The one who spoke was Ellie's mother.
The Shen family was a medium-sized family in the Windsoil City base.
Hundreds of years ago, their ancestor was one of the base's founders. Because of that, the Shen family had some recognition in the base.
But now, the place was cold and miserable, and no one remembered who they were.
The Shen family slowly declined.
Finally, someone with good talent appeared—Yazhi. The whole family placed their hopes on her.
Except for Ellie.
She was the shame of the Shen family.
In the wasteland world, people were divided into five ranks:
Robot – Defective – Normal – Fighter – and then Mechanic, Farmer, or Cook. Fighters and above were also divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Yazhi was an intermediate fighter.
But the original body of Ellie was a defective.
Even Ellie herself didn't know what her defect was.
In the base, if you didn't contribute, your status was lower than a robot. After all, robots didn't need to eat.
Ellie couldn't fight and relied on the family to support her.
Because of that, her whole family wasn't respected in the Shen household.
But Ellie didn't care at all.
Luckily, farming and cooking were her strengths.
She also knew a little bit about traditional medicine.
Right now, Ellie could probably be called a "farmer and cook."
"As a defective person, you don't care about the family name at all. You were born rebellious. What does the Shen family need you for?"
The family leader was short but loud. His voice was full of anger and judgment.
What for?
To decorate poop with flowers, maybe!
They kept her to assign her a husband. If she was lucky and got someone powerful, she might get more nutrient packs.
The original Ellie couldn't see through their plan, but the new Ellie who had crossed over was like a top scholar from the palace drama world.
She understood their little schemes at once.
Yazhi's father also spoke, looking regretful but sounding proud.
"You're really something. If you had agreed to be paired with Zach, at least you'd have enough food. But you chose someone disabled. How is the family supposed to support you in the future?"
Ellie blinked her big eyes. "Have you ever supported me before?"
Zach spoke with a cold face. "Ellie, we care about you. Don't be ungrateful."
Pfft!
Ellie looked at Zach's pretty face, his battle suit with sleeves longer than the pant legs, and his girly way of speaking, and she felt like vomiting.
She had no idea how someone like him could fight beasts outside.
"Zach, someone amazing like you is always welcome in the Shen family. Save your concern for yourself."
Too girly to handle, Ellie could only mock him in her own way.
Unfortunately, people in the wasteland era didn't understand Ellie's humor.
"Also, I'm about to get married. If there's nothing important, let's stop contacting each other."
Ellie said this before anyone else could.
The Shen family members were caught off guard.
Ellie and Zyler being paired together meant they probably wouldn't even get the lowest-level nutrient packs. The Shen family already wanted to get rid of them.
But Ellie said it first and rejected them in public. The family leader was so angry he almost fainted.
He shouted, "You ungrateful child! The Shen family doesn't need someone like you!"
Then he turned and left.
That basically meant Ellie was kicked out of the family.
It was done just like that, without care.
The elders left, and the younger ones from the Shen family had no shame. They started mocking her openly.
Especially Yazhi's younger brother.
"Tsk tsk, how will two useless people survive?"
"I heard the beast slaughterhouse is hiring. Maybe Zach can get you in. Oh wait, I forgot—you didn't choose Zach!"
"Your two useless brothers are just normal fighters too. Sigh, this whole family..."
"If you ask me, it's because Tianliang has bad genes."
After hearing that, Tianliang wanted to argue, but he held back.
His daughter's assignment was already done. In a base where the strong ruled, he had nothing to say.
At first, Ellie didn't plan to argue with them.
But when they started insulting her personally?
She frowned and spoke up. "Stop talking crap. If you have time to talk trash, use it to improve yourselves."
"I can take care of myself. It's not your business. You're already sixteen, aren't you still living off your parents' help?"
The sudden curse made the other person pause.
"Ellie, what are you being so cocky about? Go back and cry with that useless guy of yours."
"How about this? If you kneel down and lick my shoes clean, I'll give you one nutrient shot every day."
Looking at that annoying face, Ellie's anger rose.
To deal with someone with such a dirty mouth, you have to start with their body.
She looked around, took two quick steps, grabbed a steel pipe with a flag stuck in it from the edge of the square, yanked off the flag, and swung the one-and-a-half-meter-long pipe at their legs.
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
"Bang!"
So what if she's considered defective?
So what if the other person is a fighter?
If you have the guts, get up and fight back!
Screams rang out as Ellie didn't hold back at all.
She was already stronger than most people her age from years of farm work. She had once bent a 304 stainless steel pipe with her bare hands...
Even though this new body was weak and small...
Ellie kept going purely with determination, hitting Yazhi's brother so hard he cried out.
Even though he was a trained fighter, he couldn't take it.
The constant screaming made the distant clan leader freeze.
He turned back and saw the violent scene.
"Stop! What are you doing? Fighting is not allowed in the base!" Yazhi's father rushed to stop her when he saw his son being beaten.
Ellie casually brushed her messy hair back, calmly picked up the flag, slipped it back onto the pipe, and stuck the pipe back in its place.
"Watch your mouth next time. If I see you again, I'll hit you again."
"Get lost!"
Her wild and aggressive actions left everyone shocked.
Tianliang and his wife both started to wonder if their daughter had been possessed.
Fighting was banned in the base, yet no one expected Ellie to be this reckless.
She even pointed at Yazhi's father and boldly said, "What? You want to kick me out of the base?"
"Fine. I'll go tell the leader I regret marrying that man."
Uh...
Even if everyone thought she was bluffing, what if she actually did it? What if the leader really agreed again...
"Let's go home! Don't mess with that crazy girl!"
Yazhi dragged her brother away. She didn't want that cripple Zyler anyway!
Before leaving, she still threatened, "Ellie, you beat up my brother today. One day, I'll make you pay for this!"
Tui!
"Fighting is banned in the base, Yazhi. Didn't you hear what your dad just said?"
"What? Just got married and you think you're all powerful now?"
Back in her past life, Ellie could argue with all the loud aunties in the village by herself.
And this wasteland era didn't even have that kind of experience.
After everyone left, Tianliang stepped forward with tears in his eyes. "It's all my fault…"
Her mother also wiped her eyes. "Ellie, you were too impulsive. Now that you've cut ties with the family, how will you and that man survive?"
Ellie felt a warmth in her heart. She still had two brothers who were regular fighters out on missions.
Maybe this was a small trace of emotion left by the original body.
She took a deep breath, scratched her head, and smiled at her parents. "Well… take care of yourselves…"
Seeing their usually quiet daughter acting so different and even comforting them, Tianliang almost cried again.
Ellie turned her head and saw Zyler still waiting nearby.
"I don't have anything else to pack. I won't go back to the family house, just in case something else happens."
"Take care of yourselves… come visit me if you can."
She waved without looking back and walked toward Zyler.
The girl who had been all sharp edges just moments ago now walked over sweetly, like a little sun.
Zyler couldn't help but lower his eyes.