Not A Bug Explore trigger on invalid target not working as it should in the rules

[Behemoth077]

Situation:
Ichor Drinker on the board(would likely work for any creature), Map token and mana to activate the ability available. Map token activated and sacrificed targeting Ichor Drinker -> Opponent responds with a "destroy target creature" spell -> no response from either player

Expected spell resolution:
Ichor Drinker goes to the graveyard, explore trigger resolves, I get to reveal the top card of my library and put it into my hand if its a land or put it into the graveyard/keep it there if its a non-land, there is no creature to put counters on anymore

Spell resolution as it happened:
Ichor Drinker goes to the graveyard, explore trigger fizzles and is removed from the stack because it no longer has a legal target

Reference to the rules:

• If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger "whenever a creature explores" trigger as appropriate

https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Explore

 

[Wizzerinus]

This is not a bug. This happens not because explore does not work without a creature, but because the map token reads "Target creature explores". If the target creature is no longer available, the entire ability fizzles, there's just no explore whatsoever. (EDIT: more clarification - check CR 608.2b)