Building a Conglomerate in Another World

The night air was cold in the mountains, the wind howling through the trees as the flickering torches illuminated the rebel camp. Amber Hesh kept her posture straight despite the aching in her arms and legs. She had no illusions about her situation—she was a hostage, and the rebels were using her as leverage. But that didn't mean she was powerless.

Her gaze flickered to the other captives. Some were whispering amongst themselves, trying to make sense of their situation. Others sat in defeated silence. Fear was the enemy here. If they let panic take hold, it would only make them weaker.

Amber exhaled slowly, her breath misting in the cold air. Matthew is coming. I know he is. But time was against them. The longer they remained in captivity, the more unpredictable the rebels would become.

Her thoughts were interrupted by approaching footsteps.

The rebel leader—Zhou Liang—strode toward her, flanked by two guards. He crouched in front of her, eyes studying her with an unsettling curiosity.

"You seem quite calm for someone in your position," he remarked.

Amber met his gaze, her expression unreadable. "Panicking wouldn't help me, would it?"

Zhou chuckled. "No, it wouldn't. But tell me, Mrs. Hesh, how much is your husband willing to risk for you?"

Amber's jaw tightened. "You don't want to find out."

The rebel leader smirked, leaning closer. "We shall see." He stood up, turning to his men. "Prepare the message. We send it to Beijing by morning."

Amber's stomach clenched. Message?

One of the guards nodded and disappeared into the darkness.

"Rest well, Mrs. Hesh," Zhou said as he walked away. "Tomorrow will be an important day."

Amber suppressed a shiver—not from the cold, but from the weight of what was coming next.

The next day in Beijing.

The electric lamps flickered inside the Amerathian embassy as Ambassador William Thornton stood by the window, watching the darkened streets of Beijing. He had barely slept, waiting for news.

A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. James Walker, the embassy's security chief, entered, his expression grave.

"We just received a message from the Imperial Court," Walker said. "The Emperor will meet you in two hours."

Thornton straightened. "Good. But that's not all, is it?"

Walker shook his head and handed him a telegram. "Intercepted communication. The Boxers are sending a message—likely a ransom demand or a list of demands for the release of the hostages."

Thornton scanned the message, his jaw tightening. "Damn it. They want Amerathian withdrawal from Chinese affairs, immediate cessation of military advisors to Japan, and recognition of their legitimacy."

Walker crossed his arms. "We both know Hesh won't agree to that."

"No, he won't," Thornton muttered. "But we need to get to those hostages before the Boxers decide to make a statement."

Walker nodded. "Our contacts inside the Chinese military say there's already movement. Some factions within the Imperial Court want to handle the rebels harshly, but they're divided. If we don't push the Emperor to act, this could drag on for weeks."

Thornton sighed. "Then we push him."

He turned, grabbing his coat. "Tell the car to be ready. It's time we reminded the Emperor that Amerathia does not wait."

The White House, Washington D.C.

President Matthew Hesh stood in the War Room, staring at the map of northern China. His fists were clenched behind his back as General Carter Hayes updated him.

"We've identified a potential extraction route," Hayes said, pointing to the terrain on the map. "The rebels are holding the hostages in an encampment here, north of Hanzhou. It's heavily guarded, but they're relying on the rugged terrain as a natural defense. That's where we can exploit their weakness."

Matthew's jaw was tight. "How soon can we get a team in?"

"We have set up a team," General Carter Hayes continued.

"A small, highly trained unit—Amerathian operatives working in the region, along with British and Japanese allies. They're already in motion, awaiting the green light to proceed with the extraction."

President Matthew Hesh leaned forward, his eyes locked onto the map sprawled across the table. His knuckles were white as he gripped the table's edge. "What's their plan?"

Hayes tapped a spot on the map just north of Hanzhou, where the rugged terrain provided natural cover. "The rebels are holding the hostages in a mountain encampment. There's no easy approach—the area is well-guarded, and a full-scale assault would risk Amber's life along with the others."

Matthew's jaw tightened. "Then we do this surgically. Tell the team to move in under cover of darkness. They extract the hostages quietly. No one gets left behind."

Hayes hesitated. "Sir, if things go sideways, they'll be outnumbered. Reinforcements will be hours away."

"Then they won't fail." Matthew's voice was cold, absolute. "Just inform the Chinese that we will be doing something. I hope they don't interfere with that."
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"The Chinese government are just playing it safe as there are a lot of Boxer symphatizers. If they were to act in a way that support the foreign ones instead of their own people, they'll be in the lot of trouble." Hayes paused for a moment before continuing. "That said, the Emperor is not fond of the Boxers, nor is he interested in letting them dictate China's foreign policies. If we move carefully, we can carry this out without provoking the Imperial Court."

Matthew nodded, exhaling slowly. "Then make sure our allies in Beijing are aware. The moment our team moves, I want the Chinese informed—but only once it's too late for them to stop us."

Collins, who had been silently listening, finally spoke up. "And if the Chinese see this as a violation of their sovereignty?"

Matthew turned to him, his expression cold. "Then they'll have a choice to make. Either they let us retrieve our people, or they become complicit in their deaths."

Silence filled the room.

Hayes cleared his throat. "Understood, sir. I'll make sure the team knows what's at stake."

"Good." Matthew glanced at the clock. Every second counted. "Dismissed."

As the room emptied, Matthew stayed behind, his gaze still locked on the map. His fingers traced the area where Amber was being held.

Hold on, Amber. I'm coming.