You seem to have similar setup
Though for gaming I still use it mostly “directly”
Sunshine only when Im bored on work laptop
The VM still outputs to same display and has keyboard/mouse/etc. passed

I’ve been happy with the setup for the last year and half or so

Isnt that the usual initial userbase? Your average person probably doesn’t go around trying new platforms.

In my experience thats how makerspaces or hackerspaces work.
You might wanna check if you have any around.

Possibly because history tends to repeat itself. Especially in case of US starting conflicts there. Could easily see the Operation Ajax being what he based the book on.