106: Chapter 106 Strengthening Public Security

Director He Guodong seized the opportunity to add: "Secretary Li, rest assured, we will certainly implement your instructions."

"I have already thought it through and am preparing to establish public security joint defense teams in every village, and equip them with the newly recruited Joint Defense Team Members..."

"That's a great idea!" Li Dakang's eyes lit up.

"The Township Government can allocate a special fund to provide each village with equipment such as flashlights and walkie-talkies."

As he spoke, he walked to the window and gazed at the rolling green mountains in the distance: "This incident has served as a reminder to me that we must grasp both economic development and public security stability."

Listening to the conversation between the two leaders, Qi Tongwei felt a warmth in his heart.

He remembered when he was visiting the village a few days ago, Old Man Sun had grabbed his hand and said: "Officer Qi, you finally caught those little bastards! Now I can sleep soundly at night."

Thinking of this, Qi Tongwei straightened his back involuntarily.

"Oh, right." Li Dakang suddenly turned around.

"Tongwei, write a detailed case summary report. I want to highlight this case at the Township Government meeting. Our cadres in Guantian Township must be hardworking and practical just like you!"

Sunlight shone through the window onto Qi Tongwei's police badge, the sliver of light looking exceptionally dazzling.

Qi Tongwei took a deep breath and gave a solemn salute: "Please rest assured, Secretary Li, I will definitely continue to work hard!"

Director He Guodong stood by, his eyes crinkling into slits with a smile.

He knew that this young man, whom he had personally mentored, had finally waited for his own opportunity.

Walking out of the Township Government gate, both of their steps became involuntarily lighter.

The warm sunlight spilled onto them, and Director He Guodong couldn't help but pat Qi Tongwei on the back again: "Tongwei, this time you've really earned us plenty of face at the Police Station! I can see that Secretary Li's gaze toward you is different now."

As he spoke, he took out cigarettes from his pocket and handed one to Qi Tongwei.

Qi Tongwei hurriedly took the cigarette, scratching his head in embarrassment: "Director He, this case could only be solved thanks to the opportunity you gave me. If you hadn't let me be in charge of this case..."

"Enough, enough, enough."

Director He Guodong lit his cigarette, took a satisfying puff, blew out a smoke ring, and then suddenly lowered his voice: "But in all seriousness, you kid must seize this opportunity. Secretary Li carries a lot of weight in the county."

Qi Tongwei nodded, his gaze drifting involuntarily toward the green mountains in the distance.

He suddenly remembered something, his eyes brightening: "Director He, I have an idea. Could we organize a township-wide public security awareness campaign? We can use this case as an example to teach the fellow villagers how to prevent theft."

"Hey!" Director He Guodong slapped his thigh, and the cigarette ash fell to the ground with the motion.

"That's a great idea! Since the newly recruited Joint Defense Team Members are all from each village, having them help with the publicity will definitely be effective."

They acted immediately. Early the next morning, Qi Tongwei took a few young police officers to prepare the publicity materials.

They used large red paper to write easy-to-understand anti-theft slogans and drew comic illustrations.

Little Zhao was the cleverest; he adapted the story of Wang Ergou stealing the cow into a clapper talk, making everyone laugh.

For the next half month, Qi Tongwei led the publicity team to every village in Guantian Township.

They set up simple display boards on the threshing ground in Shixi Village. In front of the ancestral hall in Qingshan Village, Little Zhao's clapper talk drew rounds of applause. Even in the most remote Majiagou, the villagers sat around the old locust tree, listening attentively to the police officers explaining anti-theft knowledge.

Gradually, the villagers no longer dodged the police when they saw them; instead, they would take the initiative to greet them.

Once, when Qi Tongwei went to Wangjia Village for a follow-up visit, the old party branch secretary insisted on pulling him home for tea, and said mysteriously: "Officer Qi, some young people in our village want to sign up to be Joint Defense Team Members!"

When reporting for work back at the Police Station, Director He Guodong looked at Qi Tongwei, who had been tanned dark by the sun, feeling both heartache and relief: "Tongwei, you've run yourself thin these past two weeks, haven't you? But the results are really good; Secretary Li just called to commend us!"

Qi Tongwei wiped his sweat, smiling exceptionally brightly.

Sunlight shone through the old glass windows of the Police Station, casting mottled shadows of light onto his sweat-soaked police uniform.

He knew that all this hard work was worth it.

This day, Li Dakang was in his office reviewing the progress report of the Vegetable Base when the phone on his desk suddenly rang.

He put down his pen and picked up the receiver: "Hello, I am Li Dakang."

"Comrade Dakang."

The thick, resonant voice of County Party Secretary Yuan Kai came from the other end of the line.

"There is an important notice. Next Monday, Secretary Bi from the Municipal Party Committee will come to your Guantian Township to inspect the work. You must make sure all preparation work is done thoroughly in advance."

The pen in Li Dakang's hand paused, and ink seeped out into a small dot on the paper.

He frowned slightly: "Secretary Yuan, why did Secretary Bi suddenly think of coming to our Guantian?"

Yuan Kai's hearty laughter came over the phone: "Isn't it because you have been doing too well recently? The Vegetable Base, the breeding industry, the school renovation—everything is at the forefront of the whole county."

The laughter subsided slightly, and he lowered his voice: "However, I reckon Secretary Bi is mainly coming to see the electronics factory project this time."

"After all, with an investment of 50 million, the Municipal Party Committee has been keeping a close eye on it."