Everyone Is A Lord: My Talent Is A Little Too Strong Chapter 1 - 1: Global Crossing, One Billion Lords_1

Leo Ray’s eyes snapped open to find himself standing before a modest wooden shack.

Before the fog of sleep could lift from his mind,

a cold, mechanical voice resonated within his ears.

[Welcome to the Era of Universal Lords!]

[Salutations, Lord. Congratulations on being chosen as one of the billion lords! The small wooden house in front of you serves as your Lord's Mansion. Your primary objective is to construct and expand it.]

[In this realm, you can seize territories, lead battalions to crush your foes, or manipulate events from the shadows to claim the fruits of others' labor.]

[Once your domain reaches a specific stage of growth, you may encounter neighboring lords. It will be your choice whether to form diplomatic alliances or engage in brutal slaughter and pillaging.]

[Furthermore, your territory is granted a three-day protection period. You are immune to all forms of hostility during this window. Please bolster your strength immediately to brace for the trials ahead.]

[Reminder: Treat your subordinates with care, for they are living souls composed of flesh and blood.]

[Warning: Exercise extreme caution in every endeavor. Should your territory be annihilated or you suffer a fatal wound, your death will be permanent!]

"Have I... actually transmigrated?"

Despite the skepticism lingering in his mind, the bizarre environment quickly forced Leo Ray to accept the truth.

The sky was currently radiant, and the intense sunlight made it difficult to keep a steady gaze.

He was boxed in by thick, vibrant green forests.

Most shockingly, two suns—one massive and one small—hung in the firmament!

"It appears I am not alone; there are a billion other lords just like me."

Leo Ray breathed out a sigh of astonishment as the thought crossed his mind.

"Regardless, I need to grasp the rules of this world fast! A single mistake could mean my actual death!"

Pushing all other distractions aside, Leo Ray turned his focus toward the small wooden structure before him.

The pathetic shack was covered in stains and patches of mold, giving it a decayed, weathered look.

"This is my Lord's Mansion? I hope it doesn't start leaking the moment it rains..."

With a faint, self-deprecating smile, he carefully walked inside.

As he crossed the threshold, the wooden floorboards groaned beneath his weight.

The interior spanned barely a dozen square meters and was almost entirely empty.

Aside from a pungent, musty odor, the room contained only a rigid wooden bed topped with a straw mat and a hollow wooden chest.

Just as Leo Ray moved to inspect the room further, a wave of dizziness hit him.

Suddenly, a flood of information regarding the fundamental laws of this new world surged into his brain.

Within his field of vision, several translucent icons manifested, capable of being summoned or dismissed at will.

These menus included 'Territory Information', 'Chat Channel', 'Trading Center', and other functions.

After recovering from his initial shock, Leo Ray prioritized opening 'Territory Information'.

[Lord's Mansion Lv: 1 (Daily Allowance: 2 'Tier 1 Recruitment Orders')]

[Owner: Leo Ray]

[ID: 0013076067]

[Population: 1/10]

[Total Buildings: 1]

[Storage Capacity: 0/100]

[Upgrade Requirements: Wood x2000, Thatch x1000, Stone x500]

"So my entire territory is just this tiny shack? How is this different from starting with nothing?"

Leo Ray shook his head in resignation. With a flicker of thought, two antique wooden tokens materialized in his palms.

[Tier 1 Recruitment Order: Used to summon a random Tier 1 Subordinate.]

"I can call forth two people every day at this level... That's decent. It's certainly better than being a commander with no troops."

Gazing at the Recruitment Orders, Leo Ray paused. He didn't use them immediately.

Instead, he accessed the 'Chat Channel' to gather more data and formulate a strategy. For now, only the "Regional Channel (National)" was accessible.

He entered the channel.

[You have joined Channel No. 022218]

The interface was buzzing with activity. Every post was tagged with an ID number, the user's name, and their gender.

"What the hell! Where am I? I was literally just at a club with a girl! Where did my rental Lambo go?"

"Guys, I was in LA five minutes ago borrowing 300 bucks, and now I'm in the middle of a desert? Anyone else?"

"Damn it! I'm not the only one who got sent here? I thought I finally got my protagonist plot armor... What a scam!"

"Is there any gentleman who can take me home? I have a live stream scheduled for tonight, and I'll do whatever you want in return."

"I'm the CEO of two public companies. Tell me how to get back, and I'll pay you 50 million!"

...

As time passed, more people began to accept their new reality.

The conversation shifted from panic and confusion to discussions regarding their territories and shared survival tips.

Naturally, most of these were accounts of disaster and painful setbacks.

Every participant was beginning to grasp the core problem: survival!

"Whatever you do, don't send anyone out of the Safety Zone for food! My two Tier 1 One-star farmers were ripped apart by a giant black spider the size of a man! It was terrifying!"

"Crap! One of my farmers is dead too! The survivor made it back but refuses to leave the camp. The problem is I have water in my safety zone, but zero food..."

"Haha, I just pulled a powerful Tier 1 Two-star hunter! He's already setting up traps at the camp entrance to bring in some meat! Bow before me, peasants!"

"Help! A crocodile the size of a yacht just dragged my farmer into the water! I'm hiding by the swamp, shaking. What do I do?"

"Holy hell! I just saw a giant lizard breathing fire! Am I hallucinating?!"

...

Watching the endless stream of messages, Leo Ray felt a growing sense of dread.

Giant spiders? Yacht-sized crocodiles? Lizards that breathe fire?!

These monstrous beings, usually reserved for movies and novels, were now a living reality.

More chillingly, these were only the reports from people who survived to send them.

Did this mean others had been killed before they even had a chance to type a word?

Cold sweat began to bead on Leo Ray's forehead at that realization.

There was no room for doubt; this world was fundamentally different from his old life.

And it was lethally dangerous!

After a moment to steady his nerves and compose himself, he began to synthesize the information he had gathered.

First, the billion transmigrators were primarily young adults; children and the elderly were nowhere to be seen.

Second, regardless of their previous social status, everyone started with the same basic wooden hut.

Territory locations varied wildly, ranging from forests and riverbanks to swamps and cliffsides.

While most found water nearby, food was a critical scarcity.

Lastly, the areas outside the safety zones were prowled by demonic beasts and other formidable predators.

Worse still, many lords had already lost their newly recruited Tier 1 subordinates to these beasts.

"It seems that before anyone can think of conquest, just surviving this initial phase will be too much for many."

Holding the two precious Tier 1 Recruitment Orders, Leo Ray let out a heavy sigh as his mood soured.

"I just hope I can pull a hunter who knows how to set traps. At least then I won't starve..."

Even as he hoped for this, he knew very few people in the Chat Channel had been lucky enough to get a hunter.

Given his history of bad luck, Leo Ray didn't expect to be among the fortunate few.

Just as he prepared to activate the Recruitment Order with a pounding heart, the mechanical voice returned.

[Awakening conditions met. Initializing Talent Awakening...]

[Congratulations, Lord! You have successfully awakened the Divine Talent: 'Golden Finger Lv.1'!]