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

"Mmmm, I'll give you a reason. Quite simply, I could make a card with a damage value of over 850 and a firing frequency of three per second using those materials." Chen Mu's voice wasn't loud, though it immediately became quiet all around.

They finally reacted after a few seconds when someone shouted, "Impossible! How could a card be made from those materials with a damage value of 850? Impossible. Utterly impossible."

The rest of the card artisans' gazes toward Chen Mu were full of skepticism and disbelief. They couldn't really be blamed for that.

Gambling with Cards (I)