Glory of Special Forces Episode 13 Recap
> Glory of Special Forces Recap
Yan Poyue desperately pleaded with Li Xiang not to suspend his training, stating he would do anything to continue. However, his pleas were unsuccessful, and he was indeed suspended. He returned to his dormitory to find only Xiao Yun Jie.
Xiao Yun Jie had saved him dinner, noting that their other roommates, Gao Zhun and Zhou Zi Jian, had requested to move out because they found it too dangerous to live with Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie, fearing they might be beaten up. Xiao Yun Jie tried to comfort Yan Poyue, saying it was better for them to be gone, out of sight, out of mind.
Despite the food, Yan Poyue had no appetite, asking Xiao Yun Jie if he would truly be okay. Xiao Yun Jie reassured him, saying he was as strong as an ox. Later, Li Xiang announced the list of soldiers selected for the special forces training. Zhang Tian Yang, Xiao Yun Jie, Zhou Zi Jian, and Gao Zhun were all named, but Yan Poyue was conspicuously absent. Yan Poyue immediately questioned why he was excluded.
Chen Min Tao, his instructor, took him to his office, where Yan Poyue passionately argued that he was top in all subjects and in excellent physical condition, and that joining the Cheetah unit was his sole purpose for enlisting. Chen Min Tao offered him a transfer order, explaining that while the selection was one path, serving as the Regiment Commander's correspondent was a better alternative, a highly sought-after position, and confirmed it was Regiment Commander Liu’s order.
Yan Poyue, feeling a mix of betrayal and sorrow, refused the order and begged Chen Min Tao to assign someone else. Chen Min Tao, with a sigh, explained that given Yan Poyue's current medical condition, this was the best arrangement the regiment could secure for him. He revealed that other soldiers with similar conditions had already been discharged early, and this posting at least allowed Yan Poyue to remain in the army.
Overwhelmed by the news, Yan Poyue locked himself in the bathroom. His worried comrades tried to coax him out, even attempting to force the door, but to no avail. Eventually, Li Xiang dispersed everyone and remained to speak with Yan Poyue alone. From behind the locked door, Yan Poyue expressed his deep sense of injustice. Li Xiang reminded him of the inherent unfairness of war, where even the most rigorous training might not prevent a swift death on the battlefield.
He challenged Yan Poyue's belief that failure meant death, asking how many times he would have died by that logic given his past close calls. Li Xiang then shared his own experience of being called "Psycho King" by the veterans, an insult he eventually came to see as a badge of honor because it affirmed his strictness was building better soldiers.
He acknowledged that he could easily open the door, but respected Yan Poyue’s decision to make it a symbol of his dignity. Yan Poyue confessed his inability to accept his new fate, especially after Li Xiang’s words at the boundary marker about guarding the nation’s borders. Li Xiang assured him that the lesson would stay with him forever. Finally, Yan Poyue opened the door. Upon hearing Li Xiang announce his own departure, Yan Poyue’s tears, which had momentarily subsided, returned.
Li Xiang embraced him, advising him to adapt to the long road ahead, moving from one battlefield to the next. He instructed Yan Poyue to remember that the Special Service Company was a gun and he was a bullet, destined to fly straight to the target and hit the bullseye, urging him to achieve a perfect 10th ring. Yan Poyue nodded in resolute agreement. The following day, Yan Poyue reported to Regiment Commander Liu’s office.
The familiar path now felt like a symbolic line separating him from his old life in the Special Service Company. Back at the company, Xiao Yun Jie remained despondent. Zhou Zi Jian continued to provoke him, suggesting Yan Poyue, who he once called a friend, had abandoned them and even avoided him at the commissary. Zhang Tian Yang intervened, stopping Zhou Zi Jian, and then asked Xiao Yun Jie to massage his aching legs.
Li Xiang, seeing Zhang Tian Yang’s pain, gently took over the massage himself, expressing concern that Zhang Tian Yang was overexerting himself so soon after recovery. Zhang Tian Yang, from a rural background, explained that with his impending discharge next year, the special forces selection was his last chance to pursue his dreams, a sentiment Li Xiang understood.
Li Xiang then sent Zhang Tian Yang with Xiao Yun Jie for infrared therapy, and both confirmed they had not heard from Yan Poyue, their faces reflecting a shared sadness. Meanwhile, in his new role at the regiment headquarters, Yan Poyue found himself occupied with administrative tasks like sweeping, mopping, and handling mail, but completely devoid of combat training. He secretly felt like a ghost of his former self, believing he was nothing without battle.
When he encountered Ai Qianxue and later Fan Jin, he felt ashamed and quickly retreated, avoiding conversation. Many envied his new, seemingly relaxed position, but Yan Poyue found no joy in it. Regiment Commander Liu inquired about Yan Poyue's feelings regarding his new position. Yan Poyue frankly stated he felt terrible, expressing his singular ambition to be the best soldier, not a cadre.
Liu, understanding Yan Poyue's military family background and previous training, offered an alternative: a recommendation to the guard company in the division headquarters. Yan Poyue, however, rejected this, passionately explaining his desire to be an offensive special forces member rather than a defensive guard, even referencing the evolution of warfare patterns.
Liu then issued a stark warning about the special forces selection: it involved brutal training, the highest rates of elimination, death, and disability, and required an "advance or die" mentality. He emphasized that if Yan Poyue were to die, only the military would know his name and deeds, and the army needed excellent soldiers, not mere killing machines.
Concerned, Liu granted Yan Poyue half a day off, asking Ai Qianxue to take him to the hospital's mental health department, noting her considerable efforts on his behalf. Despite Ai Qianxue's prior warning, Yan Poyue was visibly shaken by the sight of elderly veterans, traumatized by war, frantically seeking cover at the sound of televised artillery fire.
Ai Qianxue explained that these veterans, though victorious, had lost themselves, and that PTSD was a common condition among soldiers, not a sign of weakness. Yan Poyue, however, vehemently denied having the disorder, attributing his past violent outburst during training to Zhou Zi Jian's provocation and insisting he was not sick.
During their visit, an old soldier named Qin Ge, a former communication soldier from Company One, Battalion One, 384th Regiment, emerged, still re-enacting his wartime duty to hold Hill 309 to the last man. Yan Poyue was instructed to symbolically "relieve" Qin Ge. Witnessing Qin Ge respond to the order to "run back to his company," Yan Poyue seemed to gain a profound understanding. Ai Qianxue reiterated that recognizing others' struggles helps one understand oneself, which is essential for healing.
Yan Poyue, moved to tears, asked if he could visit the veterans often, to which Ai Qianxue readily agreed. Through continued interactions with these senior veterans, making them Mapo tofu and training with them, Yan Poyue gradually became more peaceful, understanding the brutality of war and the preciousness of peace, which further solidified his ambition to defend it.
Xiao Yun Jie joined Yan Poyue for a rigorous run, asking about his new position as the regiment commander’s correspondent, a role that often led to military academy. Yan Poyue, however, dismissed it as akin to retirement. He vowed to continue his relentless training, determined to keep going until he could finally participate in the special forces selection, no matter how many attempts it took.
Xiao Yun Jie then asked if Yan Poyue had truly overcome his inner struggles, to which Yan Poyue nodded. Taking this as confirmation, Xiao Yun Jie declared that Yan Poyue should return to combat training the next morning to prove to everyone that he was back. The following day, Yan Poyue appeared at the training ground. Li Xiang, initially concerned, watched as Yan Poyue quietly assured him he was there to prove his recovery. Li Xiang’s expression softened with relief.
When the other soldiers hesitated to spar with Yan Poyue, reluctant to engage, Xiao Yun Jie bravely stepped forward. As Yan Poyue engaged Xiao Yun Jie without resorting to excessive, uncontrolled force, Li Xiang, seeing his control and recovery, initiated applause, which the other soldiers soon joined. Two mornings later, Li Xiang was scheduled to leave the regiment he had dedicated over ten years of service to.
Regiment Commander Liu suggested it was a fitting time for his departure, as their regiment was among the first units to undergo military reform. The orders for the reform had already reached the division headquarters and would be announced within days. The changes involved garrison relocation, forcing newly settled families to move again, and the regiment’s designation would not be preserved as it was to be merged into a new unit.
Li Xiang listened with a heavy heart, particularly saddened by the impact on his comrades’ families. He was there, however, to discuss Yan Poyue. Liu, in turn, also sought Li Xiang's opinion, confirming that he had sent Yan Poyue to the training ground that day to test his recovery. Li Xiang assured him that Yan Poyue had indeed overcome his PTSD, a fact witnessed by the entire company.
