If we sum the number of condensed ions around all hydrogel chains, we observe a highly non-monotonic behavior as a function of strain (see Figure ). Since the hydrogel tends to preserve its total volume under deformation cases, there are always relatively more stretched and more collapsed chains. For instance, in the compressive deformation (i.e., λ < 0), while the chains aligned in the ẑ direction are collapsed, chains aligned perpendicular to the ẑ direction are stretched further (see ). As a result, both compression and stretching of the hydrogel lead to an increase in the total amount of condensed counterions around the constituting chains of the hydrogel. Importantly, if we decrease the amount of water content inside the pervaded volume of the hydrogel, the total amount of condensed counterions in a deformation-free hydrogel increases (See Supporting Information Figure ). However, in those simulations, the deformation-dependent variations in condensation levels diminish with decreasing water content, consistent with weak electrostatic changes in weakly swollen hydrogel networks under deformation .