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

Will shook his head, "My teacher gave me that card, and he didn't know where it came from either. I only know that it is a rather old card from many years ago. Are you interested in the card?" He didn't know what about that card was worth studying. He'd used it for a long time and hadn't found anything special about it.

"Oh well, forget about it then." Chen Mu couldn't help being disappointed as he turned around to leave the training room.

The training room door was locked with a card swipe, and Chen Mu was accustomed to swiping his room card just as he was about to leave. Immersed in the hundred blades card, Will wasn't paying attention that he'd been locked into the training room.

Mark Victor