Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

On the morning of October 6, 1673 (the 29th year of the Qianyuan era), a bustling scene of labor unfolded in the Russian camp in Omsk, where Cossacks were directing native soldiers and captured Kazakh people to cut down logs and build castles. The outer walls of the castles were covered with wooden planks or animal hides, and the roofs were covered with thatch or animal hair felt. Moats and towers were dug to form a natural barrier.

"Bagaba Khan" pointed excitedly at the Omsk Fortress, which was nearly half completed, and said, "What a sturdy fortress! Once it's finished, no matter how many guards come, they won't be able to take it!"

"Bagaba Khan" was merely a nickname; his real name was Bokhabov. During his invasion of Lake Baikal, he massacred the local Buryat people, forcing many to flee and leaving many villages desolate. He also engaged in countless acts of slave trading and plundering. To satirize his greed and tyranny, the people of the Buryat region gave him the nickname "Bagaba Khan." Upon hearing this nickname, the bloodthirsty Bokhabov felt no shame but rather pride, becoming even more reckless and ultimately forcing the Buryat people of the Wenga and Odin regions to revolt.

The mass exodus and constant uprisings of the Buryat people dealt a severe blow to the Tsarist Russian invaders. The Moscow government was forced to send personnel to Balagansk Fortress to "investigate" the reasons for the exodus, feigning a reprimand before transferring him to the Tobolsk Governorate. This was merely a smokescreen. Birds of a feather flock together. This notorious figure was seen as a rare talent by Governor Sulkin of Tobolsk, who ordered him to lead two hundred Cossacks and five hundred soldiers from indigenous tribes subservient to Tsarist Russia to the Omsk region to establish a strong fortress for the southward advance. A loyal friend is worth dying for, and Pokhabov was deeply grateful to the governor, leading his men in a blaze of glory in the Omsk region, burning, killing, and looting.

“You’re right, sir. Once Omsk Fortress is completed, we won’t have to worry about Tatar attacks anymore. It’s all thanks to you, sir!” Centurion Gavriel said obsequiously.

“Yes, we need to send more people to guard the castle until it is completed,” Pokhabov said smugly.

"Rest assured, I have sent twenty men to guard the area. They will come running to report as soon as the guards make any move," Gavriel replied respectfully.

"That's good," Bohabov nodded in satisfaction, then his expression suddenly changed. "Clatter clatter clatter~ clatter clatter clatter~" The thunderous sound of hooves came from afar, and troop after troop of cavalrymen wielding lances and sabers roared in, with fishing rods and tassels fluttering in the wind among them.

"Why are the guards here? Didn't you say you had set up a perimeter? Why didn't anyone report it?" Bohabov grabbed Gavriel and roared.

“But… our outposts might have been… attacked,” Gavriel trembled with fear.

Bohabov kicked him hard and roared, "Quickly lead your men back to the castle, hurry!"

If Omsk Castle had been completed, it would have taken some effort to take it down. But now the castle is only half-built, with a small part of the walls still unfinished, the moat only partially dug, and the towers not even topped. How can it possibly defend itself against the oncoming cavalry without any preparation?

The Kazakh chieftain Teguschoktu and Tumentuhuerchoktu led three thousand cavalrymen into the city from where the walls were not yet built. The Cossacks and native soldiers were cut down one by one before they even had a chance to fire their guns.

"Ah!" Bohabov raised his spear and stabbed a guard off his horse. "Whoosh!" A swift, lightning-fast blade slashed down his neck. The battle-hardened Teguschoktu's attack was quick and ruthless, cleaving "Bagaba Khan" from his left shoulder to his right side.

"Giddy up! Giddy up! Giddy up!" Gavriel was terrified, mounted a black horse, and fled in panic.

"Clatter, clatter, clatter!" Tuhuerchoktu caught sight of him, and while spurring his horse on with his feet to give chase, he took the powerful bow from his back, nocked an arrow, and fired. The arrow whistled as it viciously pierced Gavriel's nape, pinning him to the ground and killing him instantly.

"Men, behead all the captured Rakshasa demons and bring their heads to Tarasco Fortress to form a mound of skulls. Demolish the ghost fortress they built," Teguschoktu ordered, looking at the enemy corpses scattered on the ground.

“Wait a minute, it would be a shame to demolish such a fine castle. Why don’t we build it up and station troops there? It will provide an extra barrier against the Rakshasa demons in the future,” Tuhuerchoktu said with a smile.

The Battle of Omsk had a significant deterrent effect. Upon hearing that the Guards had slaughtered all the Russian troops who had invaded Omsk and that their heads had been piled up like a mound in front of Tarasko Fortress, Tobolsk Governor Sulkin made the sign of the cross and muttered to himself, "Barbarians, what a bunch of barbarians!" Despite his cursing, he issued an order to the Cossacks in various regions, instructing them not to harass the southern barbarians any further.

Upon hearing this news, Governor-General Narisong of Ejil was greatly encouraged. Together with Tumenpengchuk of the Agonkhba Myriarchy, the Myriarch Yileden Nuoyan, the Governor Tuyebai, and others, he planned to launch several counterattacks, forcing the Russian army back a hundred miles.

After Narisong arrived in Agakhba with 5,000 men and a large amount of weaponry on the orders of the Great Khan of Lotus, he recruited soldiers with the support of Punchuk, the leader of the Torgut tribe, and the garrison at Agakhba once grew to tens of thousands. However, Tsar Alexei I ordered Grand Duke Miloslavsky and his courtier Khitrovo to lead more than 20,000 Russian troops into the Agakhba region. The enemy was numerous and well-equipped. Narisong's troops, consisting of only 5,000 combat soldiers and the rest of herdsmen, were forced to retreat step by step. Just when things were critical, the counterattack by the garrison in the Kazakh region adjacent to Agakhba greatly boosted the morale of the defenders.

David's frontier was so vast! Even with the fastest courier service, the results of the Battle of Omsk didn't reach the ears of the Great Khan of Lotus until December. The older a man gets, the more patient he becomes; he patiently waited for another three months to see how Tsarist Russia would react. To his surprise, there was absolutely no movement. The Russian army not only refrained from retaliation but also restrained its activities on the frontier.

"Strange! That Tsar Alexei actually swallowed his anger? The U-Guards reported that not long ago a Cossack named Rasin launched an uprising against the Tsar, turning the northern Caspian Sea and the Volga River basin into chaos. Although it was suppressed, it severely weakened Tsarist Russia. Could it be true? I just pacified the south and originally intended to recuperate for two or three years before launching an attack on Russia. But since the enemy is currently in a weakened state, it might be better to launch an attack sooner. Hmm, last year's autumn harvest has been stored, and the financial situation has improved somewhat. Let's choose May or June to make our move," Sultan muttered to himself.

Russia's retreat did not earn the goodwill of this powerful figure; instead, it led him to believe that Russia was weak and easily bullied, prompting him to plan a further takeover. To mislead the enemy, he dispatched the official Luo Wenliang to Moscow, demanding that Russia return the occupied Yaksa territory and withdraw from the Agonkhba region. (End of Chapter)