The Sinners were largely disappointed after failing to get the Golden Bough the first time, but Vergilius eventually declares that the next Golden Bough will be at a casino in J Corp's nest. Faust later elaborates that the plan is to work with the Limbus Company Clearance department and infiltrate the casino without any disturbance. They rendezvous at a pawnshop, where they meet LCC agents Effie and Saude. The pair explain that the Golden Bough was being used as a reward for a high stakes game at the top of the casino between four Syndicates, with the Sinners disguising themselves as the Tingtang Gang by using disguises from pawnshops. However, the plan is ruined when Don Quixote spots a thug who just so happened to be from the Tingtang Gang harassing the pawnshop owner, and quickly attacks them. Soon, the commotion draws the attention of other gangsters and the Sinners are forced to attack the Tingtang Gang directly.
After defeating the Tingtang boss at a scrapyard and stealing clothes and wishpower used to boost luck from the gang, the Sinners head for the casino. Don Quixote tries to use one of the slot machines, and Dante tries to stop her only to slip and press it himself, effectively wasting all the wishpower that Effie and Saude let him hold. Security guards start to attack them but end up smashing another machine by accident. Heathcliff convinces them to let them go upstairs, by pointing out how bad it would look if it turned out that was their fault. Effie and Saude quietly decide to just let the Sinners move ahead their way.
On the next two floors, the Sinners encounter the Los Mariachis who let them through after getting Sinclair to dance with maracas, and the Tieqiu crew, whom Ryōshū impresses by going over her exploits against some of her foes in extremely vulgar detail. Finally reaching the top floor, Rodion sits at the table with the Syndicate leaders of Los Mariachis and the Tieqiu crew. She is stunned to find that the last participant is Sonya, the leader of the Yurodiviye, and an old friend of hers. She not only wins the game, but manages to get the Tieqiq crew leader killed by making him think she was using a wish sticker to cheat.
Rodion and the other Sinners make their way into the underground section of the casino. As they make their way past the Abnormalities, the area gets increasingly cold, with the end of the cave having a massive ice castle. Sonya was also there, and he wanted to convince Rodion to return to the Yurodiviye. He remarks that she should recognize all the people encased in ice around them. A flashback to Rodion's past occurs, in which it is revealed that she and Sonya were working to help the impoverished in the Backstreets of District 25. However, Rodion grew impatient with Sonya's inaction and murdered a tax collector to steal money for the poor. Said tax collector turned out to have connections with the Middle, who slaughtered all of Rodion's neighbors and left their corpses out in the open. Sonya insists that Rodion join him so they can use the Golden Bough to create a world of equal wealth, but she refuses, insisting she deserves to stay in the cold a little longer. Sonya agrees to get out of her way, and even helps the Sinners escape the last Abnormality, which turned out to be the castle itself.
Rodion is pleased about getting the Golden Bough despite Vergilius' suspicions about Sonya. Nonetheless, Vergilius agrees to let Rodion spend the money they got from the casino on a restaurant trip to celebrate.
Tropes
- Batman Gambit: Having known that the Tingtang Gang was hoarding wishpower, Rodya correctly deduces that the Tieqiu crew boss would think that the Tingtang leader would use some of it in the game. He bets that Rodya is cheating, and Sonya kills him when Rodya proves otherwise.
- Epic Fail: At one point, Ryōshū tries throwing Yi Sang's dagger and knocking down a chandelier. It fails to hit any of the enemies, leaving the Sinners disappointed in her "performance."
- Foreshadowing: Sinclair's maracas dance is noted by the Los Mariachis to be filled with "repressed darkness and inner turmoil", something that is elaborated on in the next Canto.
