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

Chen Mu was by himself in the huge warehouse of the Valley Nest, surrounded by mountains of parts. There were several half-finished items in front of him that he had been trying out those last few days. But up until then, there hadn't been a single successful work. His ability with metallic machinery could be considered only ordinary, and that was only thanks to Alfonso.

If Alfonso were there, he would certainly have been able to make use of all those things. Chen Mu couldn't help a bitter smile as he looked at those ugly, half-finished works in front of him.

Casually reclining among the parts, he became strangely relaxed in that moment. He was really enjoying that period of his life. He liked nothing more than the sort of research and improvement work he was doing just then.

The Spinulosa Disk