Ace Troops Episode 14 Recap
> Ace Troops Recaps
As the 720th Regiment prepared for an upcoming confrontation exercise, the Ninth Squad of the Ninth Company, recognized as a crucial unit, was tasked with leading the charge. Zhang Fei, its leader, emphasized to Gu Yiye the importance of seizing this opportunity for a breakthrough victory. However, on the eve of the exercise, Gu Yiye received a letter from Jiang Nanzheng.
The letter stated that their relationship was no longer suitable for further development and that they should prioritize their work and studies. Upon seeing it, Zhang Fei remarked on its beautiful script, noting it was clearly written by a girl. Distraught, Gu Yiye immediately called the Communication Company, only for Jiang Nanzheng to curtly hang up, stating she was at work and he was interfering.
During the Blue Ridge maneuver, the Ninth Company executed their strategy: Qin Hanyong's main force performed a feint attack, while Zhang Fei led the Ninth Squad on a flanking maneuver through the back mountain. Gu Yiye, serving as the point man, was visibly distracted, his mind replaying Jiang Nanzheng's words. His lack of focus became apparent to Zhang Fei, who had to repeatedly urge him to concentrate.
When given the chance to throw a hand grenade, Gu Yiye, still lost in thought, threw it without pulling the pin, a mistake quickly noticed by the opposing forces. This blunder allowed the enemy to reinforce, encircling the Ninth Squad and ultimately leading to the complete defeat of the entire Ninth Company. Following the exercise, Division Commander Zheng Yuan expressed his profound disappointment in the Ninth Company's performance, chastising them for failing to capitalize on their chance for an upswing.
Qin Hanyong reprimanded Zhang Fei, and Gu Yiye stepped forward to take full responsibility, admitting that his hesitation had cost them the victory. Qin Hanyong, enraged, called him a "loser" and an "idiot." That night, Gu Yiye engaged in intense training, pushing himself until his hands were raw and blistered. He reflected on his father's advice: war is a marathon, not a sprint, demanding forty years of unwavering endurance and freedom from error.
He realized that injuries, though painful, were not a sign of toughness but rather hindrances, as they reduce training, lower quality, and lead to worse battlefield performance. If mistakes occur, he mused, one must decisively correct them, even if it means pain, because pain serves as a reminder that one is on the path to improvement. His goal was to forge himself into steel for his dreams. Later, Zheng Yuan convened a meeting to summarize the exercise.
He critically assessed the 720th Regiment and the Ninth Company, acknowledging China's border victories but also highlighting the many problems exposed. He stressed that the biggest issue was the disconnect between daily training and the realities of combat. He declared that superficial "fancy footwork" in training would no longer be tolerated, and losing an exercise would carry real consequences, not just a promise to "do better next time."
Taking personal responsibility, Zheng Yuan announced he would temporarily relocate to the Ninth Company's station to help them collectively analyze their mistakes and enhance their military capabilities. After the meeting, Gao Liang approached Deputy Staff Officer Song Jianshe. Gao Liang, who had been privy to the division's internal discussions, suggested that the Ninth Company's defeat stemmed from a lack of cohesion and morale.
He proposed that the company engage in paired training with female soldiers, a method they had successfully used before, believing that seeing female soldiers perform well in shooting would motivate the male soldiers to train harder. Song Jianshe, initially skeptical, agreed it was a viable tactic to ignite their competitive spirit. Acting on Gao Liang's suggestion, Qin Hanyong and Song Jianshe organized a joint shooting practice between the Ninth Company and the Communication Company.
Gu Yiye, with his perfect score, and the Ninth Company, with a higher overall score, initially seemed to have redeemed themselves. However, Zheng Yuan's unexpected arrival quickly changed the mood. He questioned Qin Hanyong's pride in winning against a communication unit, implicitly stating it was no real victory, especially when compared to their specialty. He criticized the notion of such training, sarcastically asking if they planned to request enemy forces send only female soldiers to the battlefield.
Gao Liang then admitted the idea was his. Zheng Yuan angrily admonished the officers for allowing a junior soldier to dictate their training methods, emphasizing that leaders must critically evaluate suggestions and address the core issues. Zheng Yuan then spoke of a past incident in their regiment, five years prior, where an officer, upon learning of his father's death just before deployment, silently pocketed the telegram and fought bravely on the battlefield.
The officer's company was nearly wiped out, with only three survivors. Upon his return, he cried for three days at his father's grave, his knees swelling from kneeling. Zheng Yuan identified this officer as Song Jianshe and asked him about his mindset at the time. Song Jianshe replied that a soldier's duty is to obey orders and win battles, regardless of personal cost, even if it meant being crushed to pieces.
Zheng Yuan praised this as the true spirit of a soldier who puts nation and people first, urging everyone to learn from him. He reiterated his philosophy, using an analogy of a cat's vigilance and resilience versus a dog's rule-following, stressing that soldiers must be constantly alert and push themselves to the extreme in training, "losing nine lives on the training field to take the last one to the battlefield."
Training intensified across the division, with the Communication Company also busily preparing for a military district competition. Jiang Nanzheng was diligently training for her chance to participate. Gao Liang visited Gu Yiye and inquired about his relationship with Jiang Nanzheng, leading Gu Yiye to suspect Gao Liang's interference. Gao Liang vehemently denied this, explaining that Jiang Nanzheng was an independent and strong-willed person, not easily swayed by a few words.
Seeing Gu Yiye's distress, Gao Liang revealed a classified secret: Jiang Nanzheng was Division Commander Zheng Yuan's daughter, though they had yet to reconcile and their relationship remained strained, causing Zheng Yuan much sorrow. Gu Yiye immediately realized the immense pressure Jiang Nanzheng had been under, recalling her recent letter which hinted at her struggles, and regretted not understanding sooner. Gao Liang advised him not to disturb her, as they had already broken up.
In the final selection for the military district competition, Jiang Nanzheng, distracted by thoughts of Gu Yiye, stumbled during the wire-connecting test. She lost to Song Xiaoluo by a mere two seconds. Gao Liang tried to console her, urging her to accept the outcome. Still, Jiang Nanzheng struggled, admitting she couldn't move past it, especially whenever the Ninth Company was mentioned. She wondered aloud if achieving excellence in the army demanded such sacrifice, even of personal relationships.
Gao Liang countered that excellence isn't a transaction for emotions, but a soldier must cultivate inner strength and overcome emotional obstacles. Meanwhile, Zheng Yuan, though knowing Jiang Nanzheng wouldn't want to see him, expressed his concern by writing her numerous letters, filled with fatherly advice and encouragement, which he never sent. The military district decided to renovate the 720th Regiment's barracks, with Deputy Commander Xiao specifically overseeing the project.
Zheng Yuan, however, was more concerned about a proposed combat readiness road and submitted another report to Deputy Commander Xiao. He was then informed that Deputy Commander Xiao had bypassed the division headquarters and gone directly to the 720th Regiment. Rushing to the regiment with Political Commissar Wang, they found Deputy Commander Xiao in the kitchen.
He explained that the road project was denied because the national strategic focus was shifting from combat preparedness to economic construction, requiring the military to "endure" current conditions. He admonished Zheng Yuan for his persistence, warning that his demands for such an expensive road (which could fund three renovations for all old barracks in the military district) could jeopardize the crucial barracks renovation project and invite severe criticism, even drowning him in spit. Unwavering, Zheng Yuan declared that he would proceed with building the road, even if it meant being "damned by all."
