The warehouse felt different now. With Arnel darting between wires and circuit boards and Lolo Ed steadying the heavier work with his practiced touch, AquaPure's small team had gained rhythm. But Rafael knew it wasn't enough.
"You can solder, you can weld," Maria said one evening, arms crossed. "But if we're going to push filtration tech further, we need science. Chemistry, biology—the kind of knowledge you don't get from grease or wires."
She wasn't wrong. The Codex had already whispered the same in Rafael's mind:
"Next candidate profile: Scientific background. Status: underemployed. Location: retail pharmacy, Sampaloc district."
The next afternoon, Rafael made his way to Sampaloc, weaving past jeepneys and street vendors. A faded drugstore stood on the corner, its flickering fluorescent sign barely holding together. Inside, behind the counter, stood a thin man in his late twenties, glasses slipping down his nose as he counted pills into a plastic bag.
The Codex flared softly:
"Candidate Identified: Dr. Julian Reyes. Age: 29. Degree: Chemistry, University of the Philippines. Current occupation: Pharmacist. Cause of underemployment: lack of connections, political barriers. Loyalty probability: 81%."
Rafael bought a cheap pack of paracetamol just to start the conversation. As the man handed it over, he asked, "You studied chemistry, right?"
The pharmacist blinked. "How did you—?"
Rafael shrugged. "Call it a hunch. You don't move like someone who just hands out pills. You move like someone who understands what they're made of."
For the first time, a flicker of pride touched the man's face. "Top of my class. Published papers. But in this country, if you don't have the right name or the right sponsor, you end up here, counting tablets for minimum wage."
Rafael leaned closer. "What if I told you I need someone exactly like you? Someone who can test, refine, and push water purification further. Not in a lab with corporate strings attached—but in a team building something real."
The man studied him, suspicion rising. "Sounds like a scam. Everyone wants free work these days."
Rafael pulled an AquaPure straw from his jacket and set it on the counter. "Try this on the tap water in back."
Minutes later, Julian returned, eyes wide. "This… this works. How?"
"That's what I want you to help answer," Rafael said. "You know chemistry. You know what big companies overlook. You've been ignored because you don't fit their mold. But with us? You'd be free to invent."
Silence stretched. Then Julian's lips curled into the faintest of smiles. "I've dreamed of building something better since college. If you're serious—if this isn't just talk—I'm in."
Back at the warehouse, Maria raised an eyebrow as Julian set down a small kit of lab tools he'd carried from home. "Another stray?" she teased.
Julian adjusted his glasses. "Call me whatever you like. Just give me space, samples, and time."
Arnel grinned. "Finally, someone who knows the science stuff! I was just guessing half the time."
Lolo Ed chuckled. "Kid, don't say that too loud. You'll scare the boss."
Rafael only smiled as he watched them banter. For the first time, he saw the shape of something larger forming—not just a company, but a team. A mix of raw talent, hardened experience, and forgotten brilliance.
The Codex pulsed faintly in his vision:
"Innovation Core forming. Next objective: Secure facility expansion. Candidate search: Leadership support, logistics coordination."
Rafael whispered under his breath, unseen by the others: "Step by step… we're building an empire."