The Opportunity Bestowed

Dam followed Sonia onto the levitating elevator, all the way up to the seventy-seventh floor.

As Dam followed Sonia, he looked around at the surroundings, his eyes filled with amazement and a touch of envy.

The place was extravagantly luxurious, with every kind of entertainment and leisure facility available.

A single day’s room fee here was equal to his monthly salary. He could say without exaggeration that he could never afford to stay here in his lifetime.

After passing through a corridor, Dam saw a familiar figure clad in armor.

Before Dam could call out, the figure in golden armor, exuding a mysterious and solemn aura, had already turned around.

"Dam, I didn’t expect you to still remember me."

Harvey turned to look at Dam, amusement in his voice.

Harvey did not mind showing a friendly attitude toward those willing to offer goodwill.

Moreover, as long as Dam joined the Void, if the plan went smoothly, the Void could directly infiltrate Xandar’s military.

Compared to the Nova Corps, ordinary military units were worlds apart in status. There were certainly plenty of people in the military seeking change.

"I only remembered you after hearing about your reputation."

Dam blushed in embarrassment and said somewhat sheepishly.

"Being honest isn’t a bad thing, but sometimes, you need to say the right thing to the right person if you want to get by."

"But I can understand you. When you first met me, I was still a nobody. It’s only natural that you forgot."

"Now that you’ve remembered and came to visit me, sit down and have a chat with me."

Seeing Dam’s honest, plainspoken appearance, Harvey said with a smile.

Hearing Mr. Kassadin’s words, Sonia was both surprised and curious.

However, she still remembered her duties and left first to fetch drinks and wine.

"Alright."

Dam nodded upon hearing that, but his movements were somewhat stiff. Clearly, he was nowhere near as calm inside as he appeared.

But that could not be helped. When they first met, he had already felt immense pressure while registering Kassadin, that mysterious man who looked like such an important figure.

Now, only a few months later, Kassadin truly seemed poised to reclaim his former glory. Coupled with the fact that Dam was asking for a favor and therefore had to humble himself, he simply could not suppress the tension in his heart.

"You don’t need to be nervous. I am a man who keeps his promises."

"Since I promised you back then, that promise remains valid no matter when."

"But you only have one opportunity. Think carefully about what you need."

"Whether it is enough wealth for you to live envied by others for the rest of your life, without having to work and free to spend as you please."

"Or freeing you from your race’s ordinary lifespan and giving you hundreds or even thousands of years to live."

"Or even if you want to join the Nova Corps and hope for someone to recommend you, I can make that happen as well."

Seeing Dam’s nervous expression, Harvey spoke in an exceedingly calm tone.

Yet beneath Harvey’s calm voice, his words carried a temptation powerful enough to drive anyone mad.

"You can recommend me to join the Nova Corps?"

Upon hearing Harvey’s words, Dam’s eyes filled with shock, and reverence unconsciously entered his voice.

"Of course. Since you came to find me today, you must have already heard of my reputation."

"In the name of Kassadin, speaking with the Nova Corps’ upper ranks and recommending someone to join the Nova Corps is no difficult matter."

"The reason you came to see me was because you hoped to join the Nova Corps, wasn’t it?"

"You only have one opportunity. As long as you say yes, I will make some arrangements for you."

Harvey was not surprised that Dam did not focus on the life-changing strength or wealth, but instead paid attention to the Nova Corps first.

On Xandar, the Nova Corps represented strength, power, and wealth.

Dam was also a Xandarian, so it was only natural for him to be excited upon learning that he had a chance of joining the Nova Corps.

"…"

After seeing Kassadin state without hesitation that he could recommend him, and hearing that there was only one opportunity, Dam’s excited heart instead calmed down considerably.

Because every one of the things Kassadin said he could accomplish was astonishing.

Whether it was wealth enough to live a carefree life, life-changing strength, or even an extended lifespan, all of them were incredibly tempting.

Xandarians did not have especially long or short lifespans. As long as they did not fall ill, they could live for two hundred years. It was precisely because of this that Xandar’s class divisions were even more distinct.

The elite and wealthy classes had more time to make use of the wealth and power in their hands.

Thus, the rich grew richer. It was not that the poor had no chance to change their lives, but climbing upward was far from easy.

Dam did not resent the rich. He simply knew that succeeding in life was not so easy.

Therefore, even if he had a longer lifespan, if he failed to seize opportunities to change his life and obtain the power to do so, his life might still amount to nothing.

If he joined the Nova Corps, he could gain some strength, but even after obtaining Nova Armor, he would still have to start from one star.

If he was lucky and struggled for a hundred years, achieved outstanding military merits, and survived, he might have a chance to change the standing of both himself and his descendants.

But that depended on one condition: that he did not die on the battlefield during those many years of fighting.

At that moment, Sonia approached while pushing a cart laden with beverages and several bottles of fine wine.

Sonia did not know what Mr. Kassadin had discussed with Mr. Dam, but after first bringing Mr. Kassadin a drink,

"Mr. Dam, would you like a beverage or wine?"

She then looked toward Dam, parting her red lips and speaking in a pleasant, melodious voice.

"Wine…"

Dam saw the years marked on the three bottles Sonia had brought over. They were all fine wines that had been stored for many years.

"Certainly."

Sonia nodded slightly, then used a corkscrew to remove the cork from the wine bottle and gracefully bent down to pour Dam a drink.

Then, with a gentle push of her slender fingers, she placed a glass filled one-third full of wine before Dam.

"Thank you…"

Dam’s gaze remained fixed on Sonia as he thanked her.

"You’re welcome."

Sonia smiled faintly with her pure and lovely face, then went to stand upright three meters away from Kassadin.

Looking at where Sonia stood and the figure seated across from him, Dam finally realized where he was and exactly what kind of person he was facing.

Even those who had joined the Nova Corps could not all afford to spend money at the Celebrity Hotel.

If one had to sum up what men pursued in life, it was simply wealth, strength, and power.

As long as a man possessed even one of those three, he could obtain everything he wanted and live a life envied by ordinary people.

Putting power aside for now, Kassadin, who was renowned throughout the Milky Way Galaxy, possessed at least two of them: wealth and strength.

"Mr. Kassadin, can you tell me just how powerful the life-changing strength you would grant me is?"

Dam’s thoughts immediately became clear, and he asked with a serious expression.

"I can grant you the strength to obtain everything you desire."

Harvey had also noticed Dam’s gaze lingering on Sonia earlier. Facing this question, he answered calmly.

Thanks to Xianjiu and Be a Common Man, Greedy for Wealth and Lust, for the rewards. I am deeply grateful.