Grocery Shopping at the Meat Stand

Liam Carr followed the terrifying claw marks through the dark woods, his steps deliberate and cautious.

However, the trail of claw prints abruptly stopped, leaving him puzzled.

"Why did the tracks stop here? How did the werewolf leave the scene?"

Liam wondered.

"Did it climb a tree?"

He scanned the surrounding tree trunks, but found no scratches or signs of a creature climbing. The trees stood undisturbed, with no evidence to suggest anything unusual.

Liam paced back and forth, trying to make sense of the situation. How could the werewolf have vanished without a trace? Could it fly or burrow underground?

After another thorough inspection with no new discoveries, Liam took some photos and decided to head back to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs to discuss it with his colleagues.

Meanwhile, Logan and Evelyn were out grocery shopping, completely unaware that someone was tracking him.

"Babe, I'm really craving some Coca-Cola chicken wings!"

Evelyn said, playfully clinging to Logan's arm, her soft curves pressing against him in a way that both pleased and tortured him.

Adjusting his concealed holster without drawing attention, Logan smiled at her.

"Didn't you say you were scared of meat after what happened at the BBQ place? And now you want chicken?"

"I can't help it! I've been craving it!"

Evelyn pouted, her usual strong, independent demeanor replaced with a more playful, affectionate side that Logan found irresistible.

"Besides,"

she added, grinning as she leaned in to nibble on his ear,

"you can always tell if the meat's safe, right? If you get me chicken wings, I'll take care of you later…"

"Alright, fine! Let's get them,"

Logan said, feeling flustered as he quickly led her to the meat stand to buy the wings.

"How much for the chicken wings?"

Logan asked the butcher behind the counter.

"Cheap enough! Name your price!"

the butcher sighed as he grabbed a plastic bag.

"Ever since the news about that BBQ place came out, no one wants to buy meat from us small vendors anymore. It's killing our business."

"Oh, I didn't realize it was affecting you too,"

Logan said sympathetically. The entire city had been on edge ever since the supernatural incident, and the daily lives of its residents were constantly being disrupted.

"How about a 10% discount? I know business is tough right now."

"Much appreciated! Feel free to browse—anything else you need?"

The butcher smiled, grateful for the understanding, and pulled out more bags for Logan to use.

"Let's get some ribs too,"

Logan said, selecting a few nice-looking cuts.

"I'll make some soup. Could you chop them up for me?"

"Of course!"

The butcher took the ribs and placed them on the chopping block, pulling out a large, cleaver-like tool. The handle was long, and though the blade was short, it resembled an axe meant for chopping through bones.

As Evelyn was inspecting the chicken wings, her expression suddenly changed. She leaned in close to Logan and whispered,

"Babe, Little Mic says the butcher's cleaver is just like it—a supernatural object."

Logan's eyes narrowed. A supernatural object like the microphone? That meant it could be dangerous.

He casually glanced at the butcher, but the man appeared to be just an ordinary person with no outward signs of being controlled or influenced by any supernatural forces.

If there were a real threat here, Logan's internal danger sense would have already gone off.

"Nice cleaver you've got there,"

Logan said, keeping his tone light.

"Cuts through bones like butter."

"Of course! It's top of the line!"

the butcher grinned, not pausing in his work.

"A buddy of mine quit the business a while back and sold me all his equipment, including this beauty."

"Do you know where I can buy one like that? I cook ribs a lot at home, and having a good cleaver would be handy,"

Logan asked, feigning interest.

"No idea. My friend told me the company that made these went out of business. This cleaver's a rare find—probably the last of its kind!"

the butcher said with a laugh, clearly proud of his unique tool.

Once the ribs were chopped and bagged, Logan took the bag from the butcher. As he turned to leave, he asked casually,

"Any chance you'd sell me that cleaver? I really like it."

At first, the butcher looked confused, but then his expression darkened. His lips twitched, and suddenly he raised the cleaver aggressively.

"You here to cause trouble? Not buying meat—just want my knife?"

The friendly butcher had transformed in an instant, his face contorting with rage.

"Hey, no need to get mad. I was just asking. If it's not for sale, that's fine,"

Logan said calmly, taking a step back to defuse the situation.

"Just pay for the meat and get out of here! You think you can mess with me?"

the butcher barked, slamming the cleaver down onto the chopping block with a sharp crack, his eyes full of anger.

"It's a hot day—no need to get worked up. We've paid, so we'll be on our way,"

Logan said, scanning the QR code to pay. He took the bag of meat, grabbed Evelyn's hand, and led her away from the stall.

As they walked away, Logan glanced back. The butcher's face had softened again, and he looked confused, rubbing his head as if trying to figure out why he'd gotten so angry.

"Why did I lose my temper like that?"

he muttered to himself.

On their way home, Evelyn spoke up.

"It's obvious, right? That cleaver is definitely affecting the butcher."

"Yeah, his mood swings were too extreme to be normal. Even someone with serious anger issues wouldn't react that fast,"

Logan agreed. He made a mental note of the situation. Aside from hunting supernatural entities, collecting supernatural objects like the cleaver could also help him grow stronger.