The mysterious violinist

After enjoying dinner at a restaurant, Zeyu and his friends still didn't want to go back to the hotel. The glittering city of New York was so tempting to explore further. The streets were filled with neon lights, the sound of car horns, and the cheerful laughter of tourists. This lively atmosphere made them excited to continue their night adventure.

"Where do you guys want to go now?" Yuke asked while sipping the drink he had just bought from a roadside stall.

"I want to see Times Square!" Aline exclaimed enthusiastically. "I've seen it in movies a lot, it must be amazing to see it in person."

"We can walk there, it doesn't seem too far," Zulian said while looking at the map on his cellphone.

They started walking along the sidewalk filled with people from various countries. Every corner of this city felt like another world full of wonder.

When they were almost at Times Square, Kailu suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Hey, look at that!" he said while pointing to a small park on the side of the road.

In the middle of the park, a man dressed all in black was playing the violin. His voice was so melodious, so deep, that it left anyone who heard it speechless in awe. Many people gathered around him, enjoying the performance that seemed to transport them to another world.

"He's really talented," Aline whispered, her eyes glued to the man.

However, something felt strange.

Zeyu began to feel an unusual chill. The wind blew a little harder, and for some reason, the atmosphere around them became quieter than before. It was as if the sounds of the bustling city had suddenly faded, and only the sound of the man's violin could be heard.

At that moment, a blonde woman who looked like a tourist stepped forward and threw a few bills into the box at the violinist's feet. "Your playing is amazing," she said with a smile.

However, just as the woman was about to turn away, the man suddenly stopped playing. He stared at her intently, and his lips moved slowly, as if he were muttering something.

Instantly, the woman stopped moving.

Her eyes widened, her body stiffened, and her face lost expression.

"Something's not right," Zeyu whispered, feeling a bad feeling creeping up on her.

The wind that had been blowing softly earlier was now getting stronger, making the leaves fly. The atmosphere around them felt increasingly tense.

Suddenly, the violinist lifted his head and looked directly at them.

"He saw us," Kailu said in a low, yet wary voice.

Zeyu felt her heart beat faster. The man's eyes were a deep blue, but not just any blue—there was something strange in his gaze, something that made them feel an inexplicable fear.

After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, the man smiled faintly. He began to walk slowly towards them.

"I've been waiting for you guys for a long time," he said in a low voice that made the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end.

At that moment, all the lights in the park suddenly flickered before finally going out.

They were now standing in darkness, only lit by the faint glow of the city streets in the distance.

"We have to get out of here," Kailu whispered anxiously.

But before they could move, the man raised his violin again. This time, the sound that came out of his instrument was not a beautiful melody like before, but a sound that sounded like the whispers of thousands of voices echoing in their ears.

Zeyu felt his body suddenly become heavier, as if something was pressing down on him.

"What is this...?" he muttered as he tried to move.

The man continued to play, and the longer it went on, the harder it was for them to stay standing.

At that moment, Kailu gritted his teeth and tried to step forward, but he immediately felt a stronger pressure, as if the gravity around him had increased many times over.

"There's something wrong with the music!" Zulian exclaimed, trying to cover his ears.

But the voice continued to enter their heads, as if it were directly attacking their minds.

"Who is he really...?" Yuke whispered, trying to stay conscious amidst the increasing pressure.

At that moment, the mysterious man stopped playing. He stared at them sharply and smiled again.

"I will soon take what is rightfully mine," he said.

A moment later, his body turned into black mist and disappeared in an instant.

Zeyu and his friends looked at each other with ragged breaths.

They knew one thing—this was no ordinary encounter.

The man was someone dangerous, and they had just caught his attention.

To be continued...