Chapter 20: The Hall of Awakening

After a hot shower and a deep, restful sleep, all the fatigue accumulated over so many days was swept away. Morning sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, like a mischievous child lifting the fabric. Han Feng climbed out of bed, washed up, and left the hotel.

He didn’t need to concern himself with the damaged bedside table; the service staff would naturally handle it when they cleaned the room, and of course, a portion of the deposit would be automatically deducted for the damages.

The snow on the roads had been thoroughly cleared. Han Feng drove toward the Awakening Hall, located in the northern district of the city.

The Awakening Hall was a special institution established by the governments of various nations, designed to screen the population for potential superhumans. It helped citizens test and verify whether they possessed the talent to become superhumans, assisted in awakening their psychic abilities, assessed their potential rank, and taught the Basic Energy Cultivation Code. Increasing the number of superhumans was also a means to strengthen a country’s power.

After awakening their psychic abilities, citizens could freely choose their career paths. However, not everyone could become a Psychic or Beast Warrior; these professions required genuine talent, awakened through specific methods that stimulate psychic abilities or deep bloodlines. Without the inherent aptitude, one simply couldn’t pursue these paths.

Once a profession was chosen, individuals could proceed to the respective branch halls to learn the fundamental knowledge of their chosen field. Later, upon reaching E-grade or D-grade abilities, they could study skills relevant to those levels—though, of course, everything came at a price.

In the early days after the Awakening Hall was established, crowds would line up daily, each person hoping to awaken their abilities, soar to new heights, and become someone extraordinary.

Yet, becoming a superhuman was not so easily achieved. After testing countless people, those who could awaken psychic abilities were still exceedingly rare—one in ten thousand.

Most of the city's residents had already undergone testing, so nowadays the Awakening Hall operated at a much slower pace, opening for ability testing only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The other days were reserved for teaching basic skills for various professions. Today happened to be Wednesday.

Han Feng parked his vehicle and entered the Awakening Hall. A long queue had already formed: children eight or nine years old with affluent backgrounds, and ordinary-looking youths, perhaps having saved for years to afford the testing fee.

Testing whether an ordinary person could awaken psychic abilities was costly. Each colony planet had a vast population; it was impossible to offer free tests to everyone. Even the wealthiest nations could not bear such expenses, so naturally, there was a fee.

The price was steep—five hundred thousand star coins. Most families would need to save for years to afford a single test, but for those longing to advance, it was a genuine opportunity.

Han Feng waited patiently in line. Unsurprisingly, those ahead of him all left disappointed, so it was soon his turn.

“Please pay five hundred thousand star coins,” the staff member said, listlessly.

Each Awakening Hall received bonuses for new superhumans awakened—the more, the greater the bonus, and the more motivated the staff.

But it had been nearly a year since the Awakening Hall in Sterr City had seen a new awakened individual. That meant a year without bonuses; staff survived on base wages alone, so enthusiasm was naturally lacking.

“Move aside! Make way for me! I’m definitely going to awaken my abilities today!” Just as Han Feng finished paying, a commotion erupted behind him.

The crowd stepped back, some fearful, others disdainful, clearly recognizing the speaker.

Several unruly youths entered, their leader clad in designer brands, swaggering arrogantly to the counter.

Han Feng stepped aside, curious about who these people were to inspire such avoidance, but certain they weren’t the sort one would want to associate with.

“Smart move, kid,” the leader sneered, shaking his leg as he stood at the counter, pulling out a card. “Here, five hundred thousand. Hurry up and test me!”

Han Feng merely smiled, watching the scene unfold.

“Well, Young Master Zhang! You’re here!” The staff member immediately stood up, nodding and bowing. He knew all too well Zhang Shuai’s temperament—the privileged son of a wealthy, powerful father, notorious for bullying and arrogance, a classic spoiled heir. He came for testing once or twice a week; though it never yielded anything, he persisted, convinced that repeated attempts would result in awakening. In short, he was rich and capricious.

“Come on, stop wasting time. I’m definitely going to succeed today!” Zhang Shuai urged impatiently.

“Right away, please follow me!” The staff opened the way, guiding him with exaggerated deference.

Zhang Shuai entered the awakening chamber. Two minutes later, the display screen beside the chamber door turned green, showing a huge number: 2.

“Wow, someone awakened their abilities—it’s Zhang Shuai!”

“No way. He’s already unruly enough; if he becomes a superhuman, he’ll be unstoppable.”

“Exactly. Better keep your distance from him.”

“Even if it’s only level 2 potential, it’s still a superhuman.”

The chamber door opened, and Zhang Shuai burst out triumphantly. “Ha! I told you! Today was the day. The gene enhancement serum my father bought really worked!”

“Congratulations, Young Master Zhang! Now you'll soar as a superhuman!” his followers effused, eager to flatter.

“That’s right. Stick with me, and you’ll benefit!” Zhang Shuai boasted, then turned to the staff. “Aren’t you going to report my result?”

“Yes, yes, right away. Please wait a moment,” the staff replied, turning to find the supervisor.

“Wait!” Han Feng spoke up as the staff was about to leave.

“What is it?” the staff member responded irritably—he was eager to curry favor with Zhang Shuai and didn’t want any interruptions.

“I’ve already paid. Test me first before you leave,” Han Feng said calmly.

The staff hesitated. According to protocol, he should arrange the test immediately after payment; Zhang Shuai had already broken the rules by jumping the queue. He glanced at Zhang Shuai—he didn’t want to offend this spoiled heir, especially now that he was becoming a superhuman.

“Well, well. Ignorant bumpkin. I’m about to become a superhuman, and you want to hold things up? Go home and farm, country boy,” Zhang Shuai sneered, seeing Han Feng’s simple black coat and ordinary appearance, certain he wasn’t from an influential family.

Han Feng ignored the spoiled brat, a faint smile on his lips, and walked straight toward the awakening chamber. The staff, seeing this, could only say, “Young Master Zhang, please wait two minutes. We’ll finish up quickly.”

The Awakening Hall was a government institution; Zhang Shuai didn’t dare get too out of hand. He memorized Han Feng’s face, deciding to deal with him later.

Two minutes later, the display screen beside the awakening chamber suddenly turned gold, showing a massive number: 10.

“What! Level 10!?”