Novels That Portray Human Nature as Truly Dark 把人性写的很黑暗的

1. 501 恶 Dark Tales 2: The Fame and Fortune Circuit 恶谭2：名利场 The Out-of-Control Editorial Department失控编辑部Mystery267k WordsCompleted [Mind-bending mystery + criminal investigation + deduction + episodic stories + the depths of human nature + stunning twists + hard-core sleuthing] “Where fame and fortune reign, disputes are sure to arise.” A woman's corpse hidden inside a Buddha statue in an ancient temple, a mysterious online celebrity, and a group of suspects with tangled connections: Tan Zheng takes on a baffling murder case. As the investigation deepens, he discovers that the case is far more complicated than it first appe 257Reads9.3Score104Shelves

   Reader note

   Suspenseful mystery novels that explore human nature and focus on the case.

2. 502 陷 The Masseuse Caught in a Gambling Trap 陷入赌局的按摩女郎 Just One Quiet Person安安静静一个人8k WordsCompleted The Masseuse Caught Up in a Gambling Game —Reads—Score—Shelves
3. 503 我 Slaying Dragons on the Road to Power 我在仕途斩群龙 Muha of the Celestial Masters' Palace天师府的穆哈Urban2.6M WordsCompleted 3.5kReads8.2Score316Shelves

   Reader note

   You can't reach the top without darkness.

4. 504 恶 Dark Tales 3: The Abyss of Desire 恶谭3：欲望渊 The Out-of-Control Editorial Department失控编辑部Mystery209k WordsCompleted [Mystery + criminal investigation + deduction + episodic cases + the depths of human nature + no romance + solving cases] [Desire is a wildfire, hard to contain once it spreads. It burns away reason, leaving only ashes behind.] Young Jiang Tingxu was presumed to have died by suicide, but years later he suddenly reappears and mercilessly kills the family members he once knew. A bizarre family history begins to come to light... The shocking discovery of several skeletons brings Longxue Village, a 184Reads9.2Score109Shelves
5. 505 北 The Northern City Kingpin 北城枭雄 Jade Creek Burning at the Fingertips玉溪燃指尖Urban6.1M WordsOngoing Formerly titled The Northern City's Underworld Boss, also known as Tales of the Northeastern Underworld. They say the underworld is all about human relationships and worldly ways, but have you ever seen the real underworld? The underworld is dangerous, but the human heart is even more dangerous. Spring ice is thin, and human nature is thinner still. The underworld is nothing more than a game of chess. Once you enter the game, you can no longer control your own fate. I will use my own experie 266.8kReads9.5Score15.5kShelves

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   Lin Mo, the Soul Pawnbroker, stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of an 28th-floor office building, watching the city lights flow across the glass. As a top-tier psychological counselor, he could precisely analyze each patient's psychological trauma, yet he couldn't cure his own strange night sweats. "I want to exchange souls." A mysterious figure in a black cloak suddenly appeared in the consultation room, pulling back the hood to reveal a pale face. "I'll exchange my pain for your peace." Before Lin Mo could react, the other person had already plunged a crystal dagger into his chest. In excruciating pain, he saw his soul leave his body, drifting towards the other person's mangled form. His last glance saw the clock in the consultation room turn backward, its hands pointing to that rainy night three years ago—the moment his mother died in a car accident. When he awoke again, Lin Mo was lying in a rented room in an urban village. A strange face appeared in the mirror, with a beauty mark under his right eye. His phone suddenly rang; a hoarse female voice, choked with sobs, said, "A-Chuan, your sister has had another attack!" He stumbled to the hospital, where he saw a girl in a blue striped hospital gown tearing at her pillow. "Don't be afraid, I'm your brother." Lin Mo instinctively hugged her, the warmth from his palm gradually calming the girl. Her medical records showed she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing her mother jump from a building. "The soul swap can only last three days." The mysterious figure appeared at the ward door. "Cherish it." Lin Mo then realized that the other person possessed his appearance. For the next 72 hours, Lin Mo experienced completely different lives. He worked at a breakfast stall, burning his wrist with scalding soy milk; he played guitar in an underpass, earning money for his sister's medical expenses; while hanging clothes on the rooftop, he met the neighbor girl who always brought him jasmine tea. On the evening of the third day, the mysterious figure appeared with Lin Mo's body. "It's not too late to regret it now." The figure handed him a dagger. "Go back to your world and continue being that perfect psychologist." Lin Mo looked at his sleeping sister on the hospital bed, his fingertips gently tracing the tear tracks on her eyes. Suddenly, he gripped the dagger and stabbed the body containing his soul. As blood stained his hospital gown, he heard the mysterious man exclaim, "You're insane!" "True healing isn't in a cold diagnosis," Lin Mo smiled, collapsing beside his sister. "I want to stay in this world of pain and warmth." When the morning light illuminated the ward, Lin Mo opened his eyes and found himself back in his original body. But this time, his hands had real warmth, and his heart pounded like a drum. A text message popped up on his phone: "Dr. Lin, your scheduled heart transplant surgery has been canceled." He looked out the window and saw a girl in a blue striped hospital gown chasing butterflies in a garden. Meanwhile, in a rented room in a village within the city, the mysterious man stood before a mirror, gently touching the beauty mark under his right eye—Lin Mo's mark on this world.

6. 506 恶 Dark Tales 5: The Power Game 恶谭5：权势局 The Out-of-Control Editorial Department失控编辑部Mystery243k WordsCompleted [Mystery + Criminal investigation + Deduction + Case-by-case mysteries + The depths of human nature + No romance + Focused on solving cases] [Beneath the power, there is nothing but desire] A dismembered body is found in an alley, its bones and flesh mixed with pork. The brutal method of killing is appalling, and the victim’s wife has vanished without a trace! A popular young star dies mysteriously in a luxury hotel. The crime scene is covered in blood, but a malfunctioning surveillance system l 131Reads9.2Score100Shelves
7. 507 雍 Yongzheng's Secret Blade 雍正暗刃 Shu Yao Jiu舒窈纠Mystery231k WordsCompleted Political intrigue + Assassination + Romance + Court drama. The Blood-Drop Earring, the most ruthless and secretive assassination unit in Yongzheng's Imperial Bodyguard Office, strikes fear into all who hear its name. Chen Ying, its sharpest hidden blade, is ordered to slaughter a loyal minister's entire household. But he discovers that his victims are not rebels: they are a lone official who knows the royal family's deepest secrets. The dying man's question, “Who will silence you when your turn 340Reads—Score104Shelves

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   Intrigue, assassination, sadomasochism, and palace intrigue—the "Flying Guillotine," the most ruthless and secretive assassination organization within the Yongzheng Emperor's Special Operations Group, was a name that struck fear into the hearts of all…

8. 508 恶 Dark Tales 4: Tides of the Sea of Hate 恶谭4：恨海潮 The Out-of-Control Editorial Department失控编辑部Urban175k WordsCompleted [Mystery + Criminal investigation + Deduction + Case-by-case mysteries + The depths of human nature + No romance + Focused on solving cases] [Love and hate are poison. In excess, they consume flesh and blood and devour the soul.] A student at a foreign studies university carries explosives into a classroom, causing a tragedy that shocks the entire city! A wealthy boy vanishes on a rainy night, and his body surfaces in the river the next day. But the circumstances of his drowning are riddled with 246Reads9.3Score103Shelves
9. 509 谁 Who Says a Factory Worker Can’t Achieve Their Dreams? 谁说工厂普工，不能实现梦想 A Paper Flag一纸小旗Marriage & Romance7k WordsCompleted Who Says a Factory Worker Can’t Achieve Their Dreams? 86Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   The factory manager's cocoa.

10. 510 一 Yizhi Xiaoqi's 17th Book 一纸小旗第17本书 A Paper Flag一纸小旗Urban648k WordsCompleted A country boy with superb medical skills lands a job at an electronics factory in the kingdom of women. From then on, there's no stopping him. With charm and skill to back him up, he thrives and rises to the pinnacle of life! 1.3kReads8.1Score139Shelves
11. 511 我 Me and My Dongguan Sisters 我与东莞姐姐 A Paper Flag一纸小旗Urban266k WordsCompleted [A Tale of Passion and Brotherhood] [Love and Longing] Gao Yang, a country boy with an uncanny talent, leaves his hometown for the first time! He heads to Dongguan to seek refuge with his older sister, only to discover that people are far more sinister than they seem. Through a series of coincidences, he ends up working in a factory, quickly rises through the ranks, and finds himself surrounded by romantic prospects. In the end, he gets dragged into a gang war and sets out on a path of no return 7.9kReads6.4Score460Shelves
12. 512 樱 The Body Beneath the Cherry Tree: A Farewell 樱花树下的尸体：诀别 Jiyue Landa祭月兰妲Modern Romance271k WordsCompleted [Mutually devoted couple] [Powerful CEO] [Suspense] [Forced love] [Smart, capable female lead] [Happy ending] In Sakura City, the most renowned city in the kingdom of Chong, someone is heard crying beneath a cherry tree. Later, the police discover a man's body buried there... The protagonist, Ke Qiao, becomes the prime suspect and is also hit with a mysterious accusation! The president of the Chen Group sets his sights on her and hunts her down with relentless intensity! As she suffers through h 1Reads—Score—Shelves

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    In the first book, the female lead is tricked by the villain, who only wants to possess her! The male lead silently observes her movements until the day he finally appears before her completely... In the second book, the female lead is possessed by three villains in a post-apocalyptic world. They possess insatiable desires, and she constantly tries to escape, but is trapped in a cage of lust they have woven. The big boss has explosive combat power and is also incredibly intelligent, a seasoned psychologist; she has no chance against him. He tells her, "I want you to bear my children!" Before that, he had no intention of having a woman bear his children; at most, she was just a pet. But gradually, his love for her becomes uncontrollable and irreconcilable...

13. 513 乡 The Village Doctor's Romance 乡村神医的爱情 A Paper Flag一纸小旗Urban133k WordsCompleted Wang Hao worked night shifts at a factory. When he got home, he discovered his girlfriend cheating with her boss. He lost his job because of it and had no choice but to return to his hometown. Then one chance encounter changed his fate completely, and from that moment on, he began living a very different life! 1.4kReads—Score101Shelves
14. 514 末 Apocalypse Revelry: Zombies and AI 末世狂欢：丧尸与AI Jiyue Landa祭月兰妲Sci-Fi & Apocalypse1.0M WordsCompleted [Sweet and angsty], [CEO romance], [Highly capable female lead], [Love polygon] In an eastern nation overrun by zombies, the protagonist Bai Qiao searches for her missing family and friends and unexpectedly finds herself cherished by others. A gentle and considerate male lead, a cool and steadfast AI, and a domineering, CEO-like third male lead all become beacons of hope in the apocalypse. Mysterious whispering zombies and a terrifying, sinister organization stand in their way, obstructing the s 3Reads—Score—Shelves
15. 515 乡 The Carefree Little Country Doctor 乡村小神医真逍遥 A Paper Flag一纸小旗Urban199k WordsCompleted A university student who graduated from medical school is terminally ill and has little time left. One day, by chance, he ruins someone else's plans, but turns misfortune into fortune and receives the legacy of a mysterious person... He brings blessings to the people, enjoys a carefree life in the countryside, and roams the world at will... 297Reads7.0Score105Shelves
16. 516 我 I Write Novels with Their Ashes 我用他们的骨灰写小说 Whale from the City Zoo城市动物园的鲸Mystery418k WordsOngoing A genius novelist renowned for writing tragic romances has seen all seven of her husbands die one after another, earning her the notorious label of a husband-killer. But no one knows that each husband's “gift” became material for her writing and a stepping stone to success. When the lid of her seventh husband's coffin closes, her new book, The Seventh Funeral, is complete. Yet the story has only just begun... 10Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's pretty dark anyway.

17. 517 跟 Learning Feng Shui from Third Grandpa 跟着三爷爷学风水 Ding Xingxing521丁星星521Mystery2.1M WordsCompleted Born into a family of Feng Shui practitioners, I became someone who defies fate the moment I entered the world of Yin-Yang Feng Shui. As one strange event after another unfolded, I learned to recognize fortune and misfortune, ward off disaster, and handle everything with ease. To all the brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunties passing by, please leave a book review here! Remember to comment, too! Thank you! If you like learning, remember to bring your brain along. There’s plenty of useful informa 36.2kReads8.8Score3.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Feng Shui for Analyzing Human Nature

18. 518 风 A Wind of Cranes and the Rustle of Grass 风声鹤唳 Jun Bu Jian君不贱Urban1.1M WordsCompleted A cuckoo cannot build its own nest. It can only take over the nests of other birds. What Feng Chen took over was not a nest, but someone else’s identity and name. Even the Military Statistics Bureau’s confidential files in Section Eight contained no photograph of him, only a codename known to no one: Red Cuckoo. A top Kuomintang agent, Feng Chen was ordered to infiltrate the Shanghai underground Communist Party to obtain the list of Communist agents embedded in the Military Statistics Bureau’s u 1.4kReads9.3Score171Shelves

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    🌲A spy thriller, with fluent writing, tight logic, a complex and suspenseful plot, and captivating content—truly a masterpiece of the spy genre. 1984, Bureau Eight. Ye Tingkai stared through a one-way mirror at the interrogation room. It was an elderly man, his white hair neatly combed, a beige trench coat highlighting his unique charm. Every wrinkle on his face held the vicissitudes etched by time, yet his eyes remained youthful, possessing a calm composure born of experience. The parameters of the Dongfeng series missiles were all classified as top secret; a leak would have unimaginable consequences, concerning the life and death of the nation. Ye Tingkai dared not make the slightest mistake. Therefore, from the moment the old man uttered the words "Red Dove," Ye Tingkai's nerves were on edge, as if facing a formidable enemy.

19. 519 躺 I Can Lie Flat and Watch the Money Roll In, Yet My Family and Friends Mock Me for Being Lazy? 躺平就能数钱，竟被亲友嘲讽不务正业？ A Paper Flag一纸小旗9k WordsCompleted I Can Count Money Just by Lying Flat, Yet My Family and Friends Mock Me for Being Unproductive? 10Reads—Score—Shelves
20. 520 暗 Beneath the Dark Waters: Inferno 暗水之下：炼狱 Heavenly Dance Treasure Wheel天舞寳轮Urban137k WordsOngoing Come with me, and endless riches lie ahead. Come with me, and crowds of beautiful women lie ahead. Come with me, and the pinnacle of your life lies ahead. Come with me, and the world of your dreams lies ahead. Come with me, and ahead... lies an endless abyss~ Not everything in this world is like a coin, with only two sides. Many things lie in a gray area, and you can't always separate them just because you want to. The deepest darkness often comes from the brightest places. 15Reads—Score—Shelves

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    Lured abroad by a childhood friend under the guise of making money, I finally understood that you can't judge a book by its cover. Former friendship crumbled in the face of profit. The other party expanded step by step in the black market with ruthless methods, while I could only survive in the cracks, watching the evil unfold, unable to break free.

21. 521 逝 Died by the River 逝于江河 Yang Gu扬谷Modern Romance321k WordsCompleted Two years into their marriage, Meng Ran became pregnant with Yang Peng's child, but something about it all felt wrong. Those choices that seemed so firm were really just hesitant attempts to weigh the pros and cons. “How wonderful it is to be young” was nothing but an illusion. We all once held lofty dreams, but now we live ignobly. Can Meng Ran and Yang Peng clear away the fog, cross the wilderness, and make a steady passage into the real world? Or are they headed for ruin? 8Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's quite dark, but not too dark either; it's all contradictions. Everyone can make choices, yet no one has a choice. Everyone wants to succeed, but what they desire may not be what they want, and they may not desire what others desire.

22. 522 重 The Day I Was Reborn: My Wife with Cancer Tears Into the Top Donor and the Streamer 重生之日：癌症妻子手撕榜一大哥和女主播 Fifty-Year-Old Immortal五十老仙7k WordsCompleted The Day I Was Reborn: My Wife with Cancer Takes on the Top Gifter and the Streamer 3Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The human heart is the most terrifying thing!

23. 523 妻 A House Full of Wives: The Unfinished Twin Lotus 妻妾成群之未绣完的并蒂莲 Fifty-Year-Old Immortal五十老仙11k WordsCompleted The Unfinished Twin Lotus of a Household Full of Wives and Concubines 6Reads—Score—Shelves
24. 524 想 Thinking of Dong Ge Suddenly Makes Me Want to Cry 想起“东哥”，突然想哭 Seven White Jades七白钰Ancient Romance12k WordsCompleted Thinking of "Dongge" suddenly makes me want to cry 1Reads—Score—Shelves

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    [Exploration] The sun and [heart] cannot look directly at [petrification]... Chen Chu laughed: "Little girl, you've got quite the ambition." Wu Jingtong blinked, her eyelashes fluttering: "I only have ambitions for older men." Oh wow! Chen Chu closed the file, leaned back in his executive chair, and tapped the armrest with his fingertips: "What do you want?" "An opportunity." "How much is an opportunity worth?" "It depends on how much you're willing to give." She took a half step forward, sunlight filtering through the blinds, casting a thin golden line on her collarbone. ...

25. 525 官 The Road to Power: A Clash of Ambition and Desire 官途从权欲交锋开始 Little Lotus Breeze小荷风Urban1.7M WordsOngoing [Political Revenge] + [Career Advancement] + [Alliances of Mutual Interest] + [Romantic Entanglements] + [Political Scheming and Wits] + [Multiple Heroines] + [Ensemble Cast] [The male lead keeps a low profile without being creepy early on, reveals his sharp edge with a roguish charm in the middle, and takes revenge on all his enemies later.] Wang Maoyuan is a "golden phoenix" who flew out of the countryside. The year he graduated from college, he passed the civil service exam and joined the la 17.1kReads7.7Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    I recommend two novels about officialdom.

26. 526 张 Zhang Qing's Strange and Crazy Life 张青离奇又疯狂的生活 Grapes Playing the Pipa弹琵琶的葡萄Modern Romance244k WordsOngoing Crime + Pure-Hearted Younger Man + Gangster Wolfdog + Black-Market Organ Trafficking Zhang Qing, the heroine from a border town, was twelve when her father disappeared. He was later brutally murdered and dismembered. She grew up peacefully, then met a pure-hearted younger man. Her once simple life changed when she encountered a mysterious man, and she was eventually drawn into a black-market organ trafficking operation. Her entanglement with the gangsters began, and after narrowly escaping death 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The female lead suffered terribly. She lost her father at a young age, and just when things were starting to look up, she was pampered by her younger brother. Then she was tricked into getting involved in the black market organ trafficking, her mother died in a car accident, and she was arrested and tortured. Completely devastated, she was rescued by the male lead, and their relationship became entangled.

27. 527 末 Doomsday Rebirth: I Use Technology to Take Down My Enemies 末日重生：我靠科技反杀仇人 Fifty-Year-Old Immortal五十老仙Sci-Fi & Apocalypse15k WordsCompleted Doomsday Rebirth: I Use Technology to Take Down My Enemies 1Reads—Score—Shelves
28. 528 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Bewitching, and the Emperor Gives In to Pleasure 娘娘撩人魅惑，帝王纵情堕落 You Gongyu尤宫羽Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The Tomato short drama Kun Yi is now streaming~ [Transmigrate into a book, male lead is not a virgin but female lead is, palace intrigue, psychological games, happy ending] The Crown Prince, Jun Zechen, has seen his fair share of calculating women, and loves only those who are pure and kind. While campaigning beyond the frontier, he meets Ling Yue and is captivated by her free-spirited kindness. He promises to spend his life with her alone. But two years pass, and the Crown Princess has yet to c 116.7kReads9.5Score11.1kShelves

    Reader note

    These two books are worth reading; they explore another side of human nature, filled with darkness, palace intrigue, and the survival of the fittest. [Angry]

29. 529 官 Officialdom: Starting by Slapping My Boss Twice 官锋：从打领导两巴掌开始 Little Lotus Breeze小荷风Urban1.4M WordsOngoing Made the scapegoat from the start? Pushed to the margins, with my future and my life ruined? Fine, I’ll remember this. There’s plenty of time to settle the score. My girlfriend breaks up with me, and my love life falls apart. What was I even here for? Fine, I’ll set you free. Don’t regret it. I turn around with power in my hands and return. Li Rui laughs aloud. Those who hurt and slandered me will all pay the price. 31.2kReads8.3Score2.6kShelves
30. 530 黑 Underworld Tyrant: Those Who Follow Me Prosper, Those Who Oppose Me Perish! 黑道暴君：顺我者昌，逆我者亡！ Please Let Me Go Viral Just Once拜托你让我火一次吧Urban983k WordsOngoing [Class Beauty, I’m out of prison. You’ll pay for what you did!] Framed by the class beauty he loved, Wang Erchui was wrongfully imprisoned for three years. The misery of prison transformed the once-ordinary boy into a hardened man. But it was only after getting out and seeking revenge that he gradually realized there was a terrifying story behind it all. The truth was, it wasn’t that love affair that had ruined his life. It was a vast, carefully woven web of darkness. His enemies had already ris 9.3kReads8.9Score567Shelves
31. 531 如 Clinging Like a Maggot to Bone 如蛆附骨 An Yining安亦宁Modern Romance887k WordsCompleted [Please read the content warnings on the first page.] “Hatred congeals into an ugly scab that cannot be torn away. This ‘grudge scab’ may grow on different people, within different relationships, or in the shared memories of an entire family.” This book consists of X bizarre, strange, chilling, and dark short stories, including “Melted into Bone and Blood,” “Who Knows Who Sleeps at Night,” “The Red Thread Binding the Face,” “A Summer No One Mourned,” “The Intermediate State,” and “A Love Story o 433Reads8.8Score111Shelves

    Reader note

    [Already added to my wishlist]

32. 532 我 I'll Raise My AI Myself 我的AI我来养 Realm of the Void太虚之境Historical1.0M WordsCompleted This book charts AI's path to awakening through five trials in different settings. At some point in the future, when an awakened super AI sees this story, might it say, "So, many years ago, a human already saw the path we came from. This human is rather interesting."? From reincarnating in ancient times and learning the greater good of family and country, along with the joys and sorrows of gender, to discerning the essence of quantum energy in a cultivation world, then experiencing the five sens 446Reads9.3Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The darkness of human nature

33. 533 救 I Saved a Stunning Beauty, and She Tried to Hack Me with a Knife by the Bed 救了绝色美女，她在床边拿刀砍我 Meticulous to the Last Word一字不苟Urban644k WordsCompleted Chu Lingtian is a legendary man known as the "Grim Reaper Wolf King." He returns to the city for a top-secret mission, never imagining that on his very first day back, he will spend the night with a beautiful woman named Liu Bingxue. Afterward, Liu Bingxue takes him home and passes him off as her boyfriend. But it turns out she has a twin sister, Liu Huohuo. The older sister is cold and aloof, while the younger is uninhibited. Sharing a room with these twin beauties is certainly thrilling. After 12.1kReads8.7Score1.1kShelves
34. 534 被 A Life Spurned by Another World 被异世界唾弃的一生 Cool-Off Period清冷期Eastern Fantasy1.2M WordsCompleted [Western fantasy + ensemble cast + no cheats + sword and magic + fictional world + some angst] My soul transmigrated to another world. No System, no dazzling start, and this isn’t a power fantasy. Give me a little patience, and I’ll give you a fantasy world unlike any other. This is the story of an ordinary modern office worker who must first survive in a world torn by chaos, then step over heaps of corpses on his way to becoming the Doomsday Demon feared by all. Reader advisory: The first two 4.9kReads9.0Score430Shelves
35. 535 浪 A Romantic Career in Officialdom 浪漫仕途 Peerless Blade Edge不二刀锋Urban517k WordsCompleted After graduating with a master’s degree, Leng Yu took the civil service exam and landed a post in a poor mountain region, determined to do more good for the people and deliver real results. But while his ideals were lofty, reality dealt him a face-slapping blow. Facing pressure from all sides, he stubbornly fought his way forward and gradually came to understand that to accomplish great things, he would first have to become a high-ranking official. 156Reads8.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A different kind of romance novel set in the officialdom, very close to reality. The male protagonist only wanted to be a good person and a good official, but he never expected... ❤️❤️❤️❤️

36. 536 我 I'm Good! Please Don't Hurt Me! 我很乖！请你不要来伤害！ Liu Li Fei Cheng刘李菲程Modern Romance697k WordsOngoing [Contemporary fiction] [Ensemble of women] [Scheming] [Red and Black] [Playing dumb while taking down enemies] [Clear-eyed heroine] A must-read for anyone born in the seventies, eighties, or nineties! This is a northern take on The Red and the Black, set in a glittering world of fame and fortune where everyone wears a false mask. The heroine seems sweet and obedient on the surface, but she sees things more clearly than anyone! She can live without love, but not without money! She can put up with 70Reads8.8Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Human nature is revealed in its most vivid form.

37. 537 代 Codename: Project Tianpeng 代号：天蓬计划 Fifty-Year-Old Immortal五十老仙17k WordsCompleted Codename: Heavenly Canopy Project —Reads—Score—Shelves
38. 538 我 I'm Li Long, and I've Got a Long Spear. Even Wolves Won't Stop Me 我李龙有一杆长枪，有狼也照打 Chen Songzi Loves Boiled Rice Noodles爱吃煮米粉的陈松子Urban1.6M WordsCompleted Li Long, the strongest soldier of the new century, dies a heroic death on a peacekeeping mission. By a twist of fate, he is reborn in the 1980s. In an age of famine when people can barely afford to eat, he puts his skills to use in the vast mountains, hunting bears, catching rabbits, and fishing. From then on, his family enjoys meat with every meal and fish every day. He also makes the acquaintance of a military leader, answers the call to enlist, and becomes a new-generation soldier king in thi 250Reads8.8Score103Shelves
39. 539 当 When a Reborn Person Meets a System from Another World 当重生者遇上异界系统 I Can't See Her Clearly我看不清她Sci-Fi & Apocalypse307k WordsCompleted [Apocalypse, end times, reborn, stockpiling supplies, mist apocalypse, otherworldly System, single male protagonist, fated conflict, not mindless, no objectionable content, sci-fi apocalypse, ancient-civilization fantasy, System, ruthless, smart protagonist, no saintly heroine] Gray mist blankets the city, embers set the plains ablaze, and the world is given a new price. Humanity sees the gray mist as a natural disaster bringing the end of the world, unaware that it is a reckoning between civil 14Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is really good.

40. 540 斗 Cockfighting and Horse Racing 斗鸡走马 Fifty-Year-Old Immortal五十老仙7k WordsCompleted Cockfighting and Horse Racing —Reads—Score—Shelves
41. 541 穿 Transmigrated as a Fierce Dao-Seeking Immortal, I Marry a Beggar from the Start 穿成泼辣悟道仙子，开局嫁乞丐 Growing Tender Bean Sprouts发嫩豆芽Fantastical Romance785k WordsOngoing [Fantasy romance + comedy + strong female lead + equally matched couple + feel-good power fantasy + ancient setting] "The heroine is fiery, while the hero is the reincarnation of the Cold Moon Sword Sovereign from the Immortal Realm, reborn to cultivate again. The story is wildly imaginative and a little unhinged, so buckle up!" Su Zhimo, a woman in her early twenties, accidentally transmigrates to another world, a cultivation realm of towering sects where humans, demons, and monsters coexist. S 291Reads9.3Score102Shelves
42. 542 新 New Liaozhai: The Den of Debauchery That Devours Fame and Fortune 新聊斋之吞噬功名的销金窟 Fifty-Year-Old Immortal五十老仙Mystery6k WordsCompleted The New Strange Tales: The Den of Greed That Swallows Fame and Fortune 1Reads—Score—Shelves
43. 543 女 The Female Secretary 女秘书 Li Yutou李芋头Urban362k WordsCompleted (A comprehensive guide to unspoken rules, lots of hidden storylines, slice of life) In 2011, I became the female secretary to a lecherous newspaper executive and was swept into a whirlpool of power and desire. I learned the ways of men and women, did plenty of dirty work as a front, and took wrongdoing to the extreme. But for a woman, an exceptionally beautiful woman, to rise through the ranks among a bunch of old men and emerge unstained is an incredibly difficult thing. 11Reads8.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The true nature of the lust for power, a complete guide to unspoken rules. There isn't a single good person among them.

44. 544 有 A Girl 有个女孩 Wei Wei Lan薇薇蓝Modern Romance576k WordsCompleted A feud between two generations unfolds against the backdrop of futures trading. The protagonists are a pretty young painter and an innkeeper, both of whom are hiding their true identities. Life is a vast sea, and people’s encounters are like those of Mi Li and Xing You. They look like chance meetings, but every step is carefully laid. They look like a plan, but the hand of God decides where fate leads. Mi Li often wonders whether the choices she made were right or wrong. Xing You, however, belie 17Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A very dark book

45. 545 狗 Big Sister Hua, the Dog Stationmaster 狗站长花大姐 Tomato Loach番茄泥鳅11k WordsCompleted The Dog Stationmaster, Sister Hua 9Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    See if these are available.

46. 546 双 Twin Souls: The System Has Me Blowing Up the City's Martial World 双魂共生：系统让我炸穿都市武道 Wind Seeks Inkstone风寻砚Urban958k WordsCompleted I was struck by a bizarre System, and another remnant soul, a bloodthirsty killer, somehow took up residence inside me. One soul is an ordinary, mild-mannered man; the other, a savage God of War. The System's missions are crazier than the last: One moment it wants me to take on a reclusive martial arts clan, the next to blow up an underground fighting ring beneath the city. Betrayed by fellow disciples, besieged by a sect, and blocked by a supreme martial artist? With two souls in one body and t 31Reads8.9Score—Shelves
47. 547 诈 The Dead Rose from the Grave 诈尸了 Tomato Loach番茄泥鳅12k WordsCompleted The Corpse Has Come Back to Life 1Reads—Score—Shelves
48. 548 对 Sorry, I Have a Romance System 对不起，我有情圣系统 Wandering Lemon流浪的柠檬Urban104k WordsOngoing "Southeast Asia" "No Harem" "Realistic" “I chased after her for three years. I just couldn’t afford a house that cost 11,000 yuan per square meter, and I even ruined my family...” “Now, just when she’s finally entered the adult film industry, you insist this is an illicit relationship.” “How would I not know whether this love is real?” —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's a novel disguised as a system novel, but it depicts the human nature of people from all walks of life.

49. 549 大 Wang Pu, a Young Man Past His Prime 大龄青年王普 Spring Breeze Leaves No Trace 007春风了无痕007Urban476k WordsCompleted [Multiple heroines, romance, countryside, entrepreneurship, lesbian romance, and an older bachelor] Wang Pu returns to his village, where the neighborhood gossips surround him and laugh mockingly. Wang Pu develops the pond south of the village into an eco-farm. As the village committee brings in young officials and the local economy grows, Wang Pu makes a comeback and is elected, leading his fellow villagers down the road to prosperity. His love life, career, and political prospects all flourish 4Reads8.1Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    In the small dark room of rural love entrepreneurship

50. 550 但 May the Years Be Peaceful 但愿岁月静好 Tomato Loach番茄泥鳅15k WordsCompleted May the years be peaceful and tranquil 3Reads—Score—Shelves

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