Ace Troops Episode 4 Recap
> Ace Troops Recaps
Weakened, Gu Yiye nonetheless insisted on confronting the Division Commander to seek justice. When blocked by two chiefs, including Lu Pingfan, he passionately declared that he had joined the army with immense ambition, even forsaking his college entrance exams. He had diligently prepared for years by self-training in infantry techniques, physical fitness, military history, and tactics, all to be a soldier, only to face discharge.
One chief dismissed Gu Yiye's emotional outburst as a mere "act," telling him his "curtain call had already happened." Lu Pingfan then reprimanded Gu Yiye, calling him a "bookworm" for failing to grasp the true distinction between military and civilian education. He explained that military academies demand knowledge be forged through "blood and fire," not just passion, and that a soldier requires more than initial enthusiasm.
He suggested that if Gu Yiye couldn't comprehend this, leaving now might not be a bad option. Gu Yiye, however, defiantly stated he would never depart. Meanwhile, Jiang Nanzheng arrived at the division headquarters, inquiring about Gu Yiye. She was informed by Song Jianshe and Lu Pingfan, who were leaving, that Gu Yiye was fine. They sternly instructed her to return to her troop, questioning if she had obtained leave to run around.
Upstairs, Gu Yiye stood by a window, lost in thought as he replayed Lu Pingfan's admonishments. After reconciling with his comrades, Gao Liang prepared for his departure. His friends light-heartedly teased him, suggesting he become a "ten-thousand-yuan household" or marry a woman soldier to remain in the army, even mentioning Jiang Nanzheng. Gao Liang dismissed their remarks as "revolutionary friendship" that was now concluding.
He then presented his military uniform to Niu Mancang as a keepsake, expressing his regret at wearing the army green without earning a red star and two red flags. As he waved goodbye to his comrades, his eyes welled up. He reflected that while others enlisted out of devotion, for him, it was a desperate quest for refuge, as he had nowhere else to go. Walking aimlessly, Gao Liang soon plunged into a river.
As he floated, memories of his older brother, adorned in military uniform with a red flower, joining the army and looking back repeatedly, resurfaced. He whispered, missing his brother. Zheng Yuan, who had been fishing nearby, observed Gao Liang for a long time before pulling him from the river. Gao Liang, assuming Zheng Yuan was an old soldier, candidly shared his struggles.
He spoke of being an orphan until his older brother adopted and raised him, making their house a home. But after his brother's sacrifice in battle, the house became cold again, and he developed a fear of loneliness and crowds. He had tried working in a mine but found it unfulfilling. Drawn to the army's camaraderie, where people ate, slept, and trained together, he hoped to escape loneliness.
Zheng Yuan listened patiently, then revealed he himself fished to manage his short temper, acknowledging he had an "addiction to explosives", implying his fiery military nature. He then advised Gao Liang that seeking satisfaction requires paying a price, and if the military was truly the most interesting place for him, he would find unmatched happiness and freedom there. When Gao Liang asked what price he would have to pay, Zheng Yuan cryptically stated, "Everything.
All the things you think of and don't think of. Everything. This is the most costly addiction." Zhang Fei cycled Gu Yiye back to the regiment. Unlike Lu Pingfan's severity, Zhang Fei offered guidance like an older brother, even proudly mentioning his fiancée, Xiu. He recounted how they had only met three times in two years and how he had planned to marry her after training the new recruits.
Along the way, Gu Yiye noticed Zhang Fei secretly enduring pain from his rheumatism and felt a pang of guilt. Later that evening, Division Commander Zheng Yuan met with Xia Lin to address the previous exercise. Zheng Yuan confirmed that Xia Lin had fired a blank, and acknowledged that Xia Lin had included this in his report, as had Gu Yiye in his.
Zheng Yuan decided that Xia Lin should not receive the reward for the signal flare, but to "settle a muddled account," he would use a pending promotion opportunity from a previous competition to compensate Xia Lin, effectively granting him the promotion.
Xia Lin expressed his shame, but Zheng Yuan told him to convey that to the recruit who fired the actual signal flare, adding that it wasn't the right time to tell the new recruit as he was already in trouble. A subordinate, confused by Zheng Yuan's seemingly contradictory statements on merit, was told that issuing military merit badges was complex due to the abundance of heroic acts versus the scarcity of awards.
Zheng Yuan assured them that the new recruit who fired the signal flare would be treated fairly. Song Jianshe arrived at the barracks to convey the Division Commander's decision. He announced that both Gu Yiye and Gao Liang would not be discharged but instead receive a public reprimand. He clarified that Gu Yiye was ordered to stay, while Gao Liang had the option to leave if he wished not to serve further.
The news brought immense relief and joy to everyone. Gao Liang, initially wanting to burn the official document, quickly agreed to stay. Soon after, they both donned their military uniforms, officially becoming part of Regiment 720. With Gu Yiye and Gao Liang officially joining, the No.3 new recruit company was established. Lu Pingfan, who was present, introduced Zhao Hongliu as the new squad vice leader.
Zhao Hongliu explained that his name came from his father's dream of being a bomber pilot, a dream neither of them achieved, leading him to join the army. He proudly stated that his father served and sacrificed in Army A's 234th Division. His comrades applauded him, yet remained curious about the identity of their new company commander, a detail Song Jianshe and Zhang Fei refrained from disclosing.
The next morning, Chen Dashan summoned Qin Hanyong to his office, joyfully announcing his new assignment. Qin Hanyong, guessing he was to lead new recruits, argued that with his reputation and abilities, he was better suited for a Pacesetter Company. Just then, Lu Pingfan entered and submitted a transfer application, openly expressing his disdain for Regiment 720 and stating he couldn't realize his ambitions there. A heated argument erupted between Chen Dashan and Lu Pingfan.
Chen Dashan challenged Lu Pingfan to take on the new recruit company, promising to approve his transfer if he could make it a model unit, even praised by the Division Commander. Lu Pingfan countered that one or two model companies wouldn't be enough to transform Regiment 720. Meanwhile, Song Jianshe turned to Qin Hanyong, informing him that the regiment had decided he would be the commander of No.3 new recruit company, and his connections meant he couldn't negotiate.
Overwhelmed by the intense exchange, Qin Hanyong found himself reluctantly accepting the role. Later, Qin Hanyong realized he had been manipulated into taking the new recruit company. With no one else to blame, he directed his frustration towards the recruits with thunderous training methods. He declared that he would be merciless, stating that their cap stars and collar insignias were merely "on credit" and they wouldn't be real soldiers until they earned them.
He began with basic drills like standing at attention and squatting, then escalated to grueling physical conditioning, demanding they run tirelessly until they met his standards. Recruits complained of injuries, but Qin Hanyong showed no leniency. Regiment 720 also took on the task of training female soldiers who were directional soldiers of the division headquarters. Their original training facilities were destroyed by floods, so Regiment 720 had to take over their training.
This was seen as a test of the regiment's management capabilities. Song Jianshe arranged for them to stay in a vacated material warehouse next to the vegetable garden, a separate yard far from the male barracks. However, lacking a canteen, they would have to eat with the No.3 new recruit company. Chen Dashan emphasized strict supervision by Qin Hanyong and Zhao Hongying to ensure no problems arose.
The demanding training eventually led to resentment among the new recruits, especially Gao Liang. He and some comrades began playing pranks on Qin Hanyong to lighten the mood. During a break, Gao Liang, Niu Mancang, and even the usually reserved Gu Yiye sneaked into a garden to pick wild bananas. They shared their findings with the female soldiers, including Jiang Nanzheng, who were in an adjacent yard, leading to lively chatter.
The interaction was cut short by their squad leader, Han Chunyu, who scolded the male recruits for being there. Later, during a squad meeting, Han Chunyu announced their squad had been selected as a model squad, emphasizing the strict discipline required, especially prohibiting non-work-related interactions between male and female soldiers during training.
However, Gao Liang's earlier words to Jiang Nanzheng, warning her that loving someone who doesn't love her back is hard and has no future but to continue if she must, had a profound effect. Reflecting on her shared experiences with Gu Yiye during the exercise and her intense worry when he faced discharge, Jiang Nanzheng realized her true feelings for him.
