System notifications continued to appear on Qin Ran's retinas—
[Side quest: Cruise Liner Phantom (completed perfectly)!] [Additional side quest unlocked: Centuries-Old Grudge] [Centuries-Old Grudge: The disappearance of the Sunshine Mary was far from the closed case most people believed it to be. The turmoil it caused never subsided! Even a century later, certain factions continued their tireless search for its whereabouts! Having resolved the Sunshine Mary Special Event, you will inevitably become their target—you must prove to everyone that you possess the strength to rightfully claim the Sunshine Mary's "secret"!] (Note: Do not lose the [Fantos Manuscript] before leaving the current dungeon world, or the quest will be considered failed!)
"The Sunshine Mary's secret wasn't just the auctions?"
"It also included the [Fantos Manuscript]?"
Qin Ran studied the background description and note for the newly appeared side quest, [Centuries-Old Grudge], in surprise.
From them, he realized his earlier deductions had been incomplete.
The secret aboard the Sunshine Mary apparently hadn't been entirely secret. It must have been something of an open secret.
"An auction house backed by the government of the time and supernatural factions?"
Qin Ran drew a deep breath.
He could now fully imagine what would have happened after this mobile "auction house" disappeared.
The various parties would certainly have suspected one another. Combined with the occasional friction between them, it might even have sparked a war that ordinary people knew nothing about.
And now, the cause of that war had resurfaced.
What would happen?
"What a huge headache!"
Qin Ran sighed.
Then he turned toward the man whose head he had blown apart and murmured to himself.
"Were you a descendant of the organization that planned all this back then?"
"Or... a descendant of some lucky fellow?"
With more information available, Qin Ran came