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 haze 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 cabin in front of you serves as your Lord's Mansion. Your primary objective is to construct and expand it.]

[In this realm, you may 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 level of growth, encounters with other lords will occur. It is entirely up to you whether to form alliances or pursue a path of bloodshed 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 prepare for the trials ahead.]

[Reminder: Treat your subordinates with empathy, for they are living beings of flesh and blood.]

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

"Did I... actually transmigrate?"

Leo Ray’s confusion was quickly replaced by realization as he surveyed his bizarre new environment.

The sky above was piercingly bright, the intense sunlight forcing him to squint.

He was surrounded on all sides by a thick, vibrant green forest.

In the heavens above, two suns—one massive and one small—hung suspended!

"It appears I'm not alone; there are an entire billion lords just like me."

Contemplating this, Leo Ray let out a soft exclamation of shock.

"Regardless, I need to grasp the rules of this world fast! A single mistake could lead to a very real death!"

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

The dilapidated house was covered in dark stains and mold, giving it a weathered and crumbling look.

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

With a wry grin, he cautiously moved toward the entrance.

Stepping inside, the floorboards groaned under his weight as he inspected the interior.

The cabin spanned barely a dozen square meters and was almost entirely bare.

Aside from a pungent, musty odor, there was only a rigid wooden bed topped with a straw mat and a completely vacant wooden chest.

As Leo Ray leaned in for a closer look, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him.

A flood of information regarding the fundamental laws of this world rushed into his brain.

Several translucent interfaces materialized in his field of vision, capable of being summoned or dismissed with a thought.

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

After a moment of being stunned, Leo Ray opened 'Territory Information' first.

[Lord's Mansion Lv: 1 (Generates 2 'Tier 1 Recruitment Orders' daily)]

[Owner: Leo Ray]

[ID: 0013076067]

[Population: 1/10]

[Number of Buildings: 1]

[Storage Space: 0/100]

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

"So my entire territory is just this tiny shack? This is basically starting from zero, isn't it?"

Sighing with a shake of his head, Leo Ray concentrated, and two weathered wooden tokens materialized in his palms.

[Tier 1 Recruitment Order: Summons 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 soldiers."

Leo Ray stared at the Recruitment Orders, hesitating. He decided not to use them immediately.

Instead, he accessed the 'Chat Channel' to gather more intel and formulate a strategy. Only the "Regional Channel (National)" was currently available.

He entered the room.

[Current Channel: No. 022218]

The chat was incredibly frantic, with every post displaying an ID, name, and gender indicator.

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

"Guys, I was in LA five minutes ago, and now I'm in the middle of a desert? Is this some kind of joke?"

"Damn! I thought I was the only one who transmigrated. I thought I finally got my protagonist plot armor... what a scam!"

"Is there any gentleman who can take me home? I have a livestream scheduled tonight. I'll do anything you want, I promise!"

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

...

As time passed, the panic began to settle into grim acceptance.

The conversation shifted from frantic cries for help to discussions about base building and survival tips.

Naturally, these "tips" were mostly warnings born from tragic failures.

Everyone was starting to realize the core problem: staying alive.

"Whatever you do, don't send people outside the Safety Zone for food! My two Tier 1 One-star farmers were ripped apart by a spider the size of a human! It was horrifying!"

"Crap! One of my farmers is dead too! The survivor made it back but refuses to leave the cabin. There's water here, but there's nothing to eat..."

"Haha, I got lucky and pulled a Tier 1 Two-star hunter! He's currently setting traps around the camp to catch game! Bow before me, peasants!"

"Help me! A crocodile the size of a yacht just dragged my farmer into the water! I'm hiding by the swamp and I can't stop shaking!"

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

...

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

Human-sized spiders? Yacht-sized crocodiles? Fire-breathing lizards?!

The monsters that usually belonged in fantasy novels and movies were now a terrifying reality.

Furthermore, these were just the people who survived long enough to post.

How many others had died before they could even open the chat?

Cold sweat began to bead on Leo Ray’s forehead at the thought.

This world was fundamentally different from his old life.

It was a death trap.

After taking a moment to steady his breathing and calm his nerves, he began to synthesize the information.

First, the billion transmigrators were mostly young adults; there were no children or elderly people in sight.

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

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

While water seemed accessible for most, food was a critical shortage.

Finally, every Lord's Safety Zone was surrounded by demonic beasts or other lethal predators.

Tragically, many people had already lost their Tier 1 subordinates to these monsters within the first hour.

"Forget about world conquest; most people won't even survive the first stage."

Gripping the two Tier 1 Recruitment Orders, Leo Ray felt his mood sink to an all-time low.

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

Even as he said it, he knew how rare hunters were based on the chat logs.

Given his lifelong history of bad luck, Leo Ray didn't expect to be one of the fortunate ones.

Just as he prepared to activate the Recruitment Orders with a pounding heart, the mechanical voice spoke again.

[Awakening conditions met. Initializing Talent...]

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