Chapter 834 Explosion

*************

Chapter 833: Explosion

Shock contorted the butler's face as he saw Li Jing standing before him. His mind raced. How was this possible? Where had she come from? He darted a glance towards Ming Xi, who mirrored his expression of stunned disbelief. There was no mistake another Li Jing stood before them. This could only mean one thing: an imposter.

"Seeing ghosts?" Li Jing's sharp voice sliced through the stunned silence.

Ming Xi gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. The implication of Li Jing's words. .h.i.t her like a tonne of bricks. A ghost? Did that mean their Madam Li was dead?

"Answer me!" Li Jing demanded, her patience wearing thin. What was going on? Why were her staff acting like she was a phantom?

"M-Madam," stammered Butler Wu, hoping to appease Li Jing before things spiraled out of control, especially if the imposter was listening. He lowered his voice, pleading, "Reduce your voice."

Li Jing bristled, about to retort and demand some answers, when the butler added a small, desperate, "Please."

She took a deep breath, forcing down her anger. It was clear something strange was happening, and shouting wouldn't get them anywhere. "Explain yourselves," she said, her voice calmer but still firm. "Why are you acting like this?"

"We have a reason, Madam Li," Butler Wu said, his voice strained. "Someone came in pretending to be you."

Intrigued now, Li Jing leaned forward. An imposter? Why would someone impersonate her? "Me?"

A flicker of relief crossed Butler Wu's face. "Yes, Madam. We need to show you why we were so..."

"Wait," Ming Xi interrupted, her voice trembling slightly. "What if Madam Li's order arrives?"

Li Jing furrowed her brow. What were they talking about? Still, curiosity gnawed at her. "Wait. What order?"

Ming Xi exchanged a hesitant glance with Butler Wu, who subtly urged her to speak. "About the apple pie and..."

With each word that left Ming Xi's lips, a horrifying realization dawned on Li Jing. By the time Ming Xi finished mimicking the order in a singsong voice, mimicking the imposter perfectly, Li Jing understood it crystal clear.

"Li Xiu," she breathed out the name, a dangerous hiss escaping her lips.

"Pardon?" Butler Wu couldn't hide his confusion. Who was Li Xiu? Everything felt off, suspicious. But there was no time to dwell on it.

"Take me to her," Li Jing ordered, her voice laced with steel.

Everything felt off, shrouded in suspicion. But time was a luxury they didn't have. "Show me," Li Jing said, her voice firm.

The three of them hurried towards the kitchen, in a unified front. But unbeknownst to them, their every move was being monitored by the imposter, who recognized Li Jing's voice.

As they entered the kitchen, Ming Xi, ever the dutiful attendant, took the lead, followed by Butler Wu and Li Jing close behind. Suddenly, the world around them shattered. A deafening explosion ripped through the mansion, the sound echoing through the halls.

BOOM!

Following a blinding flash of light, a substantial cloud of smoke and dust filled the s.p.a.ce. The force of the blast knocked the three figures to the ground, with debris falling on them.

Li Jing's ears rang as the sound of panicked shouts filled the air. Everything had happened in a blur. One moment they were walking into the kitchen, the next, the world was collapsing around them.

Pain flared through her body as she tried to sit up. Every muscle screamed in protest. Glancing down, she saw a large chunk of debris pinning her left ankle. "d.a.m.n it."

Struggling, she managed to push it free, the movement sending a fresh wave of pain through her.

Despite the throbbing pain, Li Jing knew she had to move. But more importantly, she had to find the others. Her biggest concern was her staff, who had gone in first. Smoke filled the air, blurring her vision, but the pounding of her heart drowned out the pain. "Ming Xi? Butler Wu?"

Silence.

Her heart hammered against her ribs. This was bad. "Ming Xi?" she called out again, her voice laced with panic.

A weak cough from the left drew her attention. Relief flooded her. She turned her head, squinting through the haze to see a coughing figure lying a few feet away.

"M-Madam..." The voice, raspy from coughing, made Li Jing scramble to her feet, ignoring the searing pain in her leg as she called out once more, "Ming Xi?"

The heat from the burning kitchen stung her eyes, blurring her vision.

Li Jing lurched forward. "We need to get out of here!"

Just as she reached Ming Xi, another wave of dizziness washed over her, and she stumbled back, her foot collapsing under her weight and falling onto a pile of debris.

"Ah!" A sharp cry escaped Li Jing's lips. "Ma...dam," Ming Xi coughed, panic in her voice.

"Madam! Mrs. Li!"

A group of figures rushed into the smoke-filled kitchen, their faces etched with concern.

Li Jing let out a shaky breath. Help had arrived. But then, a chilling realisation struck her. Where was Butler Wu?

"Butler Wu! Butler Wu?!" she screamed, panic clawing at her throat.

No answer.

What was happening?

Despair threatened to engulf Li Jing. The silence after her calls was deafening. Had the explosion? No, she couldn't think that way.

"Rescue the madam," a gruff voice cut through the chaos. "And get the emergency kit. Now!"

The man barked orders, his focus sharp despite the pandemonium. Relief washed over Li Jing, but it was short-lived.

Ignoring the rescuers swarming around her, Li Jing continued to call out, "Butler Wu!" she cried, her voice hoa.r.s.e from screaming. "Butler Wu?!"

"Madam, please." Ignoring the rescuer's attempts to calm her, she strained to see through the smoke. The burning kitchen cast long, distorted shadows, making it impossible to discern anything clearly.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the haze. "Ma'am, the butler is unconscious."

Li Jing's breath hitched. The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Unconscious? Was he dead? A thousand possibilities swirled in her mind. If he was gone, what would she say? How could she explain the situation?