The Cat's Eye Coffee Shop

In a coffee shop named AT'S EYE (Cat's Eye), a young man clad in a light-colored, slightly retro-style suit is seated near a window. His expression, tinged with dejection, prompts the question: what could have possibly happened? This story begins from the very start.

Zhang Fan, a sophomore at a second-tier university, though originally a good student, had to settle for this less prestigious institution after an unsuccessful college entrance exam. This decision proved to be a source of constant frustration for him.

During his freshman year, Zhang Fan had contemplated striving for excellence, but the harsh realities of the world shattered this idealistic notion. Consequently, halfway through his first year, he moved out of his dormitory, became a day scholar, and transformed into a complete homebody. His days were filled with watching anime, playing video games, browsing beloved comics, boasting with old roommates, and surreptitiously admiring the campus beauties.

Such leisurely days were a source of immense comfort for Zhang Fan until one day, he woke up to find himself not in his familiar, cozy bed but on a cold, hard floor. Looking around, he found himself in a dimly lit, small cubic space, approximately 3m x 3m x 3m.

In his moment of bewilderment, Zhang Fan's salvation arrived in the form of the legendary Ascend to Godhood system. He had never imagined that such a fantastical theme of transmigration could become his reality. The Ascend to Godhood system, despite its clichéd name, brought a smile to his face.

Becoming a player in the Ascend to Godhood game? Well, setting aside other functions of the system, the exchange system alone was enough to make Zhang Fan drool. Weapons, items, and skills from various anime and games were all up for grabs. How exhilarating!

But wait... why was everything shrouded in grey? What did it mean that he couldn't access certain features until certain conditions were met? This felt like a trap!

Turning to the task function, which was also greyed out, Zhang Fan couldn't help but wonder if this too was inaccessible. What was the point of this game if he couldn't even start a mission? But then he discovered that he could indeed initiate mission instances. Why wasn't this mentioned earlier?

After communicating with the Ascend to Godhood system, Zhang Fan finally understood the basics of the game: to travel to various worlds, complete tasks issued by the system, and earn game points or other rewards to enhance his abilities.

The tasks ranged from simple to dangerous, but thankfully, the Ascend to Godhood system cared for its players, offering a user-friendly experience. Before entering the first instance, players whose physical abilities were not up to par would receive an initial boost, ensuring their survival in the game.

It was quite clear then, that the young man in the retro suit was none other than Zhang Fan, and the coffee shop he was in marked the first location of his mission instance. As for the reason behind his despondent expression, one had to look at who was sitting opposite him.

Sitting across from Zhang Fan was a girl dressed in a sailor uniform, her black hair draped over her shoulders and adorned with a five-petaled white plum blossom hairpin. She looked lively and adorable, probably around thirteen or fourteen years old. Those familiar with her would exclaim in recognition: "It's Rui Tears!"

Indeed, the girl before Zhang Fan was Rui Tears from "A Certain Scientific Railgun," and she too had become a player in the Ascend to Godhood game.

Zhang Fan's mission panel showed a basic trial task instance, but the mission content was somewhat perplexing.

Mission World: The Cat's Eye City Thief

Main Quest: Not yet activated

Side Quest 1: Join Cat's Eye, Reward: Game Points

Simple enough: the world was based on "Cat's Eye Sisters," a name familiar to many born in the 80s and some from the 90s, a once hugely popular anime. Although Zhang Fan hadn't watched much of the anime, being a pseudo manga enthusiast, he had skimmed through the manga. He didn't remember the details, but he had a rough understanding of the plot.

The story revolved around three sisters who ran a coffee shop named Cat's Eye by day and became the notorious thieves known as Cat's Eye by night, stealing priceless artworks from the city.

To join Cat's Eye, all Zhang Fan had to do was confront the Cat's Eye Sisters. Whether they would choose to recruit him or eliminate him was entirely up to their whims.

But that was not Zhang Fan's primary concern. What truly troubled him was that Rui Tears had become his temporary mission partner! Under normal circumstances, he would have been thrilled to meet Rui Tears, but the idea of leading a girl - or rather, a young loli - into a thieves' group, performing high-stake heists daily, was daunting, to say the least.

"Brother... what are you thinking about?" Rui Tears asked timidly from her seat. Was this really her mission partner? Her slightly long hair fell over her eyes, and the large, plain glasses obscured her face. But judging by his sharp facial features, he must be handsome without the glasses. Why did he look so downcast?

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about how we're going to complete this mission," Zhang Fan replied, shrugging nonchalantly. Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. With a little girl in tow, he, as a man, should naturally protect her from the stormy weather of the system's missions.

"So it's like that... But Brother, this mission seems very difficult. We're supposed to join Cat's Eye, right? Even the police can't find them; how can we?" Rui Tears nodded in realization, understanding Zhang Fan's concern. Indeed, the mission was vague and challenging.

For Rui Tears, who also came from the two-dimensional world, finding the real Cat's Eye was nearly impossible. But for Zhang Fan, it was within reach.

"Zhang Fan... you've been daydreaming here all afternoon. Even if you've just returned and haven't found a job, you can't be this idle, right?" A gentle voice reached Zhang Fan's ears. Turning around, he saw a beautiful woman in light blue attire standing beside him.

Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her bright, clear eyes almost reflected Zhang Fan in them. She was the female protagonist of the story and the second sister of the Cat's Eye trio: Lai Sheng Tong.

"It's just boredom. Besides, it's not easy to find a job in Japan these days, with the ongoing economic bubble and the high pressure of life. Maybe you could take pity on me, Tong, and give me shelter," Zhang Fan spread his hands, expressing his helplessness with Japan's economy.

Zhang Fan's familiarity with the female protagonist stemmed from the settings of the instance. Each time a player entered an instance, the system automatically assigned a reasonable identity, even altering the plot if necessary. This time, Zhang Fan's identity was as Lai Sheng Tong's high school classmate.

In the original story, at this point, Lai Sheng Tong would have been in a relationship with another classmate, the male protagonist Nei Hai Junshu. However, possibly due to Zhang Fan's butterfly effect, the trio remained very good friends to this day, and the relationship between Lai Sheng Tong and Nei Hai Junshu never progressed beyond friendship.

After high school, Zhang Fan went to study abroad in America, Nei Hai Junshu enrolled in the police academy, and Tong, along with her sisters, opened the coffee shop. The current plot unfolded four years after their high school graduation.

"Our esteemed Harvard graduate, Zhang Fan, can't find a job? Willing to stoop to working in our little shop, do you have ulterior motives for our Tong?" Before Tong could respond, a mature and seductive voice came from nearby. Lifting his head, Zhang Fan's gaze was met with a striking figure.

The woman had an aura of nobility and grace, a voluptuous figure, melancholic eyes, and a beauty mark near her lips. She was the eldest of the Cat's Eye sisters, the mysterious and mature Lai Sheng Lei.

"Sister, what are you saying!" Tong stomped her foot in annoyance at her sister's teasing, her cheeks flushed adorably. Realizing everyone's gaze was on her, she glared at Zhang Fan before turning and running back to the coffee shop kitchen.

"Come on, Lei, isn't your joke a bit too much?" Zhang Fan replied, feigning innocence. To be caught in the crossfire like this... He turned to Lei, showing a face of aggrieved innocence.

"Acting in front of me? I'm doing this to help you. Not only do you not thank me, but you also complain? Or is it that your real target is me, not Tong?" Lei teased, sitting down at the table in front of Zhang Fan. Her perfume wafted over, compelling Zhang Fan to inhale lightly.