Chapter Fifteen: The City of Fate, Equivalent Exchange

In those few brief minutes, the old erhu player felt what it truly meant to be on pins and needles.

Each note drifting from the suona seemed to transform into a merciless blade, stabbing deep into his chest.

He could almost hear his heart struggling!

Every sound landed in the most unexpected places.

At last…

When the piece finished, the old erhu player suddenly felt as if he had been released from prison, his body instantly relaxing.

He pursed his lips, wanting to say something, but just as he lifted his head, he saw Chen Ye wearing an honest and simple smile.

“Master, was it good?”

The old erhu player’s mouth twitched slightly, unsure of what to say.

Clearly, mastering the suona required exceptional musical talent—he had personally experienced how difficult the instrument was.

Not just anyone could play it.

Yet, the actual sound produced was simply indescribable…

After a moment of silence, the old man took a sharp breath.

“Your music is truly unprecedented, unmatched by anyone before or after!”

Chen Ye smiled happily.

“Then, Master, I’ll play it for you every day.”

“No, no!” The old man smiled bitterly, waving his hands repeatedly. “You should travel the world, let everyone hear your music—that’s the true achievement.”

“Master, I’m already old, and my ears aren’t what they used to be. It’s better to just leave it at this…”

Before Chen Ye could speak again, the old man picked out three coins from the iron bowl in front of him and tossed them over.

“Here, this is your performance fee.”

Fortunately, Chen Ye reacted quickly; the moment the coins flew over, he immediately closed his mouth and caught them with his hand.

Three ancient bronze coins, solid and gleaming with a coppery luster. When lightly tapped together, they chimed with a metallic ring.

At the same time, Chen Ye’s personal interface showed his assets changing from “0” to “3 bronze coins.”

“Master, didn’t you already give me a suona and teach me the way of music? Why do I still have to pay a performance fee after playing?” Chen Ye asked, puzzled.

“That’s different.” The old erhu player shook his head. “When I gave you the suona, I was exchanging for a share of the money you’ll earn from music in the future, so you can help support this old man in his old age. As long as I don’t starve, that’s enough.”

“So, whether I eat your roasted chestnuts or you make money later to buy a house and share a place with this old man, that’s all reasonable.”

“But music performance is your professional income—you have to pay for that.”

Chen Ye was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t expected the concept of equal exchange to be so detailed.

“Of course, you don’t have to pay a performance fee to listen to my music—after all, listening is part of learning,” the old man smiled.

Chen Ye gradually began to understand the terms of the old man’s exchange.

Teaching skills was exchanged for a share of Chen Ye’s future earnings, such as roasted chestnuts or other street performance income, which the old man could share unconditionally.

But the share was limited, designated solely for supporting his old age.

Such as daily expenses, clothing, food, and shelter…

As for Chen Ye’s earnings outside music, or other items unrelated to supporting the old man, those were not subject to sharing rights.

During the early testing phase, the equal exchange rule had not yet been established; perhaps it was a new feature of this version?

It was quite interesting…

Definitely worth studying—maybe it would help in crafting future strategies!

Chen Ye’s mind stirred, and he asked, “Master, what happens if someone doesn’t follow the equal exchange rule?”

The old erhu player fell silent for a moment, then sighed.

“Do you know the nickname of this city?”

“What is it?”

“The City of Fate!”

A rare, meaningful smile appeared on the old man’s face as he chuckled.

“Every gain in this city has chips secretly marked on it.”

“In this city, if any trade doesn’t follow the rule of equal exchange, the price you pay in the future is written in your fate…”

“As for how long it will take to repay—whether a week, three months, a year, ten years, or a lifetime—that remains unknown.”

“There’s an old saying in the City of Fate: Better to rob than to owe!”

Night fell completely, thick clouds blanketing the city’s sky.

In the silence, Chen Ye pondered the meaning of that saying…

During the game’s beta, the equal exchange rule was not so complicated—mainly just trading with NPCs.

But now, with The Eerie Era manifesting in reality, every detail felt so real, as if it had transformed into another world.

Equal exchange was undoubtedly a crucial subject, demanding careful reflection.

“Want some water?”

For some reason, the old erhu player dipped a ladle into the bucket and filled a bowl.

Yet, in the darkness, his face was hidden in shadow, making it hard to read.

Chen Ye was momentarily stunned, realizing he hadn’t drunk water for quite some time.

Though the roasted chestnuts filled his stomach, their heat left him thirsty and dry-mouthed.

He instinctively reached for the ladle, ready to drink deeply…

Suddenly.

Chen Ye seemed to recall something!

He pulled a coin from his pocket and tossed it over.

The old erhu player caught the coin, fell silent for a moment, then chuckled.

“You really are quick to learn!”

According to their exchange conditions…

Though Chen Ye didn’t have to pay a performance fee when the old man ate his food, and didn’t have to pay to listen to the old man’s music, using the old man’s belongings required payment.

Most people would get dizzy trying to navigate such rules.

“Who said I wanted to exchange for water?” Chen Ye smiled lightly. “Safe water in Xijiang only costs one bronze coin for a week’s usage.”

“You can fetch as much water as you want.”

“Exchanging this ladle of water for a single coin is too much of a bargain.”

On the way here, Chen Ye had browsed posts in the communities “Fate Jianghu” and “Wind, Flowers, Snow, Moon,” where some players shared game information.

So, he wasn’t completely in the dark about this place.

The blood-red phone’s internet connection proved an important source of early information.

Chen Ye continued, “Let’s help each other out in the future. If there’s anything, we can support one another.”

The old erhu man took the coin, a look of satisfaction spreading across his face.

“Heh!”

“Just as I carefully chose my apprentice!”

“You really learn fast!”

Chen Ye smiled as well, a strange feeling rising in his chest.

For some reason, as he spoke the words “help each other,” he sensed the ‘Wanderer’ trait within him undergoing a subtle transformation!

Though wanderers are humble like ants, banding together offers warmth. In the storm, they can hold a small boat steady, crossing the rough and rugged path of life.

At that moment, he felt some mysterious change stirring within him…

Yet the change was subtle and difficult to describe.

Chen Ye’s heart was calm—he knew he had finally found a foothold for the night.

While other players struggled through their first harrowing night, he had secured a temporary safe place.

The old man’s test just now was successfully passed.

This test wasn’t meant to harm but to help him better understand how to use the rules of this world.

Only someone sincerely wishing to help would act in such a way.

“As fellow wanderers, we must be kind and help each other…”

For some unknown reason, this was more than just a trait—it felt as if he truly possessed a “wandering heart.”

Past midnight.

The old erhu player stoked a small campfire nearby, then went to bed early, snoring thunderously.

He sounded just like a pig snorting beside him.

Chen Ye wasn’t sleepy yet and was wide awake.

The old man’s snoring only made it harder to fall asleep.

But he couldn’t wander around; staying put was safer.

In the middle of the night, no wandering, and definitely no playing the suona to disturb the neighbors!

Otherwise…

Not only might it attract other “friendly” natives, but the old man might even wake and beat him to death!

His eeriness level couldn’t be raised for now…

Bored and restless, Chen Ye opened the blood-red phone again.

At that moment, his gaze flickered as he noticed a special trade message on the “Eerie Black Market”—

[Player ‘Nine-Tailed Fox’s Pen’ requests to trade ‘spatula’ with you!]