Kai stood alone in Merge Zone D, watching three Tier 4 Crimson Swine circle each other under the moonlight.
They weren't fighting.
They were evaluating each other.
MergeCore's algorithms had slowed the process.
"You're beyond Tier 4 now," Kai muttered.
"The system won't let me rush it."
🧪 Experimental Merge: Crimson Swine
After two failed Tier 5 trials, MergeCore initiated a new path:
[MERGE SEQUENCE: Tier 4 + Tier 4 + Tier 4]
[Merge Stabilizing…]
[MERGE SUCCESSFUL]
→ Tier 5: Titanblood Boar
It was bigger. Thicker. Heavier than a truck.
But silent. Controlled. With a low thrum in its chest that pulsed like a war drum.
Stats:
Meat yield: 4.2x higher than Tier 4
Taste: Described as "wild, smoky, primal"
Fat absorption: Zero residuals in test digestion
Bone: Could be ground into mineral supplement
It was a walking empire.
Kai didn't smile.
He just tagged it: "TB-01. Locked Lineage."
🥩 MergeMart – HighNet Division
MergeMart launched a private channel:
MergeMart Prestige
Invite-only.
Products sold by bloodline:
Ember Steaks (Tier 4 Horse Meat – exclusive)
Crimson Swine Cuts (Tier 4)
Titanblood Ribs (Tier 5 – $10,000/slab)
SweetPlump Veg Pack (Tier 4+)
MergeMilk – Tier 4+ Aged Line
Orders came in within 12 hours—from luxury chefs, sovereign buyers, and anonymous accounts traced back to corporate nation-states.
🏇 MergeHorse Bloodline Expansion
Kai wasn't done racing.
He merged Ashline's offspring with Ember's second-generation clone.
[MERGE COMPLETE: Tier 4 + Tier 4 = Tier 5 – Apex Strider]
The new horse didn't need a jockey.
It didn't run — it sliced air like a phantom.
Kai didn't send it to Ridge Run.
He flew it out — private track testing in Monaco.
🧱 Merge Infrastructure – Tier Lock-In
Kai added bloodline vaulting to MergeCore:
Every animal, crop, and machine with Tier 4+ status now carried genetic encryption.
Unauthorized sampling triggered instant biological degradation.
No more theft. No reverse engineering.
He wasn't growing a farm.
He was building an untouchable dynasty.
Earnings
MergeEggs, Milk, Pork (standard): +$170,000
Prestige Line (First Titanblood Sales): +$320,000
Tomatoes, Lettuce, Wheat: +$110,000
Cigarettes: +$70,000
Monaco Deal (Apex Strider Licensing Test): +$250,000
Expenses
Tier 5 MergeFuel (Custom Synth): –$200,000
Animal Handling, Vault Tech, BioLocking: –$350,000
International Transport: –$40,000
MergeCore Security Upgrade: –$80,000
Net Profit: +$250,000
Kai's Total Net Worth: $12,218,000