The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System

The blend of comedy and adventure kept catching me off guard in a good way. Was this humor intentional from the start or did it develop during writing?

Ren Zha's attempts at self-preservation felt so clever and meta. I wonder what inspired the choice to make the main character so self-aware and humorous.

The representation felt natural and seamlessly integrated, which is refreshing. Did the author mention any particular inspiration for including these themes?