Magic: Reincarnate from high-voltage electricity at the start, level up independently.

We rode in Aigu's car, heading forward.

Twenty minutes later, the car slowly came to a stop in front of an impressive detached villa.

This villa occupies a vast area, with the surrounding private garden covering a total area of ​​nearly 1,000 square meters.

To own such a residence in the heart of the city, where land is incredibly valuable, one can only imagine the owner's status and wealth; they must be either extremely rich or powerful.

In the center of the garden stands an exquisitely designed fountain, next to which grows a pomegranate tree with lush, verdant leaves that look exceptionally vibrant in the light and shadow.

A golden retriever was lying under the tree, its limbs outstretched, lazily curled up in the shade, fast asleep.

Footsteps approached, and the sleeping golden retriever immediately reacted. It first twitched its nose slightly, keenly detecting a familiar scent. Its eyes, which had been squinting, suddenly widened, and with a burst of energy, it leaped up from the ground, wagging its tail as it pounced towards the person approaching.

Aigu smiled and caught the golden retriever steadily. The melancholy and gloom that had accumulated on his face vanished, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes slowly smoothed out because of this joy.

He raised his hand and gently stroked the golden retriever's fluffy head, then turned to look at Chu Ge beside him, his tone exceptionally gentle.

"Its name is Doubao. It's a stray dog ​​that Arya picked up on the street a year ago."

Aigu bent down and petted the golden retriever in his arms, then continued, "Alia is away at school, so this little guy keeps me company most of the time. He's a real glutton, and his favorite foods are sausages and braised beef."

Chu Ge nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Doubao, who was shaking its head.

"Would you like to reach out and touch it?"

At this moment, Aigu's mood had clearly improved considerably. Fearing that Chu Ge might have some concerns, she quickly added:

"Don't worry, Doubao is gentle and kind, she never bites anyone, and she's even a little timid."

"Okay," Chu Ge replied, slowly squatting down.

Doubao, who had just been snuggling in Aigu's arms, sticking out her tongue and acting cute, immediately twisted her body and broke free when she saw her squat down, and excitedly pounced on Chu Ge.

Chu Ge reached out and caught the little guy, mimicking Aigu's gesture, gently stroking its soft head with his palm.

"Woof woof!"

Doubao didn't resist at all; on the contrary, it became even more affectionate, obediently drooping its ears and looking docile and obedient. It even stuck out its tongue and playfully licked Chu Ge's cheek.

The man and the dog played around for a while, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. After they stopped interacting, they stepped into the villa.

Chu Ge followed Ai Gu up the indoor stairs to the second floor, walked all the way to the depths of the corridor, and finally stopped in front of a bedroom door.

"Chu Ge, you will live in this room from now on."

Aigu placed his hand on the doorknob, gently turned it, pushed open the door, and stepped inside first.

Chu Ge followed closely behind and stepped into the room, taking in the entire scene inside.

The bedroom is very spacious, decorated in a simple and unpretentious style without any unnecessary frills. The bed is already covered with brand new, soft, pure white bedding.

On the wall opposite the bed hangs a brand-new guitar, its body gleaming, clearly having been meticulously maintained.

The bedroom also connects to a spacious open-air terrace, where many potted plants of various sizes are placed, and many flowers and plants have already quietly bloomed.

Standing on the edge of the terrace and looking out, you can see the setting sun gradually sinking below the distant mountains, spreading out a sky full of rosy clouds.

After briefly glancing around the room, Aigu turned to Chu Ge and asked:

"Are you satisfied with this place? If you need anything or have any other requirements, just let me know."

"It's perfectly fine, there are no problems at all," Chu Ge replied softly.

She was never one to be picky about food or lodging, and always preferred to be content with whatever came her way. In her opinion, having a stable place to stay, especially one that was free, was already a wonderful thing.

Moreover, this bedroom is fully equipped, clean and comfortable, and you can move in immediately with just your bags. There's not a single fault with it.

"That's good." Aigu nodded and then explained the details of daily life. "Arya's room is diagonally opposite yours. I usually live on the third floor."

"This is my contact information. If you encounter any problems, just call me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took a business card out of his pocket and handed it to Chu Ge. Chu Ge took it, glanced at the information on it, and carefully put it away.

Just after finishing his chores, Aigu's phone rang. After a few words, he knew it was a business call. He gave Chu Ge a few brief instructions and then hurriedly left the villa.

Time flies, and soon it was dinnertime.

The maid in the villa came up to the second floor on time and knocked on Chu Ge's door.

Chu Ge opened the door in response and followed the maid down the stairs. Before they even reached the dining room, the rich aroma of food wafted through the air.

Since arriving in this mermaid world, she hasn't eaten a single bite of food.

Walking to the dining table, the girl sat up straight, her eyes falling on the table full of delicious dishes, and she subconsciously swallowed.

The braised pork ribs are a glossy red color, the scrambled eggs with tomatoes are sweet and sour and appetizing, and the stewed beef with potatoes has a rich and flavorful broth...

She secretly thought to herself that although mermaids were a special species, they were no different from ordinary humans in terms of diet, and the meals they ate were pretty much the same.

But when her gaze fell upon the plate of steamed sea bass on the table, she suddenly stopped, and a strange thought involuntarily popped into her mind:

Do mermaids feel guilty when they eat fish?

Even she, a real human, felt a strange illusion when looking at the fish on the plate, as if she were seeing a mermaid's tail, and felt somewhat awkward.

Suppressing her racing thoughts, Chu Ge calmed herself and enjoyed her dinner. The meal was peaceful and satisfying, filling her long-empty stomach.

After dinner, Chu Ge returned to his room and went straight into the bathroom to take a bath.

The huge bathtub was filled with warm milk. I lay down in it, the warm liquid enveloping my whole body, leaving only my head sticking out. All my fatigue slowly dissipated.

After soaking for a while, she simply shrank her body further down, burying most of her face in the milk, leaving only her eyes exposed, and quietly pondered her next plan.

A moment later, she opened her mouth slightly and took a small sip of milk from the bathtub.

It has a sweet and smooth taste, and the texture is quite good.

After tasting it, she poked her head out of the water again. The next instant, a pure white ice flute appeared out of thin air in her hand.

Chu Ge held the ice flute to his lips, slowly closed his eyes, and began to play a gentle tune with his fingertips.

The ethereal and melodious sound of the flute drifted out through the crack in the bathroom door, and the gentle music flowed slowly throughout the villa, just in time to reach the ears of the busy maids downstairs.

The maids were used to this scene.

In the mermaid kingdom, where music is revered, playing music while bathing is a common occurrence and nothing unusual.

The group listened quietly for a long time before one of the maids spoke first, her tone full of admiration:

"Miss Alice's playing skills are really good. If she were to participate in the Music God's Grand Ceremony, she would surely get a great ranking."

His companions nodded in agreement, clearly agreeing with the statement.

Inside the bathroom, Chu Ge heard every word of the conversation between the people outside.

She slowly opened her eyes, the ice flute on her lips stopped, and the melodious music abruptly ceased.

She looked down at the crystal-clear ice flute in her hand, her eyes slightly vacant, lost in thought.

She didn't use any musical magic at all during her performance; she simply relied on ordinary techniques.

That's why, in other people's eyes, her skill level is only "not bad".

Chu Ge knew this clearly. In this world where music is revered, her musical talent was quite respectable among ordinary people.

But compared to those musical geniuses, they were utterly insignificant.

Moreover, her goal was the once-in-a-century Music God Ceremony. It was the highest-level music competition on the entire continent, bringing together top talents from all directions, a veritable gathering of masters.

With this level of performance, let alone winning the championship, it's hard to say whether they can even make it into the top 100.

The only way to stand out in the competition and win the final victory is to use your trump card – musical magic.

It's like winning by taking a shortcut through special abilities.

The competition rules do not explicitly prohibit participants from using magic.

Furthermore, a review of past competition records reveals that many exceptionally talented musicians have used magical enhancements to perform their pieces, achieving high scores and even winning awards with their stunning performances.

Ultimately, the magic of music is part of one's musical talent, and its existence is accepted by everyone.

Having figured this out, Chu Ge's worries lessened considerably.

As night deepened, the entire violin city slowly fell silent, and fewer and fewer pedestrians appeared on the streets.

Chu Ge arrived at the rooftop platform of the villa alone.

The bright moonlight poured down from the night sky like flowing water, enveloping her figure and outlining a slender silhouette in the hazy night.

She leaned against the railing, gazing at the full moon in the sky, lost in thought for a while, her mind filled with a myriad of emotions.

A moment later, she activated her magic again, and the ice flute condensed back into her palm.

Chu Ge placed the ice flute to his lips and blew it again.

This time, it was no longer a simple, ordinary performance; a special magic surged from her body, flowing along the flute and merging into every note.

The sound of a flute, carrying endless desolation and sorrow, slowly rose and spread in all directions on the night wind.

In just a short while, the sound of the flute pierced through the entire city of violins.

The mermaids who were still awake in the city, whether they were in the streets and alleys or in the courtyards and pavilions, all froze on the spot the moment they heard this flute music, their faces filled with confusion and astonishment, standing there at a loss for what to do.

After a long silence, someone finally snapped out of it and subconsciously looked up at the night sky.

His eyes were red and filled with an overwhelming sorrow. A hot tear slid down his cheek and hit the ground.

He felt a tightness in his chest, his breathing became heavy, and he was filled with an indescribable melancholy.

"Why... is this piece so sad?" the person murmured, their voice filled with bitterness. "It sounds like someone who has been wandering around, going in circles, and finally returning to the starting point, always alone."

"Yes." The other mermaid beside her raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face, her voice choked with sobs. "This song is so tragic. After listening to it, it's like witnessing someone's lonely and miserable life firsthand. My heart is filled with desolation."

On the street, many passersby were moved to tears by the sound of the whistle.

Someone couldn't help but shout, "What kind of music is this? Who is playing it? Can anyone tell me?"

No matter how he asked, everyone around him looked at each other blankly, and no one could give an answer.

Everyone present was hearing this piece of music for the first time, and no one knew where the flute player was.

The mournful flute melody continued to drift on the wind, its reach expanding, gradually flying out of the violin city and spreading throughout the entire world of music.

Countless mermaids who were already preparing for bed were all drawn by this desolate and mournful flute music. They pushed open their doors and went outside, all looking up at the night sky, eager to find the source of the music.

Looking up, only a solitary moon hangs quietly in the night sky, its cold light spilling across the earth. No matter how hard one searches, there is no trace of the performer.

In the violin city, at Amber's home.

The young girl Amber stood alone by the bedroom window, gazing at the bright moon hanging high in the sky.

She held the bow in her hand, about to practice playing, but when she raised her arm halfway up, she inexplicably stopped and slowly put the bow down.

The mournful yet melodious flute music pierced the night, reaching her ears clearly and striking deep into her heart. Amber's brows furrowed, and her expression became solemn.

"Strange," she muttered to herself. "The player's technique wasn't top-notch, but the emotions in the music were exceptionally genuine and moving, with an absurdly strong power to resonate with the audience."

She paused, a wave of bittersweet emotion washing over her, and she couldn't continue. Before she knew it, her eyes were completely wet, and glistening tears streamed down her cheeks.

She is recognized throughout the city as a musical genius, with talent far surpassing her peers. Having listened to countless performances by famous musicians, she has long since cultivated a heart that is not easily swayed by external factors.

Now, she was moved by an unfamiliar flute melody and even shed tears in public, which was quite embarrassing for someone as proud and arrogant as her.

From another perspective, this also means that the other party has surpassed oneself in the expression of the artistic conception of music.

Amber has listened to countless pieces of music since she was a child.

The only thing that truly touched her heart was Doria's singing from beginning to end.

Apart from that, even the highly skilled William, or those renowned music masters on the mainland, could not achieve this.

She focused intently on discerning the flute notes in the wind, her mind racing as she eliminated one candidate after another.

After much thought, only one possibility remained—the mermaid king who had lived in seclusion for many years.

Looking across the entire Mermaid Kingdom, perhaps only that supreme king could play such soul-stirring and tear-jerking music.

"Could it really be him?" Amber murmured softly, her eyes filled with hesitation.

Since ascending the throne and assuming power, the Mermaid King has rarely appeared in public, let alone performed music in public. He has almost disappeared from the public eye over the years.

Logically speaking, the other party had no reason to play there so late at night.

After a moment of hesitation, Amber's competitive spirit was completely ignited.

"No, I must find out who's behind this!"

She made up her mind and no longer hesitated.

With a swift movement, he leaped out of the open window, taking advantage of the night and magic to soar into the air, and sped away swiftly in the direction from which the flute music came.