Novels like The Gods Must Keep Their Distance
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Gods Must Keep Their Distance, best match first.
- 101 The Ancient Tomb Code 古墓密码 I was sentenced to life in prison for tomb raiding. I thought that was bad enough, but then The Dragon Head Maze, the Flying Ancient House, the ghost ship at sea... They all led me to a huge secret. “Open this door. Everything you want to know and everything you want is inside.” 5.2kReads8.1Score76014d adds
- 102 The Man in the Case 装在套子里的人 [Horror + Supernatural + Mystery + Adventure + Wild Imagination + Crime-Solving + Yin-Yang and Feng Shui] By a twist of fate, the criminal investigation squad led by Li Wei is paired with their archenemy Ouyang to solve cases. After a series of shocking major crimes, their terrifying ordeals turn the two former enemies into partners who would risk their lives for each other. Just when everyone thinks it is finally over, an even greater nightmare is only beginning... [The Hanger Murders] [A Ghost 1.6kReads8.4Score27114d adds
- 103 I Exorcise Evil, and I’ll Exorcise You Too 镇邪也镇你 [Two male leads] [Beloved by all] [Bottom protagonist] [Urban fantasy] [Amnesia] [High martial arts] [Strong leads] [Mystery and strategy] After graduating from university, Fang An returned to his hometown to live in seclusion. Unexpectedly, he stumbled into another world. The village guardian seemed to be an idiot, but after mooching off Fang An and getting him to look after him for over a month, it turned out he wasn’t stupid at all!!! He was a powerful sect master too!! Fang An thought he’d 663Reads8.8Score11014d adds
- 104 The Soul-Suppressing Stele 镇魂碑 Telling the eeriest stories and exposing the most unfathomable human hearts! The final installment in the Evil-Quelling Trilogy! (The first two, Evil-Quelling Notes and Thousand Corpse Town, are both complete.) After the first thirty thousand words, there will be three updates every day! No delays, guaranteed! Thank you all for continuing to support Lao Zhang! 669Reads7.8Score10114d adds
- 105 An Outsider in a World of Strange Tales 在诡异怪谈当边缘人 (Eerie Chinese cosmic horror + absolute deities + powerful superhumans + bizarre comedy) Terrifying gods and strange horrors ravage the human world. After Chu He accidentally stumbles into a supernatural incident in the city, the gods name him the Human Emperor. From then on, cruel and malicious deities use him as a pawn, forcing him to wander the margins between the Three Realms. Yet in this cruel, uncanny world, he’s determined to live an ordinary life and do things his own way. No romance. Ch 1.2kReads9.0Score12014d adds
- 106 As a Heaven's Chosen Prodigy, Advancing One Realm a Day Is Perfectly Reasonable! 身为天骄，一天一个境界很合理！ [High Martial Arts, Power Fantasy, Invincible, Fast-Paced, No Heroine] The ratings just came out, they'll go up! “Xingdao, your opponent in this school tournament is the prodigy Mo Tianyang, who is said to be one of the Three Peerless Talents. Shouldn't you just forfeit?” “That person is the peerless genius Ye Shenglei, the Ye family's Thunder Child, already guaranteed a place at one of the Five Great Academies! The top prodigy in the Eastern District!” “He ranks first on the Hidden Dragon List 872Reads6.2Score10214d adds
- 107 Infinite Replays in the Trial Run: Now Clear It in One Life 试玩无限重开，接下来请一命通关 (The rating just came out, so it'll rise later!) [Infinite Flow + Mild Horror + No Romance + No Cheats + Not a Feel-Good Story + Smart Characters] One night, the police station received a phone call. A man named Chen Mo turned himself in. He had murdered all four members of his family, and even killed the family dog. During repeated interrogations, Chen Mo remained completely calm. “Officer, I'll say it again.” “I didn't kill people. I killed... a bunch of ghosts.” After dying and rewinding ti 296Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 108 The Judge’s Brush: I Use Daoist Arts to Subdue Yin and Yang 判官执笔：我以道法镇阴阳 One case, one solution. Episodic stories, fast pacing, easy to get into. Wang Zhen was born with a fate tied to the Underworld, and holds the Judge’s Brush in his hand. He can see through the boundary between yin and yang, judge wicked spirits, and draw talismans with a fingertip. His strokes make them come alive. Curses that steal lives, girls in red at school, ghostly shadows in hospitals... One eerie, bizarre case after another, one vengeful spirit after another claiming lives. While others g 422Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 109 The Bride from the Underworld 来自阴间的新娘 On the night my neighbor got married, the bride died because of me… 1.1kReads6.8Score10314d adds
- 110 Lucky Prematch Disaster: Wolves Lose Three Players from the Start! 幸运预炸场：狼队开局崩了三个！ [Werewolf Game + No Romance + Light System + Multiple Game Modes] The Seer gets voted out unanimously: Just end it already. There are eleven wolves in this game! The Witch is ganged up on by several players: One bottle of poison isn't enough, it isn't enough! The Knight's sword breaks after a duel: The Seer led me astray! The Werewolves see the good players backing the wrong side: You're my brother. I won't kill you. You have to be crazy to survive. From the moment Lin You steps into the are 3.6kReads6.8Score25514d adds
- 111 The Eerie Realm: It Starts with an Elevator 诡界：从电梯开始 [No System]+ [No Heroine]+ [Dungeon Progression]+ [No Saintly Protagonist]+ [Eerie]+ [Original Dungeons] Have you ever wondered? Beneath the neon lights and atmosphere of this city, things lurk that defy all reason. They were chosen by the Eerie [Elevator] and marked by a terrifying curse. Again and again, they must take part in death games, until death claims them. 54Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Becoming an Ancestor After Death 死后当祖宗 No heroine + Chinese-style ghosts and gods + history + a contest for national destiny + family clan Wang Laosan is dead. The dead should act like the dead and go obediently to be reincarnated. But which bastard lifted the lid of his coffin and bullied his wife and children? 2Reads—Score114d adds
- 113 Tales of Strange Beasts 奇妖志 [No romance + no female lead + a touch of ensemble cast] Seven years ago, Xu Rangchen was the sole heir to a family of demon hunters; Seven years later, he became the owner of the Strange Flavors Inn. Seven years had passed, and everything had changed. Once, everyone revered him, and even demons gave him a wide berth. Now, no one remembers him. What could have caused such a drastic change? He had been living peacefully at the Strange Flavors Inn, but the arrival of a rat demon shattered that tra 333Reads8.2Score10614d adds
- 114 Dimensional Rift: You Can't Strip Me of My Humanity 纬度间隙：不许开除我的人籍 [Full-Dive Game]+ [Infinite Flow]+ [No Female Lead]+ [Not a Power Fantasy]+ [Spiritual Qi Revival] At first, as a staunch materialist, Feng Yan thought that Dimensional Rift, a game officially promoted by the government, was simply an incredibly awesome Infinite Flow full-dive game. That was, until he received an admission letter from the game in the real world. Something was off about this game. Later, he discovered that something seemed... off about the real world, too. “How am I not human?” F 288Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 115 A Life Borrowed from the Yin Realm 借阴命 To keep me alive, my grandfather borrowed someone else’s life for me. Years later, that person’s descendants came seeking revenge... 190Reads7.2Score—14d adds
- 116 Demon Slayer of the City: This Taoist Master Kills, He Does Not Save 都市斩妖人：道爷只杀不渡 In the modern city, all seems peaceful and prosperous on the surface, but demons lurk beneath. The Taoist sect has fallen into decline, and swindlers are everywhere. The protagonist is one of the very few heirs who possess true teachings and ruthless methods. Hardcore Taoist arts, meticulous folk customs, brutal aesthetics, no female lead, intelligent characters 254Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 117 Eerie Revival: I Was Born Bad 诡异复苏：我是天生坏种 The rating was just posted and will gradually rise [Psychosis]+ [Invisible Killings]+ [Everyone Is Evil]+ [A Brand-New Supernatural Setting]+ [Selfish Protagonist]+ [Only Twenty Chapters of Oppression]+ [No CP] “10, 9, 8…” The voice in Gao Sheng's head counted down for three whole years. At last, it reached zero. The next second, a prank message popped up in the class group chat. [Today is the seventh day since Teacher Zhao Yuliang died. Forward this message to five groups for good luck. If you 1.2kReads8.8Score19914d adds
- 118 Spirit Village 灵村 Thrills and the supernatural! There's an ancient village called Lingzhuang, also known as Bagua Village. I was born there. Lingzhuang is always shrouded in an atmosphere of terror: Enormous pythons, centipedes, black spiders, strange birds, and ferocious beasts roam about, attacking people... Lingzhuang is also rife with strange tales and bizarre happenings: A female ghost haunts the village; a cave in Longmian Mountain holds an arsenal from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom; a mysterious master live 69Reads—Score—14d adds
- 119 The Ghost Emerges from the Coffin 鬼出棺 Xie Bangui is secretly recruited into the Ghost Yamen and, on his master's orders, serves there, making a living by hunting demons and ghosts. Yet he has no idea that he carries a world-shaking secret. Leading the Ghost Yamen's warriors, Xie Bangui launches a night raid on a prison for evil spirits, fights a bloody battle on the execution platform against a demon, encounters a soul-snatching carriage, and cleverly breaks a skeleton lock. He survives evil spirits' attempts to claim his life, outw 1.6kReads9.1Score14414d adds
- 120 My Friends Cultivate, I Level Up 好友修炼我升级 (High martial arts + no female lead + leveling up. He focuses solely on building his career, with no brainless antagonists picking fights.) Mu Qingzhi acquires a friend-making System. Anyone added to his friends list gains a boost to their cultivation speed. And his own gains will be doubled on top of theirs! “Your friend Lu Xunwen is meditating and cultivating. Spiritual energy +3.” “The principal has taken an Expansion Pill. Congratulations, Host, you have advanced to Martial Artist.” As long 671Reads8.8Score11014d adds
- 121 I Went on a Rampage After Summoning the Gods, but the State Wants Me on Its Roster 请神后杀疯了，国家却让我入编 [Mild horror + no System + not a power fantasy + folk supernatural tales + episodic stories + dark revenge in the middle and later arcs] [The later plot went in an unexpected direction, so straight men, beware. Sigh!] [It started as a story about brotherhood with no female lead, but later it seems to have shifted toward two male leads. Though not entirely. Sigh, I don't even know what I've written. Whatever!!!] Lin Fan was a dead-end wage slave. On the night he had nowhere else to turn, he knelt 20.5kReads8.7Score3.2k14d adds
- 122 Nightmare Game 梦魇游戏 [Mystery + Semi-Infinite Flow + No Female Lead + Light Ensemble Cast + Original Setting + Protagonist Is an NPC + Faction Conflict + Everyone Is Smart + Slow Burn + Light Lovecraftian Horror + Decisive and Ruthless] Reporters deliver the news. [Reporters] report the truth. Yin Lu transmigrated. He ended up in Nightmare Game, a full-immersion horror game with an official reported death rate of 3% but an actual death rate of fifty-fifty, and became an NPC. The good news: He's a five-star mini-bos 11.9kReads9.0Score1.7k14d adds
- 123 Bureau of Anomalous Biology Investigations 异常生物调查局 The day after my grandpa died, everyone in town showed up… 528Reads8.2Score10214d adds
- 124 Immortal from the Start, I Lay Low Until I Became Invincible 开局长生不死，苟成天下无敌 [No angst] + [No heroine] + [Cultivation] Jiang Li transmigrates into a fantasy world where immortals and martial artists coexist, and starts out with the Eternal Longevity Body, complete with a mission function. (Live for 100 years, all attributes +100) (Live for 1,000 years, all attributes +1,000) (Live for 10,000 years, all attributes +10,000) (Live for 100 million years, all attributes +100,000,000) Jiang Li sets himself a modest goal: first, live for 100 million years! I may not be a 933Reads8.2Score10014d adds
- 125 Haunted? Don't Worry, Grandpa Can Summon the Gods 闹鬼？没事的，阿公会请神 Have you ever heard that you shouldn’t pick up red envelopes you find on the road? You might accidentally claim a partner from the underworld. Want to talk to your departed loved ones again? Then… let’s try a spirit-world séance. Worship at the Yin Temple and grow rich. If you’ve got the guts, come give it a try! 153Reads—Score—14d adds
- 126 My Body Grows Infinitely Stronger, and One Punch Can Shatter the Entire Universe 我身体无限强化，一拳打爆全宇宙 [Male-oriented, no romance, ensemble cast, no lone-wolf protagonist The male lead has wood powers and is the team's brains as well as its strongest fighter. The second male lead has fire powers, and the female lead has ice powers. Both are utterly loyal to the male lead.] In the age of superpowers, Xiang Kai awakens the weakest F-rank ability: [Vines]. It has virtually no attack power and is barely any different from being an ordinary person. Everyone looks down on him, mocks him, and insul —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 127 As Long as I Dare to Draw My Blade, It Gets Faster Every Time 只要我敢拔刀，我的刀就越拔越快 [Transmigration + Low Martial Arts + No Female Lead + Not a Power Fantasy] After transmigrating to a world that exists outside the usual setting, Xiao Shi was no exception: he came with a System of his own. His System was simple. Kill someone to extract their lifespan, then burn that lifespan to grow stronger. There was just one catch: the person he killed had to be willing to die by his hand. Xiao Shi chose to become an assassin, drawing his blade to kill his clients’ targets in exchange for t 3.5kReads6.4Score21014d adds
- 128 Strange Tales of China 中国异闻录 Lanterns in the Dark, also known as Strange Tales from China, follows the success of Strange Tales from Thailand, which sold 100,000 copies. In this all-new work, the “master of suspense,” Yang Xingchu, takes you deep into the heart of Chinese folk customs. What tragic and moving tales of love and hate lie behind the legends passed down to this day? The things you have always taken for granted may not be what you think: Is a ghost marriage really a marriage to a dead person? Is every stretch of 107Reads7.8Score—14d adds
- 129 Don't Look Back During Evening Study at School 学校晚自习别回头 Don’t Look Back During Evening Study at School 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 130 Horror Livestream: My Acting Fee Is Sky-High When I Perform with Ghosts 惊悚直播：和鬼演戏我片酬极高 [Infinite-flow + System + Livestreaming + No Female Lead + Hilarious, Satisfying Read] [At Dawn Hospital, actor Lin Yue plays the humorous and witty attending physician in the proctology department.] Lin Yue: “Rounds, rounds! How are you feeling, patient?” Evil ghost: “I'm better! I'm completely better! I'm getting discharged right now! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten sick!” [At Dreamlike Manor, actor Lin Yue plays a chuunibyou photographer who loves solving mysteries and cooking.] Lin Yue, g 7Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 131 It's Only Natural for a High Schooler to Slay Ghosts 作为高中生会斩鬼很正常吧 [Slow-Burn] [No Female Lead] [Growing Protagonist] [No Brain-Dead Decisions] The rifts connecting to the Gray Abyss have existed since ancient times. The Gray Abyss breeds ghosts, and ghosts devour human souls. Souls connect to the supernatural and can awaken Sequences. The summer sun shines bright. Class 8 of the second year of high school is in its usual chaotic state when a note covered in eerie black writing somehow appears on a desk. Gray fog rolls in, and strange changes suddenly begin. A 3.1kReads8.4Score39114d adds
- 132 The Amulet Shop 佛牌专事店 [No female lead + two male leads] My name is Zhou Yi. I’m a broke loser who just graduated from college and can’t even find a decent job. Then a shop owner called and asked me to interview for a sales clerk position. At last, I found a job that could keep food on the table. But the things sold in this shop were nothing like ordinary merchandise. They even seemed a little sinister. Still, I needed to make a living, so I gritted my teeth and stuck with it. I never imagined that this job would plun 11.6kReads9.0Score1.6k14d adds
- 133 Infinite Instances: I've Survived by Hitching My Wagon to the Strong 无限副本：我靠抱大腿苟活至今 (The rating has just come in, so it’ll rise later) [A male lead who grows over time but has plenty of ideas from the start] + [A little live-stream chat here and there] + [The male lead has no love interest; he belongs to the readers] + [The author takes suggestions to heart] + [A survival guide for each instance] Lu Li, a fragile college student, is chosen to enter a world of horror games, where he must struggle to survive an endless succession of instances. Quick-witted Lu Li grabs onto the le 1.1kReads8.2Score16514d adds
- 134 Myriad Worlds: Starting with a Divine Immortal Compendium 诸天：开局一本神仙通鉴 [The Myriad Worlds] [Slaying Demons and Exorcising Evil] [Mystery and the Supernatural] [Out-of-the-Box Ideas] [The Seventy-Two Earthly Fiend Arts] [The Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits Arts] After transmigrating into Liaozhai, I thought I'd be courting female ghosts. Instead, the innkeeper wanted to stew me, zombies wanted to bite me to death, and monsters lined up to eat me. Luckily, my golden finger came through: slay a demon and get a supernatural ability! Swordsmanship, Netherwalking, Spirit Com 93Reads—Score—14d adds
- 135 Forbidden Ground for the Living 活人禁地 Seek out the world's rare treasures, and plunder its hidden relics. The living should stay away from these places... 1.5kReads7.2Score13114d adds
- 136 Tomb-Raiding Mysteries: The Sand-Sifting Manual 盗墓疑云：淘沙谱 My fate is unusual. I lost one hun and one po soul when I was young, and through a twist of fate, I entered the tomb-raiding business. Following clues left behind by the ancients in The Sand-Seeking Manual, I ventured to desert cities, the ghost kingdom of western Hunan, the divine realm of Kunlun, and more... Gradually, I began to recover the souls I had lost. As my memories resurfaced, I discovered that the mastermind behind every scheme was none other than myself! Qin Yu and I went from broth 255Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 137 The Anomaly Response Trio 异象处理三人组 [Three main characters + supernatural anthology + comedy + action-packed school life + fantasy + no romance] My name is Xia Ye, and I used to be an ordinary high school student. Then one day, a friend dragged me to explore a haunted building, and I got unlucky enough to be possessed by an S-rank monster. The aloof exorcist who saved me was Rong Zhen. He took me to the Number One Exorcist High School. During the school's recruitment pitch, the teacher promised us government jobs, staff housing, e 2.6kReads8.0Score45514d adds
- 138 The Godslayer of the Countryside 乡村弑神者 [Chinese-style horror + not a power fantasy + more terrifying the more you think about it] When I was eight, my maternal grandfather took my two uncles and me to Chang'an Village to help harvest rice. Not long after we arrived, someone died under mysterious circumstances. Worried something might happen to me, my grandfather told my eldest uncle to take me home first. Before we left, he repeatedly warned us not to speak to anyone we met on the road. My eldest uncle agreed, and we hurried back. Ha 735Reads8.9Score10514d adds
- 139 The Prison of Extreme Punishment 极刑之狱 [Graphic crime investigation + a vomit-inducing masterpiece] The Gentle Chair, a sleep aid invented by a corrupt Ming official; a Pixiu treasure chest that can only be opened by sacrificing the Grave-Robbing Finger; a coffin-boat Gu child secretly admired by a top student; a sinister wine cup made from a woman's body! Come explore a series of bizarre, shadowy cases. 4.4kReads8.8Score56514d adds
- 140 Exorcism Records: The Supreme Judge of Yin and Yang 镇鬼实录：阴阳第一执宰人 [Traditional supernatural horror + ghost hunting + no romance] The city is full of tricks. I want to go back to the countryside. After losing his job, Jiang Bai returns to his rural hometown, only to find that a wicked spirit has begun tearing out people’s hearts. More and more villagers are being killed, and the whole village is helpless. Ignoring his late grandfather’s prohibition, he inherits his grandfather’s legacy and enters the world of the mystic arts. In a once-quiet town, accidents kee 80Reads—Score—14d adds
- 141 A Yin Corpse Brought Me to the Mortal World: The Living, Keep Away 阴尸送我来人间，生人退避 My name is Luo Ansheng. I was delivered by a Yin Corpse. A Yin Corpse brought me into the world, and a hundred ghosts fought over their food. All manner of fearsome beings gathered, eager to devour my flesh and essence. After I gave them a good beating, they settled down and began competing to protect me. 4.2kReads8.8Score38614d adds
- 142 Feng Shui Master of the Yin House 阴宅风水师 Zhang Yucheng asked, “What do you do?” “I know! I know!” Side Character A said smugly. Zhang Yucheng turned to look at him. “Our Master Kan specializes in building connections with the underworld!” Zhang Yucheng didn't understand. Kan Yu turned around and said with a faint, knowing smile, “I sell paper offerings.” Zhang Yucheng: “...” The passerby continued, “Master Kan's shop is right in the middle of Kyoto's most famous wedding district, in a prime location! It's decorated so lavishly and tast 244Reads9.0Score—14d adds
- 143 Rules of the Rest Stop on a Stormy Night 暴雨夜服务区规则怪谈 Rules of the Rest Stop on a Stormy Night 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 144 The Great Master of the Ma Yi School 麻衣大相师 I was born on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month. My grandfather, a feng shui master, never let me go outside after dark when I was little. Then one day, he had to leave the house… 234Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 145 The Yin-Yang Demon Suppression Bureau 阴阳镇魔司 He walks between the worlds of yin and yang, slays vengeful ghosts, subdues evil demons, battles zombies, and stands up for the weak against the strong. He even becomes sworn brothers with the Black and White Impermanence and Ox-Head and Horse-Face. 2.3kReads6.7Score24314d adds
- 146 The Eerie Coffin Bearers 诡抬棺 Nine peaks, a sea of blood, mountains of bones... Murderous danger lurks everywhere. Every step is fraught with peril, and I never know how much longer I'll survive. It wasn't until I deciphered the nursery rhyme I'd heard when I became someone's disciple that I uncovered a shocking secret... 63Reads9.0Score—14d adds
- 147 Stealing Faces 偷脸 One day, a stranger added me on QQ and told me my girlfriend was a man. I called him an idiot. Then my girlfriend died, and when she died, she really did become a man. Her head had been cut off and sewn onto the neck of a male corpse... 225Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 148 The Yellow Springs Waystation 黄泉中转站 The Underworld Survival Guide: Yellow Springs Transit Station (Two male leads / Infinite Flow / Scheming, doting powerhouse x outwardly timid but inwardly tough college guy / Underworld escape + high-stakes twists) [System Warning: Your heartbeat has stopped. Will you accept the Underworld's offer?] Jiang Younian, a modern-day college student with a frail constitution, never dreamed he'd die suddenly during exam week, much less end up bound to Xie Nanzhou, a big shot in the Underworld. One ha 427Reads8.1Score11814d adds
- 149 Online Game: This Assassin Is a Priest 网游之这个杀手是牧师 [Full-dive VR / leveling up / infinite-world missions / descending into the world / ship whoever you want] Packed with PvE mission storylines. The supposedly vast open-world game with the most complete mission System, Extreme World, launches. Bai Han, a novice who has never played a game before, randomly picks a class from the start and becomes a priest? A game that feels just like another world? Then let's get started. A few warnings before you dive in: 1. If you're not into chuunibyou stuff or 270Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 150 Sewing Yin Corpses, Suppressing Ghostly Calamities 缝阴尸，镇鬼祸 [Six Lines and Eight Trigrams, Soul Banners and Sacrificial Rites] Humans have three souls and seven spirits; ghosts have obsessions from the Nine Hells and the karmic flames of the Five Aggregates. But ever since I was born, I have been missing my [Earth Soul]. I’ve dealt with corpses since I was little. Other children played with colorful building blocks, fluffy stuffed animals, and little tin cars that could run. My toys were one battered corpse after another. Qimen Dunjia, puppetry that mani 833Reads6.7Score10114d adds
