Novels like Starting as a Foot Soldier
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Starting as a Foot Soldier, best match first.
- 1 The Nine Cauldrons of Heaven's Mandate 天命九鼎 In the final years of the dynasty, corrupt officials ran rampant and the people were left destitute. Heaven was outraged and the people were furious, so rebellions broke out across the land. Zhang Yi rose up with his followers, vowing to change this dark and brutal world once and for all. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 2 Returning to Ancient Times to Conquer the Realm 回到古代打江山 Ye Chen, a leading scientist in the field of cosmic technology and a national-level engineer, transmigrates into the Great Yu Dynasty and becomes its emperor. The Great Yu Dynasty faces powerful enemies watching from beyond its borders, while traitors within plot rebellion. Through his own schemes, Ye Chen ultimately executes the treacherous ministers, eliminates the great clans, and sweeps across the land, claiming both the empire and the woman he loves! 112Reads—Score—Shelves
- 3 The Northern Wastelands in a Chaotic Age 乱世北荒 An alternate-history power fantasy with a slow build, this novel focuses on romance, beauty, warfare, and bloodshed... One nation falls, and ten thousand nations rise. After the ancient empire that unified the Northern Wasteland continent collapsed a thousand years ago, a thousand years of chaos began, as princes, nobles, heroes, warlords, and feudal lords all vied for supremacy. War and slaughter became the continent's eternal refrain, leaving the land devastated and its people in misery. Yet e 29Reads—Score—Shelves
- 4 Emperor Chen Wu, Ruler of All Under Heaven 横行天下之陈武大帝 In an age when powerful clans controlled the path to office, how could a lowly soldier born to a poor family change his fate? He endures twists and turns, wagering his life in the struggle. What will become of him in the end? 315Reads6.3Score102Shelves
- 5 The Tumultuous Chen Wu Era 陈武风云 Orphaned at a young age, he was adopted by a prince and sent to fight on the battlefield. After the dynasty fell, the Governor of Luoyang gave him a position, allowing him to establish a foothold in the Central Plains. When the governor died, he built his power from the Central Plains and seized Guanzhong. With nothing left, he made a comeback in Shu, unified the various kingdoms, ended the age of chaos, and brought prosperity to the people. 16Reads—Score—Shelves
- 6 Rising to Rule the World, Starting as a Foot Soldier 从小兵开始称霸天下 Xiao Qi was China's strongest special forces soldier. He died a hero while carrying out an overseas mission, but he wasn't dead after all. He had transmigrated to the Great Zhou dynasty, a realm on the verge of collapse. To stay alive, he rose step by step from a lowly soldier, winning glory for himself along the way. 601Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 7 A Foundation in Troubled Times 乱世基业 The empire is in chaos. Kings carve up the land, wars rage across the realm, western barbarians wait like tigers poised to pounce, and the cavalry of the steppe tribes runs rampant... The hundred tribes of the mountains raised a lone soul from another world. Now he has emerged into a land blanketed in the smoke of war. He guards the frontier, launches surprise attacks on barbarian camps, develops the wilderness, fights the steppe cavalry, clashes with foreign tribes, and matches wits with kings. 2.4kReads8.6Score153Shelves
- 8 On My First Day After Transmigrating, My Father Tried to Poison Me 穿越第一天老爹竟给我下毒 Li Bufan was just about to marry the woman he loved when one drunken night sent his soul to another world, where five kingdoms were locked in a struggle for supremacy reminiscent of the Tang and Song eras. There, he went hungry and cold, and was forcibly conscripted. Rising from squad leader to centurion to supreme general, he fought through bloodshed and narrowly escaped death time and again. At last, using his ingenuity, he built sleds and made caltrops, keeping the enemy constantly off guard. 2kReads8.7Score198Shelves
- 9 My Fate Is Mine to Command, Not Heaven's! 我命，由我不由天！ The story of a charcoal seller's boy, a dazzling life of breaking through every obstacle. He suppresses the rebel princes. On foot, he wields an invincible Mo Dao, cutting down men and horses alike. He sets out to crush the barbarian tribes. On horseback, his spear moves like a dragon, leaving death and devastation in his wake. On the battlefield, he kills without mercy, piling up such a mountain of blood debt that people call him the King of Hell. In the world of politics, he charges straight a 1.7kReads8.4Score127Shelves
- 10 Returning to Ancient Times to Expand the Realm 回到古代开疆扩土 History + farming + transmigration + military + technological disparity, no System Ancient warfare. This is a terribly written mess of a novel, awkward to write and even more awkward to read. Ye Chen, a top student at an agricultural university, is struck by lightning and transmigrates to ancient times. He improves tools and crops. He uses his advantages to help villagers improve their lives. He applies military strategy in practical ways, continually advancing technology and productivity. He qu 28Reads—Score—Shelves
- 11 Iron Horses and Icy Rivers Haunt My Dreams 铁马冰河潜入梦 #Alternate history, passion, warfare, political intrigue, romance, defending home and country# Watch a passionate young man grow step by step on the battlefield. Watch him ride across the land, settling scores and savoring every victory. Passion, comrades-in-arms, warfare, political intrigue, revenge, and romance: watch how he uses hard work, resilience, intelligence, and courage to protect the Great Chu Dynasty. 1.1kReads8.4Score104Shelves
- 12 The Fake Commandant 冒牌校尉 Yang Chen was an ordinary frontier soldier with no power, influence, or connections. Thanks to his extraordinary tolerance for alcohol, his superior temporarily assigned him to pose as an officer at a special banquet. But war broke out without warning. After narrowly escaping death, Yang Chen decided to keep up the act, using his assumed officer identity to raise a force and repel foreign enemies amid the chaos. He earned one distinction after another, and so began Yang Chen's turbulent, legenda 1.3kReads7.5Score103Shelves
- 13 The Edge of the Blade 兵锋天下 Every inch of our land is soaked in blood; for every hundred thousand soldiers, there are a hundred thousand sons. In uniform, I am a god of war. Once I take it off, they call me the Owl! 777Reads8.6Score113Shelves
- 14 Great Waves Rise from Gentle Ripples 浪成于微澜 The wind rises at the tips of duckweed; the waves begin with the smallest ripples. In Guangyang City, a burly man casually places a stinking Fanyang hat on a beggar’s head. “From now on, you’re a soldier of Great Liang!” The beggar looks helplessly at the mangled corpse beside him. A battle cry rings out from the distant city wall... He fought across three thousand miles in a lifetime, his sword once holding back a million troops. Thirty years later, before a dilapidated temple, a dignified old 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 15 Rising to Power in Troubled Times 乱世登龙 History is a book, and I, too, can be the one to write it: through treachery and intrigue, through clashing blades and charging steeds. I will bring this chaotic age to an end, and usher in a golden age of my own! Where the smoke of war rises, an emperor is born! 14Reads—Score—Shelves
- 16 It Starts with a Mercenary Army 从仆从军开始 [Revenge for a massacred clan + building a faction + ruthless campaigns + civil and military leaders, ensemble cast, conquest, war] A prince's residence wiped out. A boy who fought desperately to escape, yet still died. A soul that happened to enter his body. Hunted down, his family slaughtered, betrayed by those he trusted, imprisoned, conscripted, caught in a brutal massacre, his beloved killed, the people slaughtered, his brothers turned against him. Bearing the hatred of a hundred thousand p 769Reads7.8Score102Shelves
- 17 The Border City Crossbowman 边城游弩手 (Note: A traditional alternate-history novel, with no System and no wish-fulfillment.) A war to conquer a nation, fought by nobodies rising to prominence. A struggle for power full of ingenious schemes. The empire falls apart, and the chaos of war rises once more. A corrupt and twisted Confucian regime, powerful clans seizing land, warlords entrenched in their own territories, and barbarians watching hungrily from the sidelines. Clashing ideologies, rigid class divisions, a turbulent political l 665Reads8.9Score—Shelves
- 18 Ode to Great Yan 大燕赋 (Alternate history + ensemble cast + love of country and family + three generations of a family + court intrigue + bloody battlefields) At the end of the Wei dynasty, warlords carved up the realm and foreign tribes ravaged the land. Amid the chaos, the Yan kingdom rose to power. Gao Ce, eldest legitimate grandson of Gao Yi, founding emperor of Great Yan, was born with double pupils and destined for greatness. Raised in the imperial family, he was lazy by nature and spent his days indulging in hu 2.7kReads7.3Score161Shelves
- 19 The Power Minister 权臣 He made one family’s surname the banner of an empire! Desert Classic 53Reads8.6Score—Shelves
- 20 Transmigrated into a Condemned Prisoner, I Slaughter Nations to Earn Military Status 穿越变死囚，为获军籍杀遍诸国 [Historical ancient setting, from the start, alternate history, history, food, transmigration, no System, funny and lighthearted] What do you do after transmigrating into an execution scene? Chen An: “What doesn’t kill me will eventually be killed by me. Well, my legs are just a little shaky!” The emperors of the various kingdoms: “What? He’s coming to destroy us just for a bite to eat?” Chen An: “A hellish start. To stay alive, I’ll kill, kill, kill...” The generals: “Long live the Emperor! Lon 1.9kReads8.8Score242Shelves
- 21 The Realm Under the Regional Commanders 天下节度 In the eighth year of Tianfu under the Great Zhou dynasty. That year, Su Yu transmigrates to an unfamiliar era where feudal lords carve up the land, military governors rule their own domains, the common people live in misery, and uprisings erupt across the realm. To survive these chaotic times, he takes on the great clans, defeats local tyrants, builds a new army, establishes new laws, and introduces new institutions. Step by step, he rises to the top and founds a brand-new dynasty. Note: No Sys 1.3kReads7.2Score100Shelves
- 22 Five Dynasties: Iron Cavalry Unstoppable 五代：铁骑纵横 Wang Yanting, an ordinary man, transmigrated to the chaotic late Tang dynasty. He had no golden finger and no powerful patron to rely on. He could only survive through his own efforts. In this age, rites and music had crumbled, and moral principles had been cast aside. Whoever had soldiers could do as they pleased. But in this same age, the soldiers under your command could turn their weapons on you at any moment. Li Keju, military governor of Lulong, had a subordinate general, Li Quanzhong, who 1.6kReads8.5Score102Shelves
- 23 The Emperor Has Just Stripped the Princes of Their Fiefs, and I’ve Raised an Army in Rebellion! 皇帝刚削藩，我就起兵造反！ An alternate history with no System or cheat powers, focused on strategy and warfare. A ruler vies for the realm, the nobles for territory, the scholar-officials for power, the people of the world for status, and the common folk for food and clothing. If you are not in their position, you cannot understand what they are fighting for. Become a feudal lord, and think you can live the carefree life of a prince? That is merely what you imagine you would do as a lord, because you are not in that posi 710Reads5.3Score—Shelves
- 24 When the Wind Rises, the Song Never Ends 风起尽长歌 An alternate history setting. No transmigration, no System, no golden finger, no one-man army. Military affairs take center stage as heroes vie for supremacy. This is a cruel age. From the windblown deserts beyond the frontier to the picturesque, rain-soaked lands south of the Yangtze, people praise the splendor of this great land. Yet it lies barren for thousands of miles, and its people struggle to survive. Everyone is swept up in the tide, rolling inexorably forward. Young men should ride swi 206Reads7.3Score—Shelves
- 25 From Border Guard to Great Xia's First King 从边军到大夏第一王 Modern veteran Lu Chen transmigrates into the body of a low-ranking border soldier in the Great Xia Empire. Using modern tactics, he improves weapons, sweeps away the barbarians, puts down rebellions, builds a navy, wipes out the Japanese, and conquers lands overseas. Rising from the lowest ranks to become a prince who rules a frontier, he uses his iron will to bring peace to the Great Xia Empire. 41Reads—Score100Shelves
- 26 Sentenced to Military Exile, I Use My Wits to Forge a Peaceful Age 充军死囚，靠脑子杀出个太平盛世 [A Scheming Tale with a System] After transmigrating into the eldest legitimate son of a disgraced crown prince, Cheng Zhao sees a female emperor usurp the throne and his father deposed. He is sentenced to death, exiled three thousand li, and sent to a death-row camp on the northern frontier to die. With his life hanging in the balance, the System activates. Dynamic visual tracking and ballistic weak-point targeting mean even a pebble can pierce a skull from a hundred paces. But as chaos descend 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 27 Riding Across the Great Tang 跃马大唐 In the fourth year of the Tianbao era, the Tang Dynasty is at the height of its golden age. An Lushan is rising to power, and Yang Guozhong is about to dominate the court. Beneath the songs and dances, blades are being sharpened; behind the peace and prosperity, bloodshed is brewing. A humble neighborhood guard rises from the bustling streets. He is a luminary of the literary world and a conqueror destined to rule. For whom will the peerless beauty dance in her rainbow skirt and feathered robe? 46Reads8.5Score—Shelves
- 28 The Great Qian Corpse Collector 大乾收尸人 [Alternate history + passionate adventure + war + lighthearted] After transmigrating into the Great Qian dynasty, he became a lowly corpse collector. He had planned to live a quiet life with his beautiful sister-in-law and his simple-minded younger brother, but then the Northern Mang army laid siege to the pass. After finishing his work collecting the dead, he fled for his life! A female general asked him, “Become my adviser and help me save the people from suffering!” A domineering old prince a 647Reads7.8Score108Shelves
- 29 Reborn as King You of Zhou: From the Start, I Killed Bao Si to Consecrate My Banner 重生周幽王，开局杀褒姒祭旗 [A slow-burn tale of farming and development + court intrigue + warlord rivalries + no System + not a wish-fulfillment power fantasy] Zhou Chen transmigrates to the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty and becomes the infamous King You of Zhou, Ji Gongsui. He has already been on the throne for six years. The Zhou royal house is in decline, its royal armies have been wiped out, the people are furious, and the feudal lords are ready to make their move. Only five years remain before the Quanrong capture 934Reads8.4Score102Shelves
- 30 Conquer the World 争霸天下 There are only two reliable ways to solve a problem: money and a blade. There are no shortcuts to climbing your way up, and if there are, they’re only for those who are better prepared. In times of peace, Fang Jie wanted to live as a wealthy landowner, but failed. In times of chaos, Fang Jie wanted to live in peace, but failed again. So he fought to rule the realm. 92Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 31 The Warlord of a Chaotic Age 争霸之乱世枭雄 The Central Plains are in chaos. Wei, Shu, Chu, Jin, Yan, Xu, Qi, Liang, Wu, and Chen have each carved out territory and proclaimed themselves rulers. More than two hundred years of turmoil have seen over a thousand battles, countless dead and wounded, and a land laid waste. Beyond the Central Plains, the northern and southern Xiongnu watch like tigers, frequently raiding the borderlands. Unifying the realm is an urgent necessity. Qin Mu, who rose from the ranks of an ordinary soldier, had hoped 2.3kReads8.2Score109Shelves
- 32 The Iron-Blooded Warriors of the Frontier Army 边军之铁血悍卒 Hunter boy Xu Xiao shoots an arrow through the smoke of war on the northern frontier and rises from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood! His long saber shatters enemy formations, his cavalry rides through the snow, and he charges into battle again and again, slaying generals and seizing their banners! His brothers entrust their lives to one another, building a Great Wall of flesh and blood! When the 100,000-strong Jinzhang army thunders against the pass, watch as this battle-hardened god of 1.9kReads6.8Score163Shelves
- 33 Riding Across the World 策骑天下 He is tender and gentle with the women he loves, but ruthless and decisive toward his enemies. As the Xi Yan Dynasty teeters on the brink of collapse, he saves the people from a living hell. When petty factions covet the Central Plains, he leads hot-blooded warriors to defend their homeland. He blazes a new trail, drawing merchants from every corner of the world to the Chinese heartland in a race to do business. The finest minds of every people gather in Zhongdu, truly making it the center of th 502Reads6.4Score—Shelves
- 34 Thieves and Seduction in the Realm 江山贼色 The late Tang is in chaos, with warlords running rampant. Never underestimate a young man. Give me three thousand troops at my side, and I dare seize any of the empire's four hundred prefectures. Though the city may be filled with the bones of nobles, I can bring prosperity to every corner of the realm. The land is a painting, and armies thunder across it. Armored cavalry rides forth, while lovely women lend their charm. 302Reads7.1Score—Shelves
- 35 Springtime in the Great Ming 大明春色 In the turbulent early years of the Ming Dynasty, a king destined to lose his reputation and be burned alive must embark on a path of defying Heaven. How will old grudges, love and hatred, merits and failures all play out this time? 92Reads8.6Score—Shelves
- 36 The Tale of Prince Liang 凉王传 In the seventh year of Yuangeng, Zhao Beihuan, ruler of the Beichen dynasty that had unified the Central Plains, died of illness. The new emperor was young and had no firm foundation. He was surrounded by treacherous officials, while Prince Wuling, Li Lan, held the court in his grip. The officials lined their pockets, indifferent to whether the common people lived or died. Resentment spread through the land, and life was unbearably hard. The former forces of the Ten States of Qingxiang rose up i 8.7kReads8.5Score832Shelves
- 37 Transmigrating to the Warring States: I Become the God of War Li Mu 穿越战国：我成了战神李牧 To learn more about the Battle of Changping, Li Yang traveled to Gaoping, in Zhao State, where the battle’s countless dead lay buried. By chance, he wandered into the Temple of Skulls built for the hundreds of thousands of fallen soldiers. Just as he was about to leave, a twist of fate sent his soul into Li Mu, the frontier general who alone could influence the outcome of the Battle of Changping… From there, he trains the border troops, wipes out the Xiongnu, and saves Changping… until 5.8kReads8.4Score174Shelves
- 38 The Warlord at the End of the Sui Dynasty 隋末枭雄 [Warfare and conquest] + [Court intrigue] + [No System] + [No harem] + [Transmigration] The Sui has lost its prize, and the heroes of the land are vying for it. In the ninth year of Daye under the Sui, Yang Xuangan’s rebellion at Liyang is defeated, and he dies. His friend Li Mi flees alone, a fugitive with nowhere to turn. Shen Yan, a modern archaeology student, unexpectedly transmigrates his soul into the body of Li Mi, fleeing through the final years of the Sui Dynasty, fourteen hundred years 79Reads—Score—Shelves
- 39 The Emperors of the Ten Kingdoms 十国帝王 After the Huang Chao Rebellion, Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty. Over the next fifty-odd years, the Central Plains saw five ruling houses and thirteen emperors. After arriving, he spent ten years lying low, reading three thousand volumes and honing a sword for the battlefield. He spent ten years at war, spilling blood across three thousand miles of north and south, defeating powerful foes on iron horses with blade in hand. Then he spent ten years governing, devising three thousand policies a da 35Reads8.6Score—Shelves
- 40 The Black Dragon Roars, the Ink Dragon Sings, and the Halberds Ring as One 黑龙啸，墨龙吟，长戟齐鸣 Also known as The General. [War god] + [national warfare] + [political intrigue] + [fictional setting] + [military commanders] His father died on the battlefield when he was young. His mother passed away when he was a child. An orphan, he was fortunate to be raised with help from his uncle and aunt in the same village. Unwilling to accept the fate laid out for him, he joined the army in his early teens. A boy from a mountain village ultimately rises step by step to become a dynasty's general, gr 2.9kReads8.7Score189Shelves
- 41 How to Become a Chancellor for the Ages 如何成为千古名相 (Alternate history) (A great tale of political intrigue) The founding emperor of this dynasty rose from humble beginnings, ended three hundred years of chaos, established the Great Yong, and divided the realm into twenty-one circuits. The dynasty has ruled the Central Plains for more than seventy years. To the north lies Northern Liang, to the south Southern Qi, the eastern border meets the vast sea, and the west reaches the great desert. In the twenty-eighth year of Yuanjia, Fan Yunzhou trav 324Reads8.7Score—Shelves
- 42 Yang Wei's Adventures 杨伟历险记 Yang Wei started out as a new recruit. He charged fearlessly into battle, earned plenty of merit, and won the hearts and praise of the entire army. The soldiers were willing to follow him through life and death. 5Reads—Score—Shelves
- 43 Unrivaled Throughout the Song Dynasty 举宋无双 [Political intrigue] + [Reform] + [Unification] + [Conquest] + [No System] Reborn in the Southern Song Dynasty, he takes over the body of Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhao Gou. He pardons Yue Fei, executes treacherous ministers, appoints the worthy, and quells internal unrest, turning history on its head. At last, he gives full rein to his ambitions, marches north into the Central Plains, recaptures Kaifeng, and presses on toward Huanglong... If you can't stomach the humiliating history of the South 789Reads8.4Score102Shelves
- 44 Never Resting 未歇 [Decisive and ruthless] + [Struggle for supremacy] + [Rousing] + [Fictional setting] “Loyal bones lie beneath these green hills. Why should I return wrapped in horsehide?” “The children's voices still linger, as if a lifetime has passed since we let go of old grievances.” Xu Shusheng murmured the words, then finally ran out of strength... 1.3kReads8.9Score101Shelves
- 45 The Han Dynasty 大汉王朝 Across the vast Tengger Grassland, tribes battle by the law of the jungle, with war fires burning and bloodshed everywhere! Tribal warriors, curved sabers and sharp arrows, fine horses and armor: these determine who can enslave others in the chaos of the grasslands, and who will be enslaved in turn. Curved sabers wielded by grassland riders clash with the longswords of noble knights; nomadic warriors swift as the wind face the armies of lords entrenched in their castles. Fire and steel collide, 1.3kReads8.7Score103Shelves
- 46 Forging the Golden Realm 筑金瓯 [War, lighthearted, meticulously researched, history, no System] This is the Tang dynasty, a dynasty forged on the edge of a blade. The Tang emperor Xuanzong's dream ends in the Tianbao era, and the banner of the great Tang falls. There can be an Earlier Han and a Later Han. There can also be an Earlier Tang and a Later Tang. If the great Tang is gone, then we will build another great Tang. If the golden age is gone, then we will create another one. Let every child have a home, every elder have 3.4kReads8.2Score272Shelves
- 47 The Foolish Emperor Gets Even Crazier 白痴皇帝更疯狂 [Also known as The Idiot Emperor Gets Even Crazier] [No System] Zhao Guanjia looked helplessly at his own body and shook his head. The previous owner had already run it into the ground! "I have to abstain for three months!!!" Zhao Guanjia resolved to change his fate and set the broken realm of the late Southern Song in order. But at this very moment, Kublai Khan is advancing south with his forces divided into three routes, intent on destroying the Southern Song! 304Reads7.4Score—Shelves
- 48 The Road to the Top: A Restaurant from the Start 巅峰之路：开局一间食肆 A seasoned Beijinger wakes up one day to find himself the son of a low-ranking official in Wenshui County. His father is incorruptible, the family is struggling financially, his younger sister is malnourished, and he has two younger brothers: one whose schooling costs money and another who is only six months old. Ye Fan looks up at the sky and sighs. He never expected that what could help him most right now would be neither his education nor his work experience, but the cooking skills he was for 655Reads8.4Score103Shelves
- 49 A Frontier Soldier of Great Mu Marches with Blade in Hand 大穆边卒仗刀行 [Light Martial Arts + Pure Fantasy + War and Political Intrigue + Jianghu] The Mu dynasty united the six kingdoms, bringing the world under one rule. Decades later, the flames of war rise once more. A young border soldier from a frontier fortress sets out to conquer the world… Nine-Rank generals, master scholars, grandmasters, great grandmasters… He reins in his horse and rides with blade in hand, sending armies across the land, dominating the Jianghu with martial might, and changing the very or 6.9kReads8.7Score463Shelves
- 50 Madman: Slashing My Way from a Pile of Corpses to the Dragon Throne 疯子：从死人堆里一路杀到龙椅 [No System + Two Insane Souls + No Saintly Mercies + Decisive and Ruthless] The day Shen Zhou crawled out of a pile of corpses, a modern man's soul appeared in his mind. One soul was bloodthirsty and loved to kill; the other was calm and calculating. The two souls fought each other every day, driving him into a madman feared by everyone in Yunmeng Marsh. Defeated soldiers tried to steal his food? He killed them all. The imperial army came to crush him? He used a fire ox formation to rout thre 130Reads—Score—Shelves
