Novels like A Song for the Underworld
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Song for the Underworld, best match first.
- 101 The River-Crosser: A Fugitive 过江龙：亡命之徒 His parents died in a mining disaster, and he was forced out of work. Wang Yue only wanted to tend his barbecue stall and live quietly and honestly with his brothers. But the son of a powerful family kept pushing him, refusing to leave him even a way to survive! With nowhere left to retreat, he would retreat no further! (This book has a gritty style and realistic plot. Proceed with caution.) 55kReads8.2Score3.9k14d adds
- 102 My Brother and I Take on the Underworld 我和兄弟闯社会 [No System] [Passionate martial world] [Realistic style] “You're a junk picker. What makes you think you can change your fate?” “I can't. So I plan to change yours along with mine.” This is more than the bloody tale of a boy from the bottom fighting back against all odds. It's also the wild rise of an underground tycoon, a record of a generation's explosive growth. The winds rise in Leicheng; undercurrents stir in Guangcheng. See how a roughneck swallows the sky. 11kReads7.8Score67514d adds
- 103 Hong Kong Films: All My Disabled Underlings Are SSS-Rank 港片：我的残废小弟全是SSS级 Chu Feng transmigrates into the most miserable enforcer in the Hongxing Society. From the start, Chen Haonan treats him like a dog, and his underlings are all either blind or lame, missing arms or legs! He activates the “Pay-to-Enhance System”... 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 104 Open a Book, Stand Against School Bullying 开启一本书，反对校园霸凌 Lin Mo was a nobody, crushed by school bullies until he could barely hold his head up. Then a mysterious book entered his life. It can foresee danger and turn fate around. This time, he won’t back down. Someone mocks him? He answers with his fists and his courage! Someone threatens him? He makes the whole school remember: “Anyone who bullies me will pay!” When the book reaches its final page, the bullies’ throne comes crashing down, and the bystanders’ silence is shattered for good. Lin Mo doesn —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 105 Restless Youth 躁动少年 My name is Lin Yi. In middle school, I used to throw my weight around alongside the big brother I looked up to. But when I entered high school, I got beaten to a pulp. After meeting a group of dependable brothers, we started out at school and swore to conquer this ruthless city. As our influence grew and we grew stronger, we were drawn into a series of events we'd never had any contact with before. 168Reads—Score—14d adds
- 106 Hidden Dragon in Troubled Times 乱世潜龙 Xiao Yu is an ordinary man at the very bottom of society in these chaotic times. Just when he’s at a loss, a vast fortune suddenly falls into his lap. Will he rise from obscurity to become one of the elite in the Peace District, pursue his true love, and make his fortune? Or will he risk his life to enter the war zone for his brothers and become a warlord in this turbulent age? Watch as I and my five trusted, wolfish companions stir up the winds of chaos! 99Reads—Score—14d adds
- 107 Beyond the Mirror 镜面之后 There is no light beyond the mirror... From the moment the first mistake was made, every punishment that followed had already been laid out... He Feng’s four-year-old daughter, He Wenwen, fell to her death three months ago. His wife, Yan Fei, suffered a mental breakdown after their daughter’s tragic death and died in a car accident a week later. He Feng’s life plunged to rock bottom, but it seemed his misfortune was far from over... A faucet turned on in the middle of the night, a breakfast that —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 Who Can Compete? The Victor Takes the Crown 谁与争锋之胜者为王 [Underworld + passionate + anti-triad + ensemble cast + realistic] Chu Lan was just an unknown nobody until a lucky chance to ride on someone else’s influence made him the top dog of the second-year class. 21Reads—Score—14d adds
- 109 Tales of Vocational High School 职高风云录 [Told in flashbacks] [First-person POV] [Passionate] [Youth] [Rags to riches] [Two heroines] [Don't mess with an honest man, or you won't even get the chance to kneel and beg for mercy!!!] —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 110 The Power of the World 天下势 The martial world stirs, and heroes gather at the Chan Monastery! Blades and spears in hand, they show their mettle, every stance and seat exuding grace. Before the Tianlong Chan Monastery, let us chase the dream of a life of adventure in the martial world. Witness this clash of heroic figures as we continue our own legend of passion and courage! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 111 An Oil Peddler's Wild Ride 油贩子的狂飙之路 “You intercepted that shipment?!” “Yeah. The old man was right: intercepting one truck is no different from intercepting ten, so I figured I might as well take everything.” “…” Wang Mian is a small-time hood from a shantytown in Mengbei City. Starting out as a petty oil peddler, he matches wits with all manner of shady characters. Step by step, he grows into a major power in Mengbei. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 The Rogue's Fireworks 无赖的花火 One old alley, four young men, and a high-stakes gamble that changed their fates. They staked “loyalty” to fight for “money” and “power.” They won the world, but nearly lost one another. When brothers become rivals and bonds are given a price tag, they finally understand: sooner or later, you have to pay for the life you lead. And the debts you owe are no more than one of three things: money, power, or loyalty. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 113 My First Steps into the Real World! 初闯社会！ A mischievous little punk back in his school days, he somehow ends up getting into police academy through a twist of fate. During his time there, he transforms from a rebellious teenager into a mature, steady, hardworking cadet. Then, by chance, he is sent undercover to infiltrate a criminal organization, gradually building up his own influence... 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 Crows: Conquest 热血高校之征服 This novel blends the worlds of Crows Zero, High & Low, Tokyo Revengers, and other gangland stories. Like a tiger king, the protagonist will lead everyone to the summit. There will be no cultivation. 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 115 The Godfather of the Underworld 黑道教皇 Brothers for a day, brothers for a lifetime. Their vow of loyalty rings out amid the fanfare of youth: impulsive days, blazing passions, love that lasts until death, and brothers who stand together for life. Whose youth isn't filled with fire? “What do they call you?” “Long.” “I asked for your name.” “People like me don't have names.” “But one day, the world will tell you mine.” “People today don't recognize a tree that will reach the clouds, only praising it once it has grown that tall!” 648Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 116 After Getting Out of Prison, the Underworld Princess Pursued Me 出狱后的我被黑道公主倒追 [Passionate youth] [Ruthless and decisive] [Tattoos covering his back] [A crowd of loyal brothers] On the eve of the college entrance exams, Li Shu lands in prison for using excessive force in self-defense. Three years later, having “successfully completed his studies,” he returns like a king. After surviving one bloody battle after another, he finally stands at the top of the city. Only then does he suddenly realize that his seemingly sweet and clueless girlfriend is the biggest boss in the ent 2.8kReads7.0Score19914d adds
- 117 Shan Jin Underworld: I Took Down the Whole Jianghu 山晋黑道，我打爆了江湖 [Underworld, passionate, multiple heroines, first-person] My name is Xu Haoqiang. I live in Longcheng, Shan Jin, a coal-producing region. In 1997, at the age of twenty, I joined the underworld. I let money do the talking, and even the truth has to bow its head. I let the rules of the underworld do the talking, and both the legitimate and criminal worlds have to make way. From there, my influence spread across Shan Jin and beyond… 861Reads6.4Score10314d adds
- 118 The Absolute Kingpin 绝对枭雄 After transferring schools, I find out my beautiful desk mate is actually my former enemy. And then... New book: Call Me a Con Artist. I hope you’ll check it out and show it some support! 279Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 119 The Underworld! 黑道！ [Gangland, realistic, no wish fulfillment, no mindless plot, no System, frequent updates] Five years ago, Lin Jun enlisted in the military. During those five years, he earned countless military honors. Five years later, Lin Jun returns home after leaving the military, only to find not a happy life awaiting him, but his mother's cold corpse. To avenge his mother, Lin Jun has no choice but to embark on a path of no return, stirring up countless waves in the underworld! 34.9kReads8.5Score2.6k14d adds
- 120 From Rags to the Top of the Underworld 白手起家，干到黑道之巅 [Crime syndicate fiction + brotherhood + passion + shocking twists!] Beneath the gods and Buddhas, all are believers. First, crush the Azure Dragon, then wipe out the Divine Gang. I! Will become the one and only peerless gangster! 351Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 121 Bad Boys: The Reckless Years of Yu Chengfei 不良之年少轻狂宇城飞篇 [Underworld] [Hot-Blooded] [First-Person] [Youth] [Reckless Youth] My name is Yu Chengfei. To avenge my father, I ventured into Beiyuan alone. I fought my way forward and made countless brothers who would share life and death with me. In the end, my neighbor's younger brother, Wang Hao, and I rose to the top of Beiyuan's underworld! But I know our story isn't over yet... Our youth was wild and arrogant, and we lived recklessly in our glory days! 34.4kReads9.0Score2.7k14d adds
- 122 Everyone Else Has Transmigrated and Stands Unrivaled. Why Haven’t You Changed? 都穿越谁与争锋了，你还不改变？ A feel-good story with a slow pace and no soap-opera drama. It won't change the direction of the five-man group. After the protagonist meets them, the story focuses on him in another district, with the city's development revolving around him. My name is Xiang Yun, and I'm someone even a dog can kick around. I'm an orphan, and at school the school bully would often demand money from me and pick on me. Then one day, I couldn't take it anymore. I beat him so badly he ended up in the hospital. I tho 330Reads—Score—14d adds
- 123 A Top Law-and-Politics Graduate Joins the Underworld: That's Normal, Right? 政法高材生，混个黑道正常吧？ A gambling-addict older brother drags Gu Tian into an accident. A top student at a university of political science and law, Gu Tian accidentally kills someone. In the process, he escapes detection by assuming the identity of his victim, Li Yu. From then on, he finds himself on a path that takes him further and further from his dreams! 17Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 124 From School Bully to Big Shot, I Fought My Way to the Top 从校霸到大佬，一路杀疯了 The rating is still low, but it will rise as more people rate it. Read without worry: the characters won’t suddenly become stupid. [Underworld fiction + play the pig to eat the tiger + master strategist + resource consolidation] Lin Feng was born the second young master of an underworld family, yet he was determined to conquer the world through his wits. He gathered his brothers, advanced step by step, and struck decisively. Just as everyone thought he was aiming to become the school’s top bully 93Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 125 I Can Turn My Hand to Anything: Two Horizontal Strokes and One Vertical, That's How We Get Things Done 翻手为云：两横一竖就是干 My name is Wang Xiao, and my nickname is Xiao San’er. Those who respect me call me Third Brother. This book is dedicated to the youth I’ve lost and the days I once spent running with a rough crowd. A butterfly spends its life in love with flowers, wandering with their fragrance to the ends of the earth. Through countless hardships, I have no regrets about my golden years. 240Reads—Score—14d adds
- 126 A Journey Through Troubled Times 浊世征途 This is not a brainless power fantasy, and there is no System or golden finger. After seventeen years of writing, my specialty is fabricated reality and real fabrication! If you do not like it, please do not read it. Thank you for understanding. Those years, those brothers, those stories! Let us set sail and renew our old bonds! May all the brothers who pass by, come in, follow along, and offer their support live to be a hundred, enjoy abundant wealth, and have all their wishes come true! 41.2kReads9.4Score3k14d adds
- 127 A Ballad of Jianghu 江湖的悲歌 An accident took Man Cheng’s grandfather’s life, but it also introduced him to someone who would become very important to him. The incident changed the way he saw the world and set him on a path of no return. As more brothers joined him, ready to weather every hardship by his side, he found himself traveling farther and farther down that road. Looking back on his youth, some people are still by his side, some have ended up behind bars for good, and some he will never see again. 440Reads—Score—14d adds
- 128 The Black Son of Heaven 黑天子 [Realistic Underworld + Everyone Is Smart + First-Person] An unconventional workplace in a bygone era, where people deal in social connections as well as bloodshed. This “workplace” is hidden behind two veils. One is called the world beyond the law, and the other is called the underworld. My name is Chen Chunsheng, a survivor who experienced both worlds firsthand. 30Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 129 I'm the Black Mafia Emperor! And You Think You Can Bully Me? 我是黑道皇帝！你跟我玩霸凌？ [Not Traditional Gangster Fiction]+ [Multiple Heroines]+ [Hot-Blooded]+ [No Laws] Su Jing, the gangster emperor Hua Gong, dies in international waters and transmigrates into the body of a young man. From an unknown nobody to a triumphant comeback! From a timid coward everyone despises to the revered leader of Huaguo! With his ruthless methods and a swift blade, Su Jing conquers Huaguo’s underworld! 7Reads6.1Score114d adds
- 130 Shadows of the City: Ling Dongyang 都市暗影之凌冬阳 This novel explores the undercurrents lurking beneath modern urban life and the growth of an individual. With its suspenseful plot, complex relationships, and keen social insight, it portrays an ordinary person's struggles and perseverance in the city, as well as his journey to find hope in the darkness. Through Ling Dongyang's eyes, readers will gradually uncover the truth and experience a battle of courage, wisdom, and humanity. The protagonist, Ling Dongyang, is a young man who has been throu —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 131 1998: My Bloody Era! 1998：我的血色年代！ When I hit the streets, I rely on just three things! Being ruthless, having money, and having tough brothers! These are passionate, fiery times! These are times when tough guys are everywhere! The moment I picked up a three-edged military dagger, I was destined to spend my life battling through the underworld! Don't talk to me about big shots in the underworld. That won't work on me! Welcome to my story of life on the streets! 6.3kReads8.5Score45314d adds
- 132 Let the Young Be Wild 任少年轻狂 Multiple heroines + brotherhood + no System + a little cathartic wish fulfillment Lin Chen is beaten up by the school beauty’s thug of a brother just for looking at her one too many times in class. I will never give in. Push an honest man too far, and he becomes even more terrifying. 45Reads—Score—14d adds
- 133 Tale of the Twin Flood Dragons 双蛟记 [Brothers bound by deep affection, sharing life and death] [A flood dragon lies hidden in deep waters. After enduring bitter hardships, it can emerge transformed into a dragon.] 693Reads7.1Score10114d adds
- 134 The Underworld: I Make the Rules 黑道：我才是规矩 Two years in prison, and nothing is as it was. Wherever there are people, there are rivalries and power struggles. Schemes and betrayals are everywhere, and one careless move can destroy an entire family. No matter what, the strong can turn the tables against the odds. Starting today, I make the rules in Philadelphia! 2.4kReads—Score10414d adds
- 135 Those Were the Days: My Life in the Underworld 那些年，混过的日子 Sleeping rough and braving the elements are just part of life. Clashing blades and exchanging blows can put old grudges to rest. Brothers are heaven, brothers are earth. With brothers, you can stand tall between heaven and earth. Brothers are the wind, brothers are the rain. With brothers, you can summon the wind and call down the rain. Based on real events, this novel commemorates the years we spent getting into trouble together and pays tribute to the youth of those born in the 1980s. End 1.3kReads6.4Score10914d adds
- 136 Tales of the Second High School 二中之风云往事 For all three years of middle school, my whole class ostracized me. Second-year students cornered and humiliated me, and everyone treated me like trash and walked all over me. They thought I was weak and easy to bully, but they didn’t know that a boy backed into a corner has nothing left to lose. From this day on, I’ll give my life to anyone who protects me, and pay back anyone who bullies me twice over. This isn’t a novel. It’s the bloody path of my youth, the one I truly walked. “My name is Ba 258Reads—Score10914d adds
- 137 The Underworld Life of a Post-90s Generation 90后的黑道生活 I'm a native of Tianjin, born and raised, and part of the post-90s generation. This story unfolds in Tianjin, a city alive with the bustle of everyday life, and follows the extraordinary journey of a young man from our generation. Starting out as a rebellious troublemaker, he roughs it among the street thugs before rising to become a feared underworld boss. Through years of hardship, one saying remained etched in his heart: “If you live by the sword, you'll die by the sword.” This story is entir 136Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 138 An Age of Turmoil: The Gangster Who Rose from a Village 混乱年代：从村走出来的枭雄 After leaving the military, Wu Wenjun drifted around the village, looking for a trade to take up. Just then, the village was holding an election for village chief. His Third Uncle, the former chief, was provoked at a banquet. Enough was enough: if you can dish it out, you can take it. How could he stand by while someone bullied a man in his own village? He stepped forward at once, and so began his life in the underworld. When he looked back, he had become a famous young boss in the criminal worl 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 139 Honor Among Gangsters 黑道有义 My new work is out! Come read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 140 Seventh Brother on Campus 七哥在校园 Dragons have reverse scales, and touch them at your peril. Wolves have hidden spikes, and anyone who spies on them is doomed. Qi Wan is a young man with neither father nor mother, going from a freewheeling member of society to a student on campus. He gets caught up in one feud and tangled affair after another, stirring up storms of bloodshed. He once said, “If you can't even protect yourself, how can you talk about protecting others?” “Anyone who messes with me, I'll take them on! Let them kill 196Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 141 The Unknown King: Sequel to The Boy King 不明称王少年王续集 The author played the previous installment last year and has written this novel as a continuation. The author states that it is all based on their own imagination and adaptations. This content is for entertainment only and has no harmful effects. Please read with discretion. 243Reads—Score—14d adds
- 142 At Eighteen, I Got a Cardigan Tattoo and Hit the Jianghu 我18岁纹开衫闯荡江湖 My biological father was sentenced to death, leaving me an orphan. As I slowly grew up, I became a delinquent with no interest in anything worthwhile. On my eighteenth birthday, the family I depended on could no longer put up with me. After I left, I spent every day hanging out with my old middle school classmates. Without even realizing it, I began following the same path as my father. Let me, at eighteen, see just how cruel, filthy, and dark this world of self-interest really is! 50.3kReads7.6Score3.8k14d adds
- 143 Central Plains Storm: Song Liugen, Godfather of the Underworld 中原风云之黑道教父宋留根 Since time immemorial, the underworld has been a bloody road forged through endless fighting. The warmth of its early days is slowly obscured by greed and sin. One slash on Youyi Road sent blood three feet high and made him famous across half the city. It also unleashed twenty years of bloodshed and terror. From a low-ranking punk collecting protection money on the street to the “underground emperor” of a vast empire built on crime and wealth. He trampled over corpses, recruited men, and swallow 3.6kReads8.4Score24214d adds
- 144 The New Jia Dai: A Storm Returns 新版加代之风云再现 The Dragon-Teng overlord of the jianghu kicks his way through 49 cities and punches his way through the Six Fan Gate. With a powerful physique, he stands alone against Japan’s Yamaguchi-gumi. A righteous big brother in the jianghu and the boss of his gang. Next, Xiaoji will bring you a grand spectacle, so stay tuned. 3kReads6.5Score10014d adds
- 145 The Ruthless Thug 悍徒 [Passionate action + no goody-two-shoes + decisive and ruthless + you can read without thinking too hard + wish-fulfillment story] I know plenty of big shots, but they all call me Boss. I have connections everywhere, and I rule the underworld. I hold the entire criminal world in the palm of my hand! Let me tell you about my years in the underworld! 31Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 146 Dream City’s Underworld: I’m the Most Innocent of Them All 梦城风云：整个黑道我最白 [Underworld mole] [Multiple female leads] [No System] [Not mindless] [The struggle between good and evil] His girlfriend is kidnapped by a ruthless crime boss from the Cangming Society and made a hostage and plaything, at their mercy. To save her from this living hell, Yi Fanfeng swallows his pride and pretends to join the dark side. In secret, he teams up with both the police and the rival Tianshu Hall, becoming a double agent playing both sides. Starting out as a low-level food delivery worker 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 147 The Abyss Beyond the Ashes 烬余深渊 He was once a spirited young man, but his closest family and sworn enemy joined forces to frame him, destroying his home and leaving him disgraced and on the run. In the depths of despair, he sheds his rough edges and tempers himself into someone ruthless, living under an assumed name and plotting every step. From struggling to survive at the very bottom to fighting his way through blood and violence, he uses cunning to shape the game and ruthlessness to make his name, settling every betrayal an —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 148 The Boy Who Would Be King! 少年称王！ [Young and reckless, a boy rises to be king] [With lofty ambitions, dragons and tigers spread their wings] Time flies like a white pony passing through a gap. In the blink of an eye, several years have gone by. I remember how, three years ago, my good-for-nothing father brought me to a small county town. Back then, I hated his mediocrity. Whenever he went away, he’d be gone for years at a time, or at least several months. He was always telling me, “Our family doesn’t have much. Don’t get into fi 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 149 Bloodsoaked Underworld: Gangland Storm 浴血江湖之黑道风云 By a stroke of fate, Wang Tian embarked on an extraordinary path: the road of the underworld! An older brother who was like a father and mentor, and five brothers who would share life and death with him. He has been gravely wounded and left on the brink of death, and he has also enjoyed immense wealth and a life of extravagance! This is the story of an ordinary man’s hard-won rise, a cry of defiance from those at the bottom! Wang Tian is determined to create a legendary life! P.S. Wang Tian and 18Reads—Score10614d adds
- 150 Peerless Dragon Soul 绝世龙魂 A passionate tale of a student, a nobody who loves life, fighting his way forward and crushing every enemy. Once I set foot on this thorny road, I was destined to fight to the bitter end. I will have the world bow to me alone! 794Reads7.0Score10314d adds
