Laptop Goes To Sleep While Scanning For Malware - Why?

System: Windows Home 11 23H2
Laptop: ASUS Vivobook Model # M1605YA-ES74
Monitor: ViewSonic 22" VX2250wm-LED

I operate this system with the laptop lid closed and use the 22" monitor + Microsoft wireless mouse & keyboard.

The system enters sleep after about 10 minutes whenever I scan the file system with Malwarebytes or Windows Defender. (So now I keep laptop lid open a few inches which doing this scanning.)

I looked in the event viewer for System events and saw an event recorded for the system going to sleep that had this message:
"Sleep Reason: Application API"

What does this mean? That the 3 apps purposely put the laptop to sleep after a certain amount of time (about 10 minutes)? If so, why would they want to do this?

Note that I have set the following:
"When I close the lid" ==> set to "Never" for both battery and "Plugged in"
System ==> Power & Battery ==> set to "Never" for turning off screen and putting system to sleep
Advanced Power settings:
Sleep after set to "Never"
Allow wake timers set to "Enable"
Turn off display after set to "Never"

Thoughts?