"By the way, Coach Wendy, this game… it gets a little intense right at the start. Maybe you should close your eyes temporarily to get past the first part," Hannah Ford advised kindly.
"Yeah, trust me on this one!" Sophie Lane chimed in.
"What? How bad could it be? You two must think I'm a total coward!" Coach Wendy chuckled and waved her hand dismissively. "Come on now, I've won world-class championships! You think a video game is gonna scare me?"
As someone completely unfamiliar with gaming, Wendy assumed Hannah and Sophie were overreacting. After all, her only exposure to VR was watching her son dance around on a VR platform.
"Alright, alright, let's get started!" Wendy said confidently as she put on the VR headset.
Moments later...
"AHHHH!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!"
Wendy's terrified screams echoed through the VR experience area.
It wasn't even the Leviathan yet — just the initial high-altitude fall in the game's intro.
Watching from the sidelines, Hannah sighed. See? Should've listened to me...
But after that initial scare, things improved. When Wendy successfully landed on the planet's surface, she — like Hannah before her — was amazed by the stunning visuals of the Aurora spaceship and the breathtaking ocean scenery.
Despite being a middle-aged woman with no interest in games, Wendy found herself lingering in awe. She couldn't believe this was just a game — it felt like stepping into another world.
"So this is why my son's obsessed..." she thought.
Eventually, Hannah reminded Wendy to focus on the swimming mechanics.
When Wendy dove into the water, she was shocked — the swimming felt exactly like real life!
Every stroke, every movement — it was all perfectly simulated.
"This game… really simulates swimming this well?" Wendy muttered, amazed.
"If you think that's impressive, wait until you meet Chang'e, the in-game AI coach," Sophie added. "She'll teach you like a pro!"
Curious, Wendy tried calling for Chang'e. The sudden appearance of the AI's voice startled her, but she quickly got used to it.
To test Chang'e's accuracy, Wendy intentionally made a series of swimming mistakes — incorrect strokes, uneven breathing, awkward turns — yet every error was immediately detected and corrected by Chang'e's precise instructions.
"Unbelievable…" Wendy muttered under her breath.
For the next half hour, Wendy focused on practicing her strokes, while Chang'e tirelessly guided her with precise feedback.
When Wendy finally stepped off the VR platform, drenched in sweat, she was speechless.
"I'll admit it… I'm impressed. This game is... amazing!" Wendy declared.
She had tried to trick Chang'e with subtle mistakes — errors even an experienced coach could overlook — yet the AI caught everything.
"Honestly, this AI is better than some national-level coaches…" Wendy thought.
If a talented swimmer used Chang'e for guidance, they could potentially train to become a world champion.
"How can a game be this powerful?" she wondered.
Meanwhile, the other athletes had also tried the game and were equally stunned.
"Coach Wendy, this game is seriously impressive!" one of the swimmers chimed in.
"Yeah! It's fun and helpful for training!" another added.
Wendy nodded firmly. "Alright, Hannah, Sophie — you two were right. I'll talk to Coach Quinn about adding this to our training program."
Later, Wendy dialed Coach Quinn Harper from the men's swimming team.
Before she could even say a word, Quinn spoke first.
"Hey, Wendy! I was just about to call you. My guys told me about some VR game that's great for swim training. I tried it myself — it's incredible! I really think we should use it."
Wendy laughed. "I was calling to say the same thing! Let's file an official request to add it to our training program."
Soon after, the National Swimming Team's official social media posted a new update:
"Following the advice of multiple athletes, we will be incorporating Deep Sea Trek into our training program."
The post went viral instantly.
"OMG, they actually did it!"
"Hannah Ford is a queen! She really made this happen!"
"Wait... did a game just revolutionize Olympic training?!"
"Looks like Deep Sea Trek isn't just for gamers anymore!"
Meanwhile, at home, Zoe Taylor glanced at her phone and shouted excitedly, "Hey! Deep Sea Trek is trending again!"
"Oh?" her brother, Charlie Taylor, barely looked up from his phone. "That's nothing new. It's been blowing up for weeks now."
"No, this time it's different!" Zoe exclaimed. "The National Swimming Team is using your game for training!"
Now Charlie's attention snapped back to her. "Wait... seriously?"
"Yeah, look!" Zoe showed him the post.
Charlie chuckled. "Huh... well, that's pretty cool. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if other countries start doing the same."
"What?! You're just letting them?" Zoe gasped.
"Why not?" Charlie shrugged. "They bought the game fair and square. Besides, swimming still depends on talent and dedication — a game can't change that. The best swimmers will still come out on top."
"...Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Zoe mumbled.
"Oh, and speaking of surprises," Charlie added, "I bought a new place over at Silver Lake in Willow Hills. The moving company's on the way."
"Wait... what?!" Zoe's eyes widened. "When did this happen?"
"You've been too busy gaming to notice," Charlie teased. "Anyway, don't stress about packing too much. Just grab your essentials. We're keeping this house, so if you forget anything, you can always come back."
"Oh... well, okay," Zoe said with a shrug. "Wait... what about the VR platform?"
"Don't be silly," Charlie smirked. "We're buying a new one."
"YES!" Zoe cheered.
Just as they were packing, Zoe suddenly remembered something and gave Charlie a mischievous grin.
"You know... I could just expose you," she teased. "I could tell the world that the guy who loves tormenting players is actually my brother!"
Charlie didn't even flinch. With a sly smile, he leaned in close and whispered:
"Oh yeah? Well... you wouldn't want me to tell everyone about... your little secret, would you?"
Zoe froze. "...You wouldn't dare."
"Try me," Charlie smirked.
Zoe sighed, muttering under her breath, "Fine... you win."
"I have a bad feeling about this…" she thought to herself.
"I still think you're a little twisted," Zoe muttered as she packed her bag.
Charlie grinned. "Nah… I'm just giving players options. If they want a peaceful experience, they can explore the shallow seas. But if they want to push their limits? Well... that's where the Leviathan shows up."
"Pfft, 'kindness'? Yeah, right!" Zoe scoffed.
Charlie just laughed. "I'm telling you — I've been nice. Could've been much worse."
Zoe shot him a skeptical glare.
"...I'm serious!" Charlie grinned wider.
Deep down... they both knew he wasn't kidding.
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