Operation: Special Warfare Episode 1 Recap
> Operation: Special Warfare Recap
On June 18th, a vicious terrorist incident at Yanzhou People's Hospital profoundly changed the life of armed police soldier Ning Meng. As people panicked and fled, Ning Meng, after ensuring her mother was safe, bravely moved against the chaos. Armed police units quickly arrived, finding Qin Guan and Ning Meng already engaged with the assailants.
When the terrorists scattered, Qin Guan pursued one into a bathhouse but was prevented from entering the women's bathroom by staff, allowing a female terrorist to escape. Ning Meng's blind mother, after reaching safety, frantically searched for her daughter, overcome with relief upon finding her. Meanwhile, a terrorist took a pregnant woman hostage, dousing her with alcohol and threatening to ignite it with a lighter. With the area saturated in alcohol, firearms were too risky.
Qin Guan stepped forward to negotiate, attempting to calm the terrorist and appeal to her maternal instincts, buying time for the assault and sniper teams to get into position. The terrorist, feeling she had no way back after her actions, moved to drop the lighter, aiming for a catastrophic explosion. In a split second, a sniper shot the terrorist's hand, and Qin Guan skillfully caught the falling lighter, averting a disaster.
The female terrorist who had escaped earlier was later picked up by Wu Jie, codenamed Grey Wolf, the second-in-command of the S Group terrorist organization. He offered her help and ensured her escape was untraceable by disabling nearby surveillance cameras. The hospital incident highlighted to the special operations detachment leader the critical need for female special operations team members.
With the Global Energy Conference scheduled in Yanzhou in three months and the S Group's Grey Wolf already in the city to disrupt it, a stringent security plan, "Operation Lightning," was crucial. Qin Guan proposed forming a mixed-gender special operations commando, explaining that the female terrorist's escape through the women's bathroom underscored the necessity of female operators. This new team would comprise eight seconded female soldiers and six male soldiers, totaling fourteen members, and be codenamed the "Blue Lightning Commando."
Recognizing the lack of precedent for female special operators in their detachment, Qin Guan recommended Wen Jing as the Blue Lightning Commando's instructor, specifically for managing the female soldiers. Wen Jing accepted the role. The proposal was swiftly approved by the detachment leader and commissar. From a large pool of candidates, fifty individuals were initially selected.
Qin Guan expressed reservations about Ning Meng, viewing her as unsuited for the role, but the detachment leader saw her potential and insisted she be considered. Qin Guan, designated as the future captain of the Blue Lightning Commando, addressed the fifty assembled candidates. He dramatically tore up their resumes, declaring their past accolades irrelevant. He stressed that the Blue Lightning was forged for heroes, and only those with heroic aspirations deserved to stay.
He warned them that this stern introduction was the "kindest" they would experience, as they were about to undergo brutal training. He pointed to a wall with their names, stating that from that moment, they were "zeroes" and any eliminated soldier would have their name publicly removed. The selection process would involve three rounds, with only fourteen remaining at the end. The first round featured individual skill demonstrations.
Yang Shu, a national shooting team member and World Military Sniper Competition winner, showcased her precision. Xu Dongdong, an Asian mixed martial arts lightweight champion, demonstrated her explosive power. Tong Mengyao, the Armed Police Force's programming champion, expertly performed a mock hostage rescue, disarming electronic devices while fending off attacks. Guo Xiaowei, a reconnaissance expert, swiftly profiled a terrorist from minimal information. Li Sisi, proficient in multiple languages and lip-reading, accurately translated a multi-lingual terrorist conversation and identified the leader.
Du Xinyu, known as "Chariot of Fire" for her exceptional driving skills, navigated a challenging battlefield simulation. When it was Ning Meng's turn, Qin Guan tried to dismiss her without a test, claiming she didn't meet the standards. Ning Meng, angered, protested, reminding him of her actions at the hospital where she had subdued three thugs bare-handed, asserting her capabilities were on par with anyone present.
She defiantly declared her mind was superior to theirs, which provoked a strong backlash from the other female candidates. The detachment leader intervened, granting Ning Meng a chance to prove herself. Ning Meng chose a "quick identification test," where she had to identify a hidden "terrorist" among a group by observing subtle behavioral cues. Utilizing her understanding of micro-expressions and body language, she successfully identified the target, even replaying the footage to explain her reasoning.
Despite Qin Guan's obvious displeasure, he acknowledged her success, and Ning Meng passed. However, her earlier arrogant remark left a sour taste, with Xu Dongdong publicly stating that Ning Meng would not join the Blue Lightning as long as she was there. The arduous selection continued with rigorous physical tests. Batch after batch of soldiers were eliminated, forced to leave the Blue Lightning selection process with remorse and regret.
Qin Guan reiterated that all candidates were equal before the selection criteria, regardless of their past achievements. He warned them that the terrorists they would face in the future would be a hundred times more brutal than any training, urging them to redouble their efforts if they wished to remain.
