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

Chen Mu had repaired twelve of the fifteen three-star cards, with the difficulty of the other three too high, especially given the current strength of his perception.

From the lesson he got last time, he was a lot more careful in his deployment of his perception. Increases in his perception were slow, so he just spent more of his time with learning how to refine his control. He found that the fine threads of perception which emanated from the pillar of his shuttle-shaped perceptual vortex were very suited to fine control. They were sensitive and fine, and they were numerous and linked in countless ways.

He was already pleased with being able to repair twelve cards. There was no lack of gems among them, and many of them broadened the scope of his vision. One of them was particularly fine, a three-star fantasy card. It had a peculiar composition which was unlike any three-star fantasy card that Chen Mu had ever seen.

The Fiery Mayfly