Ace Troops Episode 29 Recap
> Ace Troops Recap
Gao Liang, Jiang Weixing, and Niu Mancang, leading the Second Squadron, were engaged in verification work when Xia Lin and Gao Liang came into conflict. Xia Lin had formulated a plan without consulting Gao Liang, which Han Chunyu deemed inappropriate, suggesting a more cautious approach. Gao Liang suddenly appeared, demanding that Xia Lin incorporate Mt. Guier into the plan, ideally adjusting it to twelve units with reduced time for each, to ensure timely completion of the verification.
Xia Lin was infuriated, accusing Gao Liang of illicitly accessing his plan and not cooperating with the test. Gao Liang entrusted Han Chunyu with bug spray and green mangoes for Jiang Nanzheng, a gesture that evoked both envy and sadness in Han Chunyu regarding her own turbulent relationship. She confided in Jiang Nanzheng about Xia Lin's qualities, acknowledging his kindness but lamenting his current preoccupation with jealousy towards Gao Liang, which made her feel untrusted.
Unbeknownst to them, Xia Lin was eavesdropping outside the door and only revealed himself when Han Chunyu prepared to leave. Realizing Han Chunyu’s true feelings, Xia Lin reflected on his behavior and promptly sought to appease her. He handed her the bug spray through the window as a gesture of apology. Han Chunyu, teary-eyed, smiled and playfully held onto his hand, deliberately embarrassing him in front of the soldiers.
She then returned a gift, and their relationship resumed its former sweetness. On the day of the trial, Gao Liang was driving Jiang Nanzheng when they suddenly heard a loud explosion. Following the sound, they discovered villagers from Xiangsi Village had been killed by a landmine. They rescued Jingjing, an orphaned child who was severely injured and blinded, and rushed her to the hospital, where she thankfully survived the critical period.
Following this incident, Xia Lin redrafted the temporary plan, excluding Mt. Guier from further tests. He argued that the immediate priority was to report the situation to the military district and dispatch personnel to clear the minefield, preventing unnecessary casualties. However, Jiang Nanzheng refused to sign, insisting that the minefield's dangerous, near-combat environment offered valuable reference for the test and was crucial for identifying system flaws. After a stalemate, Gao Liang signed first, followed by Han Chunyu.
Outnumbered, Jiang Nanzheng was compelled to compromise without signing. Yet, she had not abandoned the idea of testing the minefield. After she and Gao Liang visited Jingjing in the hospital, Jiang Nanzheng again proposed resuming the Shanwang One test in Mt. Guier. Gao Liang, who was tracking the military's mine-clearing plan and also concerned about Jingjing, advised her not to be overly insistent.
Having spent his savings on Jingjing's surgery and previously supported the children of impoverished relatives, Gao Liang reluctantly asked Jiang Nanzheng for a loan. She turned and walked away. Gao Liang initially thought she refused, but soon received the money. He later learned that Jiang Nanzheng had inquired about adoption requirements at the Civil Affairs Bureau. As Gao Liang was not yet eligible to adopt, Jingjing was placed in a welfare home. Gao Liang happily wrote an IOU.
As they were sharing an intimate moment, Zheng Yuan returned with a potted plant. To punish Gao Liang for his bad habit of speaking ill of others behind their backs, Zheng Yuan deliberately ordered him to repeatedly move the potted plant, dozens of times over. Later, the Special Operations Second Team was pitted against the Red First Battalion in a confrontation exercise.
Jiang Weixing had scouted beforehand, confirming that the acting battalion commander, Gu Yiye, was away for a week of study, and that Instructor Zhang Yuejin, known as little Wangcheng, was leading the battalion. Because of this, Gao Liang and Jiang Weixing confidently believed they would easily defeat a mere political cadre with their experienced special forces.
They also knew that a victory in this exercise would secure their promotions to full battalion commanders, and Niu Mancang would be promoted from company commander to deputy battalion commander. Xia Lin, the Deputy Section Chief of The Military Training Section, came to check on their preparations.
Upon learning that Gao Liang had only prepared one battle plan, and hearing its content, he warned Gao Liang not to be too arrogant or overconfident just because he was the Army Commander's future son-in-law. Gao Liang, unfazed, retorted with a sarcastic comment about Xia Lin quarreling with his fiancée. During the subsequent exercise, Gao Liang learned the hard lesson of underestimating the enemy.
The opposing force had skillfully set up tank ambush positions, rendering the Special Operations Battalion's tanks useless within twenty minutes. After two hours of fighting, they still hadn't cleared the perimeters of Highlands 791 and 812, making it impossible to send in the Fourth Company as planned. As Gao Liang was at a loss, he received a phone call from Zheng Yuan, who furiously reprimanded him for his poor performance.
Shortly after hanging up, Gao Liang received another call from Gu Yiye. Only then did he learn that Gu Yiye, while indeed away for studies, had taken three days of leave to participate in the exercise. This revelation highlighted Gao Liang’s shortsightedness as a key factor in his defeat. Soon, the Red First Battalion launched a fierce counterattack, leaving the Special Operations Battalion no time to transition to defense and leading to a crushing defeat.
Zheng Yuan was furious, noting that while the Red First Battalion fought with "200 percent vigor" for the honor of being an ace unit, the Special Operations Battalion, as a vanguard expected to be among the first into battle, fought so poorly. He emphasized the severe consequences had it been a real war.
In his anger, Zheng Yuan ordered all infantry battalions in the Army Group to challenge the Special Operations Battalion, aiming to expose their false reputation and, through a last-place elimination system, create vacancies for more deserving units. Simultaneously, He Zhigeng, the Chief of Staff, expressed his interest in cultivating Xia Lin, offering him two choices: either directly assume the role of Section Chief of the training unit or be transferred to command the 720 Regiment.
Meanwhile, Qin Hanyong was transferred to the Special Operations Brigade as a full Colonel commander. That evening, Gao Liang and his comrades visited Gu Yiye’s home for dinner. Seeing Gu Yiye and Xiu's loving relationship brought him joy. However, Jiang Weixing, fueled by alcohol, started to blame Gu Yiye, accusing him of disregarding their camaraderie, costing them promotions, and potentially facing discharge from the army. Sensing the situation escalating, Gao Liang reprimanded Jiang Weixing, telling him to sit down.
After dinner, Gao Liang and Gu Yiye took a walk. Gao Liang expressed his support for Gu Yiye's adherence to principles, which seemed to relieve Gu Yiye. Discussing their personal lives, Gu Yiye remarked that Xiu treated him like a second son, meticulously caring for him in ways like flattening book pages, polishing his shoes before he wore them, and checking the temperature of his water.
He also confessed that his shoulder sometimes became numb and unresponsive when he experienced strong emotions. Gao Liang, in turn, shared his plan to marry Jiang Nanzheng, but explained that it now had to be postponed due to his recent setback, which made him feel incompetent. Unbeknownst to them, Jiang Nanzheng had prepared a lavish meal for Zheng Yuan at home, hoping to persuade her father to use his authority to help Gao Liang and drop the matter. Zheng Yuan tasted the braised pork and was impressed, musing on his conflicting emotions as a father-in-law: wishing his daughter no suffering, but his son-in-law many trials to strengthen him.
