"Blackwatch to Eagle, nuclear missiles have been launched. You’ll receive an update on your system within five to fifteen minutes when those nukes started hitting the cities," Sara reported.

"Thank you, Sara. I have to go now, Lin Feng is still alive," Richard said, and his words were promptly confirmed by a sound akin to an explosion from a distance. There he saw Lin Feng, emerging out from the rubbles.

"That hurts!" Lin Feng bellowed.

"Richard...this is not the time where you’ll face Lin Feng and fight to the death. Your suit can’t handle any more stress..."

When Sara said that, Richard ran a diagnostics on his suits. Suddenly, a series of alerts and warnings flooded his HUD display. The information cascaded across the screen, revealing the extent of the damage and stress his suit had endured during the intense battle with Lin Feng.

SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS REPORT:

Shield Integrity: Critical. Shields at 15%. Warning: Shield capacity is severely compromised.

Plasma Cannon: Overheated. Warning: Plasma Cannon operating beyond safe limits.

Plasma Blade: Malfunction Detected. Warning: Plasma blade emitter damaged. Efficiency reduced by 50%. Risk of blade destabilization during combat.

Energy Reserves: Low. Energy levels at 22%. Warning: Insufficient power for sustained combat.

Structural Integrity: Compromised. Multiple stress fractures were detected in the exoskeleton frame.

Thrusters: Partially Damaged. Maneuverability reduced by 40%.

Communication Systems: Operational, but signal strength fluctuating.

Sensor Array: Impaired. Long-range sensors offline. Short-range sensors operating at 60% efficiency.

Cooling Systems: Overloaded. Warning: Inability to regulate suit temperature effectively.

Weapon Systems: Limited functionality. Secondary weapon systems offline.

Life Support: Stable. Warning: Prolonged engagement could compromise life support systems.

"Shit...so it’s the worst huh?" Richard commented and continued. "Sadly, I don’t think Lin Feng is going to let me get away from this place. He is determined to finish me off."

"Well...Lin Feng is an egotistical individual who wants to conquer the world, and he can’t do that if he is dead," Sara said. "How about you make a bluff? Tell him that a nuclear missile is on your way to your position."

"Is he going to believe that?" Richard asked, feeling that the bluff was too obvious.

"Ridiculous? Maybe, but what do we have to lose at this point?" Sara responded, her voice steady despite the dire circumstances. "We need to buy time until the nukes hit, and you return safely back here, it might just work."

Richard nodded, though Sara couldn’t see it. "Alright, I’ll try it," he said.

He switched his communication channel to broadcast mode. "Lin Feng," Richard began, his voice echoing across the battlefield, "you should know that a nuclear missile is headed to our location. It’s part of my plan. If I can’t take you down, I’ll make sure neither of us walks away from this."

Lin Feng, still standing amidst the rubble, paused for a moment. His head tilted slightly, considering Richard’s words. "A nuclear missile? Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I was born yesterday? You won’t do anything as reckless as that."

"I would do so for the sake of humanity, in fact, I’m ready to die for the world so that the people under my protection can live better lives. And by the way, it’s not a low-yield tactical nuke anymore. It’s the strongest nuclear bomb ever produced. The Tsar Bomba. You are not walking out alive on that one."

"Are you serious..." Lin Feng asked, his voice faltering.

"I am serious."

"Tsar Bomba is indeed a powerful nuke, and it can destroy the whole island. And I guess that your camp resides on this island?"

Richard scoffed. "I can assure you that they’ll be safe once the Tsar Bomba is detonated. Now I have to hold you here until the bomb strikes."

As Lin Feng deliberated his next move, Su Xue, one of his top associates, approached him cautiously. "Master Lin Feng," she began, her voice laced with urgency. "We should consider retreating. If what he says is true, staying here would be..."

Lin Feng fell silent, contemplating the gravity of Richard’s words. The tension in the air was palpable, with the threat of nuclear annihilation hanging over them.

As Lin Feng deliberated his next move, Su Xue approached him cautiously.

"Master Lin Feng," she began "We should consider retreating. If what he says is true, staying here would be..."

Lin Feng cut her off with a dismissive wave. "Retreat? And let him think he—"

Su Xue interrupted, "It’s not about winning or losing anymore. It’s about survival. If a Tsar Bomba is really on its way, we won’t stand a chance. We have to get to safety. In fact, we have to get out of here as quickly as we can because the Tsar Bomba has a blast radius of around 100 kilometers, and the thermal radiation can reach even further. We need to be at least 150 kilometers away from the epicenter to ensure our safety."

"And leave Richard alive? He’s the biggest threat we’ve ever faced. If I have the chance to eliminate him, I must take it, regardless of the risk."

Richard, overhearing their conversation, seized the opportunity to speak. "Lin Feng, are you really willing to die here, along with me? Is your pride worth more than your life? Yes, you may succeed in defeating me here but if you were to die, you are not going to see the world you so proudly desire to reshape."

Lin Feng tilted his head to the side. "Wait...why are you so eager for me to leave? Is there really a nuclear missile on our way right now?"

"Do you really want to test me, Lin Feng?" Richard replied sternly.

Lin Feng’s gaze narrowed as he assessed Richard’s demeanor. "Perhaps you are bluffing, perhaps not. But I cannot afford to take that risk. This is not the end, Richard. We will meet again. And it’s not going to be long."

With a final glance at the battlefield, Lin Feng signaled to his associates. They began to retreat rapidly, moving away from the potential blast zone.

Richard watched them leave and heaved a sigh of relief. He reached out to Sara and spoke. "Sara, they bought it. I’m returning back to the command center. I’m still waiting for my notification to pop up."

"Copy that, Richard. Make sure you are not being watched or followed before you return to the command center. Go fly in a circle for about 30 minutes and head straight back here," Sara suggested.

"I’ll do that," Richard said.