QT: Grace To Grass Counterattack System

The Third Marshal, Ding Wang and Xia Yueyu all stood in the observation room and watched, through the glass demarcation, as Ding Weimin sat still on his bed and laughed until his shoulders shook.

The movement caused the bloody marks on his face to extend a bit and begin bleeding afresh but he paid no mind. It was so painful to watch that Xia Yueyu's eyes reddened and she quickly activated the intercom. "Min'er!"

Ding Weimin froze and slowly looked over to the other side. He could feel the magnetic energy coursing through his body, viciously tearing at the walls of his veins and weakening them.

It was so bad that he had several nano machines connected to his body to constantly transfer his blood and patch his ruined veins I order to prevent him from internally drowning in his own blood.

Fortunately, he'd been administered with top grade anaesthetics which took away as much as 95% of the pain but the remaining 5% was still maddening enough.

"Min~" Xia Yueyu's voice was infinitely softer as she locked eyes with her beloved son. "Just hang on a little longer okay? I already contacted the Yang family, Yang Zhi assured me that Yang Xue would be here soon. Just give it a day or two."

"You think so? Ha." Ding Weimin's voice sounded very hoarse as he chuckled softly. "Forget it. He's not coming."

Xia Yueyu adamantly shook her head. "Of course he'd come! There's no real dispute between our family and him. If he didn't try to seduce you in the first place then we wouldn't have-"

"Stop." Ding Weimin cut in tiredly. He looked between his father and mother before saying softly, "You're very much aware that he didn't try to seduce me."

"Min'er." Ding Wang said through gritted teeth as he eyed his son in warning.

The Third Marshal, on the other hand, looked between the other three with a stern frown. "What do you mean?"

Ding Wang and Xia Yueyu exchanged alarmed looks whilst Ding Weimin lowered his head shamefully. "Yang Xue... hadn't been lying when he came to confront me about dating Jin Qi that day. We were indeed in... That kind of relationship and I...." He gulped and tried to hide his nervous state with a shrug. "... I had indeed promised to... Marry him."

The Third Marshal blinked in shock before lifting his hand to his face. Just what was this now? Ding Weimin shone brilliantly in all aspects so how could he be such a basic fool? As much as the thought that his grandson had been in such a debauched relationship angered him, he was more angered by the fact that aside from the merit issue, the continuity of the Ding family had inadvertently been placed at the mercy of a mandron.

He lowered his head and whispered to himself, "There's no way that mandron is coming here voluntarily." And then he clicked on a few codes on his bracelet as he directly walked out of the observation room.

As soon as the communication request was accepted, he said, "Find the mandron, Yang Xue, at all costs. I don't care what method is used. Just make sure he is delivered to the Ding estate alive."

"Yes Sir," Came the simple reply from the other end before the hologram flicked shut.

The Third Marshal tiredly lifted his head to the skies with his hand on his waist. At this point, he didn't know what to make of his grandson. Involving himself in a questionable relationship with a mandron male and blatantly stealing the merit of the same mandron.

Just how and when did his grandson's disgnity and pride as a man disintegrate into nothingness?

He lowered his head to his bracelet. Even with all that, he still loved his grandson and couldn't bring himself to abandon him. If it should get discovered that he was using his position as Marshal to give out such a command against a mandron then his career and reputation might receive some damage.

He looked back at the observation room and sighed. Well... It was a mandron anyways, it wouldn't be too bad....

Back in the reinforced/observation room, the remaining three watched the Third Marshal go with their hearts in their throats. Xia Yueyu turned to her son worriedly. "Why would you admit such a thing to your grandfather?!"

Ding Weimin lowered his head silently. In fact, he also wanted to give the more important reason why Yang Xue would never come but as he opened his mouth to come clean about the stolen merit, the words got stuck in his throat. Even at this time, he couldn't bring himself to let his most shameful act be known to his family.

He ended up closing his eyes.

Xia Yueyu opened her mouth to speak but was held back by her husband. She ended up saying, "Rest well. Since it's already out then don't bother about it. It's not like you're going to get involved in such a relationship again anyways. You have A'Qi." She hesitated before adding, "We'll keep looking for a way to get Yang Xue."

The Ding mother and father slowly walked out after.

Ding Weimin opened his eyes as soon as his parents left and clenched his fists. Looking around the familiar room, he kept seeing an image of a young mandron boy shyly running around, trying to get closer to him. His eyes reddened and he shut them once more.

If only Yang Xue had been a little more understanding. He really couldn't afford to let the truth get out.

Xia Yueyu and Ding Wang had just entered the main mansion when the andronian head doctor walked up to them with a grave look on his face. Their hearts skipped several beats.

"Mrs. Xia, Mr. Ding," The doctor simply greeted before going straight to the point. "There's bad news. Having gone through this experience before, the General isn't really in the best state to suffer through another magnetic energy attack for an extended period. I'm afraid..."

He hesitated slightly. "I'm afraid if the extraction isn't carried out within three weeks then when it indeed is, the General would not come out of it unscathed like before."

Ding Wang frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is..." The andronian doctor let out a sympathetic sigh. "The General might end up permanently paralyzed from the neck down."

Xia Yueyu screamed in shock.

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Later that night, Yang Zhi received a communication request from a very anxious Xia Yueyu. He straightened on his seat as he called out, "Mrs. Xia."

"Cut the pleasantries," Xia Yueyu cut in with a hateful glare. "Colonel Yang. You have 24 hours. 24 hours and if Yang Xue doesn't show up in the Ding home, the Fed police would show up in yours."

Yang Zhi's eyes widened. "Mrs. Xia hol-" The hologram flicked shut before he could let out another word. He stood up abruptly and clicked on his bracelet. "A'Liu. Come to my study immediately!"

Less than five minutes later, Yang Liu rushed into the study with an alarmed look in her eyes, her father's tone earlier had frightened her. "What's happening?!"

Yang Zhi ran a hand over his face. "The Dings have given me an ultimatum of 24 hours. If I am unable to provide Yang Xue by then they're... going to release the evidence."

Yang Liu froze in fear. She couldn't go to jail. She still had a lot of things to achieve! How was she ever going to pick herself back up after? No one would hire an ex-convict! After thinking for a minute, she eyed her father contemplatively. "Have you contacted Yang Xue yet?"

Yang Zhi grit his teeth. "Of course I have. The ungrateful bastard placed a block on me!" His eyes suddenly lit up. "How about you give it a try?"

Yang Liu slowly nodded and lowered her head to her bracelet. She was about to send out a communication request when a light bulb suddenly went off in her head. Instead of actually sending out the request, she fiddled with her bracelet for a minute before shaking her head disappointedly. "I've been blocked too."

SMACK!

Yang Zhi slammed his palms agaisnt his desk, causing Yang Liu to flinch in shock. He paid no mind though. "Who does Yang Xue think he is? Had I known, I would have had his defective mandron mother abort such a vermin!"

Yang Liu paid no mind to her father's words as she fiddled with her fingers. How her father truly felt about her mandron brother was no secret anyways. In the end, she eyed him cautiously as she spoke, "You know... all hope isn't exactly lost though."

Yang Zhi paused. He knew exactly what his eldest was referring to. Yang Xue was nowhere to be found and he had a meagre 24 hours until all hell broke loose. There was really no other option.

In fact... it wasn't necessarily a bad idea.

Yang Liu would never delibrately endanger her life over General Ding. She was not as obsessive as Yang Xiang or as irrational as Yang Liqin so he didn't need to worry about her doing something stupid.

All the Dings needed was a companion for the General. It was such a simple price to pay considering the alternative was jail for him and two of his daughters.

After thinking things through, Yang Zhi calmly nodded at his eldest.

Yang Liu's eyes lit up. "I'll go get things ready!"

And then she walked out. In actuality, she had already prepared for this days ago. Yang Xue was a mandron male so his build was naturally on the leaner and shorter side.

The both of them were about the same height and she was skinny too so it was perfect. Another noteworthy thing was the fact that all of them Yangs had a slight resemblance to one another.

She'd prepared a prop to make her ears appear pointy, high quality foundation and skin paint to make her skin appear more golden, brown hair dye and lastly, brown and red ringed contact lenses.

Yang Xue had a few clothing articles in his upstairs bedroom so she could select a few of his oversized hoodies and a face mask to cover up any irregularities with her appearance.

As for her voice... Just don't speak too much. A few vague hums here and there would work perfectly. Yang Liu was sure of this because after that press conference held by the Ding family, it was to be expected that Yang Xue would feel wronged so it was okay if he held a little grudge and refused to be friendly with them... right?

The very next morning, Yang Zhi drove a fully disguised Yang Liu over to the Ding estate.