What the heck?

Staring at the system prompt that had appeared in his mind, Yang Qi felt the corner of his mouth twitch. He was at a loss for words.

’Have the "Zoo" take over the "Police Dog Base"?’

’The system sure had a wild imagination.’

Yang Qi shook his head, suppressing the urge to make a sarcastic comment. He parked his car in the visitor lot outside the base’s main gate and walked toward the guard booth, documents in hand.

"Hello, I’m here to complete the paperwork to adopt a retired police dog. Captain Tan Zheng made an appointment for me."

Yang Qi passed his ID and the letter of introduction from Tan Zheng through the window.

The guard was a spry, dark-skinned older man. He took the documents, routinely glancing over Yang Qi’s information as he checked it against the logbook.

Suddenly, he paused. He looked up to study Yang Qi’s face, then back down at the name on the ID. A look of clear surprise appeared in his eyes.

"You’re Yang Qi? Bai Wan’s handler? *That* Yang Qi?"

"Huh? Yes, that’s me."

Yang Qi was taken aback for a moment before it dawned on him. "Sir, you’ve heard of me?"

"Heard of you? That’s an understatement."

A smile bloomed on the guard’s face, his professional demeanor melting away as he grew more cordial. He handed the documents back to Yang Qi.

"You’ve been the talk of the base these past few days—it’s almost started arguments. I heard that Chinese rural dog you trained completely outclassed some of our police dogs, even ones that have been in training for years. A lot of the handlers are pretty riled up about it. They can’t accept it."

"Well... Bai Wan was the one who worked hard, and the situation just happened to play to his strengths," Yang Qi said modestly, smiling as he took back his ID.

"I wouldn’t say that."

The guard waved his hand dismissively, smiling at Yang Qi. "A good dog is one thing, but training it well enough to step up when it counts—that’s the mark of a skilled handler. You’re something else, young man! Impressive!"

His tone shifted, and he lowered his voice. "But you’d best be on your guard once you’re inside. A lot of the young, hot-blooded handlers are rubbing their hands together, eager to have a friendly ’spar’ with a ’civilian expert’ like you."

"Got it. Thanks for the heads-up, sir."

Yang Qi agreed with a smile, though he didn’t really take the warning to heart.

Upon entering the main gate, he found the base was larger than he’d expected. The training fields, kennels, and office building were all in distinct, clearly marked areas.

Yang Qi followed the signs to the reception desk. He had just given his name and stated his reason for visiting when...

"You’re Yang Qi?"

The young woman at the reception desk froze, her voice rising in surprise.

Her exclamation was like a stone tossed into a quiet pond.

"What? Bai Wan’s handler is here?"

"Where? Where is he? Let me see!"

"Move aside, I want to challenge him... no, I mean, exchange a few pointers!"

"..."

In the blink of an eye, seven or eight people swarmed the previously quiet reception area.

The group included handlers in training uniforms and administrative staff, both men and women. All eyes were fixed on Yang Qi, sizing him up with curiosity.

It wasn’t that Yang Qi himself was a world-famous celebrity, nor were these people just bored out of their minds.

The key was that in the recent Lvliu District case, the performance of Bai Wan, an "unofficial member of the team," had been so brilliant that it had, at certain points, even outshone the official police dogs.

Within the highly specialized confines of the Police Dog Base, this had undoubtedly caused a stir.

The "professionals" had been bested by an "amateur." Even if it was just an isolated incident, it was enough to spark immense curiosity.

They had only heard rumors and gossip before, but now the man himself had shown up on their doorstep. How could they pass up the chance to "gawk" and get a closer look at what this "legend from the streets" was really like.

Upon seeing him, they discovered that Yang Qi was even younger than they’d imagined. He was handsome, with a calm and composed temperament. He stood there with a balanced and confident posture—not a trace of the arrogance they might have expected, nor any panic at being the center of attention.

His gaze was clear and serene, and he seemed to have a peculiar aura about him that subconsciously put people at ease, making them feel comfortable and drawn to him.

The eyes of several young female staffers lit up.

This "welcoming committee" was a little too enthusiastic for Yang Qi’s taste; he was starting to feel overwhelmed.

Just as he was about to speak...

"What do you think you’re doing? Don’t you all have work to do? What kind of a spectacle is this, crowding around here!" A deep voice, steady and authoritative, cut through the noise.

It was immediately followed by another voice, this one gentle and magnetic. "Alright, break it up. Everyone get back to what you were doing. Don’t frighten our guest."

At the sound of their voices, the crowd scattered in an instant.

Yang Qi let out a breath and looked toward the two approaching middle-aged men. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The man on the left was slender, with a kind face and a friendly smile.

The man on the right was portly, with a slightly balding crown and shrewd eyes.

The receptionist from earlier quickly whispered an introduction. "That’s our base’s Director Wang, and the other is Vice Director Zhao."

"Director Wang, Director Zhao, a pleasure. I’m Yang Qi." Yang Qi took the initiative and greeted them with a smile.

"Advisor Yang, is it? A pleasure, a pleasure!"

The portly Director Wang strode forward and enthusiastically shook Yang Qi’s hand. "I’ve heard so much about you! Captain Tan couldn’t stop singing your praises—and Bai Wan’s!"

He sized up Yang Qi, a flicker of surprise, barely perceptible, flashing in his eyes. Yang Qi’s youth and demeanor were likely at odds with the image he’d had in his head.

The slender Vice Director Zhao also smiled warmly. "Welcome to our base, Advisor Yang. We’re glad you could come."

"You’re both too kind, Directors. I’m the one who’s here to learn," Yang Qi replied courteously.

After a bit of small talk, the two directors personally led Yang Qi to the area where the retired dogs were housed.

Along the way, Director Wang gave a brief overview of the base, with Vice Director Zhao chiming in from time to time. Both were very welcoming.

Soon, they arrived before a clean, tidy, and relatively quiet kennel.

Inside, two German Shepherds were lying down. One appeared to be older, with a darker coat and a calm, steady gaze.

The other was a bit younger, with a robust build and a shiny coat.

Both dogs got to their feet as the group approached.

"This older one is called Hu Zi. He served for eight years and has a distinguished record. Now that he’s reached retirement age and has some old joint injuries, it’s time for him to enjoy a well-deserved rest."

Director Wang then pointed to the other German Shepherd. "This one’s called Leopard. He only served for six years. He could have worked for another two, but he was seriously injured during a mission last year. After he recovered, it didn’t affect his day-to-day life, but his explosiveness and stamina no longer meet our work standards, so he had to be retired early."

A staff member opened the kennel door.

The two directors gestured for Yang Qi to go inside.

Yang Qi nodded and walked slowly inside.

He didn’t rush toward them. Instead, he stopped a couple of steps away, squatted down, and met the two police dogs’ gazes with a calm expression.

As Director Wang, Vice Director Zhao, and a few handlers who had followed them watched with some surprise, the dogs, initially on guard against the stranger, twitched their noses as the defensiveness in their eyes quickly melted away.

The steady Hu Zi took two steps forward, drew close to Yang Qi, lowered his head, and gently nuzzled his outstretched hand.

Leopard was even more enthusiastic. His tail immediately began to wag furiously, and he let out an affectionate whine. He came right up to Yang Qi, sniffing him incessantly and bumping his head against Yang Qi’s palm.

"Well, isn’t that something!"