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

In the dark, Chen Mu raised his head in something of a daze. A full ten minutes went by before his gaze grew gradually clear. He let out a long sigh and stood up, looking around at the cards strewn all over the room.

His gaze swept over the cards, which were like snowflakes, and a feeling of accomplishment arose in him. He had never thought he could make such myriads of cards in such a short time! And, they were all four-star cards, which would bring a sky-high, scary price if he were to put them on the market.

Still, although there were lots of cards strewn everywhere, a significant portion of them were failed and wasted cards. Now, he had to sort through them. How many cards had he actually made? He wasn't clear about that himself and was curious to know. Chen Mu started to sort out the cards that were scattered all over the floor and the desk.

At that moment, Ru Qiu came in. Seeing the situation, she said respectfully, "Let me do this work, teacher!"

A Shocking Change