A blinding white light struck Lucas' consciousness like a bolt of lightning in the middle of the night. The world around him turned into a swirling mass of light, destroying the reality he knew. The noise of Jakarta—car horns, people talking, the hum of office air conditioners—all vanished in the blink of an eye.
All that remained was silence.
When his eyes opened again, Lucas found himself standing on a barren expanse of land that stretched endlessly. The sky above his head was a dull gray, as if the sun refused to shine on this place. A dry wind blew softly, carrying dust that tickled his nose.
"What… happened?"
His voice sounded strange in the silence. Lucas looked in all directions, trying to find a clue. There were no skyscrapers, no paved roads, no signs of modern civilization. Only barren land filled with small stones and dying bushes.
His heart was beating fast. This was no dream—he could taste the dust on his lips, the smell of dry earth in his nose, and the cold wind against his skin. But how could he possibly move from the air-conditioned office space on the 15th floor to a remote place like this?
Suddenly, a disembodied voice echoed inside his head:
[Welcome to Global Lord.]
Lucas jerked back, nearly tripping over a rock behind him. The voice sounded like an AI with a flat tone, but somehow he could understand every word clearly.
[You are one of 8.2 billion humans who have been selected to participate in the greatest survival simulation of all time.]
"Simulation?" Lucas muttered. "This is crazy…"
[In the world of Global Lord, you will be a Lord—the ruler of a personal domain that must be built from scratch. Your goal is simple: survive and thrive.]
Before Lucas could fully process the information, the scene before him changed. A semi-transparent holographic panel appeared, floating in the air directly in front of him. The panel was filled with neatly organized information:
[LORD PANEL]
Name: Lucas Thorne
Level: 1
Region: Barren Outskirts
Population: 0
Resources:
Gold: 100
Wood: 50
Stone: 50
Food: 20
Buildings:
Lord Hall (Level 1)
Empty Lair (x1)
Special Status: [Locked - Will be unlocked after tutorial]
Lucas stared at the panel with his mouth hanging open. The information on it felt familiar, like the interface of a strategy game he had played before. But this was too real to be a game.
"Lord Hall?" he muttered as he looked around. "Where—"
His gaze stopped on a small building about fifty meters away. The structure was made of plain gray stone with a simple wooden roof. It wasn't particularly impressive, but it at least provided shelter.
Lucas walked over to the building, his steps making a thudding sound on the dry ground. As he got closer, the details of the building became clearer. There was a simple carving on the front wall—a crown symbol surrounded by ancient runes.
The door to the Lord Hall was made of oak, looking sturdy yet simple. There was no lock or handle—just a small panel that glowed dimly. When Lucas touched it, the door swung open by itself.
The interior of the Lord Hall was very minimalist. The main room was about 4x4 meters in size with a low ceiling. In the center of the room stood a round table made of shiny black stone. On top of the table, there was a blue crystal orb that emitted a soft light.
[This is your Territory Core. As long as this Core is intact, your territory will remain safe from direct invasion.]
The system's voice echoed again. Lucas approached the crystal orb carefully. When his finger touched its surface, a warm sensation spread throughout his body.
[Lord Panel access has been expanded. You can now manage your territory from the Core Territory.]
The hologram panel from earlier reappeared, but this time with more tabs and options. Lucas explored the menus available: Construction, Military, Diplomacy, Trade, Research. It all felt complex but intuitive.
He exited the Lord Hall and began to explore his territory. The barren land stretched as far as the eye could see, but Lucas began to realize the boundaries of his territory. There was a transparent barrier that formed a circle with a radius of about 500 meters, with the Lord Hall at its center.
In the northwest corner of his territory, Lucas found the second building mentioned in the Lord Panel—the Empty Lair. The structure was larger than the Lord Hall, shaped like a circle with a diameter of about ten meters. The walls were made of black stone with more intricate carvings.
Lucas pushed open the heavy door to the Lair. The interior of the building was completely empty—just a circular room with a flat stone floor. But there was something about it that made his skin crawl. The room felt... alive, as if waiting for something.
[The Lair is the heart of your military force. This is where combat units are summoned and trained. This empty lair can house different types of units, depending on what you choose.]
"Combat units?" Lucas asked the empty air. "Like an army?"
[Right. Every Lord needs an army to protect his territory and expand his dominion. Without military units, you won't last long.]
The system's tone was more serious this time. Lucas felt a chill run down his spine. If this was really about survival, then the threats out there must be real.
He returned to the Lord Hall and activated the Core Territory. The information panel that appeared showed more details about his territory. There was a mini-map showing the surrounding topography—mostly flat land with a few small hills in the distance.
What caught his attention were a few gray dots on the map labeled "Unexplored." These locations were scattered outside the boundaries of his territory, waiting to be explored.
Lucas spent the next few hours understanding the systems that governed this world. He learned that Gold was the primary currency, while Wood, Stone, and Food were basic resources for construction and maintenance. Population indicated the number of units he could maintain, while Lord level determined the abilities and buildings he could access.
As he was busy exploring the Research menu, a strange sound came from outside. Lucas lifted his head and listened carefully. The sound was like a muffled screech, coming from the east. He exited the Lord Hall and looked up at the sky. The gray was beginning to darken into black. Stars were beginning to appear, but there was something strange about their light—too red, too cold.
[Warning: Night is coming. Hostile mobs will start appearing in the surrounding area. It is recommended to stay within safe areas.]
Lucas' heart was pounding. "Hostile mobs? You mean monsters?"
[The Global Lord world is inhabited by various dangerous creatures that become active at night. Without adequate protection, new Lords have a low survival rate.]
The sky was rapidly darkening, as if someone had pulled a giant curtain over the world. Lucas could hear strange sounds in the distance—low growls, screeches, and something that sounded like hoofed feet scratching the ground.
He ran back to the Lord Hall and slammed the door shut. Through the small window, he could see shadows moving in the darkness. Gleaming red eyes could occasionally be seen at the edge of his territory, watching from a distance.
Lucas sat on the floor of the Lord Hall, his back to the still dimly glowing Core Territory. The Lord panel was still open in front of him, displaying the status of his territory. He realized how vulnerable his position was—no military units, no defenses, only a territorial barrier protecting him from the threats outside.
"Shit," he muttered, rubbing his face with both hands. "This isn't the world I knew anymore."
But amidst the fear and confusion, something began to stir in his chest. Something dark and hungry. Something that whispered that he could be more than just a Lord struggling to survive.
Lucas stared at the menu that was still open, his eyes focused on the tab that read "Special Status - Locked." There was something there, something waiting to be revealed.
Outside, the screeching sounds grew louder. His first night in the Global Lord world had just begun.
[Night approaches; hostile mobs spawning.]