But just as he was about to leave, a loud bang reverberated through the air, followed by his door soaring into the sky with tremendous force.
Alex's heart skipped a beat as he turned his gaze towards the entrance, where two menacing figures dressed in black suits stood before him.
Knowing full well that from the fact that they were able to send the door flying with just one kick his frail 73-year-old body was no match for their strength, Alex instinctively assumed a defensive stance, despite the odds stacked against him.
Upon witnessing his futile attempt at resistance, both men erupted into boisterous laughter. One of them mockingly addressed Alex, "Old man, what do you think you can do?"
The other man chimed in, feigning fear, "Oh, I'm so scared! Look at those muscles!" Their laughter echoed through the room.
Ignoring their taunts, Alex mustered his courage and demanded, "Who are you, and what is your purpose here?"
The first man sneered, "Nothing much. Just hand over what she gave you, and we'll be on our way." He pointed towards Dr. White's lifeless body.
Feigning surprised, Alex inquired, "What do you mean by that?"
"Don't play games with me, old man!" the man snapped angrily. "Hand it over now, and maybe you'll have a chance to continue your worthless existence."
Maintaining his facade of surprise, Alex's expression now revealed a hint of fear. "I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered. "I don't have what you're looking for. Just leave me alone."
"Well, we'll have to take it from you after you're dead," the man retorted, his inhuman speed propelling him towards Alex in an instant.
Before Alex could even formulate a defensive strategy, the man stood before him, his grip tightening around Alex's neck. In a matter of seconds, Alex found himself suspended in mid-air, lifted by the man's powerful arm.
Immediately after hoisting him off the ground, the man's other hand delved into Alex's clothing, swiftly extracting the piece of paper and the flash drive.
"Look what we've stumbled upon, old man," he proclaimed, brandishing the items before him. With a mischievous tone, he continued, "Ohh! What excuse will you conjure up this time? 'I have no idea how it ended up in my pocket'?" he mimicked Alex's voice, causing both of them to erupt in laughter.
Realizing he had no defense against this revelation, Alex strained to utter a word from within the man's vice-like grip. "The youthful elixir is a virus," he managed to gasp, his voice strained. "I'm certain you've already consumed it. If you prevent the information on that flash drive from being spreading, you too will be affected, possibly even killed by the virus," he desperately tried to convince them.
"The youthful elixir... a virus?" the man inquired, astonishment etched across his face.
Seizing upon this glimmer of hope, Alex persisted, intensifying his efforts to sway them. "Yes, and the Li family plans to spread the virus further. Dr. White discovered this, which is why they sent you to eliminate her," he revealed.
Simultaneously, both men displayed a look of surprise, but after a moment, they burst into laughter once more.
The second man, who remained stationed at the entrance, interjected sarcastically, "Ohh, we must prevent the virus from spreading and save the world."
Their laughter echoed through the room, and eventually, the first man, still gripping Alex by the neck, lifted his voice. "I know nothing of viruses. What I do know is that they provided me with something that made me immensely stronger," he declared, tightening his grip around Alex's throat. "Now, I'll give you a chance to continue living if you answer my question truthfully," he offered.
Struggling to breathe under the man's suffocating hold, Alex managed to inquire weakly, "What question?"
A smile formed on the man's face as he replied, "Just a simple question. Besides you and Dr. White, who else knows about this? Who did she instruct you to deliver this to?" He gestured towards the piece of paper and the flash drive, demanding an honest response from Alex.
Alex was surprised to hear the question. Without wasting any time, he replied, "No, she died before she could tell me anything after handing it over." He knew they wouldn't let him off, regardless of the truth.
The man muttered, "Okay, you're no longer of any use to us."
Just as Alex was about to ask about their plans for him, he felt a stabbing pain in his chest. The man holding his neck threw him across the room, causing him to hit the wall. They both left.
Alex lay bleeding, slowly giving in to death.
But as he closed his eyes, he found himself in a strange, white room.
"Did I die and go to heaven?" Alex questioned himself in surprise. He wasn't entirely righteous, but not a bad person either.
A voice echoed in his head, startling him. "Do you wish to change your destiny? If yes, take the pills."
"Who's there?" Alex asked, searching for the source of the voice.
The voice repeated, "Do you wish to change your destiny? If yes, take the pills."
"What pills are you talking about?" he asked. "And why am I hearing your voice in my head?"
The voice repeated, "Do you wish to change your destiny? If yes, take the pills."
Frustrated, Alex was about to ask another question when a sudden voice came from behind him. "Welcome, fated one. We meet again."