A debt-ridden tycoon inherits a luxury mansion, but the tenants are not human.

8:12 PM. Single room in an urban village.

[Mr. Chen Mo, your loan is currently severely overdue, with a total principal and interest amount of ¥328,574.33. If you do not see the money by 9:00 AM tomorrow, your family will be notified to repay it on your behalf.]

Chen Mo stared intently at the debt collection messages on the screen, his fingers, which were holding a cigarette, trembling uncontrollably.

Below the text message was also an image.

That's a picture of his mother.

"Grass……"

Chen Mo roared loudly.

Three hundred thousand.

For the rich, it's just a watch; for him, a penniless man who had just been laid off, it was a lifeline.

He stared desperately at the window beside his bed, "Would jumping down be the end of it?"

Just then, the phone rang again.

It was a local landline number, and I assumed it was a debt collection call.

Chen Mo's eyes were bloodshot. He swiped to answer the call and shouted through gritted teeth, "Don't touch my mom! If you have a problem, come at me."

"Is this Mr. Chen Mo?"

On the other end of the phone was a middle-aged man's voice, clear and articulate. There was no cursing, no threats.

"I am Li Zhengcheng, a senior partner at Zhengcheng Law Firm. According to the client's will, I must contact you at 8:30 PM tonight."

Chen Mo was stunned: "What will?"

"Your third maternal uncle, Chen Banshan, passed away last month. You are the sole legal heir to his assets."

Attorney Li's voice was calm.

"The old house is at No. 17 Qing Shi Lane in the city center. It's a detached villa. The conservative estimate is three million. Come over at eight o'clock tomorrow morning to sign the papers and complete the formalities."

Three million!

These three words were like a lifeline, rekindling Chen Mo's hope.

After settling the 300,000 yuan debt, there's still 2.7 million yuan left! It's like God gave him a life-saving pill when he was about to die!

"The law firm is located on the 32nd floor of Tower B, Shanghai World Financial Center. If you do not arrive before 9:00 AM tomorrow, it will be considered as a voluntary waiver of your inheritance rights."

He hung up the phone after saying that.

Chen Mo's doubts gradually turned into excitement. He couldn't sleep all night, his mind filled with thoughts of how to spend the money.

At 8:00 a.m. the next day, Chen Mo, covered in sweat and smelling strongly of sweat, sat on the sofa in the law firm, his upturned lips harder to suppress than an AK could.

"Where's the contract? Bring it here so I can sign it!"

Chen Mo was planning that as soon as he got the property certificate, he would sell it immediately so that he could pay off all the debts.

Behind his desk, Attorney Li adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and gave a professional smile.

"Mr. Chen, the condition for inheriting these three million is that you must take over a special lease."

"What lease?" Chen Mo asked, puzzled.

Attorney Li took a small black square box out of his desk drawer.

Inside the box was a contract.

[Lessor: Chen Mo (successor)]

Lessee: Diling

[Rent: The landlord is required to assist the tenant in fulfilling one of their obligations each month.]

[Consequences of Default: Deduction of lifespan.]

[Special Clause: This property is prohibited from being sold, sublet, or mortgaged.]

Chen Mo looked completely bewildered.

"What...is an earth spirit?"

"I don't know." Attorney Li stared intently at him. "Mr. Chen's exact words were—'The people living inside aren't human.'"

Chen Mo stared blankly at the contract in front of him.

It cannot be sold or mortgaged!

This three-million-dollar mansion is an unrealizable prison! If you don't fulfill those obsessions, you'll lose a portion of your lifespan!

"Is this fucking a joke on me? I don't want it anymore!" Chen Mo suddenly stood up and was about to walk out of the law firm office.

"bite--"

My phone rang in my pocket.

The collection countdown text message has arrived: How's the money preparation going? There's only half an hour left until nine o'clock.

Chen Mo stood frozen in place.

If I don't sign, my family members will be in danger at any time.

If I sign the contract, at least I'll have a luxury apartment in the city center to hide from my debts, and I can save on rent!

I'm willing to risk my life, so why would I be afraid of ghosts?

"Give me the pen," Chen Mo said firmly.

He grabbed the black pen that was handed to him and signed his name fiercely.

"The contract is valid." Attorney Li handed over a rusty key.

After leaving the law firm, Chen Mo called a debt collection agency and told them that he had inherited a mansion, but concealed the fact that it could not be sold or mortgaged, and asked for an extension.

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a helpless reply: "You must pay it off within two months."

Noon. No. 17, Qingshi Lane.

This place is completely isolated from the bustling city just two streets away.

A cold wind blew in, and the air was filled with a damp smell.

Chen Mo stood at the bottom of the cracked stone steps, carefully examining the old house in front of him.

A small scarecrow hangs from the two rusty vermilion iron gates.

On the scarecrow's face, a bizarre grin stretched to its ears, painted in thick ink. When the night wind blew, the face seemed to come alive, staring intently at him with that smile.

Before he could take out his key, the heavy iron door cracked open inwards with a dark gap.

Like a mouth waiting to be fed.