Chapter 50: He Has No Regrets

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle…

The freshly skewered squid was pressed flat against the oil-slicked iron griddle with a spatula. The moment it touched the surface, it let out a sizzling sound, and the part in contact with the griddle released a mouthwatering aroma of charred seafood. When cumin powder and other seasonings were sprinkled on top, the smell became even more overpowering, making every other food stall within dozens of meters seem dull in comparison.

The scent, carried by the wind, rushed into Aofeng’s nose, making him swallow involuntarily. Even though he tried his best to keep his eyes straight ahead, the grumbling in his stomach kept tempting his brain. “Just take a quick look. Looking isn’t a crime!”

Damn it! He had eaten a huge bowl of food at lunch!

Aofeng cursed his uncooperative stomach, then quickly turned his head just a little to sneak a glance at the still-sizzling griddle. Right at that moment, he saw bright red chili powder and fresh green scallions being sprinkled on top. The vibrant colors pushed his already strong craving to the max. He wanted it even more now!

He tried to pull himself back to reason, scolding these roadside temptations for being nothing but junk food disguised as seduction. But it had been so long since he’d had any. He remembered how every summer, the late-night food stalls would be packed. Beer, barbecue, spicy crawfish—just one bite of those, and even the hardest days seemed a little easier to bear.

When he retired, he was going to eat to his heart’s content! Aofeng thought bitterly. But for now, he hadn’t even officially started his job, let alone retired.

Despite his little moment of disappointment, Aofeng kept a serious expression. To everyone else, the German Shepherd on patrol looked the very picture of professionalism and reliability.

They were currently on Jingfeng Street, participating in a police dog patrol competition. Aofeng had been fully prepared, but the moment he stepped onto this street, all that went out the window. No one had warned him that this was Yicheng City’s famous snack street!

He’d passed sausage stands, fried chicken shops, and barbecue stalls, only to finally lose control at the teppanyaki squid¹. Sometimes, having too sensitive a nose really wasn’t a good thing, Aofeng thought with a sigh.

Fortunately, after walking a bit further, the smell faded almost completely. Aofeng finally let out a breath of relief, gulping down the now-bland air. It was murky, sure, but at least it didn’t tempt him.

Just another hundred meters or so, and they’d be done with this street. Aofeng perked up, his eyes scanning more alertly than ever. He was worried the staff might throw in a last-minute test or obstacle.

Like maybe dropping a wallet for him to find and return, or staging a commotion to see how they’d respond. After all, when police dogs patrol with officers, it’s normal to run into all sorts of strange situations. Being adaptable had to be part of the evaluation, right?

The farther he walked, the more cautious Aofeng became. The corner was just ahead, and still, nothing unusual had happened. He started to feel a bit confused, even embarrassed. Was he overthinking things again?

Just then, a man came around the corner. He was carrying a child, about one or two years old, who was fast asleep with his head resting limply on the man’s shoulder. The wind had turned the child’s cheeks rosy. The man walked quickly, as if in a rush. When he saw Song Changfeng in uniform and Aofeng on a leash, he tensed up noticeably. He hugged the child tighter and took two steps back. The child, deep in sleep, didn’t stir.

Noticing the man’s reaction, Song Changfeng looked a little embarrassed. He assumed the man was scared of Aofeng, especially since he was carrying a child. So Song Changfeng awkwardly tugged Aofeng to the side, signaling the man to go ahead.

The man forced a stiff smile and hurried past with the child in his arms. As he passed Aofeng, a sharp, slightly cloying scent suddenly hit the dog’s nose. It made him uncomfortable, almost dizzy.

What was that smell? Aofeng couldn’t help but sniff again, but the moment he inhaled deeply, his mind went blank for a second. By the time he came to, the man was already more than ten meters away.

Something’s not right!

Thanks to his recent training, Aofeng had become extremely sensitive to all kinds of scents. He hadn’t smelled this one before, which meant it wasn’t something used in training. It was likely a chemical not suitable for exposure—one that could cause intense dizziness, even just from standing nearby. All the signs pointed to something suspicious.

“Aofeng, what’s wrong? Let’s go.” Song Changfeng didn’t have the same sharp sense of smell. Seeing Aofeng frozen in place, he gave a quiet reminder.

Right, they were still in the middle of a competition. A drone hovered not far behind, monitoring their every move. Just a few more steps and their performance would be scored.

But as he watched the man and child quickly disappear into the distance, Aofeng made a decision. He suddenly lunged forward, yanking the leash right out of Song Changfeng’s unsuspecting hand. In a flash, he dashed ahead, closing the gap in just a few strides.

“Woof!” Aofeng barked, crouching low with his teeth bared, fur bristling, eyes locked fiercely on the man in front of him. His powerful body blocked the path with an intimidating presence.

“Go! Get away!” the man shouted in a panic, waving his hand repeatedly and trying to shoo Aofeng away.

The drone dutifully captured the entire scene and transmitted it back to the big screen at the Training Base. Since the competition was spread across several streets, this footage only occupied a corner of the screen.

At first, no one paid much attention. It wasn’t until someone suddenly shouted, “Is it about to bite someone?” that everyone turned to look in that direction. Sure enough, in the lower left corner, they saw Aofeng confronting a man holding a child.

“This is way too dangerous! He’s carrying a kid!”

“We have to stop it right away!” Everyone started talking at once, concern written all over their faces.

“Oh no, it’s over!” Pan Zi groaned, clearly frustrated. This was definitely going to cost them the score. He hadn’t expected Aofeng to mess up right at the finish line. Hopefully, Song Changfeng could get the dog under control. If Aofeng actually bit an innocent bystander, he was done for.

At first, Song Changfeng was just as shocked. But knowing Aofeng as well as he did, he quickly realized that Aofeng must have sensed something unusual to act this way. After all, even when Guo Bao had provoked him yesterday, Aofeng had only pinned him to the ground without attacking. And when it came to people, he was even less likely to behave aggressively.

With that thought, Song Changfeng quickly ran to Aofeng’s side, subtly positioning himself to block the man’s path.

“Sorry about that, sir. Did he scare you?” Song Changfeng spoke politely while discreetly observing the man and the child in his arms. Earlier, when the man had spotted them, he had clutched the child tightly. Song Changfeng had only glanced casually at the time, but now that the man’s hands were no longer covering the child, he immediately noticed something off. The child wasn’t dressed warmly, and had no shoes on, only a pair of small cotton socks.

It was the middle of winter, the weather bitterly cold. Any parent taking a child outside would bundle them up in hats, scarves, and warm boots, terrified of them catching a chill. What kind of parent would be so careless?

“N-no, it’s fine. Just take him away.”

The man had indeed been startled. A dog that size suddenly appearing and acting aggressive would rattle anyone. But what he feared more was the uniformed officer in front of him noticing anything suspicious. He just wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

“Alright,” Song Changfeng replied calmly, slowly bending down. Just as he was about to grab the leash, he suddenly launched an attack, throwing a punch straight at the man’s face. The man instinctively raised his arms to block, lifting the child up in front of Song Changfeng’s fist.

But Song Changfeng’s punch was a feint. His real goal was to snatch the child. In an instant, he turned his fist into a claw, grabbed the child, and pulled back several steps with lightning speed.

Despite the commotion, the child remained fast asleep. Even the onlookers, who hadn’t understood what was happening, began to sense that something wasn’t right.

Almost simultaneously, Aofeng leapt forward and lunged at the man. He had seen clearly how the man had used the child as a human shield. If this guy wasn’t a child trafficker, Aofeng swore he’d start walking on his front paws².

The man’s arms were suddenly empty, and panic surged through him. He turned to run, but it was already too late. Aofeng showed no mercy to traffickers. He sank his teeth into the man’s calf, making him scream in agony. The intense pain brought out the man’s vicious side. He reached into his down jacket and pulled out a knife, swinging it at Aofeng.

But Aofeng was no longer the weak pup he once was. After enduring Song Changfeng’s grueling training, his strength and combat skills had skyrocketed. With a slight shift of his body, he dodged the blade with ease. Using the man’s forward momentum, Aofeng leapt up and kicked off his back, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt. Then he bounced on the man’s back a few more times for good measure.

The drone operator finally rushed over from a distance. He planted a knee on the man’s spine to keep him down, twisted his arms behind his back, and pulled out his phone to call the police. Although trainers at the Police Dog Training Base were official members of the force, they didn’t have law enforcement authority and didn’t carry handcuffs like regular officers.

The police arrived quickly. They had already been en route when the call came in. The National Police Dog Competition was a high-profile event, and they had been monitoring it closely. In fact, they’d already received a report of a disturbance on Jingfeng Street.

The suspect was taken away in a police car, and the still-sleeping child was gently wrapped in a coat and carried off by a female officer.

Song Changfeng smiled, and so did Aofeng. It wasn’t until they noticed the drone operator fiddling with equipment that they suddenly remembered – there was still something unfinished.

“Um… can we still continue the competition?” Song Changfeng asked tentatively.

“Sorry,” the operator replied, “the signal cut out just now.”

“Oh…” Song Changfeng started to ask about their score, but stopped himself. What was the point? They hadn’t completed the patrol mission.

Aofeng let out a sigh. Losing points on this task likely meant they wouldn’t qualify for the Jingdu competition. The scores were tight, and only five teams from each region could advance.

But honestly, he didn’t regret it. Missing a chance to catch a child trafficker just for the sake of a competition – that would’ve been the real loss.

Translator’s Notes