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

Fifteen days went by in the blink of an eye.

During those 15 days, Chen Mu put all of his attention on deepening his understanding of the two cards in his hands. That wasn't much time, but he still got obvious results. He didn't know if it was because he had more insight or because his ability to control his perception had gotten stronger, or because of the two combined, but he gained a lot during those 15 days.

He mostly focused on the Bipolar Thunderball and the Snake Lens. His messed up experience with the Golden Word Shackle had scared him away.

Since the Snake Lens included a legacy fantasy card, that made studying it a lot easier. Since there wasn't much time, though, he had only just begun to understand a little about it. If he wanted to really master it, he would need more time.

Breakthrough