Building a Conglomerate in Another World

A day later.
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The morning sun cast a golden glow over the Hanzhou River as festivities resumed. Dignitaries and locals mingled along the ceremonial grounds, marveling at the grandeur of the dam. Amber Hesh stood among them, exchanging pleasantries with foreign ambassadors and Chinese officials. The atmosphere was jubilant—a celebration of cooperation and progress.

Suddenly, a distant rumble interrupted the revelry. Amber froze, her ears straining to identify the source. The sound of gunfire echoed through the valley, distant but unmistakable.

General Trenton, who had accompanied Amber on this trip, appeared at her side, his face grim. "Mrs. Hesh, we need to leave. Now."

Amber's heart began to race. "What's happening, General?"

"Reports of an armed faction approaching the site. Boxer rebels, likely."

The Boxers were a growing militant group opposed to foreign influence in China. Though their activities had mostly been in rural regions, no one expected them to attack such a high-profile event.

A loud explosion shattered the uneasy calm. Chaos erupted as civilians screamed and scattered in all directions. Gunfire erupted from multiple sides, and a group of armed men emerged from the surrounding hills, firing indiscriminately into the crowd.

"Get down!" Trenton barked, pushing Amber behind a stone pillar. Her security detail sprang into action, forming a protective ring around her and the other foreign dignitaries. Chinese soldiers attempted to hold the perimeter, but the attackers pressed forward with alarming speed and coordination.

Amber peeked around the pillar, her stomach tightening in horror. Dozens of civilians lay dead or wounded. Diplomats were being escorted to safety, but many were caught in the crossfire. Prince Liu Kang shouted commands to his guards, but the scene was quickly descending into chaos.

"This way, Mrs. Hesh!" Trenton ordered, gesturing toward a fortified pavilion. Two members of her security detail led her toward it, firing as they moved. The sound of bullets whizzing past her ears was deafening.

Amber stumbled as another explosion rocked the ground beneath her. She glanced back in time to see one of her guards fall, a rebel's bullet striking him in the chest. Trenton returned fire, killing the attacker, but more rebels were closing in.

"Keep moving!" Trenton shouted.

They reached the pavilion, where a group of survivors had gathered. Amber crouched behind an overturned table, her mind racing. She had faced high-stakes negotiations and political challenges before, but nothing like this. This was raw, brutal survival.

"How many are there?" she gasped, trying to steady her breathing.

"Too many," Trenton replied, reloading his rifle. "We weren't prepared for this kind of assault. They must have infiltrated the area under cover."

Another wave of gunfire rained down on their position. Several guards were hit, their bodies slumping to the ground. The rebels advanced relentlessly, their war cries filling the air. Trenton fought valiantly, but his forces were being overwhelmed.

Amber clenched her fists. She couldn't allow herself to panic. "General, what are our options?"

"We hold this position as long as we can. Reinforcements are—"

Before he could finish, a rebel sniper's shot found its mark. Trenton collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him. Amber screamed, instinctively reaching for him, but a guard pulled her back.

"They've breached the perimeter!" another guard shouted. "We have to retreat!"

"There's nowhere to retreat to!" another voice countered.

Amber's vision blurred as the situation spiraled further out of control. The pavilion was surrounded. One by one, her guards fell, their defensive line breaking under the onslaught. Rebels stormed the structure, subduing anyone who resisted.

A rough hand grabbed Amber's arm, yanking her to her feet. She struggled, but the rebel's grip was ironclad. Her captor barked orders in Chinese, and she was forced to march alongside other captured dignitaries, including Prince Liu Kang and several Western diplomats.

The rebels dragged their captives through the devastated ceremony grounds. Fires burned in the distance, and the once-celebratory scene was now a nightmarish battlefield. Amber spotted survivors—civilians cowering behind debris, injured and terrified.

"You'll regret this," Liu Kang said defiantly to the rebel leader. "The Imperial Army will not stand for this act of terror!"

The leader, a wiry man with a scar across his face, laughed harshly. "The Emperor's court is full of cowards who have sold our nation to foreign devils. We are the true defenders of China. Today, we send a message."

Amber's mind raced. She had to stay calm, find a way to reason with these men—or at least buy time. But the rebels showed no signs of negotiation. They were fanatics, driven by hatred for foreigners and a desire to purge foreign influence from their land.

The captives were marched into a nearby village that the rebels had seized. Amber was shoved into a makeshift holding area—a small, dilapidated temple repurposed as a prison. The doors were barred, and armed guards stood watch outside.

"Are you hurt?" Amber asked Prince Liu, who sat beside her, his face pale but determined.

"No, but this situation is dire," he replied. "The Boxers have grown bolder than we anticipated. If they hold us long enough, they'll use us as leverage."

Amber swallowed hard. "We can't let that happen. Reinforcements must be on the way."

"I hope so," Liu muttered. "But until then, we are at their mercy."

The other captives murmured in fear and exhaustion. Amber leaned her head against the cold stone wall, her mind racing for solutions. She had survived the horrors of war before, but this was different. Now, she was not only a prisoner but a symbol—one the rebels intended to exploit.

"I won't give up," she whispered to herself. "Matthew... hold on for me."

"You get up!" ordered one of the boxers to Amber.

Amber didn't follow his orders and introduced herself.

"I am the First Lady of the Great Republic of Amerathia. You surely know what will happen if you were to lay your hands on me."

"I said get up!" The boxer rebel smashed the butt of the rifle to Amber's face, causing it to bleed.

"Your Excellency!" Prince Liu rushed to see if Amber was okay, and she wasn't. She was bleeding from the nose and was hurt badly.

"They will incur the wrath of the Great Amerathian Army if the President were to find about this."