Chapter 216

In the villa.

Ling Yue had long been fully aware of her own constitution; although she didn't plan to go out for now, it didn't hinder her from working at home.

The dozen or so spiritual plants she had transplanted from Changbai Mountain all survived; thanks to the effect of the sun fruit, it was spring all year round, and the fruits on the trees were picked by her in several pots.

Finally, she shared them with the small animals and ate them.

Ling Yue's favorite was still the floor-to-ceiling window flooded with sunlight; the ancient books brought from Longhu Mountain were taken out from the picture scroll space, and she read and studied them while Jun Jun beside her joined in the discussion.

As the saying goes, three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang.

For a moment, her progress surged.

But she didn't expect that the next day she would receive a call from an unexpected visitor.

"Zhao Fang?" Ling Yue asked doubtfully. Cheng Ziming on the other end of the phone, very smart, had already anticipated her question and immediately explained: "He's Zhao Fang from our Jing Shi Police Dog Training Base; he has something and wants to ask for your help."

Ling Yue pondered for a moment, thought about it, and realized she had nothing going on lately; besides, from Cheng Ziming's tone, the other side seemed urgent, so she slightly nodded: "Sure, when?"

"Just today." Cheng Ziming exclaimed delightedly and immediately said.

After saying that, he looked around; it was almost New Year's Eve, and in their Criminal Investigation Detachment there was currently not a single person spare, so in the end he could only go himself to pick her up.

Ling Yue remained calm and composed.

The Jing Shi Police Dog Training Base is outside the Third Ring Road; the place is not small. As soon as Ling Yue entered, a round-faced man came up to her, and in conversation she realized this man was Zhao Fang.

He had a mild temper and explained with a smile: "Actually it's not me; it's a colleague of mine. He's not one of our police dog handlers; his profession is quite special—he's a guide dog trainer."

Upon hearing "guide dog," Ling Yue raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Zhao Fang continued: "He has something and wants to ask for your help; come with me."

Cheng Ziming was the type who came and went in a hurry; in the blink of an eye, Ling Yue saw him take the phone call and run off.

She shook her head and followed Zhao Fang to a kennel, where a sturdy, neat man squatted on the grass outside the cage; his back view looked extremely desolate and forlorn.

Zhao Fang greeted him familiarly: "Old Wang, I've brought the person for you!"

Ling Yue greeted him generously; he finally shifted his gaze from the dog, his brows still tightly furrowed: "Are you Comrade Ling Yue?"

"Hello, I am Wang Chen."

Ling Yue nodded at him; her easy, confident demeanor was infectious, and even the somewhat hesitant Wang Instructor, seeing her youthful face, couldn't help but believe a little.

Looking from outside to inside, Ling Yue saw a white short-haired Labrador Retriever squatting on the concrete floor; just by its posture and build, her eyes lit up: "What a good dog!"

Ling Yue had been working with animals for a while and had seen countless dogs big and small; at home she even had a handsome, spirited large black dog, yet this dog before her still amazed her greatly.

Its fur was pure white, without a speck of mixed colors; its eyes were clear and bright, and even though it carried an excessive air of melancholy, it was still very beautiful.

Its posture was upright, neither swaying nor hesitant; at a glance it was clear it had received professional training.

Ling Yue immediately recalled Zhao Fang's earlier introduction: a Labrador guide dog.

A transparent panel displaying the dog's information appeared before her eyes.

【Name: Labrador Retriever】

【Gender: Female】

【Age: One and a half years】

【Temperament: Gentle, proud】

【Skill: Guide Dog】

【Wish:???】

The long-unseen three question marks, just like with Tuan Tuan before, made Ling Yue not anxious but rather excited, for this usually also signified a new mission!

However, before that, she needed to first inquire about the Labrador's situation.

Ling Yue had also learned about the profession of guide dogs before.

Guide dogs differ from pets; they are working dogs. Although their lives are not as stimulating as those of search-and-rescue or drug-detection dogs, they often most wear down one's will, requiring them to assist blind people in the midst of trivial, chaotic, disordered daily life.

Dogs selected to become guide dogs usually have gentle, steady temperaments and are relatively intelligent; they need to learn many commands, and generally Labrador Retrievers, a large breed, are chosen.

Since guide dogs first appeared in 1819 up to the present, there has never been a case of a guide dog biting a person.

This dog is one and a half years old; according to guide dog training standards, a puppy at this age has already completed six months to a year of family basics, learned commands, and should already have been paired with a blind owner.

Ling Yue was quite curious as to why this dog had been brought back again.

She also asked this; upon hearing it, Wang Chen, a big man about 1.8 meters tall, had his eye sockets instantly redden: "No wonder you're a pet expert—you can see Bei Bei's experience at a glance."

He spoke with mixed feelings, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on Bei Bei, and continued: "Bei Bei is the finest guide dog I have ever handled; its parents, even grandparents, are all outstanding guide dogs. From birth, it was held to high expectations and smoothly trained to become what it is today."

"But—just when I thought it would later take over from its parents and become a qualified guide dog, it suddenly turned out like this."

Wang Instructor felt deep regret, even heartache; he looked hopefully at Ling Yue: "Can you help enlighten Bei Bei?"

He regarded every dog in the base as his own child, which made it hard for him, as an old father, to bear seeing them continue to deteriorate.

As for the reason Bei Bei became like this, the explanation Ling Yue heard was rather vague; it seemed to be because of a certain case—in human eyes, the guide dog Bei Bei perfectly completed a rescue call, saving its owner, but after that incident it never recovered.

Ling Yue pursed her lips, her gaze drifting far onto the guide dog Bei Bei; as for the truth, it seemed she could only ask the dog itself.

Before she could ask, a long-unheard clear voice suddenly rose in her mind; the system chimed, and a cold mechanical voice suddenly sounded: 【Whether to explore and fulfill the Labrador's wish, reward: insight increase by 100%】.

Ling Yue:!!!

This reward is rather vague, but once explained it's easy to understand: it enhances comprehension; for Ling Yue, who is currently studying ancient texts, it's truly a timely help.

Although she is smart, who wouldn't want to be smarter and progress faster? All along, Ling Yue has inexplicably felt a sense of urgency that makes her dare not relax at all.

System: Reject or accept?

Ling Yue: Although I don't yet know what the wish is, with such a reward ahead, what do I have to be upset about!

Just do it.

Ling Yue decisively clicked accept, rolled her eyes, and said to Instructor Wang Chen: "May I talk with Bei Bei?"

Wang Chen naturally wouldn't refuse; he was even somewhat pleased, as having a clue is better than none.

The kennel door was opened, and the all-white Labrador Bei Bei, like a handful of fine snow, was brought out; its neck still bore the guide dog's exclusive working collar, yet after coming out it showed not a hint of joy.

Finally, it actually sat down on the grass under Ling Yue's gaze, and the Labrador Bei Bei softly barked, "Human, what are you doing?"

It actually lay on the grass, looking lazy, its whole body exuding a very familiar laid-back aura that Ling Yue often saw on the treasure‑seeking rat at home.

Just lie down and it's done.

Ling Yue introduced herself first, then replied to it: "Hello, beautiful dog Bei Bei."

The latter looked at her in surprise, its calm emotion finally having a moment of shock—this human could understand its words!

The Labrador Bei Bei's thick tail thumped against the ground, pat‑pat‑pat, leaving shallow dents in the wet grass.

Ling Yue didn't waste time, getting straight to the point: "Can you tell me what happened earlier that made you give up on yourself?"

Bei Bei fell silent.

Just when Ling Yue thought it wouldn't answer, the gentle dog suddenly spoke: "Didn't you hear Wang Baba introduce himself just now?"

Ling Yue stared at it, her icy gaze seeming to see straight through it, and the Labrador dog suddenly stretched out its front paws, scraping a few times, burying its head between its paws.

After a long while, Ling Yue heard its muffled voice: "You're so perceptive, human."

"I'll tell you."

Bei Bei has always been proud.

After becoming a guide dog, its scores have always been first at the base, an existence that other guide dogs could never catch up to.

It was also very smart, perfectly learning those commands, memorizing every dog rule, and then it was assigned to its owner—a fresh‑looking young man who was congenitally blind.

The first day he touched it, the owner laughed: "Is this my new friend? Hello, Bei Bei."

He was really enthusiastic, chattering nonstop, and coincidentally it was also a bit of a chatterbox; though the person and dog couldn't understand each other's words, they still managed to get excited talking anyway.

Although sometimes the neighborhood brats would pull its tail, grab its fur, and small dogs would provoke it, Bei Bei remained steady, using its professional quality to handle any sudden issues, silently telling the owner, "Don't be afraid, I'm here!"

This warm feeling continued until late one night.

Lying in the cage, Bei Bei was about to rest when it heard a clatter, sprang up, smelled a stranger, and immediately began barking loudly.

"Owner, there's a thief! Hurry and catch the thief!"

Climbing up the pipe, the thief grunted as he pried open the window; he looked up, met the dog's fierce gaze, and slipped inside with a swoosh.

It was obvious the house had encountered bandits.

Hearing the commotion, the male owner immediately grabbed his blind cane and came out, but soon the thief discovered the owner was blind and the dog was silly, and he began to work quickly.

During this, the male owner picked up a stick to hit him, trying to fight, while Bei Bei cheered him on; at first the thief was nervous, but then realized this big dog was just a paper tiger.

He then had no scruples.

Instead, midway he disliked the owner being in the way, shoved him to the ground; in an instant, a strong bloody smell filled the nostrils, and the Labrador Bei Bei, sensing something wrong, slammed the door open and ran off to call for help.

A guide dog's first principle is not to harm people; it couldn't help its owner, blaming itself while calling for aid.

When it returned, it saw the owner lying in a pool of blood, behind him an angular cabinet.

Bei Bei lowered its head, rubbed his palm, and only then noticed his formerly warm hand had begun to cool; the thief had already vanished, leaving only the neighbor's anxious cries.

"Doctor, save him! My neighbor is about to die!"

The flustered cries made it feel guilty and regretful; it could have saved him, its huge frame—its cousin living in the UK once swept its tail onto the owner's knee, laming him for three months—if it had swiped with a paw, the thief would surely have been scared witless.

But it couldn't.

It didn't.

It was a guide dog; the owner would certainly not forgive it.

Bei Bei lay depressed on the ground, its head drooping, its soft fur pressing into the grass, almost digging a hole to bury itself: "... I'm not suited to be a guide dog, I'm such a failure, so useless..."

Ling Yue carefully eased her breath, not trying to pet it, but releasing a healing aura.

The Labrador guide dog Bei Bei, which had never voiced its feelings, felt a little relieved, but this slight ease was like a dust mote in the air compared to its heavy sorrow—utterly insignificant.

Ling Yue observed its behavior and could already conclude—

This Labrador had developed psychological trauma, so it didn't want to face its owner, causing low work efficiency, and besides, it wasn't a pet but a working dog.

If it wasn't diligent, it would be sent back to the base; although the owner didn't want that, the rules were thus.

At this point, Ling Yue had completed a small step of the task; she opened the panel again, and the question‑mark wish had been replaced by Chinese characters: "Unravel Labrador Bei Bei's knot, save it!"】

Ling Yue felt it was a bit tricky.

She squatted down, level with it: "Bei Bei, do you really not want to see your owner again?"

Bei Bei fell silent for a moment.

Ling Yue locked eyes with it, staring into its crystal‑like dog eyes, leaving it no chance to escape.

She spoke gently, pacing her questions evenly: "Avoidance will only make things worse. Do you really want to never see your owner again? Would you like to see your owner with other dogs?"

As she finished the last sentence, the Labrador sprang to its feet and stared straight at her.

Ling Yue felt no pressure, increased her healing aura, and spoke words that struck right at its core: "Perhaps your owner doesn't blame you; he knows you did your best, and he's still waiting for you to come home!"

"Really?" In an instant, Bei Bei's eyes filled with points of starlike hope.,,.