Why cant we design the system so that webnodes just unlock the PRL themselves via an API like etherscan.io?
I am not exactly sure what your question is - but right now it is storage users who pay in pearl for decentralized storage which the webnodes support. As webnodes do proof of work and data retention operations which store the file they find these pearls. This system connects storage users, website owners, and all the unused resources of website visitors.