Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 77: The Serpent Coaches

Ryan couldn't contain his excitement. "The gold medalist at last year's World Championships clocked in at 47.15 seconds! Your time today would have easily secured the championship!"

In the 100-meter freestyle, the 47-second mark was the ultimate threshold. Anyone who could dive under that time was practically guaranteed a podium finish.

Gabriel listened to the results, unable to believe his ears. Was this a performance a "veteran athlete" like him was still capable of?

He looked at his coach, his voice trembling. "Coach, you’re not messing with me, are you?"

Jonas pulled up the recorded footage on his tablet. "Gabriel, see for yourself just how fast you were moving."

Ryan placed Gabriel’s training footage from that morning side-by-side with the new clip for comparison. The difference was night and day; the improvement was undeniable to anyone with eyes.

Gabriel was stunned. "That... that person in the video is actually me!"

He finally began to digest the truth. He wasn't old. His physical functions hadn't declined—he was actually performing at a level that rivaled world records.

Ryan gripped Gabriel’s shoulder firmly, his eyes burning with intensity. "You idiot, you were the one who almost put out your own fire!"

He gestured sharply toward the still-rippling pool. "Look at those results! Your body is ready for another decade of battle!"

Gabriel’s eyes reddened with emotion as he gave a heavy, resolute nod. "I understand now, Coach."

He turned to Nancy, his eyes brimming with tears of gratitude. "Thank you for helping me find myself again."

Nancy shook her head. "You never lost anything." She pointed toward the water, her gaze bright. "Look. Your power was there all along. You just can't allow anyone—not even yourself—to extinguish your flame."

Gabriel nodded solemnly. "I'll remember that. Thank you."

Ryan gave Nancy a big thumbs-up. "That method was instant and effective. Absolutely brilliant!" He slapped his thigh in mock frustration. "Man, why are we only meeting a top-tier animal communicator like you right before a major competition?"

Nancy flushed at the praise. "It's not too late. At least we've resolved Gabriel’s mental block."

The assistant coach, whose attitude had completely shifted from his earlier coldness, stepped forward. "Miss Nancy, we have one more day before we leave. Would you like to come back tomorrow?" He smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Does your Reptile House have any... well, even scarier or uglier snakes? Could you bring them along for a visit?"

The rest of the swim team went silent, shivering at the suggestion.

Ryan fully supported the idea. "Exactly! We’d love to hire more 'Serpent Coaches' for practice. How does 500 dollars per session sound?"

Mist, who had already crawled back onto Nancy’s arm, widened her eyes in shock. "What? 500 bucks and I get to have fun with handsome men? Come on Miss Nancy, just pay up. I want to spend money here everyday!"

Nancy sighed and tapped Mist on the head. "What do you think this is, a nightclub? The swim team is paying us five hundred dollars to hire you as a coach."

Mist stood up straight, trembling with excitement. "Wow! This is awesome!"

"We would be honored," Nancy said, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "It's a privilege to help our national athletes improve their performance. However, would our zoo be allowed to promote these snakes as 'National Team Coaches' in the future?"

Ryan nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! These snake coaches are far more effective than we are! Let me call the director to clear it with him."

After a quick call, Ryan turned back to Nancy, beaming. "The director said if any athlete breaks a personal best at the World Championships, there will be bonuses! A 300,000-dollar reward for gold, 100,000 for silver, and 700,000 for breaking a record!"

Nancy was floored by the numbers. With twenty men on the national swim team, she felt like she was holding twenty lottery tickets.

"Perfect. I’ll go back and discuss it with the snakes in the Reptile House immediately!"

Ryan was flushed with excitement, clearly eager for more. "Let's make this happen. The director said if the results in swimming are successful, he’ll apply to the Sports Bureau to bring in animal coaches for other sports as well. The future of your zoo is looking very bright!"

Nancy felt a surge of adrenaline. "The animals and I will give it our all!"

Soon after, Ryan and the assistant coach were called into the main office by the director. The swimmers swarmed Nancy, chatting and curiously eyeing Mist as she remained coiled around Nancy’s arm.

Meanwhile, in the director's office on the second floor.

The door opened, and a man in a bespoke suit and gold-rimmed glasses stepped out with a steady, commanding stride.

Ryan followed closely behind, shaking the man’s hand as they said their goodbyes. "Thank you for Goodman Corp's generous sponsorship of the national team's rehabilitation program this year."

Jorgan gave a slight nod, his gaze behind the lenses sharp yet controlled. "You're too kind, Ryan. The Boss always says that the health of elite athletes is the best possible return on investment."

A perfectly measured smile touched his lips. "After all, a win-win situation is the only way Goodman Corp does business."