Novels like Underworld Tales: One Hand Shrouds the Heavens
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Underworld Tales: One Hand Shrouds the Heavens, best match first.
- 51 Tales of the Underworld 黑道风云往事 This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual people or events is coincidental. This book urges people to choose the right path and serves as a warning to those who have gone astray. At eight, backed by my uncle, I planted the seeds of violence with a kitchen knife and blood. At sixteen, yearning for the world of the underworld, I plunged headfirst into its maelstrom. I saw its filth and darkness, its betrayals and its worship of profit, with only the faintest trace of loyalty. I s 61Reads—Score214d adds
- 52 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
- 53 Underworld Chronicles: The Road Through the Gangland 黑道往事:黑道风云路 This book tells the story of Liu Yong, the Northeast underworld boss, and his years of turmoil in the jianghu. It blends fact and fiction, hearsay and rumor, with a touch of artful historical embellishment. Told as a novel, the story is entertaining and gripping, giving you something to pass the time with after a meal while offering a glimpse of what the real jianghu is like, and how complicated human nature can be. This book is a real thrill to read! Liu Yong is a name that carries weight. Whet 449Reads—Score—14d adds
- 54 Zhou Bufan’s Road to a Triumphant Rise in the Underworld 周不凡的黑道逆袭路 [No dogs are harmed in this book.] [This book is based on real events. Any resemblance is purely coincidental.] A hopeless case? A pushover anyone can pick on? When Zhou Bufan, once trampled underfoot, enters the chaotic North City covered in scars, all he wants is to keep his head down. But in this wretched world, even staying alive is too much to hope for! When fists rain down on him again, when his dignity is crushed once more, he can’t take it anymore. He won’t take it anymore! “Either live —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 55 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.] 678Reads7.1Score10114d adds
- 56 A Generation’s Mad Tyrant 一代狂枭 “Hey, punk! You got the guts to tell me your name?!” “I’ll give it to you straight! Your grandpa’s Li Xiao! Li as in the wood-and-child Li, Xiao as in a great hero!” He’ll take a knife for his brothers! He’ll risk his life for the woman he loves! He knows when to yield and when to stand firm! He bears humiliation and carries heavy burdens! He never shows his enemies any mercy! Young and reckless, he pursues his dreams; full of ambition, he strives to achieve greatness! 160Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 57 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
- 58 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
- 59 The Jianghu: A True Account of Half a Life in the Underworld 江湖:混社会的半生真实经历 A chaotic age, filled with flashing blades and clashing steel! The martial world is like a cup of tea. Everyone tastes it differently. My name is Zhao Long. Back then, most people called me Long Si, Brother Si, or Fourth Master! I'm not exaggerating when I say my reputation back then was almost as great as that of the famous Fourth Master Qiao up north! I was a poor kid who couldn't afford a meal. Through sheer grit and ruthl 4.7kReads7.1Score19314d adds
- 60 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
- 61 Heading South in 1996: I Take My Young Aunt and Conquer the Underworld 九六南下:我带小姑奶闯江湖 [Period] [Fleeing an arranged marriage] [Heading south for work] [Passionate underworld] [Multiple heroines] New Year’s Day, 1996. Chen Yaozu, a poor lad from southeastern Henan, flees south overnight with his young grandaunt, who is being forced into marriage. As soon as they arrive in the Pearl River Delta, his classmate’s cousin kicks him out of her rental, leaving him homeless. He steps in to help someone, only to be hunted by gangsters. At the factory, he’s bullied, and people even set thei 728Reads—Score10114d adds
- 62 The Jiangnan Undertaker 江南送葬人 (No clichés, no invincibility, no System, no brainless characters) After the 1990s, the jianghu in the eyes of people from Jiangnan was very different from that of other places. People from Jiangnan weren’t tall, nor did they have powerful physiques. They hardly ever swore, and they didn’t roam the streets, fighting without restraint. Their jianghu was no longer about blades flashing in plain sight. They preferred ruthless schemes and power plays behind the scenes. If someone hit you, would you 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 63 A Hero in Turbulent Times 乱世枭雄 "Dark clouds loom over the city, threatening to crush it; golden scales gleam on armor beneath the sun." I was just an ordinary student, but one upheaval after another gradually dragged me into an abyss of crime and punishment, and drew me into a world where I had no say in my own fate... 155Reads—Score—14d adds
- 64 Flowers Blooming in the Mud Will One Day Turn Toward the Sun 泥泞里的花朵,终会向阳开 Watch an ordinary man rise step by step from a pathetic weakling to a godfather of the underworld. Feel the thrill of every bone-crunching punch and experience the ruthless art of scheming for power. There are no absolute protagonists, and no absolute supporting characters. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 65 Underworld Storm: Southeast Asia 黑道风云之东南风云录! In the 1990s, the southeastern provinces were a chaotic mix, with criminal gangs flourishing everywhere. They controlled the underworld, disregarded the law and morality, and kept crime rates high… In Min City, Minzhou Province, Li Tianju is forced back onto the road of no return after getting out of prison. He rises like a storm, crushing all challengers until he becomes a crime boss in his own right! (This book has no harem, no formulaic tropes, no invincible protagonist, and no filler. It’s h 135Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 66 I Tore Open the City's Dark Curtain 我撕开了都市黑幕 [Ensemble cast + underworld] This isn’t a power fantasy or a mindless story. Every character is fleshed out, and there are no absolute heroes or villains. People can be good and evil alike. All that matters is human nature and self-interest. If that bothers you, don’t read. A seemingly ordinary workplace dispute pushes a group of everyday people into the eye of the storm. Caught in the depths of this vast, dark whirlpool, where will they go from here? —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 67 The Underworld Boss Through My Eyes 我眼中的江湖大哥 When Zheng Hao stood up for his ex-girlfriend, Gu Xin, he took down Chengbei Laosi, a small-time thug with a bit of a reputation, twice. His own name soon began to rise. Later, he became enemies with Jin Changxu, a Korean-Chinese gangster, and beat up Chen Jianjun, an old-time thug who had just gotten out of prison. One brutal fight after another turned Zheng Hao into the big brother everyone talked about. But the arrival of Zhou Yunkang, son of veteran boss Zhou Wandai, presents Zheng Hao and h 13Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 68 The Game of Fortune: My Life in the Underworld with the Girls of Dongguan 富贵棋局:我和东莞姐们的江湖路 In the 1990s, who ruled Shenzhen’s underworld? That would be Shenzhen King Jia Dai! I was just a hotheaded rookie fresh to the scene, but to protect my beloved Sister Qingshuang, I beat up Zuo Shuai, who was in a wheelchair. Zuo Shuai was Jia Dai’s lifesaver and sworn brother. He’d just had his legs crippled in Macau, and now I’d gone and beaten him up too. Jia Dai promptly put out a hit on me... 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 69 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! 2.2kReads—Score10414d adds
- 70 We’ve Been Around the Block Too 哥几个也混过 We navigate society with feeling, And live our lives by loyalty. When feeling and loyalty conflict, We choose loyalty first. We walked side by side, reveling in the wild abandon of youth through those passionate years. You’re my brother, so we’ll face life and death together. 160Reads—Score—14d adds
- 71 After I Got Out of Prison, My Sister Forced Me to Inherit a Billion-Dollar Fortune 出狱后,姐姐逼我继承亿万家产 Food delivery rider + Sanhe drifter + brotherhood in the underworld + rise to the pinnacle of power. Revenge and face-slapping + unexpected fortune + underdog's rise + tight, logical plotting. A Southeast Asian power struggle + fierce mercenary battles + leading your brothers to the top. My ex-girlfriend clings to a rich man and mocks me: “All you'll ever be in this life is a garbage picker!” Late one night, three sexy older women corner me beneath a bridge. “Your parents left you hundreds of mi 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 72 Storms in the Southeast: The Crime Boss 东南风云:大角头 [Southern underground world + a clash of black and white, a slow-burn story with a fresh premise] [No System, not brainless, not a power fantasy. Read with caution if that's not your thing.] Local Bosses, the Youth Association, and the Grand Temple Council. Together, these three groups form the Fengnan Clan Association. Though outsiders have never heard these terms, they describe Fengnan's true uncrowned king, the sole ruler of its underground order. [The only gangland novel online centered on l 9Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 73 The Evil Lord Descends into the Abyss 邪主临渊 [Underworld] [Brotherhood] [Passionate] [The author is also a fan of Uncle Qin] I was bullied all through middle school. I thought things would get better in high school, but I was still bullied. Little by little, those people led me down a road of no return... My name is Mo Daoxie. Dao as in “principle,” and Xie as in “evil.” 5Reads—Score114d adds
- 74 The Underworld: From Low-Level Thug to Godfather 黑手:从沙场小弟到江湖教父 [Modern city + underworld + multiple heroines + business rivalry + romance + powerful protagonist] Born at the bottom of society, his only choice is to defy fate and change his destiny. From the day he first wielded the butcher's knife, he could only kill gods when he met them and slay demons when they crossed his path. Then two beautiful women from Xiguan appeared: one wanted his heart, the other wanted him… [Urban power struggles + hard-core business warfare + fated romance] is a novel weaving 90Reads—Score—14d adds
- 75 Storm over Binhai 滨海风云 The jianghu isn't about fighting and killing. It's about human relationships and worldly wisdom. The underworld isn't about fighting and killing either. It's just a way for people to make a living by going down a dark path. Chen Mu, an orphan, was just an ordinary food delivery driver. One late-night delivery brought him together with Chu Wanyin, who had been hurt by love. At the same time, his biological father came looking for him. Liu Xie, also an orphan, chose a path entirely different from 31Reads—Score—14d adds
- 76 Wolf Hunt 狼狩 Lin Qiwen watches his honest, hardworking parents get beaten right before his eyes. As a boy, he’s falsely accused and sent to juvenile detention. Five years later, he walks out and stirs up the underworld. Revenge is only the beginning. He wants far more than that. Watch Lin Qiwen climb step by step to the very peak of power! 645Reads6.6Score10214d adds
- 77 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
- 78 The Jianghu in Its True Colors 江湖本色 [New book: River Dragon on the Loose] Many years ago, a group of cocky young boys smoked cigarettes that cost just a few yuan a pack and talked big about their dreams. Longing for the day they would grow up, they shouted, “Our future is bright!” Looking back in an instant, the old street is still there, and the stars shine as they always did. But are the brothers from those days still the same? A man remains a boy until the day he dies! Just like youthful passion, it may cool, but it never dies! 966Reads7.2Score10214d adds
- 79 Those Years, Those People, Those Things in the Underworld! 黑道那些年,那些人,那些事儿! Someone once said, “The jianghu isn’t about fighting and killing. It’s about human relationships and worldly wisdom.” Countless people have quoted this line and hailed it as a classic. I picked it up from a TV drama, and it went to my head. But without fighting and killing, is the jianghu still the jianghu? Fighting and killing are the price of admission to the jianghu. Coercion and enticement are the means of making your way in it. Human relationships and worldly wisdom are the art of ruling 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 80 My Wild Youth: From Being Bullied to Becoming a Gang Boss 混过的青春:从被欺负到黑帮大佬 How does a timid boy who's bullied every day gradually rediscover the courage he lost in his youth? How does he finally redeem himself? And how does he rise step by step to the pinnacle of the underworld? What secrets lie behind it all? Find out in The Days We Lived Through. 5.3kReads—Score34914d adds
- 81 The Golden Years of Wancheng 莞城流金岁月 [Underworld] [Realistic] [Ensemble Cast] [Passionate] [Not Mindless] At first, Zhao Qingfeng came to Guancheng at his mother's urging to seek refuge with Zhang Ting… Later, for certain reasons, he joined Dihao as a security guard and met a group of brothers who would stand by him through thick and thin… Thus began his journey through this perilous underworld. Watch as they make every faction stand in line, one by one. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 82 Nie Lei, Qingdao's Crime Boss 青岛黑老大聂磊 Explore the rise of Nie Lei, Qingdao’s notorious crime boss. How did he go from a shoe-selling street vendor to a billionaire? How does a villain get made? His life was filled with controversy and underworld tales, yet why are people still so fascinated by his story today? Let’s delve into the real past of this underworld figure together. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 83 Hellwolf 地狱战狼 Ye Fei has one top-secret mission: unite the underworld! How will Ye Fei go from a discharged soldier to leading a group of trusted followers and climbing to the top of the underworld, step by step? There is a world of crime, and there is a world of law. If Ye Fei unites the underworld, will he upset the balance of the world as it is now? Will he threaten the interests of certain people? The world isn't simply black or white. There is white in the black, and black in the white! Watch Ye Fei face 335Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 84 Black Ice 黑冰 In 1993, in Shenyang’s Tiexi District, mechanic Xu Mo is an honest man, until local gangster Zhao Hu comes knocking and one of his men slaps Xu Mo in the face in front of everyone. His master told him to stay on the straight and narrow before he died, but this world won’t let him live that way. He turns to four brothers: an orphan, a veteran, a laid-off worker, and a petty crook. Five men crushed to the very bottom of society stack their hands together in a rundown repair shop. “Hurt one of us, 459Reads—Score—14d adds
- 85 Tales of the Underworld in Dongguan 莞城江湖往事 The jianghu isn’t a world of free-spirited heroes, revenge, and fine clothes atop spirited steeds. It’s a filthy, chaotic reality twisted by darkness! I, Zhang Xingheng, entered the jianghu to play the game of schemes and use my brains. Everything in the world was part of my calculations, including myself! So, you ask why I succeeded? Because every big shot in the jianghu fell victim to my schemes! They fell amid blades, guns, and blood! From the moment I stepped into the jianghu, every big shot 11.6kReads6.9Score66514d adds
- 86 South City's Fierce Eagle: No Way Out 南城雄枭:上天无门 The son of a dockworker starts with nothing but the grief of his father's murder. Over ten years, amid the blood and fire of a southern port city, he builds an underground empire with his own hands. Then, in the sweeping tide of the crackdown on organized crime, he makes the most difficult choice of his life. 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 Reborn: A Hundred Million in Breakup Money? I'll Make My Comeback 重生:一亿分手费?我要逆袭了 [Reborn] + [Lighthearted Comedy] + [Patience] + [Play the pig to eat the tiger] + [Face-slapping] + [No System] + [Decisive and ruthless] Chen Feng, a small-business owner who went bankrupt in his previous life, is reborn in the early twentieth century with an extraordinary identity. His ex-wife is immensely wealthy. From the start, she tosses him a bank card with 100 million yuan on it, smacking Chen Feng's handsome face, but sets a daily spending limit of just 5,000 yuan. Chen Feng secretly sw 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 88 One Foot in a Cell, the Other in a Coffin 左脚牢房,右脚棺木 [Underworld] + [Hongmen] + [Southeast Asia] + [Northern Myanmar] In northern Hongguo, where poppies bloom, lies a breeding ground for sin: the notorious Golden Triangle. Shen Wudao, a member of Yishenghe, committed a sensational crime while doing the gang’s bidding three years ago. After the gang arranged it, he fled to northern Hongguo (Hongshawaidi). Here, Manager Shen has only three things to do: eat, sleep, and arrange for his men to traffic people. In the jianghu, there is no way back once 26Reads—Score—14d adds
- 89 Northeast Storm: A Gangster Legend 东北风云之黑道传奇 With my brothers by my side and blades and guns in hand, I’d like to see who in this underworld gets to call himself the boss! If we don’t enter the underworld, so be it. But once we do, every thug will bow to us and every boss will clear the way. We’ll become the... heavens of this underworld. 120Reads—Score—14d adds
- 90 My Thirty Years 我这三十年 You can take this seriously, or just read it for fun. From one era to the next, the world has changed many times over. We can leave the public upheavals aside for now. How much of what happens in the city after dark can ordinary people like us really know? After the 1979 self-defense counterattack ended, Qichao's father, Qilin, took advantage of the call to support local economic development and volunteered to leave the military and return to civilian life. He brought along Qijing, who was alrea 11Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 91 Shadow of the Black Wolf 黑狼影 Do you believe in wolves that live in the light without fear? People say light can cover the whole world, so how can the world have shadows? And in those shadows, are the ones who live there wolves or people? 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 92 The Underworld: No Way Back 黑道不归路 The underworld: a term that seems to have nothing to do with ordinary people. It represents another world. I was an orphan. I begged, was adopted, stole, and did all kinds of things. Then I failed to find a job and ended up at a nightclub. I never expected to meet someone there, someone who changed the course of my life and sent me down a road of no return... 87Reads—Score—14d adds
- 93 The Brothers’ Comeback 哥几个的逆袭人生 The six brothers each have their own area of expertise. They struggle up from the bottom of society until they reach the very top. (This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental.) 763Reads—Score10314d adds
- 94 My Years as a Drifter in Northeast China 我在东北当盲流的那些年 This is a tale of a tough Sichuan native making his way in the Northeast. It tells how one man from Sichuan held his own among the fearless people of the Northeast and forged a legend of his own. Back in my hometown, I was a “little punk” everyone despised. As a sent-down youth at Bashanzi Commune in Liaoning Province, I was a “little hammer” nobody dared mess with. At a small coal mine in the Weitang mining district of Jilin Province, locals called me a “drifter.” I faced the greed of unscrupul 116Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 95 Godfather of the Club: My Life in Japan's Underworld 社团教父:我的岛国黑道生涯 [Fast-paced + ruthless + domineering + no holier-than-thou heroics + decisive and merciless + Japanese womanizer] No System. The good stuff starts after chapter five! Li Yi was lucky enough to be reborn! Unfortunately, he was reborn in a place where the locals were having a pretty good time! But that wasn't the worst of it! The worst part was that this godforsaken place had only recently lost a war. The economy was in a deep depression, and forget living well, even getting enough to eat was a pr —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 96 Brothers Take on the World 兄弟闯世界 In 1980, by the Xiang River in Hunan, there was a place called Wangjia Village. A couple had twins: a boy named Wang Jiawei and a girl named Liu Ying. He was a villager born and raised there, while she was an educated youth sent down from the city. Touched by the care he showed her, she married him. In 1980, Liu Ying gave birth to twins. The older one was named Wang Dahu, and the younger Wang Xiaohu, names chosen by their grandfather. Wang Dahu was a bit slow-witted, but Wang Xiaohu was very cle 18Reads9.0Score714d adds
- 97 The Kunlun Sect Returns: Its 38th Generation Heir 昆仑派的重现:第三十八代传人 In the 1970s, at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains in Xinjiang, a group of five- and six-year-old children were playing when they stumbled upon a treasure left behind by martial arts masters of the ancient Kunlun Sect. It contained all kinds of strange martial arts manuals. After several children each practiced some of them, one boy named Zi Jie mastered every one of these unusual arts, including internal energy techniques, lightness skills, external martial arts, hidden weapons, and weapon forms 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 98 Undercover: If I Don’t Close the Net Soon, I’ll Really Become a Godfather 卧底:再不收网,我真成教父了 [Underworld|Undercover|Ruthless|Revenge|Gang-on-Gang Warfare|Anti-Drug] The Lone Wolf undercover operation ended in disaster. Jiang Chen was betrayed and shot dead. When he opened his eyes, he had been reborn in 2015, on the very day the Lone Wolf Plan was launched! This time, he had five years of memories from the future. Crush the drug lords, expose the dark secrets, clean up the underworld, and root out the moles! From a low-level street thug, he would fight his way to becoming the godfather —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 Reborn as the Boss of the Underworld 魔帝重生之我在黑道当老大 During a battle between the Demon Emperor and the Immortal Emperor, the Demon Emperor was stabbed in the back by the brother he trusted most, and perished. He thought this would be the end for him, but who could have guessed? His soul was reborn in the body of a young man. Just as he was trying to make sense of it all, he discovered he had become the boss of an underworld gang. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 100 After My Father Was Murdered, I Got Out of Prison to Take Revenge! 爹被害死后,我出狱复仇! [Underworld] [Revenge] [Martial Arts] [The Martial World] A patricide bent on revenge, A police officer who lost his service pistol, And a disabled underworld heiress. Together, they form Rongcheng’s “Justice League,” dismantling gangs and punishing the wicked... 1Reads—Score—14d adds

















































