Chapter 49: This is Outrageously Deceptive

As the cold, merciless chime echoed sharply, Su Hao’s figure was gradually enveloped in a soft, warm radiance.

As the light slowly faded, Su Hao’s form vanished from the cavern entirely, leaving behind a profound silence.

This stillness seemed almost alive, silently voicing the lingering reluctance and longing of his departure, while also seeming to wait in quiet anticipation for the day he might finally return.

Xu Wanyi stood motionless, her gaze fixed intently upon the exact spot where Su Hao had just disappeared, her eyes tinged with a mix of confusion and deep thought.

Frowning slightly, her slender fingers unconsciously twirled the hem of her robe as she pondered in silence.

The scene that had just unfolded was far too bizarre. Within that gentle glow, Su Hao’s outline had blurred bit by bit until it vanished completely, as if swallowed whole by the illumination.

What manner of miraculous power was that light?

To be able to spirit a person away without a single sound, and in the span of a mere blink—it was as though an arcane portal to an unknown realm had opened up.

It had snatched Su Hao straight from this familiar world and dragged him into another dimension entirely beyond her reach.

She raised her gaze to the sky. Her deep eyes reflected the azure clouds, yet her thoughts were a million miles away from the scenery before her.

The light had arrived too abruptly and vanished too swiftly for anyone to properly investigate.

Could it have originated from some mysterious immortal artifact, or perhaps an extremely rare spell of divine power?

Yet, for all her long years of life and vast experience, she had never once heard of such a peculiar method.

Xu Wanyi shook her head lightly, trying to banish the doubts swirling in her mind, but those thoughts clung like stubborn vines, tightly wrapping around her heart and refusing to be shaken off.

She resolved secretly to investigate this matter thoroughly in the future, to see if she could uncover the secret hidden beneath that radiance. Perhaps it even tied into some momentous affair concerning the safety of this mortal realm.

Su Hao slowly opened his eyes. In that instant, the gloomy tranquility of the cave vanished, replaced by the familiar surroundings of his exclusive room within the Cosmic Environmental Protection Agency.

Soft light fell evenly across every corner of the chamber, illuminating everything with a clarity that felt both welcoming and dear.

The furnishings remained precisely where they had always been, as if patiently waiting through the ages for his return.

A wave of warmth, much like a spring breeze, gently washed over him, carrying a faint, soothing hint of sandalwood.

It was his favorite incense, lingering at the tip of his nose, easing the slight melancholy that separation had left in his heart.

This familiar sanctuary acted like a gentle pair of hands, smoothing away the creases in his spirit and granting him a quiet corner of peace within the vast and unfamiliar cosmos.

It felt as though simply by being in this room, all fatigue and worries could be quietly erased.

Su Hao let out a soft breath, walked over to his desk, and let his fingers graze the surface, feeling its familiar texture.

His heart was filled with emotion, as if his brief journey had spanned endless years, and now, finally, he had returned to a safe harbor where he could rest at ease.

[Candidate Cleaner, multiple latent injuries have been detected in your physical body. They can be repaired for 5,000 cosmic coins. Do you wish to proceed with the repair?]

The cold, mechanical prompt rang out abruptly in the room, echoing softly beside Su Hao's ear.

Su Hao furrowed his brow slightly, pondering to himself that leaving these hidden injuries untreated would ultimately become a hazard, perhaps even interfering with future missions. Without the slightest hesitation, he gave his prompt reply:

"Repair."

The moment the word left his lips, a crisp "ding" sounded, and the system automatically deducted 5,000 cosmic coins.

Immediately afterward, Su Hao felt as though an invisible force had lifted his body into thin air, gently raising him off the ground until he lay suspended horizontally in mid-air.

The posture was astonishingly stable, exactly as though he were resting comfortably on a bed, without the slightest sway or discomfort.

In a flash, gentle currents of warmth emerged from nowhere, acting like the softest breeze of spring, laden with vitality and vigor, as they slowly seeped through the surface of his skin and into his body.

Wherever those warm currents passed, it felt as though gentle hands were stroking every inch of his flesh and every meridian. The deep-seated pain and discomfort caused by his old injuries were gradually dispelled and soothed away bit by bit.

An indescribable sensation of comfort, akin to ripples spreading across a calm lake, welled up from the depths of his soul and rapidly swept over his entire body, causing him to gently close his eyes and immerse himself in the marvelous feeling.

Time slipped quietly away in this cozy atmosphere, and before he knew it, half an hour had passed.

The invisible force then slowly lowered Su Hao, his feet landing firmly back on the floor.

At this moment, Su Hao felt an incomparable sense of comfort throughout his entire being, as if every single cell had undergone a thorough baptism, radiating brand-new vitality.

He stretched his limbs and loosened his joints, feeling an unprecedented lightness in his body. It felt as though he now possessed more than enough energy and confidence to handle even the most arduous of tasks.

[Three Candidate Cleaner missions completed. Obtained 750 spirit stones and 118 cosmic cleansing stones. All items recycled. Calculating rewards.]

The mechanical prompt sounded in the room, breaking the brief silence.

Hearing this broadcast, a flash of pleasant surprise crossed Su Hao's eyes, and the corners of his mouth naturally curved upward.

At the thought of this, Su Hao grew increasingly convinced that the reward this time would be substantial, perhaps even exceeding his expectations.

He paced back and forth across the room, his hurried footsteps sounding like a flurry of drums beating against the floor, betraying his current impatience.

Every now and then, his gaze drifted toward the empty space ahead, as if staring hard enough might make the Cosmic Environmental Protection Agency release the reward results sooner.

Every single second of waiting felt exceptionally long, and his heart was filled with eager anticipation for the generous reward to come, much like a child anxiously waiting to unwrap a mysterious and precious gift.

It was a feeling nearly impossible to describe in words.

Trapped in his exclusive room, Su Hao was like an ant on a hot pan, utterly unable to calm himself.

His mind was entirely consumed by the impending reward, imagining all sorts of lavish prizes that might be granted, while his heart fluttered wildly like a trapped rabbit.

"This mission was truly no walk in the park; more than once I nearly perished and lost my life right there."

Pacing back and forth, Su Hao muttered to himself, recalling those fierce clashes with the malevolent cultivators where blades flashed and peril lurked at every turn.

"Fortunately, I made it through. After paying such a heavy price, I deserve a reward that matches it."

Thinking of the 750 spirit stones, he conjured up an image of their crystal-clear, captivating luster in his mind. These were exceptional treasures that would aid his cultivation and elevate his strength to the next level.

Furthermore, the 118 cosmic cleansing stones were rare and precious artifacts with versatile and invaluable uses. Merely possessing them was enough to make many envious.

"The Cosmic Environmental Protection Agency has always been fair in its rewards and punishments. Since I completed three missions, the reward surely won't be meager. Perhaps they'll grant me some never-before-seen magical treasure, or a mysterious elixir capable of boosting my cultivation?"

The more Su Hao thought about it, the more excited he became. His eyes lit up, shining with eager anticipation.

Yet, the delay in announcing the reward felt like an invisible hand scratching at his heart, making the suspense almost unbearable.

"Why hasn't it finished calculating yet? Waiting like this is sheer torture."

He could not help muttering under his breath, raising his head to scan the empty air from time to time as if the reward might suddenly drop down from above.

Every second that ticked by tested his patience, and at this point, his patience had long been worn thin by eager expectation.

"No matter what the reward is, as long as it's generous enough, it will do. Ideally, it should make my next mission a bit easier and grant me a few more ways to preserve my life."

Su Hao silently prayed, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists so tightly that his knuckles turned pale. Anyone who saw his tense and eager expression would understand how deeply he valued and desired this reward.

[Candidate Cleaner, the reward settlement is as follows: 21 attribute points rewarded (maximum reward limit), along with 1,000 cosmic particles. Cleaner qualification promoted by two-thirds.]

[Friendly reminder: The Candidate Cleaner's intelligence level is 21 points, which is the maximum attribute limit for a Candidate Cleaner. Therefore, the maximum reward attribute points are capped at 21.]

The emotionless mechanical voice chimed coldly in the room, reverberating in Su Hao's ears.

"Why did you award forty points last time?"

[Initial mission rewards have no upper limit.]

Su Hao's previously hopeful eyes instantly dimmed, and the smile that had not yet fully bloomed froze on his face. It was replaced by a deep sense of disappointment that surged from the bottom of his heart and rapidly spread throughout his entire body.

He stood there in a daze for a good while, unable to snap out of it, feeling as though his overflowing anticipation had just been doused with a bucket of freezing water, chilling him to the bone.

"Twenty-one attribute points? And that's supposed to be the maximum reward? Are you kidding me?!"

Su Hao could not help mentally complaining, his brow furrowing into a tight knot, his face etched with disbelief and resentment.

He had assumed that after enduring so much hardship and cheating death to complete three missions, he would at least receive a jaw-dropping reward worthy of all those sacrifices.

Instead, he was given a mere twenty-odd attribute points. While attribute points were indeed precious for enhancing various capabilities, this was simply too few—falling miles short of his expectations.

"This Cosmic Environmental Protection Agency is far too stingy!"

The more Su Hao thought about it, the angrier he grew, mumbling complaints under his breath.

His high-spirited mood had deflated like a punctured ball, and his enthusiasm was thoroughly worn down by the underwhelming reward.

He could not help wondering whether risking his life like this was truly worth it, but things had already reached this point, and apart from accepting it with resignation, he seemed to have no other choice.