Ling Qingyu attempted another 20 jumps of which after the initial 3 jumps, her margin error had averaged less than 10 meters.
It is a marvel for any parachuting specialist. Ling Qingyu tried to limit her landing below 5 meters error.
8 out of 10, she accomplished her task. The two were still under 10 meters range so she didn't fail.
Of course, other uncontrollable variables would sometimes affect the outcome such as sudden gusts, temperature, humidity, and many more physics.
In fact, these jumps as paratroopers seemed to be freely played by Ling Qingyu, unlike last time when Miss System limited the mission requirements.
However, she knew after these tutorial jumps were over, Miss System would begin to train her systematically.
That was the reason why Ling Qingyu endeavored to grasp basic understandings and principles as well as techniques to prepare herself for the challenge.
Unknown to Ling Qingyu, Miss System was impressed by her enthusiastic optimism toward challenge and relentless pursuit of perfection.
Several jumps later because Ling Qingyu didn't bother to count anymore, 5 meters radius was achieved. Sometimes, Ling Qingyu completed a landing radius of less than 5 meters but these were attributed to luck.
She couldn't improve anymore. After all, the initial jumping point was based on an automatic parachute mechanism. It was already a miracle that Ling Qingyu brought down the error margin toward 5-meter radius merely by controlling the toggles.
The surrounding environment changed again. This time, Ling Qingyu sat on the chair and an instructor was speaking in front of her, holding a stick, pointing at the whiteboard.
She knew she was in a military academy to learn the necessary knowledge. Unlike uneducated jump last time only relying on experience and sense, Ling Qingyu began to understand the concept such as why such movements brought a particular result.
Learning about parachuting and skydiving, Ling Qingyu immersed in theory and sighed in relief that Miss System had let her go. Otherwise, if she were to always train during a war scenario, who knew what PTSD would she suffer.
Then, she was forced to practice by lying flat on her tummy on the sand and strictly implement a posture, useful for skydiving maneuver.
The scene changed again, once she mastered all the essential techniques so that she could apply them in 'reality'.
Apparently, Ling Qingyu felt discomfort at the extra equipment especially the oxygen mask. She knew the plane height was around 10,000 meter.
Paratrooper usually jumped around 300 meter to 7600 meter. Static Line jumps, referring to Ling Qingyu's prior initial experience, took place between 300 to 1500 meters where the parachute automatically deployed as soon as the jumpers exited the aircraft.
High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) jumped from altitudes between 4500 and 7600 meters. As the terminology said, the jumper deployed parachute at lower altitude after free falling for a significant distance.
High Altitude High Opening referred to a jump from altitudes around 7600 meter but a parachute was deployed shortly after exiting the aircraft, allowing the jumper to glide for long distance.
Jumping from 10,000 meters was a whole new different level, requiring specialized equipment and training. Such jumps were typically associated with high-altitude military operations, like those involving special forces, but even then they are rare and not standard practice.
With a warning blare after pressure, the compartment at the trunk of an aircraft gradually opened.
Heck, Ling Qingyu wondered if she leaped directly from airborne troops to Tier-one operators. She was promoted too fast, right?
Ling Qingyu struggled to the open hanger. There were so many tools and restraints, unlike last time where she only carried necessary stuff.
Now, the weight increased with oxygen tubes and more. One by one, her comrades jumped off under the signal of her leader.
Whether other heard her jokes or not, she exclaimed— "Geronimo!"
Ling Qingyu stood at the open door of the aircraft, her eyes focused on the target far below. She had jumped so many times now that the thrill of it had settled into a cold determination. Each leap into the sky felt like a step closer to mastering not just the fall, but the control of every moment she spent in the air.
The illusion had no concept of time, but Ling Qingyu knew she had been at this for years—decades even. The same routine played out repeatedly: the adrenaline-fueled jump, the rush of air as she free-fell, and the precise manipulation of the toggles to guide herself to the ground. But each time, she pushed herself to reduce her margin of error.
Her body no longer responded with fear. Instead, it acted with an almost mechanical precision. Her mind was sharper, calculating every shift in the wind, every change in her velocity. She could now land within ten meters of her target without even trying. But that wasn't enough.
The illusion allowed her to keep going, driving her to shave off those last few meters until she could land with an error margin of just one meter.
That was how long Ling Qingyu had trained, refining every aspect of her skydiving. As she stepped out of the plane for what felt like the thousandth time, everything was second nature.
The ground rushed up to meet her as she controlled her descent with a finesse that seemed almost inhuman. She pulled the toggles with expert timing, feeling the parachute respond to her every command. As she approached the ground, she aimed directly for the center of the target.
She touched down with barely a sound, her feet planted firmly on the ground, just one meter from the center.
Ling Qingyu exhaled, a small smile forming on her lips. She had done it. Thirty years of continuous training had honed her skills to near perfection.
Ling Qingyu looked around at the familiar surroundings. The illusion had served its purpose. She had become more than she ever thought possible. But now, it was time to step out of the dream and into reality.