Glory of Special Forces Episode 2 Recap
> Glory of Special Forces Recap
Company Commander Li Xiang convened the new recruit company and forced Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie to loudly repeat the comments they had made about Staff Officer Ai Qianxue earlier. Not content with that, he ordered Zhang Tian Yang to take them to the front of the canteen and make them repeat the same remarks two hundred times. Instructor Chen Min Tao felt Li Xiang's punishment was excessive, arguing it would reflect poorly on their company.
However, Li Xiang dismissed his concerns, stating it was better for them to be embarrassed now than to risk their lives later. As Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie loudly carried out their punishment, Ai Qianxue herself appeared at the canteen. Being the only female officer in the headquarters, she was displeased by their public display. She confronted them, asking why they were shouting such inappropriate things. Yan Poyue explained they were following Company Commander Li Xiang's orders.
Chen Min Tao quickly intervened, attempting to smooth things over by claiming Li Xiang’s command was a "spiteful remark" taken too seriously by the new recruits. Ai Qianxue, however, declared that she didn't care for Li Xiang's training methods but that Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie were too audacious and needed proper discipline.
She made sure to remember their names: Xiao Yun Jie and Yan Poyue, before leaving a message for Li Xiang through Chen Min Tao that she would "surely visit him one day." Xiao Yun Jie later teased Yan Poyue about his intense competitive spirit, then pondered their situation as new recruits despite Yan Poyue's "ten years" of "military age" as described by his father. He openly questioned Company Commander Li Xiang's strict disciplinary approach.
Their outspokenness soon drew the ire of Zhou Zi Jian and his group, who had "been tolerating" their arrogance for too long. Xiao Yun Jie was ready to fight, but Yan Poyue calmly stopped him, suggesting they settle their differences during grappling training the next day, with the loser fetching water for the winner for three days. During the training, Yan Poyue swiftly overpowered Zhou Zi Jian.
After the whistle, Zhou Zi Jian attempted a cheap shot, but Yan Poyue quickly countered with a "blood choke" hold, almost rendering Zhou Zi Jian unconscious until Zhang Tian Yang intervened. When asked who taught him such a technique, Yan Poyue simply replied it was a "stress response." Later, another squad leader praised Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie's physical prowess.
Zhang Tian Yang explained that while Xiao Yun Jie had amazing stamina, he was less skilled in marching and firearms. Yan Poyue, however, excelled in every aspect, from grappling to obstacle courses, often outperforming Zhang Tian Yang. He noted that Yan Poyue's "blood choke" technique was a lethal move used by 1980s scouts, now abandoned by regular units due to its danger, reinforcing Yan Poyue's reputation as an anomaly.
Xiao Yun Jie often joked that Yan Poyue was "hormone-fueled" and constantly needed to train. Later that night, Zhang Tian Yang found Yan Poyue training alone. He pointed out that while Yan Poyue trained harder, Xiao Yun Jie surpassed him in team spirit. Zhang Tian Yang recounted an incident during a 5-kilometer run where Lu Xiao Tian fell and signaled for help; Yan Poyue ignored him, but Xiao Yun Jie helped him up.
Yan Poyue conceded that Xiao Yun Jie was "more helpful" but dismissed Lu Xiao Tian as someone who "will only drag us down." Zhang Tian Yang tried to impress upon him the importance of unity and mutual assistance as a fundamental part of military service and the necessity of team spirit among comrades, even asking what Yan Poyue would do if Lu Xiao Tian fell on a battlefield.
Yan Poyue's response was that he would have "cleared a path" long before, and if he himself fell before Xiao Yun Jie, he would simply "accept his fate." Frustrated by Yan Poyue's individualism, Zhang Tian Yang later warned him against provoking a mysterious veteran who also trained alone at night. The new recruit company was suddenly called for an emergency night assembly to conduct a military terrain assessment.
Company Commander Li Xiang announced that recruits would be divided into three-person teams, each given a compass and a map, and dropped off at different locations. They were required to navigate back to base independently in the shortest possible time, with using a distress signal resulting in a zero score. Yan Poyue, Xiao Yun Jie, and Lu Xiao Tian were assigned to one group, a deliberate choice by Zhang Tian Yang.
As soon as they were dropped off, Yan Poyue immediately focused on studying the map to plan their route. Lu Xiao Tian, meanwhile, expressed his intention to rely on the stronger pair, stating that he lived by the wisdom of "resting under a big tree to enjoy the shade." Yan Poyue confidently declared that heading in the "4 o'clock direction" would be their path. However, Lu Xiao Tian grew increasingly uneasy in the dark forest.
Xiao Yun Jie, enjoying his discomfort, began to tell ghost stories, first mentioning Yan Poyue's childhood feat of sleeping in a cemetery, then recounting a chilling tale of backpackers who got lost after a photo they took revealed an extra, unseen person. Terrified, Lu Xiao Tian bolted, running deeper into the dark. Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie chased after him, shouting warnings about a cliff ahead, but all three ultimately tumbled down a steep slope.
Miraculously, they were all unharmed, as the "cliff" turned out to be less severe than expected. Yan Poyue, still focused on the mission, asked for the compass, only for Lu Xiao Tian to sheepishly admit he had lost it. It soon became apparent that the map and even the distress signal transmitter were also gone. Xiao Yun Jie angrily confronted Lu Xiao Tian about his carelessness, even suggesting he "slide his way into oblivion."
Lu Xiao Tian, in turn, blamed Xiao Yun Jie for scaring him. Yan Poyue quickly put a stop to their argument. Using his knowledge of the local flora, specifically "Tsaoko fruits" which indicated nearby water, Yan Poyue determined that following a stream would lead them downhill and eventually to a main road back to camp. As they followed the stream, they spotted a supply truck.
Assuming it was from their own unit, the trio stealthily boarded the last empty vehicle, hoping to hitch a ride back to base. Lu Xiao Tian initially tried to grab some supplies, but Yan Poyue sharply reminded him that "stealing military supplies" was a serious offense. They then settled down to sleep. Yan Poyue, however, soon realized something was amiss. The road they were on was not leading back to their camp; instead, it was ascending a different mountain.
Lu Xiao Tian, still complaining of "internal injuries," remained unconcerned, believing that any military vehicle was safe. The truck then abruptly stopped. They overheard commands for the "Special Service Company" and realized they had stumbled upon an active exercise being conducted by the "Tiger Special Forces"—Company Commander Li Xiang's elite unit, which Xiao Yun Jie referred to as the "Psycho King's unit."
Excited by the prospect of real action, Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie decided to covertly join the exercise. Lu Xiao Tian frantically tried to talk them out of it, pointing out the dangers of joining without proper equipment and emphasizing that as new recruits, they would be violating regulations. However, his pleas were ignored as his two comrades grabbed some equipment and stealthily moved towards the battle.
Hiding nearby, the trio watched the intense firefight unfold, marked by explosions and gunfire. Lu Xiao Tian was terrified by the overwhelming firepower, but Yan Poyue's eyes gleamed with excitement. A small snake crawled onto Lu Xiao Tian, causing him to shriek in terror and inadvertently reveal their position. Yan Poyue, instead of being alarmed, nonchalantly picked up the snake to further tease Lu Xiao Tian.
The Tiger Special Forces, however, were too engrossed in the simulated combat, which saw them heavily suppressed by the "enemy" side, to notice the new recruits. Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie took advantage of the chaos, telling Lu Xiao Tian to follow them as they flanked the enemy position. They quickly subdued and tied up an "enemy" combatant. Upon seeing the insignia, Lu Xiao Tian excitedly identified him as a Captain, believing they had scored "huge merits."
The captured Captain, while noting Yan Poyue’s "veteran-like" demeanor, soon realized they were not part of his Special Forces unit. He correctly deduced they were new recruits who had gotten lost during their night assessment, having wandered an impressive thirty kilometers from their drop-off point. Despite Lu Xiao Tian's earnest attempts to apologize and release him, the Captain refused, stating that since they now knew the Special Forces' operational position during the drill, he could not allow them to leave.
He ordered them to follow him, promising to "settle this debt with Li Xiang after the drill is over." Meanwhile, back at the new recruit camp, Li Xiang and Zhang Tian Yang were growing concerned, noting that Yan Poyue, Xiao Yun Jie, and Lu Xiao Tian were the only group yet to return, and wondered if they had gotten lost.
