Here is the professional English translation for this section:
"Why is it always me?"
Within minutes, Mark found himself standing alone in his dilapidated apartment, leaning his back against the nearest wall as if he feared a total collapse. His hands trembled as he gripped his phone.
"Delayed Classification... SSS..."
Mark—with tears nearly pricking his eyes—watched his grand plan of living like a "cockroach" being utterly decimated by this cursed System.
"You've got to be kidding me..." he muttered bitterly.
As if struck by a sudden epiphany, he looked down at his frail body. This was a physique plagued by ailments in almost every organ; even his lungs were practically clinically dead. Wasn't an SSS-Ranker supposed to be a burly, peak-health hero with a heart of gold destined to save the world? Not a man trembling with fear who just wanted to hide!
A man with a class called "Slime Warrior"... what a cruel joke! We aren't in some web novel here!
"Yeah... why the hell am I scared? Even if this damn notification is real, so what? Bad news for you all—I'm not some moronic hero whose goal is to protect the world. You and your SSS-rank can go straight to hell!"
Mark felt a slight wave of relief. Out of eight billion people, surely he wouldn't be the first one they'd come looking for. How could anyone expect that a man with such "low-tier" specs was the legendary SSS-Ranker?
Despite his anxiety, he summoned his courage and opened his phone after hearing the vibration and chime of a new message. He forced a cynical smile and flashed a middle finger at the screen in a fit of petty defiance, as if telling the System he didn't give a damn.
But as he read the message, his smile froze:
{IMPORTANT NEWS for all Awakeners of the Mana Stone Kingdom: Please report to any Kingdom Guild immediately for re-evaluation. Note that concealing one's identity as a Player is a punishable offense. Upon awakening, you must head directly for assessment. Sincerely, The Central Government.}
Mark began to shake violently. They were hunting for him!
"No... no, and hell no! I'm just a 'Slime Man' of the lowest rank, not some SSS-Ranker in disguise!"
The signs were ominous, yet he clung to one last shred of hope: who would notice a "piece of trash" like him? He had been dead for an entire day without anyone noticing, so who would care about his existence now?
"Heh... you want to expose me? To hell with you!"
Trying to force a smile and muster some confidence, he logged onto a live-streaming platform and headed straight for the "Royal Channel." The headlines were terrifying. Barely three minutes had passed since the announcement, yet it seemed as if the entire world had ground to a halt.
"Mr. Jullinton Bey is live with us... tell us your thoughts on the notification sent to all Hunters. Has humanity finally found its savior?" The anchor was breathless with excitement.
Mark's face was pale as he clasped his hands, staring at the screen.
The expert, Jullinton, spoke with excessive fervor: "This is the greatest news in human history! The one who will protect us has finally awakened—the one who will lead our race to evolve, and by whose hand all massacres and complexities will end..."
Mark couldn't bring himself to watch any further. "Why the hell should I protect you? Do you think I found my life growing on a tree?"
He was on the verge of smashing his phone, but remembering his crushing poverty and the fact that he couldn't afford a replacement, he forced himself to keep watching.
Five minutes later, things took a turn for the worse: "Reports are coming in of extremist groups of Players worshipping the SSS-Ranker, declaring themselves his loyal followers for life!"
The lines on Mark's face deepened. He had gained "followers" without even asking! "Are you kidding me?!"
Suddenly, red "Breaking News" alerts flooded the screen:
URGENT: The leader of the "Great Nations Union" declares the Awakener is one of their own; nationwide celebrations commence!
URGENT: The Ruler of "Great Wuxia" congratulates his people, asserting the SSS-Ranker is a citizen of their land!
A smile almost broke across Mark's face; he wanted to thank these leaders for leading the searchers astray with their blatant lies. But the joy was short-lived. The "Revered Queen" of their own country appeared in an urgent broadcast, condemning those nations. She stated: "The SSS-Awakener belongs to no one; he belongs to all of humanity. Therefore, we announce to the people of the Mana Stone Kingdom that we will intensify our search by all means, collaborating with every Guild to find this hero, whether they are within our Great Kingdom or not!"
"NOOOOOOOO!" Mark screamed in despair. "Please, dear Queen, do not intensify the search!"
To Mark, this was nothing but a death knell. Powerful Players would be hunting him down now—either to eliminate him before he could usurp their power, or to exploit him as a tool. And in the end, he had no intention of defending anyone!
In that moment, Mark decided to pack what was left of his clothes and flee to live as a hermit in the mountains.
"Great... the Cockroach Plan has officially become the Hermit Plan!"
But before he could move, a chorus of hymns erupted from his phone.
"The Grand Saintess is live on air to praise the Lord for His gift..."
"Director, can we broadcast the feed so the viewers can witness this historic moment?"
Mark paused, digging through his predecessor's memories to identify this Saintess. She was arguably one of the most powerful Awakeners on Earth, possessing supreme clairvoyance and "Divine Providence."
"It is said, Miss Samantha, that the Saintess has been blessed by the Divine, with an ability called 'Heavenly Communion,' isn't that right?"
The female anchor's smile twitched as she glanced at her ignorant colleague. "You fool... the Saintess is the most magnificent and beautiful woman I have ever seen. She is the pinnacle of virtue and grace. A single word from her carries absolute weight."
Mark hadn't expected someone of her stature to speak out about him. He decided to watch.
What's the harm? he thought. No matter how powerful she is or how supernatural her intuition might be, there's no way she can track me down.
A few moments later...
The camera panned into the most majestic temple Mark had ever laid eyes on—staggeringly vast and ancient. Inside sat a lone woman, her long white robes cascading behind her. Her voice carried a deep, celestial resonance that seemed to still the heart and soothe the soul.
The time for prayer had arrived—the "Saintess's Prayer." One of the most guarded secrets was about to be broadcast live to billions.
A single event... of such staggering significance...
Under the gaze of countless cameras, the Saintess knelt. She murmured words that the masses could not comprehend. When she finally finished, she raised her hands toward the heavens, weeping openly.
"My Supreme Lord... my first and last King, Master of Time, Space, Logic, and the Infinite... Your humble servant beseeches You to grant these lowly folk a sign of their savior—of the one You have sent to protect us."
The scene was beyond words..
Suddenly, live on air, everyone saw the Saintess's chest heave as her eyes became veiled in a celestial golden light.
Her mouth opened, emitting a radiant golden glow from within. She spoke with a divine voice that vibrated through the souls of the viewers:
"The Heir of Gluttony... the strongest Sin... he shall either annihilate the world entirely or become its salvation. His desire is currently shallow, and his will is nonexistent. He is presently somewhere in the East... he holds the 'Slime' class... and is currently contemplating retreating to the mountains for seclusion."
"Noooo!" Mark screamed internally. "I changed my mind! I'll dance the Macarena, just don't go to the mountains!"
The Saintess spoke again: "The Heir of Gluttony has decided to stay put and forgo the mountains... to dance... the Ma... Macarena."
"The Macarena is terrible!" Mark panicked. "How about a tango with the air?!"
The Saintess immediately corrected: "No... rather, he shall dance a tango with the thin air."