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

At first sight, Chen Mu was drawn to her two lovely eyes and the mildness that flowed from them so naturally. Once he caught her gaze, his heart suddenly calmed.

"How are you?" She politely brought Chen Mu back to his senses, smiling lightly. "I was honored to see your recent performance. It was really wonderful! You have a lot of strength. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, it would have been very difficult to believe."

Without knowing if he'd been infected, Chen Mu smiled back. But, his smile looked quite stiff. His voice was a lot calmer than the stiff expression on his face. "Thank you for your praise." By then, his attention had wandered to her face. He couldn't be sure if it was the prettiest face he'd ever seen, but if it were up to him to judge, he would have given her the prize without any hesitation.

Sue Lochiro