his sharp hearing to rescue a trapped husky. Without hesitation, he asked, “Aofeng, did you find something?” If someone or some animal was in trouble, they couldn’t just ignore it.

Aofeng barked loudly, confirming Song Changfeng’s guess. He spun in place a few times, clearly agitated.

Song Changfeng immediately understood—Aofeng was warning him that the situation might be urgent.

“Then let’s go, quickly. Let’s check it out.”

As he spoke, Song Changfeng unhooked Aofeng’s leash. The moment it came off, Aofeng dashed off the trail and into the woods. Song Changfeng followed close behind, eyes locked on Aofeng’s figure. The forest was thick with underbrush—without releasing the leash, they’d have gotten tangled up and wouldn’t be able to run.

Aofeng sniffed along the way, occasionally pausing to catch the scent carried by the wind. Once he confirmed the direction, he charged forward without hesitation.

The metallic sweetness in the air grew stronger as they approached, and Aofeng’s heart sank. Judging by the smell, the amount of blood was more than he had expected.

“Woof woof woof!!” Aofeng barked furiously as he searched. The moment he spotted a figure down a gentle slope, he barked even louder. Song Changfeng rushed forward and immediately saw someone lying under a tree. She wasn’t moving. Judging by the blood on her clothes and the scene around her, she had lost quite a bit of blood.

Song Changfeng quickly jumped down, placed a hand under her nose, and let out a breath of relief—she was still breathing. Aofeng jumped down after him, staring at the girl with concern. She looked about eighteen or nineteen, the prime of her youth, yet now she lay pale and weak beneath the tree. Who knew what she had just been through?

Song Changfeng pulled out his phone and called 120¹ for emergency medical help and 110² to report the incident. Based on the girl’s condition, this didn’t seem like an ordinary accident. After understanding the situation, 110 immediately alerted the forest park’s rescue team and sent them Song Changfeng’s location.

The forest park was still part of the wilderness, and injuries among hikers weren’t uncommon. The rescue team was highly professional. Within minutes of receiving the call, they took a shortcut from the foot of the mountain and arrived. After performing some basic first aid, they carried the girl down the mountain.

The ambulance arrived quickly. By the time the rescue team reached the base of the mountain with the girl, the paramedics were already waiting. Watching her get loaded into the ambulance, both Song Changfeng and Aofeng let out a sigh of relief.

No sooner had the ambulance left than a police car arrived. Song Changfeng stepped forward to explain the situation to the officers who got out, showing them photos he had taken from various angles at the scene.

His detailed explanation and the photos made one of the officers suspicious. As he followed Song Changfeng back up the trail, he asked tentatively, “Hey, are you in the force too?”

“Sort of,” Song Changfeng replied. “We’re all under the Public Security Bureau, but I’m with the Police Dog Training Base, not criminal investigation.”

“Police Dog Training Base?” The officer’s eyes widened. “You mean the one in Anyang City? So that means this dog with you is a police dog?” His gaze shifted to Aofeng. The other two officers also turned to look at the German Shepherd beside him. No wonder he looked so impressive—he was a police dog.

They were officers from a precinct near the forest park. Since they were close by, they had been dispatched immediately after the call was transferred from headquarters. Their precinct had never been assigned a police dog before, so seeing Aofeng now was a novelty.

“Yeah,” Song Changfeng said. “Good thing he was here. He caught the scent and helped us find the injured girl in time.”

The officer nodded. “Yeah, judging by the photos you took, that spot was pretty far from the main trail. Regular hikers wouldn’t go there. If no one had found her, it could’ve ended badly. That police dog really saved her. What’s his name?”

“Aofeng,” Song Changfeng replied.

The officer repeated the name under his breath and made a mental note. If their precinct ever got the chance to request help from a police dog, they’d ask for this one.

Translator’s Notes