Chapter 62: An Ominous Premonition

Mo Fei had always considered himself a decent person. Even if he wasn't blessed with the charm of a forest princess, beloved by every creature, he didn't think he was so unpleasant as to be shunned by both people and dogs. It stung a little, but not much. After all, if he had to choose between animals and a good meal, he’d always pick the food.

After cleaning the Doberman’s kennel, the man received a phone call. He responded with repeated affirmations, then hung up and informed them that the owner of the kennel would soon return—any further business could be discussed later.

Up to this point, neither Mo Fei nor Officer Xiao Xu had noticed anything especially amiss about the kennel. That changed when the man led them to the last section.

This area was a patch of earth, unpaved and raw, where several large dogs were strolling leisurely.

“These are the smartest dogs we have here. Usually, they only listen to the boss; they barely acknowledge me,” the man said with a hint of pride. “Not to boast, but you won’t find dogs this clever anywhere else. It’s as if they understand human speech.”

He called out, and the dogs paused their stroll to look over at them.

Officer Xiao Xu sized them up. Each had a shoulder height of at least seventy centimeters, and one wolf-dog in particular stood a full meter tall—looking for all the world like a true wolf.

“These breeds are banned from city limits, aren’t they?” Officer Xiao Xu asked, pointing to the wolf-dog.

“Even if you wanted one, the boss wouldn’t sell it,” the man scoffed. “These are his treasures—only for show, not for sale.”

Mo Fei’s attention was fixed on the wolf-dog. Its size and demeanor were enough to make even the bravest soul uneasy. Unlike the other dogs, it wasn’t openly hostile or wary, but its tail hung low, eyes never leaving Mo Fei, and it moved with a deliberate slowness.

It was a clear hunting posture.

Mo Fei sniffed the air.

Earlier, in the front yard and the single kennels, the scent had been the usual mix of dog and excrement. Here, though, there was something else—a foul, strange stench, far stronger than what he’d noticed the previous day.

His heart pounded wildly, a surge of danger prickling his skin.

He tugged at Officer Xiao Xu’s sleeve. “Buddy, I think these dogs and I are fundamentally incompatible.”

Before Xiao Xu could answer, the man cut in, bemused, “You’re talking about fate with a dog?”

“Just not a good match,” Mo Fei swiftly amended. “I never thought I’d be so disliked by animals.”

Surprisingly, the man nodded in agreement. “True. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Maybe we should look around elsewhere?” Mo Fei suggested, shooting Officer Xiao Xu a meaningful glance.

Xiao Xu caught on immediately, chuckling, “You’re right, getting a dog really is all about the right connection.”

He turned to indicate the way back. “You’ve been a huge help. I honestly didn’t expect him to be so thoroughly rejected by dogs.”

He handed the man a cigarette, which was initially refused before being tucked behind the man’s ear as he led them out. “The dogs here are the best. If you can’t get along with these, you won’t find a match anywhere.”

Mo Fei and Officer Xiao Xu played along, quickening their pace—mostly because Mo Fei was practically dragging Xiao Xu away, as though fleeing a ghost.

They climbed into the car, and before Xiao Xu could ask what was going on, Mo Fei urged him, “Let’s just get out of here first.”

That shut him up. He had no choice but to start the car and head back to the city.

On the way, a white van brushed past them, nearly scraping their car.

Mo Fei’s heartbeat only settled once they’d left the kennel far behind.

“Are you going to tell me what happened now?” Xiao Xu asked, perplexed.

It had been Mo Fei’s idea to investigate the kennel for suspicious dogs, and now he was the one eager to leave. Was this all some kind of joke?

“It’s hard to explain, really.” Mo Fei took a deep breath, feeling his heart finally slow. “I just had this feeling—if we’d run into the owner, nothing good would have come of it.”

“Also, I smelled something foul in that back yard.”

“Dog kennels always stink,” Xiao Xu frowned.

“Not like this.” Mo Fei shook his head with certainty. “This wasn’t a normal kennel smell. I’ve never encountered anything like it before. It felt ominous.”

“So you’re telling me it’s just a hunch?” Xiao Xu sighed. “If I weren’t off-duty today, looking into this as a favor, but instead took your word as a proper report, do you know what that means?”

“Intuition isn’t evidence. Filing a false report is an offense—I could detain you for that!”

Mo Fei grew anxious. “Why don’t you believe me? There really was a horrible smell!”

“It’s not that I don’t,” Xiao Xu replied helplessly. “But listen to yourself. All you keep saying is you smelled something strange. Why didn’t I notice it?”

Mo Fei slumped in the passenger seat, defeated. “How should I know?”

Xiao Xu glanced at him and shook his head. “Let’s head back to the station. I’ll treat you to the canteen, and then take you to work this afternoon, alright?”

“Alright,” Mo Fei answered, gazing gloomily out the window.

The station was as orderly as ever, each officer busy at their post. The moment Mo Fei stepped out of the car, all eyes turned to him.

Every officer who saw him couldn’t help but stare, and more than a few instinctively reached for their handcuffs.

It was only then that Mo Fei realized he really shouldn’t be showing up at the station so often these days.

He swallowed and shrank behind the car.

Officer Xiao Xu had enough, and dragged him out. “Relax! Without evidence, we’re not going to cuff you.”

If he could have, he would’ve done so long ago.

And, just as Xiao Xu said, the station was full of familiar faces. Though many eyed Mo Fei with a certain hunger, none actually moved to seize him.

Officer Tang was on duty today. When he saw Xiao Xu bring Mo Fei in, his expression grew stern. “Did he finally do something that got him arrested?”

Mo Fei: …

He pursed his lips, sorely tempted to throw a fit. But this was the police station, not his own home—acting out would only give them reason to detain him, so he held his tongue.

Xiao Xu, exasperated by the misunderstanding, recounted their visit to the kennel.

Officer Tang listened intently, but only interrupted when Mo Fei mentioned the foul smell. “A strange odor?”

“Yeah,” Xiao Xu nodded. “But I didn’t notice anything.”

Tang stroked his chin in thought. “I remember something similar in the highway case notes…”

He rose and strode out of the office, pausing only to call over his shoulder, “Don’t go anywhere. Sit tight and wait for me to come back!”