Chapter Nine: Is That Suona of Yours Meant to Steal Lives?

Chapter Nine: Is That Suona Meant to Take Lives?

In truth,

Chen Ye had never learned to play the suona.

His knowledge of music theory was basically at a novice level. Throughout his life, he had few opportunities to touch musical instruments, only occasionally playing the piano when visiting wealthier relatives or classmates.

However, in the world of “Bizarre Era,” once a corresponding profession trait was acquired, one generally gained related abilities.

For example, obtaining a sequence ability related to “Chef” would mostly enhance one’s cooking skills or grant culinary knowledge in their mind.

But Chen Ye unlocked the “Wandering Musician” trait, which leaned more toward the “Apprentice” sequence ability.

The meaning of an apprentice: to learn humbly, work diligently, persevere persistently, and eventually achieve results.

If a sequence ability is linked to an apprentice, the player cannot immediately acquire the corresponding knowledge and must start from scratch to improve their skills.

But the rate of progress would be rapid.

Although Chen Ye did not instantly gain any suona-playing skills,

possessing the “Apprentice Musician” trait meant that with repeated practice, his growth potential would be much greater.

Chen Ye aimed the suona’s air pipe and blew hard.

The sound that came out was like an electrified chainsaw sparking with fire.

“This…”

Chen Ye nearly startled himself.

Could his musical talent be that terrible?

Even blowing a suona could produce such a fierce noise?

Turning his head, he noticed the old erhu player looked at him with surprise.

He clutched his left chest with his right hand, his face showing some pain, only gradually easing after the sound faded.

His expression was as if he had just swallowed a piece of intensely spicy fermented sausage.

“You… have great potential…”

The old man of the erhu touched his chest and took a deep breath.

“Ahem, a first time. You’ll need much more practice.”

Chen Ye felt awkward.

However,

as he prepared to blow a second note, the erhu player quickly waved him off:

“Maybe you should practice somewhere else. This place is too small for you to really perform.”

“I’ll get some fresh air first. Come back here after dusk,” the old man said, rising hurriedly and leaving.

“Is it really that terrifying?” Chen Ye smiled wryly.

Just now, the old man didn’t even glance at the elderly lady selling chestnuts.

Yet to a new player, the chestnut seller was already a very dangerous entity.

How come now it seemed like Chen Ye himself was more frightening?

“That’s fine.”

“I have both ‘Lucky’ and ‘Apprentice Musician’ traits.”

“If I walk while playing, wouldn’t that be like performing two roles at once?”

“That sounds more like how a ‘Wandering Musician’ should act!”

With this thought, Chen Ye immediately began to try.

He took a few steps.

Suddenly, he was amazed by his walking efficiency—it had doubled yet again!

Just a small step forward now teleported him three meters.

Though it looked like a casual stroll, buildings on either side rapidly receded, with structures suddenly behind him—as if skating smoothly, without feeling the linear motion, as if he had just jumped that distance.

“After the increase in the bizarre value, my ‘Wanderer’s Boots’ have gained another upgrade.”

“Now a single step covers three meters. Even walking thirty thousand meters a day is a breeze.”

“If no unexpected accidents occur, walking a hundred thousand meters a week won’t be a problem.”

Chen Ye briefly evaluated his current abilities.

Then he took a deep breath, maintaining the three-meter steps while blowing the suona again.

That chainsaw-like sound echoed through the narrow alleys of Xining once more.

Chen Ye felt his ears nearly deafened.

“That’s not right!”

“Why does the suona sound even worse after practicing?”

Chen Ye felt a bit frustrated. The “Apprentice Musician” trait was supposed to enhance ability.

Why did it get more unpleasant the more he played?

He carefully reread the trait description and his gaze fell on one line that read—

“Any sound produced by your instruments carries a mournful, plaintive quality, causing listeners to feel nostalgic, sorrowful, and pained…”

“Pain! Pain! Pain!”

“Damn… Am I destined to become a deadly suona master if I keep practicing?”

Chen Ye suddenly felt he was straying further down the path of a dark musical master!

Could anyone really listen to all his songs and pay him for the performance?

At that moment, a series of “clicking” sounds came from deep within the alley.

Around the corner, three middle-aged men with beer bellies staggered forward, swaying bottles in hand and swaggering drunkenly.

However, they had no faces; instead, their heads sprouted bizarre, sharp objects!

The man on the left had a long iron rod growing from his face.

The man on the right had a sharp kitchen knife protruding from his face.

The middle man was even more terrifying—his face was a two-meter-long chainsaw.

As the chainsaw whirred, its noise was exactly like the suona’s!

Could it be that my suona playing made these guys think I’m one of them? Chen Ye thought wryly. But now, these men clearly looked hostile.

Chen Ye quickly scanned them and confirmed they were “Glutton” sequence bizarre natives.

The “Glutton” sequence grants the player powerful devouring abilities and assimilation of ingested items.

Usually, early on, one can only choose one item: a knife, an electric baton, a Gatling gun...

In later stages, “Glutton Bizarres” can even swallow contaminated bizarre items, making it a very formidable and dominant sequence.

However, the downside of the “Glutton” sequence is extreme irritability. Under such moods, rationality is lost, and one loses control when eating, prone to swallowing harmful substances.

The benefit is that even eating that pile of chestnuts wouldn’t cause problems. There’s basically no risk of digestive trouble; anything can be swallowed, and strength can be gained through consumption.

For early-stage players, the “Glutton” sequence is also one of the fastest to grow.

But as enemies, they are quite unfriendly.

Those three Glutton Bizarres clearly disapproved of Chen Ye’s suona playing. Unlike the humble man with the pockmarked face or the chestnut-selling grandmother, they were not easy to talk to.

They were already ready to make a move.

“Run!”

Chen Ye took a deep breath and fled the moment those three showed no sign of attacking yet...