Upside Down Grocery Shop - Chapter 2

This town wasn’t that big, and the news of a fatal incident quickly spread throughout every street and alley. Everyone was saying that a large dog had come out at night and bitten someone.

People were on edge, and many parents picked up their kids right after school, strictly forbidding them from lingering on the streets for even a moment.

Families who owned large dogs took extra precautions, keeping their dogs locked up securely in cages rather than simply tying them up.

Although it was just rumors and the authorities hadn’t released any information, many people were already reconsidering if they could even keep their dogs any longer.

Despite the shocking nature of the incident, the average folks felt it was something that wouldn’t actually touch their lives, that such tragedies were far removed from them.

Even though they’d seen the bloody scene firsthand that very morning, it was merely a topic to gossip about over tea or a meal.

Su Ran sat in his shop, watching the steady stream of people on the street, just as on any other day.

At that moment, a man stopped in front of the shop, glanced at the name of the “Upside Down Grocery Shop” and walked in with a smile.

Seeing a customer, Su Ran naturally greeted him with a smile, “Feel free to look around. Let me know if there’s anything you need.”

The man dressed plainly, wearing simple, clean sportswear. He had some sweat on his face, whether from the weather or recent exercise. “Boss, this shop is pretty nice!”

Su Ran chuckled, “You’re joking. Just look at how simple it is here—I’d be happy if it didn’t look too shabby.”

The man laughed, “Boss, what does ‘Upside Down Grocery Shop’ mean?”

“It’s just a simple name, no special meaning,” Su Ran replied casually, eyeing the man with ease. “You still haven’t told me what you’re looking for?”

“I want an umbrella,” the man said, looking at Su Ran with a smile, “A black umbrella!”

Su Ran chuckled, “Not for sale!”

The man laughed, “Not for sale, but you have it. I just want to ask the boss—why not sell it?”

Su Ran sat back comfortably. “This is my turf. If I feel like selling it, I sell it. If I don’t, I don’t.”

The man continued to smile, glancing around the shop. He stopped by the black umbrella, but though it was within reach, he didn’t dare take it casually. “Boss, you say this is your turf, but someone’s already been causing trouble here. What will you do about it?”

Su Ran sneered, “Since when is it your business to meddle in my affairs, you little brat? Go back and tell your boss, if he wants a piece of Upside Down Grocery Shop, he’d better be careful not to get burned.”

The man realized Su Ran was starting to get annoyed, but he had a task to complete. “Boss Su Ran, please don’t take offense. I’m just here under orders to investigate the missing candles.”

Su Ran shot him a glare, irritated. “If my candles are gone, they’re gone. What’s there for you to investigate? Get lost!”

Unfazed, the man left his card. “My name is Fang Yuan. If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to call.”

As Fang Yuan left, Su Ran tapped his fingers on the table. “I knew it was bad luck. I swear, I’ll never open the shop late at night again. What a hassle.”

Meanwhile, Xiao Ling sat at her desk, staring at a massive pile of clues related to the fatal case. Yet everything was too scattered and confusing; there wasn’t a single useful lead. Even after checking the surroundings and surveillance footage, there was no trace of this woman. It was as if she had suddenly appeared on the street, only to be killed.

Or rather, to be bitten to death.

Xiao Liu, looking grim, hurried over and spoke to Xiao Ling, “Captain, there’s something I think you should know.”

Xiao Ling was a bit taken aback. Xiao Liu had been by her side for quite some time and had seen plenty of intense cases, yet it was the first time she’d seen him so flustered. “What’s got you so worked up?”

Xiao Liu steadied himself, though his face was still tense. “We got the hair sample back, and it’s not from any large dog. Instead, it’s…” Xiao Liu trailed off, hesitant, perhaps even doubting the result himself.

“What is it? Spit it out!” Xiao Ling urged, growing impatient.

“It’s a bear!”

Xiao Ling was stunned, thinking she’d misheard. “What did you say? Say that again—what is it?”

“A bear! A grizzly bear!”

Xiao Ling stood up, looking at Xiao Liu in disbelief. “You’re saying that there’s a grizzly bear roaming around in our county, attacking people?” Xiao Ling immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.

If it had been a large dog, even a few of them wouldn’t be much of a threat. But a full-grown grizzly was a different story. A crazed grizzly bear was unimaginably dangerous, and it had already killed someone. If they didn’t find it soon, there could be several more victims.

“Captain, there’s something else,” Xiao Liu handed Xiao Ling the results. “We’ve got a clear picture of the victim’s face, but we found no record of this person in our system or any household registration. Plus, all the nearby residents say they’ve never seen her before.”

“Could she be a migrant from another area?”

“It’s uncertain. If that’s the case, tracking her down will be a time-consuming challenge.”

Xiao Ling looked at the information in her hands, noting the clear image of the grizzly bear. What on earth was going on? How could a grizzly bear show up and hurt people in town? There wasn’t even a zoo in this county.

“Xiao Liu, spread the word. Keep an eye out; a bear isn’t a dog. As soon as someone spots it, there’ll definitely be some sort of reaction or an alert.”

“Yes!”

“Wait!”

“Captain?”

“Do it quietly. I don’t want a grizzly bear causing public panic.”

Xiao Liu nodded. “Understood.”

After Xiao Liu left, Xiao Ling sat down, studying all the information about grizzlies—their habits, preferred food, size, and weight. She had to get a complete understanding.

The forensic doctor walked in, his expression equally grim. “Captain Xiao.”

“Dr. Zhang, please, have a seat.”

Dr. Zhang sat down, cutting straight to the point. “Captain Xiao, I heard about the grizzly. I have some findings I thought you should know about.”

“Go ahead.”

“Although the victim’s body was covered in injuries and bite marks, I found that none of her body tissue was missing. In other words, the bear just killed her—it didn’t eat a single piece of flesh,” Dr. Zhang took out some photos. “Also, I noticed from the marks on her hands that she was holding something before she died. Both hands were gripping something cylindrical.”

Xiao Ling looked at the photos and stayed silent for a moment. “But we didn’t find anything at the scene. So, does that mean the bear attacked the victim not just to kill her, but to steal whatever she was holding?”

Even though they had reached this thought, was it really possible?

Could a grizzly bear commit a robbery and murder?

Dr. Zhang found it equally unbelievable. “Captain Xiao, does this seem likely? A grizzly isn’t even a dog. For a wild animal to suppress its natural instincts for food and go as far as robbery and murder… it just doesn’t add up.”

Xiao Ling’s face turned dark. “And it’s not just that. This bear didn’t just rob and kill; it also managed to avoid all surveillance and witnesses. Are we saying this bear has somehow become… sentient?”

Dr. Zhang shook his head. “It’s up to you to piece together the clues, Captain. I’m just a forensic doctor. I’ll head out for now. If I find any more leads, I’ll let you know.”

Xiao Ling sat there, looking at the photo of the grizzly on her screen. “First, there’s a bear, then a robbery and a murder, and now we’re talking about a bear with sentience?” Xiao Ling paused, then suddenly gasped, “Could it be… a trained bear?!”