Blue Star, inside a villa.
Chen Shi stared at the lavish decorations in the living room, rooted to the spot and somewhat at a loss.
He had originally been a struggling writer who specialized in Douluo fanfiction. After several straight months of flops, he barely had any money left in his pockets. A system had unexpectedly bound itself to him, and then he had suddenly appeared inside this villa.
The system was called the [Douluo Co-Renting System], but he knew nothing about its specific functions.
Just then, a translucent screen appeared before his eyes, densely packed with rules:
[Douluo Co-Renting System · Rules] [1. This villa belongs to the system. Host Chen Shi has the right to use it, but not to sell or transfer it. In the future, the protagonist may become its ultimate owner by completing the corresponding tasks.] [2. The villa contains six suites. The host may keep one; the remaining five are to be rented out.] [3. Tenants must be residents of the Douluo Continent. People from other worlds cannot be selected.] [4. After the thirty-day rental period expires, tenants must pledge other items as collateral to renew their leases. The collateral's value will be rated; the higher the rating, the longer the renewal period.] [5. Each time a tenant successfully renews their lease, the host will receive a system reward.] [6. If no tenants renew their leases when the thirty-day rental period expires, the villa will be permanently repossessed, and the host's corresponding memories will also be erased.] [7. Tenants may return to their original world once every seven days (time passes at the same rate).] [8. Once tenants have gained some understanding of the real world, the host may take them outside, but they must obey basic social rules.] [9. Tenants' cultivation will be sealed upon entering this world.] [10. For now, the villa has only been stocked with one month's worth of ingredients. If other ingredients are needed, the host must find a way to obtain them himself.] [11. The host must select the initial tenants himself.] [12...]
After reading through all the precautions on the system panel, Chen Shi felt as if his head were about to explode.
He had written so much fanfiction, yet he had never laid down this many rules.
Still, reading those rules gave him a little confidence: if he wanted tenants, he could only choose them himself, and they had to be characters from the Douluo Continent.
After selecting them, he would also have to do everything he could to make them stay, because that was his chance to keep living in this villa.
As for what rewards he would receive when tenants renewed their leases, he was not quite sure.
At that thought, Chen Shi asked tentatively:
"What do I get if a tenant renews their lease?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the system's voice rang out:
[If a tenant successfully renews their lease, the host will receive system rewards, including but not limited to: cash, abilities, items, and more.]
At the system's answer, Chen Shi's expression shifted slightly, and he began thinking rapidly.
Cash, abilities, and items were all excellent rewards for him right now.
He had spent two or three years writing Douluo fanfiction and knew the Douluo Continent's characters and plot better than his own life.
Which characters had weaknesses, what each character lacked, where the novel's plot had problems, who had been harmed by Tang San-he knew it all like the back of his hand.
Having made his decision, he blurted out, "I want to start choosing tenants!"
[World selection: Douluo Continent] [Please select the initial tenant list, up to a maximum of five people.]
After hearing the system's answer, Chen Shi began weighing his options.
First, he had to choose tenants from different factions so they would not band together. Choosing from multiple factions would also mean these tenants would expose one another's shortcomings and keep one another in check, making it easier for him to persuade others.
Second, he needed to choose people with vulnerable spots, the ones who had suffered relatively miserable fates in the original story. That would make it easier to earn their trust.
Lastly, and most importantly, he had to choose good-looking ones.
This was a shared rental, after all. The better-looking his housemates were, the better.
This had nothing to do with being lustful. It was a matter of quality of life.
After a moment's thought, Chen Shi finally said:
"The first tenant I choose is Xue Qinghe, also known as Qian Renxue."
His reason for putting it that way was simple: he intended to keep the plot confined to the period before Tang San grew powerful.
When Qian Renxue's identity was exposed, Tang San had only possessed six rings and was still unable to change the overall situation.
After he named his target, the system screen flickered and displayed Qian Renxue's basic information:
[Xue Qinghe, crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, an identity assumed by Spirit Hall's young mistress, Qian Renxue. Currently twenty-three years old and in Heaven Dou City.]
Chen Shi's eyes immediately lit up at the information provided by the system.
Qian Renxue was twenty-three now. Judging from her being nine to ten years older than Tang San, Tang San might have only just arrived in Heaven Dou City.
That would make many things easier to handle.
He then continued, "The second tenant I choose is Xiao Wu."
His reason for choosing Xiao Wu was simple: when he wanted to persuade the other tenants, Xiao Wu would serve as good proof.
As soon as Chen Shi finished speaking, Xiao Wu's information appeared on the system panel:
[Xiao Wu, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who took human form. Currently at Shrek Academy in Heaven Dou City. Age: thirteen.]
Chen Shi glanced at the panel and continued:
"For the third tenant, I choose Ning Rongrong."
[Ning Rongrong, wielder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul and a direct-line member of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Currently at Shrek Academy in Heaven Dou City, just like Xiao Wu. Age: thirteen.]
The system once again provided the basic information.
After reading it, Chen Shi went on to name his fourth choice:
"For the fourth tenant, I choose Dugu Yan."
[Dugu Yan, Poison Douluo's only granddaughter and a student at the Heaven Dou Royal Soul Master Academy. Age: twenty.]
"For my fifth tenant, I choose Hu Liena."
[Hu Liena, a core member of the Spirit Hall Golden Generation and a personal disciple of Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong. Age: eighteen.]
"I really am a genius!"
As Chen Shi looked over the five people he had selected, an irrepressible smile spread across his face.
These five belonged to three major factions: Shrek Academy, the Heaven Dou Empire, and Spirit Hall. They might not have been enemies, but at the very least, they were competitors.
All five were also members of the Douluo Continent's must-eat list. If they could live peacefully together in the villa, that scene would be simply too beautiful.
He already had detailed plans prepared for these five people. All that remained was for them to arrive.
Chen Shi took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and said to the system:
"System, confirm the tenant list!"
[Confirmation complete.] [Tenants will be transported to the villa's living room in ten seconds.] [Countdown:] [Ten, nine, eight...]
Just then, something suddenly occurred to Chen Shi, and he asked loudly:
"System, wait! Which rooms will they stay in when they get here? And which room do I get?"
[The host is advised to stay in the room on the third floor. Tenants will choose their own rooms.]
"Then if they start fighting over the rooms, what am I supposed to..."
Before Chen Shi could finish, the system's countdown had already reached its end.
[Three, two, one.] [Transport commencing!]
As the system's voice fell silent, five beams of light appeared simultaneously in the villa's living room.
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