Su Hai Tao

Biodata

Background / History

Su Hai Tao personally oversaw Lin Yan's martial-soul awakening two years before Lin's loan application. Because neither Space nor Time produced observable phenomena, he classified Lin Yan's martial soul as useless and remained certain that assessment could not be wrong. He also claims direct descent from the Su ancestor who helped Sea God Tang San awaken his martial soul twenty thousand years earlier. 1

When Lin Yan applied for a loan to buy a soul spirit, Su rejected the request because the claimed god-tier spatial martial soul lacked verifiable documentation and approving the loan would violate Federation procedures. He believed Lin's claims resulted from mushroom poisoning, pointing to a newspaper report about Lin's hospitalization. 1

Despite dismissing the application harshly, Su gave Lin 200 yuan from his own wallet after seeing the boy's circumstances. 1

Lin returned after acquiring a ten-year soul ring and demonstrating teleportation. Su was initially alarmed by the impossible-looking ability, then personally brought him to the testing room for a formal assessment. Even after Fang Min's high-grade evaluation, Su warned that Lin's 500,000-yuan debt, lack of assets, and poor credit record made approval of a new loan highly unlikely. 30 31

Personality

Su Hai Tao is rigidly procedural and highly confident in his professional judgment. He refuses to approve an undocumented loan under surveillance and invokes both Federation recordkeeping and his own awakening experience to support his decision. 1

His blunt skepticism is tempered by empathy. After initially mocking Lin Yan's claim as mushroom-induced delusion, he privately gives him money for food; when Lin returns, Su's concern reflects rumors that Lin has been abandoned by his indebted mother and may still be endangering himself with poisonous mushrooms. 1 30

He is capable of revising his view when presented with evidence. Lin's teleportation shocks him, and he arranges testing rather than simply dismissing the claim again, though he remains cautious about labeling the martial soul god-tier or endorsing a loan that the credit system would likely deny. 30 31

Story Role / Major Arcs

Lin Yan's Initial Loan Application

• Rejects Lin Yan's request for funds to purchase a soul spirit, judging his alleged god-tier martial souls unproven and his file unsuitable for approval. 1
• Gives Lin 200 yuan personally after the failed application. 1

Reassessment at the Spirit Transmission Tower

• Recognizes Lin upon his return and is stunned by his ten-year soul ring and silent spatial teleportation. 30
• Takes Lin to Fang Min for a second martial-soul test focused on the spatial soul skill. 30 31
• Accepts a high-grade martial-soul recommendation as the most defensible official classification, but identifies Lin's outstanding debt and credit flag as major barriers to loan approval. 31

Relationships

• Lin Yan — Loan applicant whom Su initially considers delusional after mushroom poisoning; nevertheless, Su gives him 200 yuan and later facilitates formal testing after witnessing his teleportation. 1 30 31
• Fang Min — Spirit Pagoda testing official who conducts Lin's second martial-soul assessment at Su's request. 31

Notable Quotes

“The Federation is governed by law now. Every loan has to be put on record.” 1

“This two hundred is from me personally. Go buy yourself something good to eat.” 1

“A god-grade Martial Soul is impossible. Every god-grade and top-grade Martial Soul is registered at the federal Spirit Hall headquarters.” 31

Trivia

• Su's surname is treated by him as proof of his professional pedigree; he claims a direct ancestral connection to the man who awakened Tang San's martial soul. 1
• His initial refusal is not purely personal: the loan counter is under surveillance, and he states that an unrecorded or improper approval could cost him his job. 1