For Money

"Why is there insufficient funds? Weren't we supposed to resurrect 21 prison guards?"

Han Che looked up and spoke to the system in the void.

[Host, machine gunners are a special unit, and reviving them requires 100 million Haver coins. Your prison account balance is only 60, which is not enough for the revival fee.]

"100w?" Han Che asked in surprise.

"Why are machine gunners so expensive?! Ten times the price of a prison guard?!"

[Host, machine gunners, flamethrower soldiers, and other unit types are equipped with special armor and weapons, have unique resurrection conditions, and their prices will vary.]

Han Che gritted his teeth. The 100 million resurrection condition was indeed too harsh. However, whether from a rational or emotional point of view, Han Che had a need to revive Da Zhuang.

This is a special unit he obtained through his achievements, and it has special strategic value.

Moreover, as soon as he arrived at the prison, Han Che assigned him to the most dangerous job. Furthermore, Han Che promised all the prison guards that the warden would not abandon a single one of them if they fought or sacrificed for the prison.

"Resurrect him! With my personal account, I have enough money in my personal account!"

Han Che spoke to the system.

[Host, personal accounts and prison accounts cannot be shared.]

What does "cannot be shared" mean?

This really ignited Han Che's anger.

"I understand that I can't personally use prison funds! Can't I even give my own money to the prison??"

Looking at Da Zhuang's charred and unrecognizable corpse, Han Che couldn't accept the system's long list of rules and regulations.

[Host, funds from different sources are fundamentally different, and the system cannot misappropriate them.]

"Essential difference? What do you mean by essential difference?"

Han Che was even more confused, but the system remained silent.

"Damn it!! All you do is ask for money! What else can you do?"

Han Che shouted loudly, and at this moment, the prison guards who had just been revived noticed the situation and gathered around.

"Shi Ding, take the brothers down to rest first, I'll handle this."

Shi Ding nodded in understanding, but then turned around and handed the task over to Shi Lei.

After Shi Lei and the other prison guards left, Shi Ding stayed behind to keep Han Che company.

"Your Excellency Warden, it's alright, you did your best."

Han Che silently stared at the massive Gatling gun, his hand stroking Da Zhuang's heavy metal armor.

The black carbon deposits stained his warden's red gloves, and scenes from those moments flashed before his eyes.

Han Che's chest heaved as he suppressed his anger, then gradually calmed down, as if he had regained his composure.

The tone also became calmer.

"System, tell me how to access my prison account balance?"

Currently, the only ways for the host to obtain prison account balance are during the opening of Tidal Prison: by prison members killing player operators, by the Hafk Corporation distributing fixed funds before Tidal Prison opens, and by player operators' corresponding spending within the prison.

Han Che remained silent. Today's prison operation was over, and it would take at least 24 hours to reopen the prison.

All these methods of obtaining prison account balances require Tidal Prison to be activated.

This has created a vicious cycle.

Han Che lowered his head, no longer looking at Da Zhuang's kneeling corpse. He felt a tightness in his chest and his face burning.

"Shi Ding..." Han Che said calmly, "You can go back now. I'll be alone for a while."

"Your Excellency the Warden..." Shi Ding didn't know how to comfort him. He could see that the Warden's face under the white mask must be filled with pain.

He watched as the warden slowly sat down on the charred ground next to Da Zhuang's body, knowing that he could only leave him alone for a while.

"Boss, we brothers trust you and are very grateful to you."

"In war, casualties are inevitable, and we all know that."

"Although the boss always brings us back to life, we all know that one day we will die on the battlefield, under your command."

Even if I cannot be brought back to life, I will still have no regrets.

Shi Ding removed his bulletproof helmet and mask, and gave a proper salute to Da Zhuang's corpse.

Then, maintaining an upright posture, he slightly turned his feet to adjust the angle and saluted the warden again.

He then silently left the hydrodynamic canal.

There was no sound around Han Che; the prison returned to its deathly silence.

But Shi Ding's last words still lingered in Han Che's ears.

In war, casualties are inevitable.

A merciful general cannot command an army? Victory and defeat are common occurrences in warfare.

A lot of idioms and allusions from his past life popped into Han Che's mind.

"But in my past life, I was just a shut-in who stayed in my rented room playing video games."

"In my past life, I was just an ordinary person who came to a big city to make a living!"

"I'm not a general, I don't have that many brothers who follow me..."

His voice, hidden behind the mask, began to tremble, and his increasingly rapid breathing could barely suppress the calm he was trying to maintain.

He recalled the days before and after his rebirth.

After he came of age and graduated, he heard from others that there were more opportunities in big cities, so he left his hometown alone.

Work is constantly going wrong, and no one cares about interpersonal relationships.

It wasn't until he entered society that he truly understood what money was.

The money would allow his parents to not have to work so hard.

Money gives him the confidence to say no to injustice.

Money can buy time; when you're tired, stop and be alone.

Money can buy medicine and stop the disease.

As long as he has money, he doesn't care what he eats or wears every day, and he won't leave the house for months at a time...

As long as you have money!

With money, he can give his partner happiness!

With money, he would no longer suffer from others' ridicule!

With money, he might not have to suffer so much!

Don't give up on your dreams, just find a way to make a living...

He was alone in the big city, with no real life and no private time.

Even the games he used to love are now just tools for making money.

It's all about money!

Because of money, it's hard for me to see my parents!

He'd give up his dignity for money!

For money, he no longer has any personal time!

He was so exhausted from working so hard for money that he ended up in the hospital!

Because he needs money to feed himself!

Because he needs money to get rid of his troubles!

Because he needs money to maintain his pride!

In the end, in order to earn that little bit of money, he played video games in his rented room until he collapsed and died.

His life, marked by neglect and lack of recognition, came to an end.

He was actually quite fortunate that the world was a good place and that he had a group of brothers and subordinates who trusted him.

Some people rely on him, some people fear him...

"But why..." Han Che's voice finally broke free of restraint, "Why is this world still like this!"

"money!"

"money!!"

"money!!!"

Han Che stood up, took off the white mask from his face, and threw it hard on the ground.

"Aren't you fucking a system?!"

"I've been reborn, shouldn't you give me a cheat code?!"

"Shouldn't I have trampled everyone under my feet?!"

"I am Geheros! I can easily blow everyone's head off!!"

"Why! Why do you want money for this! Why do you want money for that!"

"What exactly did you send me to this Tidal Prison for?"

[Host, your current identity is Warden Geheros. Your task is simply to be yourself.]

"..." Han Che bent down and picked up the white mask that was lying face down on the ground.

It was put back on his face.

[A change in the host's mood has been detected]

[Congratulations, host, you have achieved the accomplishment. I am Geheros.]