His -Basic Knowledge of Life,- the ethereal scroll he had absorbed, now proved invaluable.
It contained not just theoretical understanding, but practical applications for planetary management.
It outlined ways to increase oxygen levels in a planet.
One method was direct divine intervention: he could use his divine power to break water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, then combine the oxygen atoms to form breathable O2, and finally dissolve this oxygen directly into the seawater.
This was a powerful, immediate solution, but it came with a steep price.
Such a grand-scale manipulation would consume more than one-third of his current 27.14 Faith points, leaving him dangerously low for future misfortunes.
The second way was to use the evolution of lifeforms themselves to create organisms that could effectively produce oxygen.
While the newly evolved plants and bushes on land were contributing, they were not the primary oxygen producers.
Sunny knew from his memories of the Blue Planet that even there, only about 29% of oxygen was formed by land plants and trees; the vast majority came from the oceans. Relying solely on land plants for this crisis was not a viable long-term solution.
Sunny’s preference was clear: he wanted to take the second, evolutionary path, to save his precious Faith points.
But he also understood that evolution was not simple. One misstep, one incorrect nudge, could lead to failed evolution, mass extinction, and the complete collapse of his nascent ecosystems.
The risk was immense.
He weighed his options, the silent, dying world of Veridia pressing down on his cosmic consciousness.
He needed a solution that was both effective and sustainable, one that addressed the immediate crisis while building resilience for the future.
He decided on a hybrid approach, a path that combined both options while conserving Faith points and simultaneously accelerating the evolution of oxygen-producing organisms.
His plan was simple in concept, complex in execution: spend a moderate amount of Faith (he mentally targeted 4-6 points) to selectively boost the oxygen-producing efficiency of specific algae types, and to accelerate the evolution of more oxygen-efficient traits across his aquatic lifeforms.
This was cheaper than direct oxygenation, but it would take time ��� planetary time ��� risking more lifeforms if the problem persisted.
But Sunny was resolute. He was sure about the risks.
He estimated that a few hundred million of his lifeforms, a significant number but a small fraction of his billions-strong population, would be lost at most.
A calculated sacrifice for long-term stability.
The -Basic Knowledge of Life- had provided him with key notes about genetic code and the ability to influence it through divine power (Faith).
However, Sunny, despite his newfound divine comprehension, was not a geneticist.
He didn’t possess an intuitive understanding of every specific gene sequence.
His only option was a painstaking process of hit and trial.
He plunged his consciousness back into Veridia, focusing on the microscopic world of algae.
He began to channel his Faith, a subtle, warm energy flowing from him.
He would mentally -touch- a specific genetic sequence within an algae cell, observe the minute changes, and then repeat the process, millions of times over, across countless individual organisms.
It was like blindly searching for a single, crucial switch in a vast, complex control panel, relying on the subtle feedback from the System and the dying organisms themselves.
He was looking for the genetic trigger that would make them hyper-efficient at photosynthesis, at breaking down CO2 and releasing O2.
The process was tedious, demanding immense focus and draining his mental energy even as it consumed Faith.
He spent what felt like an eternity, patiently, meticulously, trying one genetic permutation after another.
The dying algae were a constant, grim reminder of the urgency.
After 3 planetary days of this relentless, divine genetic hunt ��� days that felt like hours of intense concentration to Sunny ��� he finally felt a distinct shift.
A surge of recognition, a clear, undeniable feedback from the System. He had found it.
The specific genetic code responsible for supercharging oxygen production in one of the algae strains.
He had identified the key. Now, the real work of accelerating its spread and impact could begin.
The immediate crisis wasn’t over, but the path to recovery had just been illuminated.
Chapter 7: Ch 7 : The Breath of Veridia and new items
Chapter 7 - Ch 7 : The Breath of Veridia and new items
Now that Sunny had successfully identified the specific genetic code required to combat the oxygen depletion, he needed to implement the solution.
He had a lead, a divine blueprint for enhanced photosynthesis; now he had to make it reality.
Channelling his remaining divine energy, Sunny focused his will on the Veridia ecosystem.
He didn’t simply inject oxygen; that would be a temporary fix.