Chapter 394

Area control is a very traditional surveillance method, characterized by high cost but outstanding effectiveness.

A typical example is today's hotel industry, where everyone must present ID to check in—that's area control over hotels. Through this method, the spatial mobility of various criminal suspects is restricted, especially for transient crimes and organized gambling or drug activities, making them relatively difficult.

Of course, in some places, hotel ID requirements are not strict enough; individuals can check in alone, or even the owner can check in on their behalf—this means the area control is poorly implemented.

For the same reason, internet cafes, KTVs, nightclubs, and similar venues are also key areas for area control. Similarly, scrap collection stations, tourist attractions, even license plates and ID cards themselves, are all forms of area control.

Only with area control can the police establish a foundation for frontline operations.

Therefore, for police departments, establishing area control is itself highly important, and as times evolve, new areas must be continuously developed and expanded.

Take the current internet world: it was truly a lawless zone in the past, where people met accomplices on Tieba, exchanged crime plans; traded and purchased air guns via forums and social apps; spread information about "tower prostitutes," promoted and advertised brothels, and even advertised direct factory sales—all of which cannot be completely eradicated for now, but establishing area control and enforcing it has been a major focus in recent years.

Overall, area control is about creating a mechanism that uses technical means or irregular inspections to gather intelligence, enabling timely discovery of leads and apprehension of criminals.

Every single character here naturally comes with a cost.

In the past, most costs were concentrated on technology, but now, increasingly, costs are piling up in manpower.

As everyone knows, hiring people is truly expensive. In the past, police would routinely launch large-scale investigations, mobilizing not only officers and neighborhood watch teams, but also militia, party members, and even government officials and staff from enterprises and institutions when necessary.

Nowadays, aside from neighborhood watch evolving into auxiliary police—a system still usable—all the free meals, snacks, unlimited pool access, top-tier sunbathing afternoon tea, brunches, and more have vanished entirely.

Liu Jinghui watched Jiang Yuan's expression, as if he were a new household head unaware of the cost of rice and firewood, and couldn't help smiling. He wanted to see where Jiang Yuan would pull this funding from.

Back at the temporary office of the Criminal Investigation Team, Jiang Yuan pulled out a notebook and pen, scribbled a few lines, then said: "Director Liu, I'm entrusting this area control section to you."

"Huh? Why me?" Liu Jinghui quickly shook his head: "I can't do it—you have no resources at all right now, how can you even attempt area control..."

"What resources do you need?"

"Funding and manpower—that's the bare minimum. Next, Miaohé County will be busy with Case 503; they can't afford to delay the main case just to find a dog," Liu Jinghui quickly slipped back into persuasion mode.

Jiang Yuan paused for a few seconds, then asked: "Can the provincial bureau fund this? As for personnel, can we get a few police stations to assist, and temporarily assign officers later?"

"Why would the provincial bureau fund this for you?"

"They want to use me, so they use me. If I need them to spend a little money and they say they don't have it, that's unacceptable!" Jiang Yuan spoke with serious conviction.

To Liu Jinghui, this sounded childish—even reckless.

Liu Jinghui couldn't help smiling. "That's exactly what I meant—you're not asking for a small amount. Not to mention anything else, it should be at least a seven-digit number."

Jiang Yuan sneered. "It's just non-compliant—if it weren't, I'd pay for it myself." He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts. "I'll call Director Huang."

If Jiang Yuan lost Guihua and the Level-3 skull reconstruction technique just because of seven-digit funding, he'd be too furious to sleep that night.

Liu Jinghui stared at Jiang Yuan in shock.

Though he knew Jiang Yuan well, this behavior still took Liu Jinghui completely off guard.

It's not normal for any police commander to spend like this. Considering Jiang

Yuan's intelligence is normal, then even the most unlikely possibility was now obvious:

"Did you have a falling-out with Huang Qiangmin?" Liu Jinghui declared with the confidence of a detective. "No," Jiang Yuan replied, glancing at him strangely.

Liu Jinghui frowned. If not that... then someone behind the dog is testing him. He rubbed his chin. "Who's testing you? Is it a threat?"

"Where did you get that idea?" Jiang Yuan paused, then suddenly thought Liu Jinghui's guess wasn't bad at all. He cleared his throat twice and asked: "Why would you think that?"

"You're a minor celebrity now. Someone approaching you isn't unusual. In our line of work, people kill for bizarre reasons—and do bizarre things too." Liu Jinghui stared at Jiang Yuan. "You're not in danger, right?"

"No," Jiang Yuan answered firmly.

"Good. No danger is fine." Liu Jinghui shrugged. "Go find the money. If you get the funding and manpower, I'll handle the area control."

Jiang Yuan didn't waste another word—he immediately called Huang Qiangmin. Three sentences later, Huang Qiangmin wired a six-digit initial payment.

Liu Jinghui kept his word. He immediately bent over the map and began designing the area control strategy. Not long after, Xu Xuewu called Jiang Yuan.

"Captain Jiang, what's this money from Ningtai County about?" Xu Xuewu asked. "If you need funds, just ask me directly. Sending money all the way from here—it's unnecessary..."

Jiang Yuan replied succinctly: "It's for finding the dog."

"Your Director Huang approved this much money just to find a dog?" Xu Xuewu was baffled. Jiang Yuan remained calm: "He didn't ask what I'd do, and I didn't tell him."

Publicly searching for a dog was, frankly, a bit absurd even to Jiang Yuan himself. But given his current modest reputation, if he truly wanted to find the dog, there was little to stop him.

Some cases begin with tiny details: traveling across a province to trace a tattoo, rummaging through entire warehouses for a single part, wading into a septic tank to retrieve a corpse—cost-effectiveness is not a popular concept in the police system.

Seeing the real money arrive, Xu Xuewu had neither the energy to laugh nor to gossip. He slumped back and said: "Fine. Whatever you need later, just call me."

"Speaking of which, there's actually something." Liu Jinghui, who had been listening intently, leaned over.

Morning.

Staff from the subdistrict office began their daily work, posting prepared notices in prominent locations.

They refused to adopt cheaper, better advertising strategies.

Early risers on their morning walks formed the morning rush hour; as they passed streets and alleys, they read the newly posted notices.

Soon, news spread: the county will issue free ID cards for dogs—any dog without one, or not on a leash, will be banned from public areas!