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

It was an open-air banquet set at a corridor pavilion beside the lake. The corridor pavilion extended from the side all the way to the middle of the lake, and its floor was made of transparent glass. One could see the lake underneath clearly and could occasionally see one or two crimson-red koi swimming past. Wind chimes hung at the corners of the modillions around the structure. When the wind blew across the lake and brushed the chimes, the fragmented yet clean and clear noise was rather enchanting.

Long tables throughout the corridor pavilion held various red wines and mouth-watering dishes from one end to the other. The servants were moving around, ushering the guests to their respective seats.

"This banquet is so boring. Brother White, why don't we sit together? It's easier to pass the time that way," Rong Ming said with a smile.

Xu Jia's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't figure out why Rong Ming was especially interested in the White Commander.

Tan Yumin