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

Seeing the terrible performance of his men, Wen Zuofu, who had already been close to losing his wits due to anger, exploded. "Damn it! Everyone, stop!" His bellow passed through the amplifier and resounded in every corner of the battlefield.

Everyone was stunned, unconsciously coming to a halt. The authority Wen Zuofu had gained over the years in the Downstream Alliance had already been deeply rooted in the hearts of the masses. Card artisans gradually stopped, and the situation slowly calmed down. Each of them was at a loss, not understanding what had just happened.

"Fools!" mocked one of the battle card artisans who couldn't suppress himself.

"Robert, you can't expect them to be as well-trained as us," someone beside him said, laughing.

"That may be so. I wonder what they can do on a battlefield. I can't understand why the boss hired such trash," Robert said coldly.

Almost Within Reach