Glory of Special Forces Episode 17 Recap
> Glory of Special Forces Recap
Xiao Fei, resentful after being eliminated, accused Qin Feng of partiality, claiming his and Yan Poyue's "smokes" came out simultaneously. Qin Feng denied favoring Yan Poyue and dismissed Xiao Fei, who departed with a vow to meet them again. Qin Feng then stopped Yan Poyue, reminding everyone to engrave the principle "comrades are more important than life" into their minds, emphasizing that their sacrifices must be meaningful.
Qin Feng acknowledged Yan Poyue's perseverance but pointed out that his simultaneous elimination with Xiao Fei would cause resentment if he were admitted. Yan Poyue, undeterred, stated his intention to try again, prompting Qin Feng to offer him an immediate opportunity. Qin Feng then turned his attention to Guo Xiaoxiao, expressing his initial reluctance to recruit female soldiers due to potential integration difficulties and the risk of becoming a fatal harm for the team.
Guo Xiaoxiao, identifying herself as a sniper, was questioned on her need for a team. Qin Feng posed a hypothetical scenario to Yan Poyue: what would he do if Guo Xiaoxiao was captured—abandon her or undertake a risky rescue operation? Yan Poyue responded with Qin Feng's own words, "comrades are more important than life." Pleased, Qin Feng announced only one spot remained and ordered Yan Poyue and Guo Xiaoxiao to compete for it.
Unexpectedly, Yan Poyue forfeited, asserting that Guo Xiaoxiao had already passed the selection, and he had no right to challenge her further. Instead, he declared his intent to "train until I drop" and try again. He urged Xiao Yun Jie and Zhou Zi Jian not to let him catch up once they joined the Cheetah Commando.
Leng Jing intervened, revealing it was a psychological test and advising Qin Feng and Lv Tu, who were known for frightening recruits, to ease up. Ultimately, Qin Feng informed Yan Poyue that six recruits were being selected, and he was the last of them, congratulating him. Yan Poyue, still in disbelief, vowed to become the first among them. Yan Poyue reflected on the impressive backgrounds of the other recruits.
Bai Long was an anti-terrorism elite and a legend of the Cheetah Commando, having re-enlisted for unknown reasons after years of service as an instructor. Guo Xiaoxiao, codenamed "Lone Wolf," was a sniper transferred from a peacekeeping special unit with multiple merits. Yan Poyue felt his and his friends' records were insignificant in comparison. The group then boarded a helicopter, from which Qin Feng demonstrated a "Low-altitude jump descent in hover," marking the official start of special forces training.
Despite the daunting three-meter drop, Yan Poyue was the first to jump without hesitation, followed by Guo Xiaoxiao, who handled it with ease. Fifty recruits, including the six, were selected, and Qin Feng handed them over to Lv Tu. Lv Tu introduced himself, informing the new "reserve" recruits that their personal information was now a military secret, and they would be identified by numbers.
He stressed that they were still far from being true special forces members, facing an over 80% elimination rate, and even the risk of death. He challenged anyone afraid to quit, but all refused. The initial training began with a long-distance run, with the last person being eliminated.
Xiao Yun Jie complained to Yan Poyue that they couldn't keep up with Bai Long or even Guo Xiaoxiao, who were both Private First Class soldiers among corporals, leading to accusations of nepotism from other recruits. Yan Poyue told Xiao Yun Jie to save his energy. During the run, Lv Tu arranged a water obstacle.
Yan Poyue, realizing the trick, deliberately led Xiao Yun Jie and Guo Xiaoxiao back to "wash off" in the water, even jokingly asking for shampoo, while secretly gaining an advantage as other recruits followed suit only to find the water supply cut. Lv Tu then promised a "hearty meal" ahead, prompting the recruits to speed up. Yan Poyue was skeptical, but Guo Xiaoxiao simply stated that anything edible would suffice. As Yan Poyue suspected, the "meal" consisted of insects.
While Bai Long and Guo Xiaoxiao ate without fuss, most other recruits, including Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie, were disgusted. Lv Tu recounted how Guo Xiaoxiao once survived three weeks in an African jungle on just one packet of hardtack. Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie eagerly asked her about her survival methods, to which she calmly replied, "ant eggs."
For salt, she licked stones and ate soil, and to combat parasites, she drank kerosene every twelve hours, describing finding kerosene as "extremely lucky" in the wild. Initially, Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie refused the insects and gave them to Guo Xiaoxiao, but realizing the need for energy for the intense training, they eventually forced themselves to eat. Hearing that Guo Xiaoxiao ate raw food in the wild, Yan Poyue ate his portion more readily.
After finishing the insects, Guo Xiaoxiao declared her "favor" repaid and walked away, stating they would now "go our own ways." The grueling run continued, with Yan Poyue struggling to suppress nausea. They eventually realized they had run in a large circle, returning to their starting point. Lv Tu stopped his vehicle and mockingly commented on showing them the "scenery" twice, then handed them over to the next instructor, Cao Ben.
Cao Ben revealed that the camp was not far from where they had eaten the insects, but now they had to carry 15kg of supplies back. Leng Jing expressed concern to Qin Feng, noting they had already run 40 kilometers and suggesting Guo Xiaoxiao, as a female soldier, should be assessed by female standards. Qin Feng, calmly eating a bun, dismissed the suggestion, stating that since Leng Jing herself had transferred Guo Xiaoxiao, she should persevere and not embarrass her.
Yan Poyue repeatedly felt on the verge of collapsing but pushed through. Bai Long was the first to arrive at the camp, followed by the main group, all utterly exhausted. Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie were pale and struggled even to drink water.
The last two to arrive simultaneously, Number 37 and Number 43, were both eliminated by Qin Feng, who explained that during the march, Number 37 rested for five minutes and Number 43 for three minutes, while others ran non-stop. He delivered a stern lecture, drawing an analogy to "The Tortoise and The Hare," emphasizing that in special operations, opponents are elite, and even a minor lapse could lead to death.
He declared that to survive, they must be like the tortoise, running relentlessly, extracting every ounce of strength, never slackening or falling behind, or the battlefield would eliminate them. Upon entering the base, the recruits observed other soldiers undergoing brutal training, their eyes reflecting a fervent desire to join them. Strict controls were imposed: their freedom was severely restricted, and they were forbidden from leaving the building without orders.
Zhou Zi Jian questioned his dorm assignment and was penalized with 200 push-ups. Later, lying on their beds, Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie felt a profound sense of unreality about finally being selected. A dorm mate shared secretly stored beef jerky, and Zhou Zi Jian joined in, gossiping about Bai Long and Cao Ben.
The dorm mates discussed the Cheetah Commando's "Four Noes And One Without Principles": no intimacy, no feelings, no conditions, no compromise of standards, and without any dignity, anticipating the tough days ahead. At 3 AM, as snores filled the dorm, Qin Feng's whistle suddenly pierced the air, signaling an emergency assembly in the dark.
