Global Lord in the Apocalypse: I Begin with a Greenhouse

“Congratulations! As the first Lord to draw a Shelter, Thomas Darby, you have successfully obtained a Wooden Hut!”

The System’s voice echoed through the air as a small building measuring three by four meters appeared on the giant screen ahead.

One hundred days ago, a notification screen had appeared before everyone at the same time the red mist began spreading across the Earth from an unknown source.

It grew thicker with each passing day, contaminating the air and soil and making food increasingly scarce. Before long, people were willing to kill just for a piece of bread.

“Hahaha! What kind of joke is this? Look at that! Who could possibly survive a monster attack with such a terrible Shelter?”

“Just a Bronze-level Shelter with no advantages whatsoever. That man is destined to die!”

In three days, everyone would be sent to the New World. Those fortunate enough to be selected as Lords would have the opportunity to draw a Shelter.

Those who were unlucky, however, would have to follow one of the Lords if they wanted to survive.

“You’re really an idiot!”

Another man gave Thomas a mocking look as he descended from the podium with a dejected expression.

Those selected as Lords had two choices today.

They could draw a Shelter, or they could receive ten thousand Energy Stones, which could be used to ignite a Sacred Flame to protect themselves from monster attacks.

This man had clearly made the wrong choice.

“You used your only chance just to draw a piece of trash? You should have taken the Energy Stones and given them to a Lord who actually deserves them!”

Nevertheless, Thomas’s misfortune seemed to have no effect on the other Lords. They eagerly stepped onto the podium, each wanting to see what they would receive.

“Congratulations! Lord Number Ten, you have successfully obtained a Watchtower!”

“Congratulations! Lord Number Twenty, you have successfully obtained a Storage Warehouse!”

The System’s voice continued to echo through the air.

No one knew what they would receive because everything was completely random.

“This really isn’t worth it.”

A man wearing a military uniform shook his head. By now, he and everyone else understood that gambling on the Shelter draw carried far too much risk.

“It seems the System gives each Lord a Shelter based on their background.”

Among all the Lords who had stepped onto the podium, those with powerful backgrounds received golden-level palaces or watchtowers.

On the other hand, those without any significant background received nothing but bronze-level trash.

“We should choose the Stones instead of a Shelter!”

That sentence soon became a mantra among the Lords.

Of the thousand Lords selected, only ninety-eight chose to draw a Shelter. Everyone else chose to exchange their chance for Energy Stones.

“What a bunch of useless people! Look at what a real man is supposed to get!”

A man in an expensive black suit suddenly stepped calmly out of the crowd.

“Kaelen Vance?”

One of them exclaimed in surprise.

“Isn’t he the richest billionaire in the city? Could it be... could it be that he’ll get the best Shelter?”

The moment everyone saw who had arrived, they immediately stepped aside to make way for him.

“Everyone, look at this!”

Kaelen stood proudly on the podium.

After observing how the System assigned Shelters to the Lords, he was certain that his Shelter would be larger, more luxurious, and more reliable than anyone else’s.

Tap!

He placed his hand on the altar.

The screen displayed a magnificent palace surrounded by a spacious courtyard.

“Congratulations! Lord Kaelen Vance, you have successfully obtained a Golden-level Palace!”

“Holy shit! Lord Vance really did it! He got such a magnificent Palace! There’s no doubt about it—he’s our savior! We should all follow him!”

A man roughly pushed his way through the crowd and hurried to the bottom of the podium to welcome Kaelen.

He wanted to be the first person to serve the chosen one.

“What are you all waiting for? Let’s join Lord Vance!”

Another man immediately stepped forward.

As if those words had snapped everyone out of their shock, they all hurried after him.

Within moments, almost everyone had gathered around Kaelen.

“You think joining me is free?” Kaelen shouted.

“Men, you must work hard and obey my orders. And the women must prove their worth by taking off their clothes in front of me! Only then will you be worthy of setting foot in my Palace! Hahaha!”

“That’s not fair!” protested a man wearing a government uniform. “You can’t just make up whatever rules you want! In this apocalyptic world, we should help one another!”

“Hey, old man! Who gave you the right to speak to me like that?”

Kaelen’s expression darkened.

“This is my Palace, and I make the rules! If you or anyone else doesn’t like it, then stay away! I don’t need people like you!”

“Please ignore him, my Lord! We’ll do whatever you say and serve you with all our hearts!”

The sycophants immediately bowed deeply before Kaelen.

They didn’t care what they had to do later, as long as they could secure a place inside the Palace.

“Please accept us!”

While everyone continued praising Kaelen and saying whatever they could to win his favor, it was finally Adrian’s turn to step onto the podium.

“Valia, I’m going up now.”

Adrian placed both hands on the shoulders of a beautiful young woman wearing a formal uniform.

As a fortunate couple who had both been selected as Lords, they had agreed that one of them would draw a Shelter while the other would choose the Energy Stones.

“In this apocalyptic world, we can’t rely on anyone except each other,” Adrian continued.

“Following another Lord isn’t a guarantee of safety. We have to draw our own Shelter.”

“You don’t need to worry, Adrian.”

A warm smile appeared on Valia’s beautiful lips, her eyes filled with sincerity.

“Whatever you get, I’ll always be with you.”

“Hmm.”

Adrian nodded and walked steadily toward the podium.

“Hey, look! Isn’t that the vegetable delivery guy?”

“What an idiot! He actually still thinks he can draw a Shelter!”

“What a useless fool!”

The crowd’s voices immediately erupted from one side.

“Does he think he’ll get a Palace like Lord Vance?”

“Good grief! A hard life has really blinded him to reality!”

Mocking voices soon came from several other directions.

Ignoring everyone’s ridicule, Adrian placed his hand on the altar.

BZZZZT!

A faint electric current flowed through his palm.

At the same time, a powerful golden light burst from the altar and swept in every direction.

Nothing like this had ever happened to any of the previous Lords.

“Good heavens! This guy... could he actually break the rules and get a Palace?”

Everyone could only hold their breath as they waited to see what would happen next.

“Congratulations! As the ninety-ninth Lord to draw a Shelter, Adrian Galael, you have obtained a Greenhouse!”

The screen displayed a structure measuring three by four meters and no more than two meters high.

Not only were its supports made from small branches, but its entire walls were made of nothing more than thick plastic.

“What? Just a toy Greenhouse?”

“Hahaha! It turns out this guy is even worse off than we thought!”

“This idiot is definitely going to die!”

A simple Wooden Hut or Storage Warehouse was already considered one of the worst possible results.

A Greenhouse?

That was a new record for the worst Shelter imaginable.

“Valia, don’t worry. We can still follow our original plan,” Adrian said as he descended from the podium. “With the Energy Stones you have, we can—”

“Enough, Adrian. Stop talking nonsense. I’m not going with you.”

Valia didn’t even bother to look remorseful as she walked toward Kaelen.

“Valia, wait. Didn’t we promise to look after each other?”

“Adrian, really?”

She turned around, an annoyed expression clearly visible on her face.

“You still think you’re worthy of protecting someone? Look at what you got!”

“Even though I know someone is going to die eventually, I don’t want to make myself miserable in the New World! I still want to enjoy my life!”

Unexpectedly, Kaelen had already appeared in front of them, with almost everyone standing behind him.

Seeing Valia approach, the Lord casually pulled her into his arms.

“Adrian, stop being naive and grow up!”

“No one will survive in the New World without preparation! Join me and serve me like a good slave! Then I might consider giving you a more respectable position in my Palace!”

“Hahaha!”

Laughter and mockery immediately echoed through the air.

Everyone knew it wasn’t an offer.

It was nothing more than Kaelen humiliating Adrian.

“Go,” Adrian said, suppressing his anger. “I don’t need you!”

“Oh, look at you!” Kaelen replied. “You don’t have anything to protect yourself with, yet you still dare to act arrogant in front of me!”

“Even your beautiful woman is much smarter. She’s giving herself completely to me! She knows much better how to please me!”

“Hahaha!”

Kaelen casually spoke as he busied himself kissing Valia on the cheek.

“Valia, you...”

Adrian couldn’t hold back his disappointment as both his hands clenched tightly.

They had been together for three years.

Yet in all that time, he had never even been given the chance to hold the girl’s hand, let alone embrace her.

“Adrian, we mustn’t have any physical contact until our wedding day. I just want to preserve myself. I hope you’ll respect my decision.”

Yet now, right before his eyes, this woman not only allowed another man to hold her in his arms—she even seemed to enjoy it.

“You’ve really gone too far.”

At that very moment, a mysterious voice sounded inside Adrian’s mind.

“Congratulations! Lord Number Ninety-Nine, you have successfully awakened a Legendary Ability at the highest level. Touch anything, and it will transform. You have three uses per day.”

What?

A Legendary Ability?

Adrian didn’t know whether he should feel sad or happy. But whatever the case, at least he no longer had to worry about his Shelter.

With this new ability, he was certain he could do something more to survive.

“Keep your offer to yourself!” Adrian said. “I’m not interested! Whatever happens from now on, I guarantee I’ll never set foot in your Palace!”

[00:00:10]

At the same time, the enormous numbers hanging in the sky showed that time was running out.

In ten seconds, they would all be transported to the New World.

Most of the people stood behind Kaelen, while a small number still had enough pride to stand on their own.

“How arrogant!”

Kaelen’s face tightened.

Having lived a life surrounded by wealth, he was a man who had never heard the word no in his entire life.

Adrian’s rejection felt like a slap across his face.

“I’ll make sure you suffer!” His eyes were filled with malice. “But I’ll make you enjoy it slowly until you desperately beg for your own death!”

[00:00:00]

A hole suddenly opened in the sky. Then, everyone was sucked into it.