Xie Wendong

“I’m no hero, though I see farther than anyone. I’m a born villain, and I’ll do as I please.” For an entire generation, these words were an unforgettable, blood-pumping opening. The story’s protagonist, Xie Wendong, was once an ordinary middle school student, timid and taciturn. For years, he was bullied and extorted by street punks and schoolyard thugs in his class. The more he gave in, the worse the abuse became. After being pushed to the brink time and again, his long-suppressed wild side finally erupted. He realized that weakness meant being at others’ mercy, and that only strength could earn him a place in the world.

With his exceptional intelligence, patience, and decisive methods, Xie Wendong starts out in schoolyard conflicts and befriends Gao Qiang, Li Shuang, and a host of other brothers. Step by step, he gathers his forces and builds the first version of the Wendong Society. He moves through the gray areas of society, acting decisively and keeping clear accounts of favors and grudges. He values loyalty without being foolish, and may be soft-hearted, but never shows mercy to his enemies. From schoolyard alleys to the city’s underworld, he faces one enemy after another and overcomes crisis after crisis, growing amid blades and schemes.

Along the way, Xie Wendong witnesses the good and evil in people’s hearts and the cruelty of the world. He struggles to choose between loyalty and self-interest, transforming from a boy forced to fight back into an underworld kingpin who rules over his own territory. The novel follows a young man’s rise, depicting fierce brotherhood, underworld conflicts, and the struggles of human nature. It tells of an ordinary boy’s refusal to settle for a mediocre life and his rise against the odds, while giving meaning to the famous saying: No one is born evil. Many so-called “villains” are simply driven to it by reality.