Glory of Special Forces Episode 41 Recap
> Glory of Special Forces Recap
Ai Qianxue began by demonstrating how advanced enemy technology, such as infrared anti-sniper detection, could track a sniper's bullet trajectory and launch a precise retaliation, rendering even the most accurate marksmanship useless. She explained that while Cheetah Commando's confidence was built through real combat, military technology was advancing rapidly. The future demanded higher education, advanced qualifications, and far-sighted special unit commanders to drive reform in Chinese special forces, allowing them to catch up with seasoned international counterparts.
She warned that if they failed to keep pace with the times, their current pride and experience would become an impediment, leading to re-evaluation or even elimination. Yan Poyue and his comrades remained defiant, with Yan Poyue challenging her to meet in class. Ai Qianxue stated her intention to deliver an important lecture the following day to clarify the reasons for potential elimination, a challenge Yan Poyue outwardly accepted with sarcasm.
During the formal lecture titled "The Age of War," Ai Qianxue illustrated the evolution of warfare from the collective strength of the Macedonian Phalanx to the firepower of hot weapons, exemplified by World War I's machine guns and World War II's mechanized tanks. She highlighted the Gulf War, where military experts underestimated the swift victory achieved by a technologically superior force, contrasting it with Yan Poyue's group, whom she likened to the "unwilling to move forward" Macedonian phalanx.
She emphasized that for China's special forces to advance, they needed high-quality soldiers to collaborate with military R&D, test new weapons and tactics, and provide data to drive high-precision development, serving as role models for the entire army. Reiterating her earlier warning, she stressed that Cheetah Commando members who couldn't adapt would face re-evaluation or elimination. Yan Poyue vocally challenged her, asserting that Cheetah's glory couldn't be dismissed by her words.
Ai Qianxue acknowledged their combat excellence but argued that as prospective special unit commanders entering a high-tech era, they might fall short of even ordinary students. Yan Poyue countered that their sacrifices and achievements were more than mere "research material" and that they would not be eliminated. Ai Qianxue then presented a French-made anti-sniper system, explaining how it could drastically increase a sniper's chances of detection, potentially ending the era of single snipers taking down hundreds of enemies.
She posed a hypothetical: what if such an advanced system, if deployed by Cheetah, broke down in the field? When a soldier mentioned repair manuals, she asked who could fix it quickly. Yan Poyue argued it was unfair if the manual was in French, and that foreigners wouldn't understand a Chinese manual. Ai Qianxue countered his assumption about foreign language skills and then projected an English manual, asking again who could understand it.
Yan Poyue admitted that while they could handle basic English, the technical language was beyond even TOEFL-level comprehension, accusing her of setting an impossible task. Ai Qianxue reminded him that Cheetah's ethos was to overcome challenges. Yan Poyue retorted that their combat skills were in a different domain. Ai Qianxue explained that as the Chinese military rapidly evolved, they would constantly encounter such cutting-edge, often foreign-sourced, equipment. Their current knowledge, she insisted, was insufficient.
Their responsibility as future commanders was to master the use, maintenance, and repair of these complex and expensive instruments, gather first-hand data during operations, provide feedback to R&D, and lead their units in adopting these new skills. Xiao Yun Jie grumbled that it was easier to be a regular soldier. Yan Poyue, escalating his defiance, sarcastically suggested arming military researchers and sending "them" to the battlefield instead of "torturing" experienced soldiers like them.
A comrade supported his underlying point, stating that even the best equipment was useless without capable operators. Yan Poyue further insinuated that Ai Qianxue, accustomed to an office, didn't understand "uneducated, unqualified, unintelligent" soldiers and underestimated the danger of their profession, implying that becoming a Cheetah required more than just physical fitness and strong will. He then sarcastically led an applause for her "history of war" lesson.
After the lecture, Qin Feng confronted Ai Qianxue, noting her deliberate provocation of the Cheetahs. Ai Qianxue admitted it was intentional, believing that anger would motivate them to understand the importance of continuous learning. She explained that their physical prowess had reached its peak, and now their minds needed to be armed, emphasizing the need for them to recognize that "there is always someone better out there."
Qin Feng agreed, lamenting that he had taught them all he knew and expressed relief at Ai Qianxue's arrival to guide them in building a powerful, modern armed police force destined for relentless progress. Ai Qianxue acknowledged the harshness of the situation for the soldiers. Qin Feng then informed her that the general headquarters had ordered a new selection in six months, based on the ongoing training at the Special Police Academy, to form a new Cheetah Commando.
As Cheetah was the elite of the armed police, Ai Qianxue had only six months to train them into "the strongest armed forces in the world." Ai Qianxue, though, felt this was too short a time. Upon their arrival at the Special Police Academy, Deputy Chancellor Lei Qi Ming welcomed them to the Operations Command Course.
He emphasized that despite their past as combat heroes, they were now students expected to master basic theory, professional knowledge, combat skills, and develop leadership qualities to become highly skilled military commanders. Instructor Ai Qianxue then distributed student manuals, urging them to quickly adapt to the new environment and their changed roles. She also informed them that her first class was scheduled for the following day and advised them to review the materials in advance.
On their way to the dorms, Xiao Yun Jie complained to Yan Poyue about Ai Qianxue's sudden strictness, recalling her friendliness at Regiment 247. Yan Poyue dismissed it as a tactic for "civilians" to assert authority over battle-hardened soldiers like themselves. He also saw the training as a mere formality, a "gold-plating" exercise, and advised against bothering with the pre-reading material, though Xiao Yun Jie countered that Qin Feng wouldn't arrange anything meaningless.
Guo Xiaoxiao confidently boasted she could easily defeat their department dean. Suddenly, a voice called Yan Poyue from an upper floor, telling him to wait. Xiao Yun Jie, intrigued, immediately introduced himself to the descending figure, Gu Meng, as Yan Poyue's close friend and comrade, claiming Yan Poyue often spoke of her.
Gu Meng, however, recognized Yan Poyue with resentment, reminding him that he had once tied her to a tree during a confrontation drill, an incident Yan Poyue vaguely recalled only when she clarified her role as a non-combatant at the time. Gu Meng, now a postgraduate student in Operations Command and therefore Yan Poyue's senior, gloated that their roles were reversed.
As Yan Poyue and Xiao Yun Jie walked away, smirking, Gu Meng called out a warning that Yan Poyue would soon "get a taste of what it's like to be crushed." Ai Qianxue then informed the class about the strict training regimen ahead, including monthly physical and academic assessments over the next six months. Failure in any assessment would lead to immediate elimination and return to their original units, emphasizing it as the most severe test of their military careers.
Weekend leaves were cancelled for full-time training, and anyone unwilling to commit was free to leave. After the morning class, Xiao Yun Jie found Yan Poyue running and expressed his curiosity about the four incoming students, whom he hadn't found particularly impressive during the initial self-introductions of other students. Gu Meng, who was nearby, interjected, telling them to train harder to avoid early elimination. When Yan Poyue dismissed her, Gu Meng hinted that their "teachers" were about to arrive.
Intrigued, Xiao Yun Jie bought her coffee for "gossip." Gu Meng revealed that she managed the students' profiles and asserted that the most formidable among them were not in their current group, but the four new arrivals. She described them: one Captain and three Lieutenants, all with double bachelor's degrees, from the elite Second Detachment of Rapid Deployment Brigade One.
These soldiers had extensive experience in anti-terrorism missions, faced daily life-and-death situations, and had completed a year of training at the prestigious Hunter School in "W Country" with flying colors. Each was a specialist—Su Jian Fan in communication, medicine, and nutrition; Ren Xiao Chuan in weapons and explosives; and Mao Lang, an expert sniper known for his stealth and precision.
Gu Meng stressed that their own "brutal training and rich combat experience" meant nothing to these new arrivals, who routinely conducted security missions in war-torn regions and were adept at integrating the latest technology into combat. She concluded by stating that the era of competition for soldiers was over, replaced by a contest to become new commanders, again warning them to "wait to be crushed." Later that afternoon, the four new students arrived in class.
The last to introduce himself was Pei Hong Hu, from the Second Detachment of Rapid Deployment Brigade One. He declared that he had changed his name specifically for this training and wished to be called Pei Ta Yan, a name that made everyone in the room look pointedly at Yan Poyue. After receiving permission from Ai Qianxue, Pei Ta Yan approached Yan Poyue, stating he had "long heard" of him and changed his name because of him.
He provocatively offered to show his ID, then asserted that "capability, not name" was what mattered here. Pei Ta Yan then announced that if he achieved first place in the assessment six months later, he would change his name again, to Pei Mie Yan ("Pei who eliminates Yan"). Immediately, he lunged and threw Yan Poyue to the ground.
After helping Yan Poyue up, Pei Ta Yan claimed his initial throw was due to distracting Yan Poyue with words and offered to call it a draw. However, when he once again threw Yan Poyue, Xiao Yun Jie angrily accused Pei Ta Yan of unfairly targeting Yan Poyue's injured right hand. Pei Ta Yan dismissed it, challenging Yan Poyue to try with his left.
As Xiao Yun Jie, Guo Xiaoxiao, and Bai Long stepped forward to defend Yan Poyue, he intervened, admitting defeat for the day, choosing not to engage further. Ai Qianxue observed Pei Ta Yan's aggressive "first-meeting gift" and instructed them to continue with the introductions. Meanwhile, the detachment chief discussed with Qin Feng two important matters. First, they discussed the selection of a female sniper instructor, for which Leng Jing was deemed a suitable candidate.
Qin Feng approved, noting Leng Jing's veteran status would maximize her contribution. Second, the chief explained the unique nature of this international competition, which required inter-governmental cooperation and information sharing to combat terrorism effectively, a challenge that demanded evaluation of each country's comprehensive military quality. Qin Feng considered recommending Yan Poyue's team but acknowledged that Pei Ta Yan's team, with their overseas training and experience in cross-border operations, held a significant advantage. He requested time to deliberate.
Ai Qianxue later confronted Pei Ta Yan, acknowledging his drastic measure of changing his name. Pei Ta Yan openly admitted he used extreme tactics to fulfill her mission, thanking her for providing intelligence on Yan Poyue, which allowed him to devise targeted attack plans and defeat Yan Poyue twice. He correctly inferred that Ai Qianxue intended him to be a "catfish" to keep the entire class on edge.
Ai Qianxue then asked if he could have defeated Yan Poyue a third time. Pei Ta Yan confessed that if Yan Poyue had truly engaged him again, he believed he would have been the one defeated. He explained that his previous victories relied on exploiting Yan Poyue's old injury and character flaws, and in doing so, he had exposed his own physical capabilities and combat habits. A third encounter, he concluded, would have seen Yan Poyue capitalize on this knowledge.
Ai Qianxue observed that Yan Poyue had indeed "finally grown up," a sentiment reinforced by Yan Poyue's internal reflection: he had admitted defeat to Pei Ta Yan not from weakness, but to avoid becoming a target, opting instead to "hide his brilliance and endure hardship" to find his own path in this new, challenging competition.
Yan Poyue, Xiao Yun Jie, Guo Xiaoxiao, and Bai Long subsequently intensified their training, even observing and matching the heavier packs carried by Pei Ta Yan's group. During an English proficiency test, the four Cheetah members were placed in Class C.
While Yan Poyue, Xiao Yun Jie, and Guo Xiaoxiao had scored above 80, Ai Qianxue explained this was merely a high school level, far below Class B, and especially Class A, which included Pei Ta Yan and other highly proficient, multilingual students like Gu Meng. Bai Long, who scored a mere five points, admitted he struggled even with Pinyin. Ai Qianxue urged them to work harder, emphasizing that despite their different starting points, there was only one finish line.
In response, Yan Poyue proposed a rigorous plan: halve their physical training time to focus on academics, extend their "lights out" time by four hours for late-night study, and incorporate more fish into their diet for brainpower, likening their situation to a high-stakes college entrance exam. He rallied his comrades, declaring that as elites, they must now conquer the "twenty-six tricky, ruthless English letters" to have any chance of reaching their ultimate goal.
