Fang Xiang

This is both a work of science fiction and an exploration of the meaning of life, love, literature and art. Brainpower is no longer the main ingredient for being human in this far distant future world.  Spirituality, physical balance, and diligence all come together as integrity for Chen Mu, the Card Apprentice.  The cards which Chen Mu masters in his own scrappy way, distill all the powers of the cosmos –  human and nonhuman –  into something that is not a book, not technology, and neither art nor magic, but is these and more.  Learn about these strange cards, which can embody everything you might imagine for the future of technology, but also a future beyond technology which promotes the best, and sometimes the worst, from mankind’s past.

The Card Apprentice

Once he woke up, it was already broad daylight. Chen Mu stretched and let out a pleasant yawning sound. Those past few days of training day and night, he wasn't even getting three hours of sleep. That past night was the first time he'd slept well for several months.

Still, as soon as he'd cleaned up, he immediately started the day's training.

He started with the exercise gymnastics. The demonic woman had given them a high evaluation, except that since it was comparatively mild, it wouldn't be so useful in battle, although it would continually improve a person's health. Chen Mu kept doing the training without interruption, since no-one knew better than he did what his body was like previously. It was all a credit to these exercise gymnastics that his health was then so good.

Fear Looking Back