Chapter 6: Fortune and Foundations

August 25, 2022 – Underground Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering

The laboratory was plunged into a tranquil darkness, barely interrupted by the soft glow of the holographic interfaces floating in the air. Rodrigo sat in front of a console, his eyes scanning lines of code dancing on the translucent screens. Beside him, Orion and Arin slept peacefully in their cribs, their steady breathing bringing a comforting calm to the atmosphere.

Rodrigo leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment. His mind traveled back to memories of the future he had experienced. He clearly remembered certain events, including the results of lottery drawings that had captured public attention. A bold plan began to form in his mind.

—Eidolon, access the historical records and confirm: what was the winning number for Melate on August 28, 2022?

"Checking... The winning number was: 03, 15, 27, 33, 42, 56."

Rodrigo opened his eyes, a spark of determination shining in them.

—Time to try our luck.

August 26, 2022 – Lottery Agency in Coyoacán

Afternoon was falling over Mexico City, dyeing the sky orange. Rodrigo walked through the cobblestone streets of Coyoacán, his destination a modest lottery agency located on an inconspicuous corner. As he entered, the jingling of a bell announced his presence.

—Good afternoon, he greeted the manager, an older man with a kind expression.

—Good afternoon, young man. How may I help you?

—I would like to play Melate for tomorrow's drawing. I'd like to buy five tickets, all with the same combination of numbers.

The man raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"And what would that combination be?"

Rodrigo slid a piece of paper with the numbers written on it: 03, 15, 27, 33, 42, 56.

"These numbers, please."

The manager took the paper, still incredulous, but began processing the request. After a moment, Rodrigo left the agency with the tickets in hand, each with the specific combination.

As he walked back to the lab, he felt the weight of the decision he had made. He knew he was manipulating events in a risky way, but he also understood that, without resources, his plans would remain in the realm of ideas.

August 28, 2022 – Underground Laboratory

The night before, the Melate drawing had taken place. Rodrigo didn't need to watch the broadcast; he already knew the result. However, as a precaution, he waited until the next morning to check the numbers on the official website.

There they were: 03, 15, 27, 33, 42, 56.

He took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of euphoria and nervousness. He had won. Not only that, he had won the jackpot, accumulating a considerable sum.

"Eidolon, any anomalies detected regarding the drawing?"

"None. Everything is proceeding as planned. However, discretion is advised when claiming the prize to avoid unwanted attention."

Rodrigo nodded. He knew that a win of such magnitude would attract stares and questions. He needed a plan to handle the situation cautiously.

August 30, 2022 – National Lottery Offices

Dressed in simple clothing and a cap that partially obscured his face, Rodrigo entered the National Lottery headquarters. He carried a folder with the winning tickets and an ID he had prepared with the help of Eidolon.

He approached the customer service desk, where a middle-aged woman greeted him with a professional smile.

"Good morning. How can I help you?"

Rodrigo placed the folder on the counter.

"I think I've won the Melate jackpot and I'm here to claim it."

The woman opened the folder and, upon seeing the number of tickets and the winning combination, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Of course. Please accompany me to a private room while we verify the authenticity of the tickets."

Rodrigo followed her down a hallway to a small office. There, a team of specialists meticulously examined each ticket. After an hour of waiting, a man in a suit entered the room with a serious expression.

"Mr..." he looked at the ID. "Martinez, congratulations. You've won the jackpot. However, due to the size of the prize and the number of tickets, we need to perform some additional procedures. Could you tell us how you obtained these tickets?"

Rodrigo remained calm.

"I've played Melate for years and always use the same combination of numbers. This time, I decided to invest more than usual, and it seems luck was on my side."

The man nodded slowly.

"We understand. We'll ask you to sign some documents, and after completing the fiscal and administrative procedures, we will proceed with the delivery of the prize. We inform you that, due to the size, the amount will be transferred to a bank account in your name."

Rodrigo nodded, aware that every step had to be handled precisely to maintain his anonymity and security.

September 5, 2022 – Underground Laboratory

Back in the lab, Rodrigo sat at his console, watching Orion and Arin sleep. The transfer of the prize had been completed, and he now had the necessary resources to bring his projects to life.

"Eidolon, status of the LUMEN project?"

"Software development is complete. Internal testing indicates 98.7% accuracy in predictive analytics. The interface has been adapted to be intuitive and compatible with current systems."

Rodrigo nodded, satisfied. LUMEN was a predictive analytics platform capable of processing huge volumes of data and offering accurate projections in various fields: financial, academic, social. A tool that, if properly presented, would revolutionize multiple industries.

"Let's proceed with the company registration. We need to establish a legitimate and solid front for what's coming," Rodrigo said as he stood up from the console.

"Initiating the process. Recommendation: Incorporate a Variable Capital Corporation. Suggested name: LUMEN Solutions S.A. de C.V."

Rodrigo smiled. The name fit perfectly: Lumen, the unit of light. A simple but powerful metaphor.

In a matter of minutes, Eidolon had generated the documents, filed the company's creation with the SAT (Tax Administration Service), and reserved a tax domicile in Coyoacán: a small office that would serve as a buffer between his secret laboratory and the outside world.

The initial deposit for the share capital was made immediately: 500,000 pesos.

Rodrigo also opened a business account with the newly acquired funds. He didn't need investors. Not yet.

Now he had what he needed: structure, legality, and capital.

September 7, 2022 – UNAM-Tec Incubator, Coyoacán Campus

Dressed in a dark blue jacket, white shirt, and neatly pressed jeans, Rodrigo walked toward the lobby of the innovation building. Although he appeared casual, his presence radiated confidence. He wasn't that of a lost student; he was someone who knew exactly what he was doing.

Upon entering the meeting room, he was greeted by three evaluators: an engineering professor, a business development specialist, and a technology consultant from Tec de Monterrey.

"Welcome, Rodrigo. We're ready to see your proposal," said the professor, crossing his arms curiously.

Rodrigo connected his laptop, and within seconds, the LUMEN Analytics presentation began to appear on the screen.

"LUMEN is a predictive analytics software based on machine learning networks. Its function is to collect public and private data, refine it, and convert it into reliable projections for making strategic decisions."

He explained precisely how the system could anticipate market movements, detect academic opportunities, optimize inventories, and even predict social trends. All in a user-friendly and adaptable interface.

"And you programmed all this yourself?" the consultant asked, skeptical.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation. "I'm the father of two newborns, so many sleepless nights have served a purpose."

The comment drew smiles, but also admiration.

"And what are you seeking with this presentation?" the Tec expert asked.

"Not funding. I already have resources. I want access to your network of pilot companies, to test LUMEN in real environments. If it works as well as I hope, we'll talk about licensing later."

The professor jotted something down in his notebook. Everyone nodded slowly.

Rodrigo knew he had sown something. He didn't need to beg. LUMEN would speak for itself.

September 9 – Underground Lab

Rodrigo looked at the usage graphs. In just 48 hours, LUMEN had been activated by 1,700 users. Professors, students, entrepreneurs, small business owners. Some were already using it to forecast expenses or plan projects.

The strategy had worked: offering the platform as a "free university tool" had made it go viral.

"Rodrigo, the attention on you is starting to grow. Do you want to implement tracking barriers?"

"Yes, but subtly. I don't want to seem paranoid… yet."

Eidolon processed the command. Rodrigo stood up and walked over to the cribs. Orion was playing with a floating model of molecules. Arin was looking at a sphere projecting rhythmic waves of light.

They were the reason he was doing all this.

But now… the world was starting to look back.

And he was ready.