Chapter 90: Rent Collection
"That does it! I worked enough for the day..." Aiden said, plopping down on the sofa.
[Host... it’s not even 2 PM yet.]
"So? What has me being tired got anything to do with time?"
[...]
"Besides, it’s not like I have anything else to do—"
[Host, you haven’t collected rent once.]
"...how do I do that?"
[...]
"Don’t give me that sass and tell me now. I can’t wait to level up!"
Everything had been so hectic that he completely forgot all about the rent collection. After all, it was an essential duty of a landlord. Besides, now that he had over a hundred tenants, he would surely unlock a new class.
[Um... host, there might have been a little miscommunication.]
"What do you mean?" Aiden shot back. "Don’t tell me you forgot to set the rent in the contract."
The system was stunned. She hadn’t even mentioned the fault in his contracts, which she had been correcting before sending them to the tenants, yet Aiden was quick to put the blame on her.
One would think she would have gotten used to it after spending centuries with Aiden, but that was far from the case. As much as she wanted to retort, she couldn’t do it because this time it really was her mistake.
[That’s not the case, host.]
"Then?"
[Um... the rent Exp you gain, it doesn’t level up your class.]
"...what? I clearly remember you told me that exp could be used to upgrade my class?"
The system didn’t dare reveal the truth. While she did say that, it was to ensure Aiden’s growth. She never thought he would find so many people so quickly and already become a building supervisor.
His growth was just too explosive. If left unchecked, he would have the entire planet under his control within a year. Then he would get bored, and that was the one thing the system didn’t want.
The entire Otherworld had suffered for decades just because of Aiden’s boredom. She did not want the same fate for Earth.
That’s why she quietly reprogrammed the exp system so Aiden could only upgrade the class by getting more tenants. At the same time, she refocused the rent exp to use it for facility upgrades instead.
Only after doing all that did the system bring up the topic of rent collection. She was relieved to see that Aiden had forgotten all about the rent and hoped he wouldn’t remember about the class upgrade thing either.
Unfortunately, Aiden had only forgotten about the rent and not its purpose.
[Ah, my tongue might have slipped... hehe...]
"..."
[He... he...?]
"How would you like to greet death?"
[H-Host? Violence is not the answer—]
"It’s always the solution," Aiden nodded in agreement. "Now what to do, motherfucker? Is it those false gods interfering with shit again?"
The system went silent like she was given a buoy while drowning. The system gods had already abandoned her from the moment they left the Otherworld, but Aiden didn’t know that. The system could just put all the blame on them and save her ass.
[Yes, host! I didn’t want to trouble you, that’s why I hid the truth. They are the ones making things difficult for you.]
After saying her piece, the system quietened down. Aiden remained silent as well, thinking about it. But before he could think too much about it, the system decided to play the hero.
[Host, they might have revoked the rules, but all is not lost! The exp you gain from rent could be used to level up the facilities you have erected.]
[The way I see it, it is a win-win situation for you! You might even be able to unlock the body modification chamber. Isn’t that great?]
"Shut it," Aiden scoffed. "You’re giving me a headache here."
Aiden thought about it for a while, and it was as the system said. He wasn’t really losing out on anything. Using exp to level up facilities was far easier than meeting random conditions.
For example, to level up the medicare center, the doctors there needed to treat a hundred individuals. It wouldn’t have been difficult if not for the stupid condition that one person only counted once.
In other words, healing the same person a hundred times didn’t count as a hundred treatments, but one. It was troublesome because the number of combat professionals in the apartment wasn’t even fifty.
I had hoped to complete the medicare upgrade after the fight with Joan. But it seems I can do it much earlier.
With that thought, Aiden made up his mind. He would collect the rent and unlock the body modification chamber first. It would help him create an actual range of superhumans to do his bidding.
Creating an army that could rival the demonic army of the Otherworld... what an absurd thought!
Aiden shot up from the sofa.
"HAHAHAHA!"
[Host...?]
"An army! Yes, an army to conquer everything for me. How can I forget my roots?"
The system’s life flashed before her nonexistent eyes. She thought Aiden would take his sweet time upgrading the facilities, but she didn’t think her innocent suggestion would lead him down an even darker path!
[Host! Please calm down!]
"Right," he said, smoothing down his shirt. "Rent collection. So how do we do it?"
[...I’m almost afraid to tell you how.]
"Did you say something?"
[No. Not at all. I was just fetching the list of rent collection methods.]
[There are currently three methods available to you.]
+++
First Method: Open collection!
The landlord can identify the tenants whose rent is due via the pseudo system interface. The tenants can then be asked to voluntarily submit payment within a set window. Late payments incur a penalty deduction.
+++
"Pass. Too boring for me."
[...]
There was only one thought in the system’s head. Since when did the simple task of collecting rent need to be ’fun’?
+++
Second Method: No work needed!
Rather than collecting a fixed amount, the system monitors each tenant’s exp reserves and skims a percentage only once they cross a certain threshold.
+++
[How about this host? You wouldn’t need to lift a single finger—]
"If you wanted to do this, then why didn’t you collect the rent till now, stupid ass bitch?"
[...]
The system almost retorted, saying, "Because you hadn’t set it up, stupid ass host!"
+++
Third Method: Barrier Pulse Integration!
The building would automatically collect an assigned amount of rent alongside the barrier’s cleansing pulse once per week at a designated time.
Anyone who doesn’t have sufficient exp will get demoted automatically. Anyone who cannot be demoted further would be punished according to the host’s preferences.
+++
"Now we’re talking! Let’s go with this. As for the punishment... let’s just have them fight ghouls for an hour for every percent of exp owed."
[You are a terrible landlord, host.]
Aiden just shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.