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

While he skimmed through what was on the screen, Bogner introduced the place. "This is Chilei's general headquarters for the card artisan activity centers. It provides nearly every service related to a card artisan, such as assessment and advancement, the study of card artisan skills, and so forth. It's also a comprehensive platform where there are large numbers of freelance card artisans, which is why I came here to recruit. In addition to the commissions announced and taken here, they also have the most advanced training field in Chilei and the largest card artisan shopping center in the city." He then lowered his voice to say, "But this doesn't have anything better than the black market. They only dare sell above-board things." After that, he added, "And, the prices are very high."

Looking around, Bogner brought everyone to a service desk.

The girl attendant wore a professional smile. "Greetings. How may I serve you?"

Getting on the Right Track