HBWnovel Chapter 230 Hypnotic
Chapter 230 Hypnotic
Tristan wanted to find all he could about No Hope. His existence didn't let him sleep in peace.
If No Hope was another system user, what were the chances of him NOT attacking him one day, for a personal reason or because he had been hired by someone?
As a precaution, Tristan put some of his information-gathering network into research of No Hope's identity. He made it a criminal task in his system, worth 2000 points.
And alongside it, Tristan worked with his Mexican puppet. Tristan sent him instructions on what to do and how to best organize his forces. In the first few days, it already showed a good result.
And while that was happening, Tristan's other identity was preparing a tour.
Tristan Gemello's tour has been preparing for way too long already. The restrictions that made it so problematic to organize didn't disappear overnight after Michael's death.
Tristan had planted some evidence—all electronic messages and e-mails—on one of the FBI's suspects. There was not enough to convict the man, but enough to pin him as the root of everything.
When he quietly disappeared later, and there were no more terrorist attacks, the regulations began to be lifted one by one. Mostly because capitalism and the money-making machine of show business couldn't be stopped for long, not even because of the risk of death.
And a couple months later, Tristan was about to go on his first actual tour. He even had a task in his system, worth 1000 points (before multiplier)—"successfully finish your first tour".
He was going to leave California and visit all the biggest American cities. To travel faster, Tristan was renting a private jet.
Perhaps he would even buy one later.
Derek had left his second protégé—Nelson—to the care of one of his helpers, and went on this journey with Tristan, Tristan's personal assistant, and an entire group of various helpers. Background musicians, dancers, technicians, security and general help—the rented private jet was full to the brim.
Tristan sat in one of the best seats, looking at the clouds from the window. If he tilted his head, he could see the ground far below. Everything was so tiny—so easy to own.
Which won't do well for his sales.
This diluted version was how Tristan performed the song today, and still, it made the entire audience go deathly quiet. Nobody tapped, clapped, or said a word as Tristan's rich voice flew from the speakers.
People were staring at him with unseeing eyes, and their faces were full of bliss. Audio bliss they couldn't, and didn't want to, escape.
When the song ended, it took another half a minute for people to wake up. There were no cheers after the "Hypnotic", because people were too out of it to cheer.
But after they did, and after Tristan played another song... People shouted all together,
"HYP-NO-TIC! HYP-NO-TIC!"
Tristan didn't even finish playing his album, and they were already asking for a second dose.
In this moment, he knew he could sell people audio drugs as easily as ordinary ones.
The only thing that stopped Tristan was his desire to make and play actual music. He liked music more than he liked earning money.
"Hypnotic" was going to stay the only song like it was in Tristan's repertoire, and eventually, people were going to get used to it and its existence.
Or so Tristan hoped.
The tour continued without further incidents onward to Salt Lake City, Denver, Oklahoma City, Memphis, Louisville, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston.
The CDs and the merchandise were sold in heaps. Tristan gave his signatures to fans and shook hands with VIP guests.
And nothing had warned Tristan about the danger he found himself in.