System: Invincible Escort Company

Pain. A sharp, burning pain shot through Duong Khai’s body, jolting him awake. It felt like someone had thrown him down onto cold stone from a great height. He gasped for air, only to inhale a musty scent mixed with damp, rotting wood. He opened his eyes. The first thing he saw wasn’t the familiar ceiling of his room, but an old, dark chamber. The wooden boards above were cracked, cobwebs clung to every corner. A chill crawled down his spine. “What the hell—?” Duong Khai sat up quickly, but dizziness hit him like a wave. His head throbbed as if he’d been struck. This wasn’t his bedroom. A sudden thought flickered in his mind—Did I die? He scrambled to remember what had happened before waking up. He remembered… a blinding light, a deafening crash, and then—darkness. “No way…” he muttered, unease slowly sinking in. Just then, a voice echoed inside his head. [System “Heavenly Escort Bureau” initializing… 3%… 17%… 46%…] Duong Khai froze. That voice… came from inside his mind?! [78%… 92%… Initialization complete.] [Congratulations, Host! The “Heavenly Escort Bureau” system has been activated.] A virtual interface suddenly appeared before his eyes, like a game screen. Large golden letters lit up across it: “You are now the Head Escort of the Heavenly Escort Bureau!” Duong Khai blinked, stunned. “Wait a second… system? Escort bureau?” He glanced around, half expecting someone to jump out and yell, “Gotcha!” But the room remained empty—dead silent, save for the faint creaking of wood. Eventually, he came to terms with it. So this really is transmigration. And of course, I get a ‘golden finger’ to go with it… “H-hey, System, what exactly do you do?” [The system will assist you in managing an escort bureau where clients can hire powerful escorts to protect their goods—or themselves.] Duong Khai narrowed his eyes. “Sounds like some commercial simulation game.” [Correct! Except this isn’t a game. This is your real job now. You’ll manage an escort bureau that spans the entire world!] He rubbed his forehead. His head felt like it was about to explode. “Can I refuse?” [No.] “…Thought so.” With a sigh, he decided to stop questioning everything for now and focus on learning how the system worked. [First Mission: Complete your first escort order to officially launch the bureau.] Right after the prompt appeared, the old wooden door of the room began to shake. Knock! Knock! A knock echoed from outside. Startled, Duong Khai stood up and cautiously opened the door. There stood a middle-aged man clad in leather armor, a sword at his side and a sharp gaze assessing him top to bottom. “You the Head Escort?” Duong Khai hesitated but quickly realized—This must be the system’s first test. He took a deep breath and put on his most professional smile. “Yes, I am. Are you here to hire an escort?” The man gave a curt nod. “I need to transport an important package to Nam Son Town. The route is riddled with bandits.” [Side Quest: Complete your first escort mission. Reward: Unlock staff recruitment system.] Duong Khai glanced at the floating interface, then back at his guest. “Very well. But to hire escorts, you’ll need to pass a challenge first.” The man frowned. “What kind of challenge?” Duong Khai raised a mission token, a strange sense of familiarity settling over him. “Complete this task. If you succeed, we’ll provide suitable escorts.” The man considered it, then nodded. “I’m Lưu Dịch. The delivery route to Nam Son Town takes about three days. Bandits—especially the Blackwind Thieves—are known to prowl the region. Alone, I doubt I’d make it.” [Blackwind Thieves: A well-organized bandit group known for ambushing escort teams.] [Danger Level: ★★☆ (Intermediate)] Duong Khai squinted at the information. It wasn’t a simple errand. He inhaled deeply, eyes firm. “Alright. I’ll assign staff for your mission.” [Unlocking Staff Recruitment Feature.] As soon as the notification popped up, a list appeared before him: ⸻ AVAILABLE STAFF 1. Li Shi (Body Tempering Lv. 7) – Physically strong, suitable as a frontline guard. 2. Sun Bai (Exceptional Agility) – Expert at reconnaissance and evasion. 3. Zhao An (Archer) – Skilled in long-range support. [Note: With the bureau currently at Level 1, only intermediate-level staff can be recruited.] ⸻ Duong Khai frowned. “Only three? And none are that strong…” Before he could complain further, Lưu Dịch spoke up. “Well? Can your people handle the job?” After a moment of thought, Duong Khai made his choice. “Two will accompany you—Li Shi as your main guard, Zhao An for long-range support.” [Confirm recruitment of Li Shi and Zhao An for 50 credits?] “How many credits do I have?” [Current balance: 100 credits.] “Use 50.” [Recruitment successful! Li Shi and Zhao An will arrive in 15 minutes.] Turning back to Lưu Dịch, Duong Khai smiled. “They’ll be here soon. Please prepare for the journey.” Lưu Dịch looked slightly surprised but nodded without comment and left. 15 minutes later A loud thud echoed outside the escort bureau. Duong Khai opened the door to find a hulking man standing tall—muscles bulging and a fearless gleam in his eyes. “I’m Li Shi. Heard there’s a job?” Beside him stood a lean young man, a large bow slung across his back, eyes sharp and focused—Zhao An. Duong Khai looked them over, nodding with satisfaction. “Ready?” Li Shi laughed, slamming a fist against his chest. “If there’s silver, I’ll fight a dragon!” Zhao An, quieter, gave a small nod. [Mission: Escort to Nam Son Town – Begin.]