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

With all the fibers in his body taught, Chen Mu stared at the beast in front of him. The apparatus on his wrist was already in an active state, and the five small thunderballs were cheerfully swirling around him.

His knowledge of the jungle was pitifully scant, and he didn't have any idea what that beast was called or what was special about it. But that didn't make him look down on it at all. On the contrary, he had a very nasty look on his face.

The beast was about the size of a calf, with four powerful stout limbs and a tuft of black hair along its back. The scariest thing about it was its two tails, each of which was about as thick as Chen Mu's arm, with a barb at the end of each scorpion shaped tail. It was staring at Chen Mu with a malevolent look, with its two tails swinging in a pattern behind it and gathered into a crouch ready to pounce. Chen Mu could even see the saliva dripping from its fangs.

Three People and a Beast