Chapter 239: 235 Comparison

Is this being shy with strangers? It's clearly being picky about people.

The dog's diametrically opposed attitude toward him and He Jia'an left Matsumoto Gin feeling somewhat frustrated; although he presented himself as a humble and gentle person, he also had his own pride deep down.

As an S-Class Investigator recognized by the world, just like He Jia'an, he was confident that he was by no means inferior to He Jia'an, whether in appearance or ability, but it seemed that he had lost a step when it came to natural affinity with animals.

"So... what is it that the two of you would like to inquire about today?" Uda Ryoko looked at the two of them with eager eyes; despite being in her own home, she appeared even more reserved than the two guests.

He Jia'an stroked the fur of Chaijiro, who was curled up on his lap, and gave Matsumoto Gin a look, signaling for the other to ask the first question.

Matsumoto Gin understood and went straight to the point, "Actually, we Enforcers have recently reopened the investigation into the disfigurement case of Kawakami Rumi from back then, because 'Mimiko's Curse' has been prevalent in Taomu City recently..."

Upon hearing this, Uda Ryoko immediately became nervous and hurriedly asked, "Is that true?"

He Jia'an had also mentioned the matter of "Mimiko's Curse," and later she had investigated through various channels, discovering that within Taomu City, at least among the group of teenagers to young people in their early twenties, everyone knew of such a "curse," and some even spoke of it as if it were real, claiming they had witnessed it themselves or heard of people around them dying because of it.

The school beauty who was disfigured back then collapsed and committed suicide after being unable to bear the high pressure of school bullying; after turning into a vengeful spirit, she made a comeback, and those she targeted would be visited by her seven days later.

If one agreed to Mimiko's "request" to "be friends," then that person would be taken away by Mimiko and disappear from the world forever.

If one chose to refuse Mimiko, the enraged Mimiko would make the cursed person die in the same way she died back then, which was to have their entire face skinned alive, followed by bleeding to death.

Upon hearing these various terrifying rumors, Uda Ryoko felt uneasy inside; when she saw He Jia'an and the man who called himself an Enforcer, Matsumoto Gin, arrive at her door today, she couldn't help but overthink, as if the worst guess in her heart had been confirmed.

"Please stay calm." Matsumoto Gin comforted Uda Ryoko, who was so agitated she almost knocked over her teacup, and said, "Nothing has been fully confirmed yet, but recently, people have indeed died in the same way Kawakami Rumi died back then."

Hearing this, Uda Ryoko was almost completely convinced, and she grabbed her hair in a near-breakdown, "How could this happen..."

Matsumoto Gin observed Uda Ryoko's massive reaction and, without changing his expression, continued to pay attention, slowly saying: "He-kun has the materials obtained from you, and I have also roughly looked through them; I also know that you are one of the few witnesses to the incident back then, so as an Enforcer, I would like to ask you a few questions."

Uda Ryoko was somewhat absent-minded, seemingly not having taken in what Matsumoto Gin said.

Matsumoto Gin naturally noticed, but he ignored it and continued to ask: "Miss Uda Ryoko, do you know Miss Kawakami Rumi from back then?"

Miss Uda Ryoko's expression was uncertain, and her eyes drifted.

"Miss Ryoko!"

Uda Ryoko was startled awake by Matsumoto Gin's shout and shuddered all over; only then did she come back to her senses, staring blankly at Matsumoto Gin, and then she heard Matsumoto Gin repeat the question he had just asked.

Only then did Uda Ryoko laugh dryly and say: "I... I actually didn't have much contact with Kawakami Rumi."

"Your answer is actually completely irrelevant to my question." Matsumoto Gin's eyes stared straight into the other's pupils; unlike his humble appearance, the penetrating power of his gaze made Uda Ryoko lose her composure, "Not having contact doesn't mean you aren't familiar with her. Your investigation of her back then was so detailed, detailed to the point of exceeding what an average person would pay attention to regarding someone they aren't familiar with; it was a bit too obsessive."

Uda Ryoko avoided Matsumoto Gin's gaze, "It was just... I had a little bit of interest, and plus, my dream at the time was to become a practitioner in the media industry, so it's really nothing to have put a little effort into this aspect."

"What you say actually makes sense." Matsumoto Gin nodded and smiled slightly, "But that is to say... you don't deny that you were very familiar with Kawakami Rumi."

Uda Ryoko was speechless, her lips trembled, and she lowered her head and said: "It's not strange to be very familiar with Senior Kawakami; after all, back then, before she was disfigured, she was so dazzling, standing alone at the top, whether in academics, appearance, or ability in all aspects. Everywhere she went, she was the focus of people's attention; classmates admired her, elders and adults paid attention to her... such a perfect beauty, and she lived near my house, so whether at school or at home, everywhere I went I could hear people's praise for Senior Kawakami."

"Do you envy her too?" Matsumoto Gin leaned forward slightly so that he could observe the changes in the other's eyes.

"At that time, as a girl, who wouldn't envy her?" Uda Ryoko showed a bitter smile, but her eyes were full of complex emotions; in those emotions, Matsumoto Gin captured a fleeting trace of hatred.

Matsumoto Gin held the teacup with both hands, feeling the warmth of the cup wall, while coldly probing: "You envied her, but at the same time you were also very jealous of her, and even hated her, right?"

Hearing this, Uda Ryoko was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; she was suddenly so anxious that she shuddered all over, widened her eyes, and eagerly defended herself: "I didn't!"

"Such an excellent and perfect person must have been the 'child of someone else' in the mouths of the elders. If you were the only girl of a similar age living in this area back then, and you were compared to her, you must have been quite disgusted and angry, and it wouldn't be hard to understand why you would end up hating Kawakami Rumi," said Matsumoto Gin.

Matsumoto Gin's words seemed to stimulate Uda Ryoko; in an instant, it was as if Uda Ryoko recalled many scenes that broke her mental defenses. Her expression could no longer be restrained, looking slightly ferocious, and she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth: "... Yes, on this point, I really cannot forgive!

Why compare me to such a unique and perfect person? It was clearly a matter where it was obvious at a glance that there was no comparison, yet everyone was happy to do it. Those gossiping women, lecherous old men around me... everyone was deliberately comparing me to her; on the surface, they were praising the other, but in reality, they were all treating me as a joke!"

"So, if one day, Kawakami Rumi suddenly fell from her pedestal, you would laugh very happily, and perhaps even not forget to step on her a few times." Matsumoto Gin took a light sip of tea, looked straight at the gloomy-faced woman, and continued to poke at her heart word by word, "Of course, if you were the one to kick her down yourself, that feeling should make you feel even happier, right?"