Actors Li Chen (left) and Sha Yi attend a press conference. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Set during World War II, the series chronicles the transformation of four ordinary people — a scholar, a soldier, a Peking Opera performer and a gangster — who struggle to be war heroes after witnessing the atrocities committed by Japanese invaders.

"The roles are small potatoes at the very beginning. When the peace and tranquility of their daily lives are broken by blood and death, they find they have to do something for their motherland and themselves," says director Xu Jizhou. The 40-year-old has won a slew of best-director awards in the nation’s TV program contests.

With a high-profile cast, the series stars veteran actor Li Chen, who shot to fame in the 1997 hit serial No Cry at Seventeen, and Sha Yi, known for the comedy series My Own Swordsman.