Novels like Dongguan, I Am King!
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Dongguan, I Am King!, best match first.
- 51 A Kingpin in the Making 黑道之少年为王 Sometimes, campus life is dark, and society is cruel. Through my eyes, I’ll take you along to experience every hardship I endured on the road from boyhood to ruling Longcheng. My name is Qi Yu. In elementary school, I followed a group of older boys and caught a glimpse of young men showing off on motorbikes, scraping steel pipes along the ground. A gust of wind, carrying the cold gleam of steel pipes, swept past my ear. Flames sprang up in the boy’s chest, and even his breath burned like molten 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 52 The Edge of Youth: Blade of Contention 少年锋芒之峥刀 [Underworld story] [Fast-paced plot, no filler] [One heroine] [Revenge] [Urban] Lu Zheng grew up in the old district of Qingxi County, raised by his father, Lu Zhenting, who ran a repair shop. Outsiders all laughed at his father, calling him a useless roughneck who dressed in greasy rags and did nothing but fix junk cars. Then one day, a classmate spat out an insult in front of everyone: “Lu Zheng, your dad’s a pathetic loser from the bottom of society!” With all the fire of youth, Lu Zheng st —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 53 An Amateur Villain in a World of Old Hands 老江湖里的业余坏蛋 [Second-Generation Mobster + Organized Crime Crackdown + Anti-Corruption + Gangs] My father-in-law turns out to be a big shot, which makes me a second-generation mobster! But my wife is a police officer... With the police in front of me and the underworld behind me, how will I survive in the cracks? They’re cruel, ruthless, rotten, and utterly reckless. Watch as the protagonist, Zhang Ran, outdoes them all in cruelty, ruthlessness, depravity, and recklessness... The further you read, the more sa 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 54 I Don’t Know! Everyone Calls Me Boss When They Come Out 不知道啊！出来他们都叫我大哥 One day, when the tiger returns to the mountain, blood will stain half the sky. One day, when the dragon lifts its head, the Yellow River's waters will flow backward. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. I won't pad the word count. One female lead, no System, no invincible protagonist, passionate urban drama. (Every character in this ensemble cast has their own personality.) The world is in turmoil, and heroes rise in our generation. Two young men only want to live decent lives, but somehow g —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 55 The Langmen Trilogy: The Last Days of the Underworld 浪门三部曲之最后的江湖 (Not a wish-fulfillment novel, and the protagonist isn't invincible. Read at your own risk~) What is the jianghu? It's the ways of the world and human relationships. The real jianghu isn't street fights. It's drinking tea, listening to opera, and turning walnuts in your hands. Once in the jianghu, all are mere pawns, as old dynastic grudges play out in secret battles. Six jade pendants, six troubled fates. Brothers turn against one another and become enemies. Some are born to rule, some lose the 106Reads—Score—14d adds
- 56 Urban Rebirth: The Path of a Hero and Villain 都市重生之豪侠恶人路 [Reborn undercover agent, building a power base, decisive and ruthless, making his mark in the city, repaying every grudge, developing his own corner of the world.] (May be a slow burn) A notorious undercover agent from the criminal underworld was reborn in his student days. He was young, and everything was just beginning. The future kingpins of the underworld, renowned across the nation, were now just ordinary people struggling to make a living. In this life, there would be no bloodless hands, 1Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 57 Twenty Years on the Edge of a Blade in Southwest Shandong 刀口之鲁西南二十载春秋 (First person, period setting, not a wish-fulfillment story, underworld) When I was young, I couldn't accept things as they were, so I resolutely set out on the path of the underworld. I thought the road ahead would be smooth, never realizing it would be even more treacherous. I witnessed countless big brothers rise to glory, then fade into decline. All that brotherhood and bravado in the underworld was nothing but an illusion! My name is Zhang Hui, and I'm a man who refuses to accept his l 437Reads—Score10014d adds
- 58 Dragon Behind Bars: How a Big Shot Is Made 狱中龙：大佬是怎么样炼成的 [Underworld + No System + Passionate + Brotherhood + Period Setting + Decisive and Ruthless] College student Chen Xuansheng injured someone while trying to save his girlfriend, only to be framed by her and sent to prison. The brutality of prison turned his grief and anger into strength. From then on, he embarked on a road in the martial underworld with no way back. “What are the rules? The rules I, Chen Xuansheng, set are the rules!” “What is honor? If you treat me honorably, I'll do the same. I 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 59 How the Bad Guy Was Made 2: The New Generation 坏蛋是怎样炼成的2：新世代 Ten years ago, Xie Wendong led the Wendong Association in sweeping through the underworld, bringing both the black and white worlds to heel. A decade later, the times have changed. Guns and blades have given way to capital, technology, and the dark web as the new battlegrounds. Just as the Wendong Association was going all-in on its transformation, Jiang Sen was assassinated, dark web forces began lurking in the city, and old allies suddenly returned. Under the surging undercurrents, a new gener 6.2kReads6.9Score59714d adds
- 60 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
- 61 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
- 62 Where Do the Falling Leaves Drift? 落叶飘向哪儿 (Underworld, school life, mind games, high martial arts) In middle school, a misunderstanding made Jiang Wanlin the target of a gang of petty thugs. Just when things looked desperate, Brother Hao appeared and showed him that in a dog-eat-dog society, only the strong avoid being bullied. So when he started high school, Jiang Wanlin refused to be pushed around any longer. He clenched his fists and plunged into the world of street gangs, dragging his good brother Liao Linfeng in with him. From stre 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 63 The Underworld Boss Who Came Out of a Martial Arts Academy 从武校走出来的黑道大佬 [Youthful passion + Ruthless + Absolutely no saintly do-gooder] What kind of legendary life will Gu Feng write for himself after returning from martial arts school? A young man in fine clothes, riding a spirited horse: may he make the most of his youth and live without regrets! May you wander far and wide, yet return still young at heart! 15Reads6.5Score314d adds
- 64 The King Underground 地下的王 Who hasn't been reckless in their youth? Who hasn't burned with passion? That night, I too dreamed of a million soldiers! Yang Yan rose from obscurity to become a mob boss through sheer passion, a peerless tyrant whom the world looked up to! 3Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 65 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
- 66 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
- 67 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 140Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 68 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
- 69 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 4.7kReads7.1Score20114d adds
- 70 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
- 71 He and His Thousand Brothers 他和他的一千个兄弟 A sweeping crackdown on organized crime by the municipal Party committee and government brought Kangcheng ten years of peace. But after a decade, criminal forces sprang up like mushrooms after rain and returned in force. A breakup, having his identity stolen in the college entrance exam, and a construction boss’s schemes led Chen Li’an to give up on making an honest living. In the end, he went down a path of no return, turning against society. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 72 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
- 73 From Top Gaokao Scorer to Underworld Boss 从高考状元到黑道霸主 Those who hate me call me cold-blooded and heartless, Those who love me cry out for justice on my behalf, All this is destined on the road to success, No one can change it, this is a king’s fate. Destined, I will stand against this world, I will shock this world, I will change this world, I will conquer this world… 138Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 74 The Dragon City Kingpin 龙城枭雄 At the end of the last century, Longcheng was a haven for countless criminal gangs, and most of its people were driven onto a path of no return... In that era of flashing blades and bloody battles, a man named Yao Chutian unleashed a storm of bloodshed and chaos. 5Reads—Score114d adds
- 75 The Rise of the Wind and Clouds in 1990, Starting in Niujia Village 风云1990，从牛家村开始崛起 Name’s Goudan. The only college student in the village? Bullshit! Now all I want is to be the biggest bastard around! That old lecher Wang the Lame thinks he can touch Liu Xue, the goddess I’ve had a crush on since we were kids? And he even wants to strip her naked in front of everyone? My brother gets beaten, my goddess gets humiliated. How the hell am I supposed to swallow that? The old Goudan died with that slap. Let me introduce myself again: I’m Goudan. “Dog” as in son of a bitch, “dan” as —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 76 Reborn in 2009: Build Big, Grow Strong, and Rise to Glory Again! 重生09，做大做强，再创辉煌！ [Reborn] + [Business] + [Tycoon] + [Both Sides of the Law] Thanks for the invitation. Reborn in my final year of high school, and from the start, the school bully blocks my way. The reason? I got seated next to the campus belle. I awaken the Big Brother System and set out to become a global tycoon. In 2009, opportunities are everywhere! Stocks! The internet! Get rich overnight. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 77 Reborn: The Principal of My Vocational School Calls Me Big Brother 重生，我在职高校长叫我大哥 Reborn on the first day of vocational high school, Fang Wu looked at the familiar school gates, his body trembling slightly. In his previous life, he drifted aimlessly, bullied and good for nothing, until he dropped dead at the factory from working himself to death over a twelve-year-old iPhone. This time, back at school, he would turn it into his own empire! While everyone else coasted through school, chased a diploma, or tried to make a name for themselves, Fang Wu brought the toughest stude 4.1kReads6.5Score28014d adds
- 78 The Jianghu Madman 江湖狂人 Personality determines fate. When Chen Yuanshan overcomes his fear, the underworld gains a few more madmen. Absolutely ruthless and decisive: one disagreement, and he pulls a gun! The plot isn’t melodramatic, and the pacing is slow-burn. I’m a new writer, so my writing is limited. Please be understanding if it isn’t very good. 443Reads—Score—14d adds
- 79 The Fat Kid's Rise to Gang Boss at School 校园之胖子逆袭黑道老大 Song Yi had been bullied all his life because he was fat, while the humiliation and resentment inside him grew like wild grass. Finally, after being brutally humiliated once again, Song Yi resolved to change and make a place for himself in society. Fat people aren't weak. They're treasures with limitless potential! 134Reads—Score—14d adds
- 80 Look, That's the World Beyond the Heavens 你看那叫，天外天 (This isn't a wish-fulfillment story, but one about an ordinary man's rise) (This story is completely made up! Don't overthink it!) A tribute to the classics: Brothers, let's go! A student at a university in Northeast China, he grows step by step into a local power player! Through connections, brotherhood, fate, and his own efforts! He bursts onto the scene and takes command of an entire region! Thousands roar his name: Beyond the Heavens! 101Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 81 The Toughest Man in Yunnan 云滇第一狠人 {Urban Fiction + Power Fantasy + Nonstop Action} In high school, an accident landed me in prison for five years. Thanks to the guidance of a benefactor, I got out and worked my way up from nothing. Build big! Rise again! Rule Yunnan! 441Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 82 Reckless Youth: No Way Back from the Jianghu 放肆青春之江湖不归路 My name is Wang Hao. Because I was a coward, I transferred to Chenghua, where I met five brothers who shared my hardships and stood by me through thick and thin! We went from being bullied to ruling the school, going through so much and making so many sacrifices together. With one foot still at school and the other already stepping into the underworld, what happens in the end? Let me tell you the story! P.S. The story is set around 2006, and all the major characters are adults. (The ages, educat 509Reads—Score—14d adds
- 83 The Reckless Youth: A Passionate Heart 不良之热血方刚 Underworld + school life + passion + brotherhood + supremacy struggles + multiple heroines One day, I’ll rise like a dragon and conquer the underworld in a river of blood. Through flashing blades and piles of bones, I’ll stand at the front to shield my brothers. Shen Xiao, a freshman in high school, looked so frail that on his first day, a teacher made an example of him in front of the whole class. After class, he went to the restroom. As soon as he stepped out of a stall, he was kicked to the f 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 84 Reborn: Back at School to Become the Boss 重生：回到学校做老大 I was reborn, but somehow it feels like I wasn't! After being betrayed by my own brother, I woke up as a high school student. He may be a deadbeat couch potato, but he also looks like a total creep! “Since Heaven has given me another chance, I'll use the methods I know best to take back everything that belongs to me!” “Wang Qiang is dead. Now it's time to build a dynasty that belongs to Xiao Yuan!” 64Reads—Score—14d adds
- 85 Black Owl, White World 黑枭白界 Are they loyal and righteous, or consumed by greed? Using a raw, down-to-earth style, this novel portrays the many faces of life among another group of people in the real world. Are they driven to desperation, or risking everything? How will the men who walk the edge tell their stories? Betrayal and being betrayed, killing and being killed: step into the criminal underworld of the late twentieth century, into the hell behind the sunshine. Perhaps they are far removed from you and me. Perhaps the 38Reads6.8Score614d adds
- 86 Who Says the Boss Has to Be a Gangster? Lawyers Can Be Bosses Too 谁说老大一定是混混，律师也可以 [Urban, underworld, big shots, outlaw!] Gao Tian was executed in 2026 during a crackdown, but unexpectedly returned to the 1990s! This time, unwilling to repeat his old mistakes, he chose to enroll in the police academy! But just as he was trying to go straight, he saw the scumbag who had been abusing his beloved older sister since childhood. In a fit of rage, he killed the wife-beater with three punches. Now behind bars, Gao Tian’s career on the straight and narrow was over for good. With no ch 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 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 340Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 88 Now That I’m Reborn, Who’d Still Run with the Underworld? 都重生了，谁还混社会啊！ Underworld #Reborn Big Shot #Making Money #Power and Influence #Going Straight #No Simping #Ruthless Rise Qi Wei, a legendary underworld boss, took his own life in despair when the police sprang an ambush with the help of an undercover officer. When he came to, he had returned to 2008. Would he keep living in darkness, joining the criminal underworld that would one day be judged by the law? Or would he settle for an ordinary life, going to school and taking exams for government jobs and graduate 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 89 The Reckless Youth 2: The Storm Rises Again 不良之年少轻狂2：风云再起 This book is fanfiction, a fan-created work! This book is fanfiction, a fan-created work! This book is fanfiction, a fan-created work! This is a fan-made sequel to Young and Reckless. It is not the same book as Rising Storm, the official sequel written by the original author, Fuqin De Ren. Please be sure to distinguish between them. The story follows Wang Haoyu and Yu Chengfei after they take down Old Master Rong. The continuation may not be what you imagined, so I apologize in advance. I’ll do 17.1kReads6.8Score64214d adds
- 90 It's Tough Making It in the Jianghu 江湖社会不好混 The underworld isn't just about fighting. It's also about human relationships and social savvy. Charging in thoughtlessly is what amateurs do. Planning and strategy are both essential. Strength is a prerequisite. Watch the protagonist climb to the top. P.S. This old hand at reading novels is writing one for the first time. I hope you'll support and encourage me. Please forgive me if it's not well written, and go easy on me in the comments. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 91 The Reckless Youth 不良之狂妄青春 “Smash anything you see! Hit anyone you see! Flatten No. 6 High School!” I’m Zhang Ling. I’d only just started high school when I crossed the school’s resident delinquents. At first, I fought back just to protect myself. But as one problem after another came along, it wasn’t so easy to walk away. Before I knew it, I’d become the top delinquent in the school... 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 92 Legend of the Black Flag 黑旗传说 A bloody journey through the underworld, alongside a band of passionate young men who live for vengeance and loyalty. Who says the modern city has no underworld? When Wei Tianyi was born, strange signs appeared in the heavens, and his mother died in childbirth. A wandering fortune-teller declared that he was born with the Three Extinctions fate. His father feared being dragged down by him and fled to another land. Wei Tianyi was raised by his grandmother, and after she died, he and the brothers 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 93 Ten Years Later, I Became a Gang Boss One Step at a Time 十年后，我一步一步成为帮派大佬 Ten years ago, I, Lei Zhen, was nothing but a good-for-nothing whom everyone despised... But remember this: You may look down on an old man with white hair, but never look down on a young man just because he’s poor... Ten years later, a mysterious gang quietly rose from the shadows of the city. Its leader, Lei Zhen, used his exceptional leadership and iron-fisted methods to carve out a path for his men through the city. But their rise drew the covetous attention of other powers, and one bloody c —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 94 Tales of Qingdao: The Jia'ao Brothers 青岛往事：胶澳兄弟连 Nine young men with nothing to their names risked their lives to uphold one word, loyalty, amid an era of upheaval. They lost brothers, lovers, and their health. In the end, some became tombstones, some became legends, and some became ordinary people. But the words they spoke at Xiaogang Wharf in the early hours of the third day of the Lunar New Year in 1998, facing fifty men with machetes, carried more weight than any underworld code: “What the hell is there to be afraid of?” 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 95 Huh? The Underworld System Begins with a Heartfelt Duet on the Rooftop 啊？黑道系统从天台深情对唱开始 [System + underworld gangs + one female lead + absurd humor] “I am sworn enemies with the underworld System...” [Host, what did you say?] “Uh, I said I’m happy to share the same sky with you.” —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 96 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... 91Reads—Score—14d adds
- 97 Chop First, Ask Questions Never 拎刀就砍之无法无天 This book was originally titled Life and Death Are Fated, Righteousness Comes First. It is the first installment in the Life and Death Are Fated series. An ensemble-focused story, with a fast-paced plot and lots of hilarious Northeastern Chinese banter. There is very little depiction of the police in this book. The story follows several poor boys who grew up being fed by their neighbors. After accidentally killing someone in Northeast China, they have to flee south to a city called Nan'an. Th 662Reads6.9Score10914d adds
- 98 Who Can Compete? A First-Year's Rise to the Top 谁与争锋：高一立棍实录 [School gangsters] + [old-school hoodlums] + [always get even] + [scheming] When sixteen-year-old Wu Dong walked into No. 3 High School, all he wanted was to get through high school in peace. But a kick to the chest in the bathroom and protection money slapped across his face pushed him to the other side of the rules. When the top student’s glasses shattered on the ground, he understood one thing: around here, weakness earns no respect. He joined forces with his childhood friend Lei Dalei, who w 168Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 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
- 100 The Innocent Youth We Can Never Get Back 一去不复返的懵懂青春 Those were our wildest days, our most fearless youth. When steel pipes clashed and sparks flew, when blood stained our school uniforms, when brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, we finally understood that youth could burn with such passion. This is a story written in the blood and fire of a group of boys! This is a memory of brotherhood and loyalty! This is a fiery youth we could never forget! These are brothers who would live and die together! This is a passionate era that belongs to us! 128Reads—Score—14d adds
