"An Awakened One?"
It was a completely new term. At least, Luo Ji couldn't find any reference to it in what he knew about the world two hundred years in the future.
Seeing his confusion, Zhuang Yan drew a diagram resembling a "clock" in the soft earth.
"To explain Psykers, we have to start here." She divided the "clock" into twenty-four letters, then continued, "Only a very small number of people within the Holy Terra Alliance know about this."
Luo Ji turned his gaze to the diagram.
"This shows the positive and negative levels of Awakened Ones, from twenty-four down to zero. You don't need to know much about the negative levels. Based on the fluctuations in your Psykana Power since you awakened, you're currently around this level... Beta."
"What does this level... mean?" Luo Ji asked curiously.
"After someone awakens, we call them a 'Psyker.'" Zhuang Yan explained patiently. "But there are huge differences between Psykers. For example, at the Beta level, you can only barely control your power. You need rigorous training before you can use it."
"Wait. Barely control it? Rigorous training...? Are you saying this power is dangerous?"
Luo Ji had spotted the crux of the matter.
"Yes."
Zhuang Yan nodded gravely. "Don't think you can use your awakened Psykana Power however you like. It comes from the space you call your 'nightmare.' A Psyker is like a 'valve.' Through their soul and willpower, they 'draw' a portion of power from the Warp and project it into realspace. The more power you can draw, the higher your Psyker level. But, at the same time... the greater the risk."
"What kind of risk, exactly?" Luo Ji asked.
"You've been inside the Warp with your consciousness. You must have seen 'them,' right?" Zhuang Yan said.
"You mean..." Luo