The air in mid-air was fresh, and the cloudless sky was like a clear and impurity-free spring. Under this blue sky and white clouds, one could occasionally see many seagulls circling in the air. Several times they seemed to fly close to the helicopter.
When skydiving, the scariest thing is encountering seagulls, as they can easily collide with the helicopter, but skilled pilots generally avoid such low-level mistakes.
Reaching a high altitude, after taking in all the scenery of Rainbow Island, preparations for skydiving began. I noticed a vast expanse of azure ocean not far away. Our landing spot couldn't be here; it should be on the flat land beyond the ocean.
At this moment, the pilot in front suddenly spoke to us, "We will land on a small island opposite. Tourists can then take a yacht back here. A sumptuous barbecue feast is also available on the island, all provided for free."
"I didn't expect Rainbow Island to have another island. Isn't this the legendary island within an island? How interesting!"
"Yes, Rainbow Island has many attractions. If you have enough time, you can stay here for 7 days."
"That depends on our principal's decision. However, I think these few days should be enough, unless some special circumstances cause delays."
Zhang Keying chatted happily with the pilot. Mentioning the barbecue, she seemed quite excited. She exclaimed with joy, and judging by her demeanor, her earlier nervousness had vanished into thin air. The helicopter continued to move forward. Along the edge of the island, due to the surrounding climate, I noticed many clouds seemed to pass by us. A lot of water vapor was rising nearby, and our clothes were inadvertently getting wet.
However, encountering such a phenomenon in mid-air is quite normal. Anyone who has skydived should know this. Finally, we arrived at the island. At a suitable spot, a skydiving instructor began to guide us on how to skydive. I knew the basic procedure; it was all about Zhang Keying. We chatted for a bit in the helicopter and learned that the skydiving instructor's name was Kuang Junxiong. He had been working in this profession for over a decade, and it was evident he was a very experienced skydiving instructor.
His seasoned movements, strong arms, calluses accumulated over the years, the elongated marks left from pulling ropes, his wind-weathered cheeks, and his wrinkled face all testified to his identity as a skydiving instructor.
While assisting us with the jump, he first opened some switches for Zhang Keying and instructed her on what to do. Although these instructions had been given many times before, for a novice, it was better to remind them more at such a time.
After finishing with her, it was my turn. Both of us and Teacher Huang would jump with Kuang Junxiong. Teacher Huang also shared her previous skydiving experience, explaining a lot about skydiving knowledge to us. There were actually two other students here, and they both appeared to be novices. Among us, I was the only one with slightly more experience.
Finally, the preparations were complete. We jumped one after another in order. Not long after leaving the helicopter, the automatic parachutes all opened. Seeing everyone proceeding smoothly, my heart relaxed.
During the descent, due to the impact, our bodies felt as if they were being squeezed through the air, causing considerable discomfort. However, at the same time, this sensation was also very thrilling. The ground was actually soft grass, and even if there were some accidents, it was estimated that it could withstand a lot of force. It was just that at this moment, I don't know if I was overthinking, but a tragedy occurred near me.
A student who had successfully opened his reserve parachute suddenly screamed. A rope on his back snapped at that moment, causing him to lose balance immediately. I shouted several times from not far away, "Quickly press the button on the left, there's a reserve parachute!"
However, the other person was too flustered and couldn't do anything. His descent speed increased rapidly, and within a minute, he fell with a bang!
Several students next to me screamed in fear. The students who had already landed from another helicopter nearby, upon seeing the classmate who had fallen not far away, dared not approach.
After I landed, I ran over immediately. Although the grass cushioned the impact, it was clear that this student was injured. The pilot and instructors also landed shortly after and walked over. Kuang Junxiong, seeing the grim situation, took out his phone and made a call.
Soon, several paramedics arrived from the infirmary and carried the student away on a stretcher. I didn't even know his name until he had an accident. Zhang Keying told me that he was a classmate from her class, named Yan Yonghua, and he was the chemistry representative.
The flight equipment he used was immediately taken for inspection. However, I asked them not to touch anything and personally put on rubber gloves to examine it. I found only Yan Yonghua's fingerprints on it. The skydiving parts appeared normal, but the broken rope had an iron hook on it. This hook was supposed to be very secure, but now it was broken in two.
On the surface, it seemed as if the iron hook had simply broken due to long-term use. But I always felt something was not right.
After checking and finding nothing else, I had to go and see Yan Yonghua for now. In the infirmary, with the help of several medical staff, I learned that his spine had been affected, and he was severely injured, likely impacting his ability to walk in the future. Upon hearing this news, everyone present was extremely surprised, especially Teacher Huang. Teacher Huang bore significant responsibility for Yan Yonghua's accident.
Although she was scared, she still picked up her phone and called Professor Huo to inform him of the situation. I heard the professor scolding Teacher Huang harshly over the phone and then saying he would bring people over before hanging up.
Seeing Teacher Huang looking very distressed, I went over and comforted her a few words. Zhang Keying did the same.
Then, I approached Kuang Junxiong, who was smoking alone in the hospital corridor. "Coach, didn't you check thoroughly? Was there anything wrong with Yan Yonghua's flight equipment?"
"Of course, I checked. We are professionals in this regard. Such a situation is very rare. We can only blame the child for being careless."
"But there was something wrong with the iron hook. I just inspected it and it seemed to show signs of forced release."
"What do you mean? Officer He, I know you are a police officer, but you can't suspect everyone you see. I am a coach here. What benefit would I get from doing this? Wouldn't that ruin my reputation?"