Glory of Special Forces Episode 35 Recap
> Glory of Special Forces Recap
Yan Poyue's father joined him in his room with some wine, remarking that the military was strict about drinking outside of holidays or at home, but they could share a drink there. Yan Poyue took a gulp and confessed his confusion to his father. He had always strived to be the strongest soldier, following his father's advice, but now his leader told him everything he believed in was wrong, and he felt lost.
His best comrade, Lu Xiaotian, had sacrificed himself because of him, despite having already been discharged and able to return home. Yan Poyue shared that he had spent the last week reading Lu Xiaotian's diary, re-learning about him, and realized Lu Xiaotian had always considered him his best friend. Yet, Yan Poyue felt he had no friends, only thinking of himself. He questioned if he was unworthy of friendship or anyone's kindness.
His father consoled him, saying that some things, once happened, could not be changed no matter how much one grieved. He recalled when Yan Poyue was kidnapped, he couldn't return home to save him because he was on a mission, despite his desperate desire to go. He had to wait for the military's resolution.
When he finally saw Yan Poyue again, his heart was filled with terror and lingering fear, thinking how a child needed his father most, but his father wasn't there. He confessed that as a father, he had failed. He had wanted to hug Yan Poyue, but instead, he had chosen to avoid facing his own failures. So, he pushed Yan Poyue to become so strong he wouldn't need anyone's protection.
He now realized his mistake, acknowledging that while Yan Poyue became powerful and needed no one, that also meant no one needed him. As dawn broke, his father suggested they seek an answer together. They journeyed to the cellar where Yan Poyue had been held captive years ago. It was a place of pain he could never forget. Upon re-entering, the childhood shadow returned.
Yan Poyue recounted that he had often dreamt of it as a dark, inescapable maze, a place he could never climb out of. But upon returning, he found the space surprisingly small; he could easily climb out. His father explained that maturity has two marks: you can still love what you loved but not need to possess it, and you can still be afraid of what terrified you, but now you can face it.
Yan Poyue thanked his father, feeling a breakthrough, and prepared to return to his unit. Aunt Pei, Yan Poyue's stepmother, busily packed homemade preserved meat sausages and beef sauce, his childhood favorites, for him to take back. She also gently tried to reconcile the father and son. Yan Poyue thanked her for caring for his father and the home in his absence. Aunt Pei revealed that his father missed him deeply and encouraged him to call more often.
Yan Poyue promised to call both his father and her. He then asked if she blamed him for an incident in the past. Aunt Pei denied it, sharing that she had always treated him as her own son. Yan Poyue revealed that he had been motherless since he was young, and when his father introduced them, he was overjoyed to finally have a mother after Aunt Pei embraced him.
However, his kidnapping caused her to miscarry, and she could never have children of her own. He admitted he didn't dislike her; he just didn't know how to face her. Aunt Pei reassured him, and he tearfully called her "Mum," finally resolving their long-standing emotional barrier. Meanwhile, the higher-ups announced that the Cheetah Commando would send an elite unit to participate in the 12th Warriors International Special Unit Contest. Leng Jing had been diligently training Guo Xiaoxiao, often staying late.
Qin Feng noticed her dedication, sensing her concern that Guo Xiaoxiao might not qualify. Leng Jing admitted a personal bias, explaining that as the only female soldier in the Cheetah Commando, she understood the immense difficulty for a woman to succeed there, hence her extra care. Qin Feng remarked that Leng Jing seemed to have encased herself in a thick shell, doing everything without emotion, and urged her to break free to live a new life.
In another development, Xiao Fei returned to the Red Scorpion, his undercover identity drawing suspicion from A Tai. A Tai questioned how he managed to cross the tight border security. Xiao Fei retorted, pointing out A Tai's stupidity in planting a bomb in a public square rather than a locker, leading to a Chinese soldier's death and a wanted notice with only A Tai's picture. Xing Tian ordered them to fight, declaring the winner's words would be the truth.
Xiao Fei easily defeated A Tai but refused to kill him, stating he only killed for money, not without reason. This action seemingly cleared his name within the organization. Upon Yan Poyue's return from leave, Qin Feng immediately assembled the unit and announced the four candidates for the Warriors International Special Unit Contest: Bai Long, Yue Kong, Guo Xiaoxiao, and Xiao Yun Jie. Yan Poyue's name was notably absent from the list.
Qin Feng stressed that the chosen team would represent the Chinese military and only an overall championship would be considered a victory. That night, Yan Poyue approached Qin Feng, not to contest his exclusion, but to request a role in supporting the chosen team, offering to be a sparring partner or work in logistics. Qin Feng, surprised by his changed demeanor, agreed and assigned him to the logistics management department, instructing the department to observe him closely.
The next day, Yan Poyue reported to logistics, where he began cleaning guns. Guo Xiaoxiao, during her training, expressed her indignation to Leng Jing, feeling that Yan Poyue was being unfairly punished for the bomb incident, which she saw as an emergency where he had done his best. Leng Jing clarified that Yan Poyue had voluntarily requested the transfer to logistics, which Guo Xiaoxiao initially found hard to believe, knowing his pride.
However, she mused that such a proud person, living in his own world, would only find his own way out of this difficult period. Later, Xiao Yun Jie visited Yan Poyue, finding him maintaining firearms. Yan Poyue shared his evolving perspective, reflecting on his past belief that he was a "bullet" meant for shooting and killing. He now understood that he was a "faulty" bullet, unsuitable for any gun, and forcing it would only harm his comrades.
He wished to be a "gunstock" instead. He admitted to being too tense in the past, viewing "fearless and fight together," the Cheetah's vows, as empty words. But now, he realized they were true, and comrades were the most important. Xiao Yun Jie noted Yan Poyue's newfound maturity, and Yan Poyue requested more time to reflect and prepare himself. Xiao Yun Jie affirmed his unwavering support, saying that no matter what happened, they would always be good brothers.
Guo Xiaoxiao, having quietly overheard their heartfelt conversation from outside, touched her fist to the door in a gesture of solidarity before departing with a sense of relief. Leng Jing continued to put the selected candidates through rigorous training. She emphasized that a firearm should be treated as their "other half." She observed Xiao Yun Jie's playful comments and made him run 10 kilometers with his "other half" before returning to the shooting range.
During a shooting session, one candidate blamed poor visibility due to rain for a missed target. Leng Jing, alongside another officer who had participated in a previous Warriors International Special Unit Contest, reiterated the importance of rapidly adjusting to changing conditions. They shared that in real combat and in these international competitions, there are no perfect environments, only unforeseen challenges. They stressed that soldiers must adapt to the environment, not expect the environment to adapt to them, to achieve victory.
During a sparring session, Guo Xiaoxiao defeated a former national Sanda champion. The champion, seemingly trying to save face, blamed the slippery floor and then insisted on sparring with Yan Poyue, who was responsible for cleaning the area as part of his logistics duties. Despite Lv Tu and Xiao Yun Jie's attempts to intervene, Yan Poyue stepped forward, stating that being a sparring partner was also part of his logistics support duties.
