We've Come to Escort You
Martial tournaments were commonplace in the Murim world. Some were held to foster camaraderie among sects, others dangled rare treasures like precious swords or secret manuals as prizes, and occasionally, the Murim Alliance hosted them to infuse fresh blood into its ranks. They were an indispensable festival in wuxia novels—but what if your own name was attached to one?
"...Did I hear that wrong, So Ssaang-a?"
Baek Su-gyeong, who had been resting at the mountain temple and refining the plot for the next volume, was utterly shocked by the news So Ssaang-a delivered. Under the pretext of selecting his bodyguard, a tournament was to be held in Xuchang, Henan, where the Murim Alliance was headquartered. Did that even make sense?
"Don't joke around."
"It's true, I swear!"
So Ssaang-a thumped her chest in frustration. Baek Su-gyeong sighed deeply.
"Please tell me it's a joke. I've been mentally drained from everything lately."
"That's why you closed the bookstore and came up to the temple."
"Do you have any idea how stressful it is knowing the entire Murim hangs on my every pen stroke?"
The Murim world rejoiced or despaired at the whims of his writing. How could that possibly make sense? To a former ordinary web novel author from the modern world, it was an overwhelming level of attention.
"But it is true."
"...I'm losing my mind."
Baek Su-gyeong let out a heartfelt sigh. He hadn't asked for any of this—why were they holding a tournament to pick his bodyguard without his say-so? Sure, such events were routine in the Murim, but slapping his name on it changed everything. They hadn't even bothered asking his permission.
He pressed a hand to his forehead. Just thinking about it gave him a headache; his temples throbbed like he needed painkillers.
"Fine, hold the tournament—it's everyday stuff in the Murim. But why pick my bodyguard without consulting me?"
"Ah, well...," So Ssaang-a scratched her cheek with an awkward grin. "You ended volume 5 on that massive cliffhanger..."
"...Ah."
Baek Su-gyeong's face lit with sudden understanding. The modern writer's trick known as the "cliffhanger" or "cut-off technique"—ending a chapter at the peak of tension to build hype for the next. He'd pulled it off consecutively at the ends of volumes 4 and 5. The volume 4 finale ramped up suspense with a great enemy looming, seamlessly flowing into volume 5's opening. Then volume 5 closed on the brink of a massive showdown with a demonic sect powerhouse. His expression soured as the memories flooded back.
"Surely there aren't people openly threatening to assassinate me?"
"...The forums are flooded with fans clamoring for the next volume ASAP. And word is, top-tier masters are flocking to this tournament just hearing about it."
"Karma."
Yes, this was definitely karma. Baek Su-gyeong shook his head ruefully.
"There's that, but with an official Murim Alliance bodyguard, no one will dare impersonate you anymore! It's a good thing, right?"
"Oh, absolutely wonderful."
He thought he'd gotten used to it, but his stomach was acting up again. Baek Su-gyeong sighed. "Truly wonderful."
God, I want to go back to the modern world. He meant it from the bottom of his heart.
After confirming the tournament posters plastered all over Wuan's streets, Baek Su-gyeong fled back to the temple and barricaded himself in a secluded room.
"Arrrgh! I'm gonna go insane, for real!!"
He just wanted a normal life—ordinary! Free from Murim entanglements, truly mundane. Yet writing one novel had the entire Murim world fixated on him. His mind reeled. With reactions piling up day by day, he was now gripped by genuine fear that he might get murdered mid-writing.
"5700-character hate mail, stop!!"
He'd been outlining volume 6, but after seeing that bodyguard tournament poster, he couldn't focus at all. Baek Su-gyeong was half out of his mind.
"Why me? Why!!"
Thud thud thud thud.
He was so desperate he'd gladly bash his head in if it meant death. Getting tangled with Murim folk meant goodbye to normalcy—and he'd crossed that bridge with Wudang long ago. But that was that, and this was this. With the Murim Alliance piling on the attention like this, he'd wither instead of growing. The pressure of excessive scrutiny on one person was immense. And when that spotlight spanned the entire continent?
"Hoo..."
Baek Su-gyeong rubbed his forehead with a sigh. His swollen, red brow mirrored his turmoil. It'd be paradise to just write in peace, but with Wudang Sword Hero under the Murim's microscope, that was impossible.
"Why did this thing I wrote in a fit of pique blow up so huge..."
Flopped on the bed, he pummeled the pillow to vent his frustration. How did celebrities and literary giants endure this weight? Blind fans might wait for any plot twist, sure—but Baek Su-gyeong wasn't at that fame level. This was a gut-wrenching pressure bomb hammering his ulcers.
"And I can't just stop writing."
Rolling over to stare at the ceiling, he blinked. For a fleeting moment, he considered wrecking the plot entirely to drive readers away. Botch the story, and fans would bail—that was a given. He got the occasional 5700-character complaint letter, but he'd never had die-hard fans who'd stick it out. Still, he couldn't twist the plot. Not when his survival was on the line.
"Screw up the plot, and my head rolls..."
This Murim was lawless chaos. Powerless folks like him couldn't escape the whims of martial artists. The Alliance was probably assigning him a guard with that in mind—but why did everyone bulldoze ahead without his consent? Though he supposed he had karma too, for using Wudang's name without permission.
People were hypocrites at heart when you looked close enough.
...Dizzy.
Baek Su-gyeong thought as much.
"Maybe I should head to Xuchang."
He'd lived in Henan a while but hadn't traveled the Central Plains since settling in Hubei. His Escort Bureau days in Luoyang were his only jaunt. Rubbing his chin, he sat up on the bed.
"Tough call."
To reach the Alliance in Henan, he'd need at least one guard, plus supplies. Better close the bookstore, extend the hiatus—and check out this tournament firsthand. Call it research. Seeing a scene he'd only written about might spark new inspiration.
For all his gripes, Baek Su-gyeong was a born writer.
"Master Su-gyeong, are you inside?"
"Abbot?"
Opening the door at the voice outside, Baek Su-gyeong blinked at the temple abbot standing with a black-clad warrior.
"Who's this?"
"...My apologies."
The man in black clasped his fists in salute—a precise, disciplined motion. Seeing it in person hit different from novels. Palms together like prayer at chest height, but the left hand open, enveloping the right fist. True to its name, the bao quan—wrapping fist—the Murim's most common greeting.
"Kang Yu-pyeong of the Murim Alliance Hubei Branch. I've come to escort Master Su-gyeong."
"Pardon?"
Why are you here? Baek Su-gyeong's face twisted oddly.
Kang Yu-pyeong's visit was straightforward. Alliance Leader Jang Hyo-un had ordered him to escort Baek Su-gyeong to Xuchang. The Hubei Branch was to ensure a safe, comfortable journey. It was high-handed as ever, ignoring his input—but Baek Su-gyeong, half-resigned, just nodded. He'd learned nothing went his way in this world.
"We'll reach Xuchang soon."
Baek Su-gyeong nodded vaguely at Kang Yu-pyeong's voice from outside the carriage window. Riding a custom Alliance carriage into the bustling market town—too grand even compared to Wuan, Hubei's hub—they approached Xuchang's heart, home of the Alliance headquarters.
The bespoke carriage was luxurious: top-tier materials for supreme comfort and speed. For a non-elite like Baek Su-gyeong to ride it was a huge honor. Kang said it was for VIPs, meaning the Leader treated him as one.
"Xuchang, huh."
As an appraiser, he'd roamed the plains some, but Xuchang was unfamiliar. Later stuck in Luoyang as deputy, his worldview stayed narrow. Just rumors.
Originally called Xu Du, the city boomed when Cao Cao made it his capital near his Yan Province base. But his son Cao Pi renamed it Xuchang and returned to Luoyang, dooming it to mediocrity. Still, it thrived.
"All those fields out there, Kang?"
"Yes. First time in Xuchang, Master Su-gyeong?"
"Pretty much. I got by in Luoyang."
"A city that once rivaled Luoyang in glory—the famed Cao Cao's capital."
Chatting with Kang revived his spirits. The scenery was novel: vast rice paddies buzzing with folk, towering earthen walls glaring down. Perfectly interlocked sun-baked bricks formed the battlements overlooking his carriage.
"Halt!"
"State your identity!"
Guards blocked the carriage past Xuchang's gates, en route to Alliance HQ. The saddest souls in wuxia tales: gatekeepers vetting entrants, first to die in attacks. Kang replied to their shouts.
"Kang Yu-pyeong, first-class warrior of the Murim Alliance Hubei Branch. Escorting Master Su-gyeong."
"Show your token!"
Rustling as Kang pulled it out.
"Verified!"
"Cleared!"
No fuss—the carriage passed the main gate. It halted soon after.
"We're here."
The jolting stopped; the door opened. Baek Su-gyeong eyed the bowing Kang and descended awkwardly. Surrounded by those who could snap his neck effortlessly. He'd entered the righteous Murim's core: the Murim Alliance.
"To the Reception Hall."
Kang strode ahead confidently. Baek Su-gyeong scanned about, pulling a notebook from his robe. To describe the Alliance later, he needed notes—essential for his cloistered life.
Following and jotting impressions, he froze at something odd.
"Kang."
"Yes?"
"When was this made?"
He pointed to a statue lining the bluestone road to the hall: a man with sword at side, hawk on shoulder, taiji-patterned headscarf. Sharp brows framed unyielding eyes brimming with resolve. Too lifelike for mere stone—that's why it caught him. The face was too familiar.
"Ah, Hero Jin-un's statue. About three months ago."
"Did I hear that wrong?"
Kang tilted his head at Baek Su-gyeong's words. "Something amiss?"
Baek Su-gyeong's face crumpled like he'd been stung. A life-sized celebrity statue? This insane world has no intention of leaving me alone.