Slowly, Dan opened his eyes and found himself bound hand and foot to a cold chair. In front of him was an old man, his hands strangely coldly placed behind his back.
Dan said in a trembling voice, "Why am I here? And why am I bound?"
The old man answered softly and asked, "Are you the killer who killed four men in an alleyway next to the Wonders Restaurant?"
Dan was confused, then shook his head. "I didn't kill anyone..."
The old man took dark blood-stained coins from his pocket and placed them on the table in front of him. "So, what is this?"
A heavy silence fell, then Dan lowered his head and said slowly, "Yes... I killed them. But they killed me first... They killed my identity, my life, my happiness. I found myself trapped by them in a dark alleyway far from public view. For them, it was the wrong place... but for me, it was the right place. Anyone would have done the same... even you, old man?"
The old man looked coldly and said, "No, you don't understand... We are not like other humans. We walk the path of absolute power, even if that path is paved with blood. If you possess that power, you will pay the price. Madness will take over you with every death, blood will become your medicine, and you will become a heartless tyrant."
Dan raised his eyes defiantly. "Then answer me... If you were in my place, would you do the same?"
The old man was silent for a moment, then, his voice filled with memories, he said, "I've been through more. I died fourteen times in ways your mind cannot imagine. I lost my loved ones one by one... like a tree shedding its leaves in autumn. If you think you're alone, you're mistaken..."
The old man approached, looked at Dan sternly, and said, "Now your crime is proven. Your punishment is death. But... if you return to being an old man, it means that fate gave you a chance. But if you return to being an animal... I will kill you with my own hand, and your suffering will end."
He pulled a black gun from his coat, pointed it at Dan's head, and pulled the trigger.