After the Genesis Particle Release Device completed its predetermined cycle, the energy activity within the experimental area of the barren planet began to show a systematic decline.
The data streams continuously transmitted from the high-precision sensor network deployed in orbit and on the ground clearly record this process.
The explosive activity of dramatic topographic reshaping, material reorganization, and life catalysis in the initial stage has gradually been replaced by more moderate natural processes that rely more on the internal interactions of the system.
After 3.7 standard years of continuous evolution, monitoring data shows that the effective energy density of the primordial particles in the experimental area has dropped to the background radiation level, and the large-scale macroscopic changes in the material structure they caused have completely ceased.
This means that the primordial energy injected from the outside has been largely exhausted.
At this moment, the experimental area with a radius of one thousand kilometers has completely evolved into a stable and fully functional original ecosystem.
The energy shield continues to function, maintaining the stability of the internal atmospheric and water cycles.
The once dramatically shaped earth's surface has long since settled, with ring-shaped mountain ranges, undulating hills, vast basins, and a crisscrossing network of waterways forming a diverse landscape.
Water coverage remains stable at 17 percent of the total area, forming several lakes of varying depths and meandering rivers.
The atmospheric composition has achieved a dynamic balance through self-regulation.
The oxygen content remained stable at 3.5 percent, and the proportions of carbon dioxide and other trace gases were also fixed within a range suitable for the survival of early life.
Regional climate patterns have been fully established, and precipitation, evaporation, and runoff constitute an efficient water cycle.
The introduced enhanced ferns have undergone several generations of natural selection, and their population distribution and morphological characteristics have become fully adapted to the local environment.
Along the moist shores and valleys, they form dense thickets, with plants generally exceeding four meters in height. Their sturdy stems and efficient photosynthetic system make them the most important primary producers in the ecosystem.
In drier hilly areas, variants with shorter plants and more developed root systems have evolved, demonstrating a perfect adaptation to water-scarce environments.
The expansion of the Gamma-7 microbial community has reached its limit, and its population size and distribution range have formed a stable negative feedback relationship with the nutrient content in the water.
Together with other native microorganisms, they form a complex aquatic microbial network, each occupying a specific ecological niche.
The decomposer community is highly specialized and can efficiently decompose fern litter and other organic debris, releasing nutrients back into the environment.
As the structure of the microscopic food web becomes more sophisticated, various single-celled predators that feed on specific microorganisms have emerged, and even rudimentary parasitic relationships have evolved.
The energy flow and material cycling pathways within the system are highly optimized, and the fluctuation range of total biomass has been reduced to less than 2%.
All key ecological parameters, including primary productivity, decomposition rate, and nutrient cycling flux, fluctuate within a narrow threshold range, indicating that the system has entered a mature self-sustaining state.
Osiris' monitoring system continuously recorded all of this.
Data shows that, without external primordial energy input, the system is fully capable of long-term self-sustaining by relying on stellar light and internal circulation.
The initial energy released by the primordial particles has been exhausted, and the dramatic changes it caused have subsided, leaving behind a somewhat primitive and rudimentary, but highly developed, ecosystem.
Osiris was satisfied with the results of the first phase of the Genesis Experiment. The stable operation of the original ecosystem within the energy shield fully demonstrated the remarkable effectiveness of the Genesis Particles in reshaping planetary environments and laying the foundation for basic ecosystems.
After a systematic evaluation, Osiris marked it as a "phased success".
Based on this, he decided to move forward with the experiment and launch the second phase of research: to try to guide the natural emergence of more complex life forms.
Through a comprehensive scan and analysis of the ecological data of the Genesis Zone, Osiris finally selected a small lake in the southeast of the experimental zone as the research object.
The lake covers an area of approximately twelve square kilometers and has an average depth of seven meters. Most importantly, there is an active geothermal outlet at its bottom.
The continuous release of heat and the mineral-rich hydrothermal fluids provided a unique chemical environment and a stable energy source for the evolution of life.
Monitoring data shows that the lake has developed a fairly rich microbial community.
Chemoautotrophic bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria, and various single-celled eukaryotes together constitute a relatively closed yet energy-active micro-ecosystem.
These environmental conditions, in theory, laid a good foundation for the emergence of more complex life forms.
Osiris' experimental plan maintained his consistently rigorous style.
He plans to gently increase the probability of mutation in the genetic material of life in the aquatic environment by continuously releasing trace amounts of creation factors, thereby accelerating the evolutionary process based on natural selection.
This approach avoids the unknown risks that may arise from directly interfering with evolutionary paths, and it also aligns with his respect for the natural laws of life.
To ensure observation accuracy and minimize interference with the experimental area, Osiris instructed the engineering team to build a small suspended research station above the target lake, outside the energy shield.
This hexagonal platform is maintained in precise hovering by an anti-gravity engine. The main body of the platform includes basic living quarters and a control center, capable of accommodating a standard research team for long-term deployment.
The research station's outer shell is covered with composite armor plates, and its surface is equipped with various sensor interfaces and communication arrays.
Multiple highly sensitive sensor probes extend from the bottom of the platform, penetrating specific channels in the energy shield to achieve comprehensive, non-contact monitoring of the water below.
The research station is equipped with a complete environmental control system and life support facilities, ensuring that personnel can conduct continuous observation and data recording in a relatively comfortable environment.
The research station is equipped with a precisely calibrated generative particle delivery unit at its base. This bowl-shaped device has its release port precisely aligned with the lake surface below, and an indicator light ring around its edge displays the device's operational status in real time.
The unit's internal multi-stage adjustment system ensures a continuous, low-flow injection of generative particles, and its release frequency can be fine-tuned according to experimental requirements.
Researchers stationed at the station can precisely monitor the deployment process via a control console, while simultaneously observing real-time changes in the lake ecosystem below.
A stable data link is maintained between the research station and the "Eternal Quest," and all experimental data is synchronously transmitted to the main database for backup and analysis.
The energy release intensity was rigorously calculated to be only one millionth of the total energy released on a planetary scale in the first stage, ensuring that it can promote evolution without causing drastic environmental changes.