Unknown Trait A20392

About a dozen seconds later, the test results popped up on the computer screen.

Name: Fang Yuan

Star power level: Lv.1

Attributes: strength 14, agility 15, physique 13, spirit 15

Superpower trait: unknown trait A20392

Skills: Military Physical Combat Technique Lv.2, Gliding Step Lv.1

At the words "unknown trait," Fang Yuan could not help frowning.

The string of digits after them was probably an identification number.

Fang Yuan waited a while. When the results on the computer screen remained unchanged, he pointed at it. "Sir, this is..."

Guo Songtao looked up at it, somewhat surprised himself. "An unknown trait, of all things."

"Sir, why would an unknown trait show up?" a student beside him asked curiously.

"This is normal. Although it's become very rare in recent years, it still happens once or twice every few years. Fang Yuan, don't be nervous."

Guo Songtao first offered Fang Yuan a few words of reassurance, then explained, "The testing equipment is connected to the National Awakened Database. Once it detects the superpower trait's readings, it searches the database and gives the corresponding result. An unknown trait means the database has no information on this ability."

"What should we do now?" Fang Yuan asked.

"Don't worry. I'll take you for a more detailed test later to determine what ability you've awakened. Once we've collected the data, we'll report it to the National Awakened Database. After analysis and confirmation, it might be recorded in the database," Guo Songtao explained.

"'Might'... 'be recorded'?" Fang Yuan picked out those key words.

"Not every superpower trait can be identified through testing. In the Awakened Database released last year, over three thousand unknown traits still hadn't been confirmed," Guo Songtao explained.

"Why would that happen? Isn't anyone responsible for this work?"

Fang Yuan was not the only one puzzled; the other students were curious too.

"It's not that no one is responsible. Some unknown traits really can't be identified through testing. The traits the Awakened awaken are all sorts of strange things. There are traits of every kind."

Guo Songtao paused, rummaged through a drawer for a newspaper, and handed it to Fang Yuan before continuing, "This is yesterday's paper. Take a look at the headline in the martial artist section."

Fang Yuan turned to the lead story on the front page of the martial artist section and saw a large headline: "Mystery of Unknown Trait A13565 Finally Solved, Sending Platinum Prices Soaring Tenfold Overnight."

The students nearby crowded around to read it. Those in the back could not see, so they asked the students in front to read it aloud.

"Unknown trait A13565, which has baffled the world for ten years, was finally deciphered today. The breakthrough came, surprisingly, from an Awakened's suicide attempt."

"Recently, an Awakened in Donghai City swallowed a five-gram platinum ring after suffering a major career setback. Not only did the Awakened survive, but the swallowed ring also vanished without a trace. Tests at the hospital revealed that the Awakened had digested the platinum ring, producing a protective layer of platinum on the palms."

"Who could have imagined that A13565's special ability was actually digesting platinum? Nor would anyone possessing the A13565 trait have thought to experiment by swallowing platinum. As a result, A13565's secret remained hidden for ten years before it was discovered."

"With this, A13565's secret has finally been revealed. The National Awakened Database has named A13565 'platinum digester.' After the announcement, over a thousand 'platinum digesters' across the country rushed to buy platinum overnight, causing its price to soar tenfold."

After finishing the article, Fang Yuan marveled inwardly at how bizarre the whole thing was.

Beneath the lead story were several smaller reports on incidents involving "platinum digesters."

For example, Awakened with the "platinum digester" trait had tried swallowing other metals besides platinum, but every last one of them had ended up in the hospital.

The final result was that the National Awakened Database's conclusions were extremely rigorous: if it was named "platinum digester," then it could only digest platinum, not other metals.

Just then.

A boy from the neighboring class, wearing a bespoke overcoat, walked over from that class.

The boy was dressed with an air of considerable wealth, with angular features and neatly side-swept, slicked-back hair combed to a gleaming shine.

Every student at Donghai No. 1 High School knew him, because his name was Li Weilian, the young master of the Li Family, a prestigious star martial arts family in Donghai City.

Rumor had it that his family had funded the construction of half the school's teaching buildings.

He was also Han Youwei's only suitor-the kind of "only" who had eliminated all the other suitors.

Li Weilian walked up to Class Two's line, stopped in front of Han Youwei, and asked, "Finished your test?"

"Yes," Han Youwei replied.

"Then let's go. There are no more classes this afternoon. Let's eat at Oute Restaurant. The beef ribs were flown in this morning, so this afternoon would be the perfect time to eat them," Li Weilian suggested.

Han Youwei gave him a slight smile of thanks and declined. "No, I still have something to do. You go ahead."

Li Weilian did not insist, because that would have seemed very ungentlemanly.

However, he did not leave either. He stayed beside Han Youwei, watching the remaining students have their star power tested.

After seeing Fang Yuan's test results, Li Weilian said teasingly to Han Youwei, "That boy is the one who usually spars with you in martial arts class, right? His star power talent looks pretty mediocre."

Han Youwei did not respond and continued staring at the computer screen.

The students nearby, however, gathered around curiously to discuss it.

Li Weilian continued on the subject. "An unknown trait usually isn't a good sign."

A boy with a short buzz cut leaned forward and asked, "Young Master Li, why is an unknown trait bad?"

A very gentlemanly smile appeared on Li Weilian's lips. "If even the National Awakened Database hasn't confirmed a superpower trait, that means the ability has very little power, or is even practically useless."

"How so?" The students around him did not understand, so they kept asking.

Li Weilian raised a hand and released a ball of flame, then explained, "Take my flames, for example. As soon as I activate them, you can tell immediately that this is an elemental ability.

"An ability like this, so simple that you can understand it at a glance, can easily be entered into the database. Only abilities like 'platinum digester,' which are hard to put to use, remain unknown for a long time.

"In fact, 'Platinum digester' is one of the better ones. At least eating more platinum can form a protective layer over the body. But the vast majority of unknown traits in the Awakened Database are worthless.

"For example, I remember one of the most ridiculous traits was 'light allergy.' Not only is it useless, it actually has a negative effect. After awakening it, you have to cover your entire body. If your skin comes into contact with light, you have an allergic reaction."

"Isn't that just miserable?"

The students exchanged looks, never having expected that the superpower traits the Awakened awakened could be such a trap.

"It is pretty miserable. You could say that 99% of the unknown traits in the Awakened Database have no development value."

As Li Weilian spoke, he turned to Han Youwei with a slightly sympathetic expression. "So our classmate Fang really doesn't have much star power talent."

"He does better in academic subjects," Han Youwei could not help speaking up for Fang Yuan.

"Then he should take the liberal arts track for the college entrance exam. That's not bad either. If he gets into one of Huaxia's top ten universities, even if his major isn't very good, I can have my family's company sponsor his tuition," Li Weilian said in a very gentlemanly manner.

"You should tell him that. Why tell me? Besides, he wants to study a major related to star power technology. If he gets in, even if you want to sponsor him, you might not beat the other star power technology groups to it." Han Youwei could hear the other meaning behind his words, so she was a little displeased.