Richard’s gaze was locked onto the formidable adversaries arrayed before them.

"Yeah, we might need reinforcements," he acknowledged with a grim tone, "but I’m not convinced they’ll afford us the luxury of time to even call for backup."

Despite the dwindling odds, a resolve hardened within him. "Still, our only gambit might be to signal for help. It’s a long shot, but it’s all we’ve got," he declared, his eyes moving with practiced ease to activate his suit’s distress beacon.

The moment the beacon was engaged, it emitted a rhythmic, pulsating signal.

"Okay, distress signals are now emitting, the command should receive it anytime now," Richard said.

"So what’s the plan, sir?" Graves asked.

Richard assessed the situation. There are over 20 Juggernauts and one Lin Feng’s associate. The associate has long golden blonde hair and a beautiful appearance, looking straight into his eyes with contempt. He had never seen that woman before, or he had seen her but he can’t remember exactly when and where. But he could feel a strange aura around her like she was not like the rest of Lin Feng’s associates, she was the real deal.

If they were already struggling against Lin Feng, the presence of a battalion of Juggernauts and a formidable woman only compounded their predicament.

"The key here," he began, his voice steady, "is not to defeat them all. We need to survive until our backup arrives."

Graves, understanding the direness of their situation, nodded in agreement. "And if the backup doesn’t arrive?" he asked, a hint of concern threading his voice.

"We make sure it does," Richard replied with a determination that left no room for doubt. He glanced once more at their enemies, who were now preparing to make a move.

"You two are done exchanging your last words?" the golden blonde-haired woman taunted from the center of their adversaries, her arms transforming into lethal blades with a metallic sheen and red pulsating veins.

Richard and Graves exchanged a brief look, a silent agreement passing between them. There was no time for prolonged strategies or hesitation.

"Remember my name, Su Xue, master’s second-in-command. I will not forgive you for hurting my beloved master," Su Xue declared, her voice laced with venom as she launched herself toward Richard and Graves with a speed that seemed to blur her movements.

Richard quickly responded, "Graves, focus on the Juggernauts. I’ll handle h—"

Richard couldn’t complete his words as Su Xue was already in front of him with a blade drawing near his neck.

He actuated his plasma blade and swept up in a defensive arc, blocking Su Xue’s attack just in time. The collision of their weapons produced a shower of sparks, illuminating their determined faces. Richard pushed back with force, creating distance between them.

As Richard prepared for another onslaught, he caught a glimpse of something horrifying in his peripheral vision. The Juggernauts were now stationary, their massive forms being overtaken by an eerie tendril biomass. This living mass seemed to originate from Lin Feng, enveloping the Juggernauts and drawing them into itself like a predatory entity consuming its prey.

Richard’s eyes widened as he noticed Lin Feng’s health bar, which was growing at an unprecedented rate, fueled by biomass assimilation.

Before he could warn Graves, Su Xue’s blade was on a downward swing towards him again. Richard, with a quick sidestep, avoided the attack, barely escaping a fatal strike.

"Graves! Lin Feng is regenerating! You have to stop him!" Richard shouted.

Got it!" he yelled back, firing off a plasma cannon towards Lin Feng. Multiple explosions erupted around Lin Feng as the projectile struck him. The biomass tendrils were now limping around, visibly damaged by the assault.

It did stop the regeneration but Lin Feng already consumed more than enough to join the fight.

Lin Feng rushed forward to Graves and it was now a 2v2 situation.

As Lin Feng charged towards Graves, Richard found himself locked in a battle of speed and precision against Su Xue. Despite her agility, Richard noted that Su Xue’s attacks, while fast, didn’t carry the same devastating impact as Lin Feng’s. This observation became key to his strategy.

Richard decided to use his environment to his advantage, maneuvering around the debris and fallen Juggernauts to create obstacles for Su Xue, slowing her advance and forcing her into a position where the lack of force behind her strikes became a significant disadvantage.

Each time Su Xue launched herself at Richard with her blade arms extended, he would counter with his plasma blade, using the momentum of her attacks to guide and flip her off balance. This tactic not only prevented her from landing a solid hit but also gradually wore her down, as she had to exert more energy to recover from each misstep.

Meanwhile, Graves was employing a different strategy against Lin Feng. Knowing he couldn’t match Lin Feng’s speed, Graves relied on his suit’s enhanced durability and firepower. He set up a barrage of plasma cannon fire, creating a perimeter of explosions around Lin Feng to restrict his movements.

Whenever Lin Feng managed to close the distance, Graves would engage his suit’s shock pulse, a close-range defensive mechanism designed to repel attackers. The shock pulse sent Lin Feng staggering back, buying Graves precious seconds to reposition and continue his ranged assault.

The two battles, though separate, were intrinsically linked, with each pair trying to outmaneuver and outwit their opponent. Richard and Graves communicated through quick, coded signals, coordinating their attacks to ensure they didn’t inadvertently cross paths or interfere with each other’s strategies.

Su Xue, growing increasingly frustrated with her inability to land a decisive blow on Richard, attempted a high-risk maneuver. She feigned a direct attack, then, at the last moment, vaulted over Richard, aiming to strike from behind. But Richard, anticipating her move, spun around, his plasma blade meeting her mid-air. The force of the collision sent her crashing to the ground, momentarily dazed.

Seizing the moment, Richard moved in to incapacitate Su Xue but was suddenly forced to divert his attention as Lin Feng, having momentarily broken free of Graves’s barrage, launched a surprise attack towards him. Richard barely managed to deflect Lin Feng’s strike with his plasma blade, the force of the impact sending vibrations through his arms.

Graves, seeing Richard in peril, adjusted his aim and fired a concentrated plasma shot at Lin Feng, hitting him squarely in the back. The impact of the shot propelled Lin Feng forward, away from Richard.

Richard sighed a relief, it was close. The two of them regrouped, standing side by side.

"I got your back sir, "Graves said.

"And I got yours," Richard responded.

And they received a transmission from the Blackwatch command.

"Eagle, this is Blackwatch Actual, we just received your distress signal, how can we help?"

"First of all, I need an airstrike at our position and send everyone here! We are facing Lin Feng and his subordinate," Richard replied.

"Copy that Eagle."