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 had been two days and there was no news of Chen Mu. Everyone was nervous. However, they didn't dare to barge in and could only wait. Wei-ah kept his silence, looked up at the sky, and vanished out of sight.

The heavy rain was interwoven with lightning. The world was in complete darkness.

It was impossible to fly under such conditions. The strongest power shield was no match for the energy hidden in the tyrannical lightning; this was the power of nature. The sky was pitch-black, and a sudden clap of thunder struck the sky. It felt like doomsday.

"Damn it. Why did we have to run into this weather?" a card artisan from Cang Jiang Military Force grumbled.

Another card artisan, still in a state of shock, looked at the thick clouds in the sky. A moment before, the night sky had been severely torn apart by the lightning. Despite being an experienced card artisan, he couldn't help but fear the power of nature.

Hunt and Kill!