Chapter 4: The Final Reward
The system notification sounded in his mind, and Su Xiao's expression remained calm. He had long been accustomed to such scenes.
He opened the final reward interface, and a series of information appeared before his eyes:
[Final Reward: Based on your performance in this world, you have received the following rewards.]
[Reward 1: Soul Crystal (Large) x1]
[Reward 2: Origin Stone Fragment x3]
[Reward 3: Random Skill Book x1]
[Reward 4: Accumulated two S- or above comprehensive evaluations (Achieved).]
Su Xiao's gaze paused on the fourth item. This was the hidden reward he had been aiming for all along. Accumulating two S- or above comprehensive evaluations was no easy feat, and he had finally accomplished it in this world.
He took a deep breath and chose to claim all the rewards.
A stream of light gathered in front of him, and the items materialized one by one. The Soul Crystal (Large) emitted a faint blue glow, the Origin Stone Fragments shimmered with a mysterious luster, and the Random Skill Book was sealed in a golden cover.
Su Xiao first picked up the Soul Crystal (Large). This item could permanently increase his soul strength, which was extremely important for him as a close-combat contractor. Without hesitation, he directly used it.
A warm current flowed through his body, and he could clearly feel his soul becoming more solid. The system notification followed:
[Soul Strength +5]
He nodded in satisfaction, then turned his attention to the Origin Stone Fragments. These fragments could be used to strengthen equipment or exchange for other resources in the trading market. He put them away for now.
Finally, he opened the Random Skill Book. Golden light burst forth, and a skill name appeared before his eyes:
[Skill Acquired: Blade Dao · Time]
Su Xiao's eyes flickered. This was a rare time-type skill, and it complemented his Blade Dao · Extreme. He immediately checked the skill details:
[Blade Dao · Time: Activate to briefly slow down the flow of time around you. Duration: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 10 minutes. This skill cannot be upgraded with skill points and can only be enhanced through comprehension.]
A faint smile appeared on Su Xiao's face. Although the cooldown was long, a 3-second time slow could be a life-or-death trump card in battle.
He closed the interface and walked out of the Skill Upgrade Hall. Bubu Wang was waiting at the door, wagging its tail as it ran over.
"Woof woof woof!" Bubu Wang barked a few times, as if asking about the rewards.
Su Xiao rubbed its head: "Not bad, got a good skill."
Bubu Wang happily circled around him twice.
Su Xiao looked up at the sky of the Paradise. The sun was just right, and everything seemed peaceful. But he knew that the next world would only be more dangerous.
He took a deep breath and walked toward his exclusive room. He needed to rest well and prepare for the next challenge.
Inside the room, Su Xiao sat cross-legged on the bed, carefully reviewing the experiences from this world. The battle with the Abyss Archbishop, the fight against the Three Brothers of the National Football Team, and the final showdown with the powerful enemies—every battle had brought him growth.
He opened his attribute panel and checked his current status:
[Contractor: Su Xiao]
[Level: 8th Rank]
[Strength: 82]
[Agility: 95]
[Vitality: 78]
[Intelligence: 65]
[Charm: 10]
[Luck: 12]
[Soul Strength: 45]
[True Damage: 120]
[Combat Power Evaluation: S-]
Su Xiao nodded. His agility had already reached 95 points, and with the Blade Dao technique, he could unleash considerable power. However, his vitality was still slightly lacking, and he would need to focus on strengthening that in the future.
He closed the interface and lay down. The fatigue from this world's battles surged over him, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Su Xiao woke up early. After washing up, he headed to the Attribute Enhancement Hall. He planned to use the remaining Paradise Coins to enhance his attributes.
Inside the Attribute Enhancement Hall, the familiar mechanical voice sounded:
[Welcome, Contractor. Your current remaining Paradise Coins: 12,500.]
Su Xiao thought for a moment and decided to enhance his vitality first. He walked to the vitality enhancement pod, and the door slowly opened.
Just as he was about to step in, a familiar voice came from behind him:
"Yo, Bạch Dạ, long time no see."
Su Xiao turned around and saw Khai Tát walking over with a grin on his face.
"Khai Tát? What are you doing here?" Su Xiao asked.
Khai Tát shrugged: "Just came back from another world, came to strengthen my attributes. By the way, I heard you got an S- evaluation in this world? Not bad, not bad."
Su Xiao nodded: "Lucky."
Khai Tát chuckled: "Lucky? With your style, I doubt it's just luck. But whatever, want to team up for the next world? I've got some good intel."
Su Xiao thought for a moment: "Let's talk about it later. I need to strengthen my attributes first."
"Alright, I won't bother you then. We'll catch up later." Khai Tát waved and walked toward another enhancement pod.
Su Xiao stepped into the vitality enhancement pod, and the door slowly closed. A warm current enveloped his entire body, and his cells seemed to be reborn.
[Vitality +3]
He felt his body becoming stronger and nodded in satisfaction. After exiting the pod, he checked his remaining Paradise Coins and decided to save them for the next world.
Just then, a system notification suddenly sounded:
[Notice: The next world will open in 72 hours. Please make your preparations.]
Su Xiao's eyes narrowed. 72 hours—just enough time to prepare.
He walked out of the Attribute Enhancement Hall and headed toward the Trading Market. He needed to stock up on some supplies.
In the Trading Market, there was a bustling crowd. Su Xiao walked to a familiar stall, where the goblin merchant was enthusiastically introducing goods to other contractors.
"Boss, any new goods?" Su Xiao asked.
The goblin merchant turned around and immediately smiled: "Oh! If it isn't Bạch Dạ! You're in luck, I just got a batch of good stuff. Take a look."
The goblin merchant pulled out a few items from under the counter. Su Xiao glanced at them and picked up a bottle of deep blue potion.
[Recovery Potion (High Grade): Instantly restores 50% of health. Cooldown: 5 minutes.]
"How much?" Su Xiao asked.
"500 Paradise Coins per bottle. If you take five, I'll give you a discount—2,000 coins," the goblin merchant said with a sly smile.
Su Xiao nodded: "Give me five."
After completing the transaction, Su Xiao continued strolling through the Trading Market. He bought some consumables and a few scrolls that could come in handy in emergencies.
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly noticed a stall in the corner surrounded by a crowd. Out of curiosity, he walked over and saw a hooded contractor selling a peculiar item.
[Unknown Crystal: Origin unknown, effects unknown. Requires appraisal.]
Su Xiao's instincts told him this item was unusual. He squeezed through the crowd and asked, "How much is this crystal?"
The hooded contractor raised his head, revealing a pair of deep eyes: "3,000 Paradise Coins."
The surrounding contractors gasped. 3,000 Paradise Coins for an unidentified item was indeed a gamble.
Su Xiao looked at the crystal, a strange feeling stirring in his heart. He decided to take the risk.
"Deal."
He handed over 3,000 Paradise Coins and took the crystal. The moment he touched it, a chill ran through his body.
[Item Acquired: Unknown Crystal. Please appraise it at the Appraisal Hall.]
Su Xiao put the crystal away and planned to have it appraised later. He left the Trading Market and headed toward the Appraisal Hall.
Inside the Appraisal Hall, the appraiser was an old man with a white beard. He took the crystal and examined it carefully, his expression gradually turning serious.
"This is..." The old man's voice trembled slightly, "This is a World Fragment!"
Su Xiao's pupils contracted. A World Fragment was an extremely rare item that could be used to create a small world or be exchanged for a large number of Paradise Coins.
"How much is it worth?" Su Xiao asked.
The old man pondered for a moment: "If you're willing to sell, I can offer you 50,000 Paradise Coins."
Su Xiao shook his head: "I'll keep it for now."
The old man nodded: "That's fine. This item is very precious, so keep it safe."
Su Xiao put the crystal away and left the Appraisal Hall. He hadn't expected to find such a treasure by chance.
Back in his exclusive room, Su Xiao took out the World Fragment and examined it carefully. The crystal emitted a faint glow, as if containing an entire world within it.
He put the crystal away and began preparing for the next world. He checked his equipment, replenished his supplies, and made sure everything was ready.
Three days passed quickly. On the morning of the third day, the system notification sounded:
[The next world will open in 1 hour. Please head to the teleportation square.]
Su Xiao took a deep breath, put on his equipment, and walked out of his room. Bubu Wang followed behind him, wagging its tail.
At the teleportation square, many contractors had already gathered. Su Xiao spotted Khai Tát, who was waving at him.
"Bạch Dạ, over here!" Khai Tát shouted.
Su Xiao walked over and asked, "What world is it this time?"
Khai Tát lowered his voice: "I heard it's a high-difficulty world. Many 8th-rank contractors are going."
Su Xiao nodded. A high-difficulty world meant more danger, but also more rewards.
The teleportation array began to glow, and a powerful spatial fluctuation spread out. Su Xiao steadied himself, ready for the upcoming challenge.
The light grew brighter and brighter, enveloping everything. When Su Xiao opened his eyes again, he found himself in a strange world.
Before him stretched an endless desert, with a blazing sun hanging high in the sky. In the distance, a massive city stood, its walls towering into the clouds.
[World: Sand Sea World]
[World Difficulty: S-]
[Main Quest: Defeat the Sand Sea Overlord]
Su Xiao's eyes narrowed. S- difficulty—this world would not be easy.
He looked toward the distant city, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes.
"Let's go, Bubu Wang."
One person and one dog walked toward the city, their figures gradually disappearing into the vast desert.