Novels like Honor Among Gangsters
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Honor Among Gangsters, best match first.
- 1 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
- 2 The Pinnacle of Power: Tales of the Border City 权利巅峰：边城往事 My boss promised that if I served eight years in his place, he’d give me three million to start a new life. But I got out early for good behavior, only to find that the boss was a lying bastard who even wanted to take my wife for himself. At last, the hidden dragon awoke. I’ll kill anyone who stands in my way, be they god or Buddha. Big shots beg me to let them off. I became the brightest new star in the underworld. Here is the story, in the words of a legendary crime boss: “Do little people des 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 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
- 4 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
- 5 Bloodshed in the Land of the Rising Sun: My Life in Japan's Underworld 我在日本混黑帮之喋血扶桑 In the late 1990s, Chinese youth Chen Mo travels alone to Japan to avenge his father, but a twist of fate leads him to join a different gang. Along the way, he meets the beautiful Lin Yuqing, and their story is full of twists and turns, passion, and tenderness. No bizarre gimmicks here. If you enjoy traditional novels, please give this one a look. Everything in the story is fictional. Any resemblance to actual events is purely coincidental! 52Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 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
- 7 Seventeen That Year: The Winner Takes All 那年十七之胜者为王 (Ensemble cast, passionate urban drama, school and underworld, sensible characters, major players in the later story) The bonds of youth are worth more than gold. Ride through the underworld, free to go wherever I please! What is youth? It's a byword for passion, growing up, and loyalty. I was bullied in middle school just because I was honest, well-behaved, and kindhearted. I thought it would all be behind me when I got into the best high school in the county. But on the first day of school, I 123Reads—Score10214d adds
- 8 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
- 9 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
- 10 Underworld King: From Fool to Tycoon 江湖枭雄：从傻子到首富 “No jumping into the river here. Violators will be fined 500 yuan!” From that moment on, Li Dongliang’s fate changes completely... [High-spirited Martial World] + [Decisive and Ruthless] + [Genius-Level Intellect] + [Fast-Paced] 47Reads—Score214d adds
- 11 Underworld Kingpin: From Medical Student to Emperor of the Underworld 黑道枭雄：从医学生到地下皇帝 He was once the medical school’s brightest star, wielding a scalpel and dreaming of saving lives, until his sister’s serious illness shattered everything. A hundred thousand yuan for her life-saving treatment. Three months of compounding interest turned it into a bloodsucking debt of three hundred thousand. The moment a steel pipe smashed his kneecap, Cheng Mo saw the truth through the debt collectors’ sneers: in this world, kindness is a knife that cuts to the bone. Either you devour others, or 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 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 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 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
- 14 You Were So Arrogant When You Betrayed Me. Why Are You Crying Now? 背叛的时候不挺嚣张，现在哭什么 [Pure gangland + ensemble cast + grounded realism + a touch of power struggles, no supernatural abilities, no System! The rating is low because it just came out. It'll rise later!] Synopsis: The youngest gang boss is released from prison and takes down the underworld across the country! My name is Gu Shenxing. Three years ago, I cut off the hand of the city's top gang boss for my brothers and my lover, drove out the most powerful underworld force in the city, and became the youngest gang boss ev 1.3kReads6.7Score10814d adds
- 15 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
- 16 I Didn’t Stab a Man, I Stabbed This Rotten World 老子捅的不是人，是世道 [Urban Underworld | Reborn Comeback | Brotherhood and High-Octane Gang Battles] 1991. Fu’an. Heavy snow. Fang Xiao knelt on the storeroom’s concrete floor, Zhao Changshui’s blood still on his hands. He was reborn, carrying memories of his brothers’ horrific deaths and his family’s ruin in his previous life. This time, he wouldn’t take the blame for anyone or be anyone’s lackey. He would wade through the filth and lead a band of brothers who had been dragged through the mud, determined to make 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 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
- 18 The Days We Spent Together 在一起的日子 Young and reckless, we chase our dreams. Full of passion, we strive to make our mark. Come on, let's all shout it out: “Guys, let's hit the road!” 56Reads7.7Score—14d adds
- 19 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 802Reads—Score10114d adds
- 20 Black Panther: The Bloodstained Throne 黑豹：血色王座 [Black Gangster Revenge Thriller | Two Powerful Leads Raised Together | Strong Female Lead’s Growth | Ensemble Cast | Love Triangle Chaos] At twenty, she became the youngest female gang leader in Dong Province. But her story began in a corner of Dawnlight Orphanage, where Xiao Mo gave her a name. “A smile that can beguile Yangcheng and captivate Xia Cai. I want you to bloom into the most dazzling flower in the world.” She thought they would be together forever, until he fell into the hands of B 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 The Heavenly Gate of the Jianghu 江湖天门 The martial world is awash in blood and turmoil. Who will shape the course of history? What is the true reason for Ming Jia's return? A hidden dynasty emerges once more, the sinister Yamaguchi-gumi refuses to stay buried, and the powerful Xiao clan is shrouded in mystery. As the struggle for supremacy looms, the story of Tianmen continues... 117Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 Blood Prison's Mad Overlord 血狱狂枭 The down-and-out youth Zhao Tian suffered the slaughter of his entire family as a boy. After vanishing for many years, he returned to exact revenge, rise to power, establish the Blood Prison, and dominate the world. With a band of brothers who would lay down their lives for him, he embarked on one journey after another, stirring up waves of bloodshed across the martial world… 15.7kReads8.5Score1.1k14d adds
- 23 I'm King of No. 1 High School 一中我称王 [No System + Underworld + Brotherhood + Urban + School + Gangs] The protagonist rises from an ordinary nobody, a wage slave who can only be pushed around, all the way to the top. The author is a newcomer, and the story's style takes a sharp turn starting in Chapter Five. The further you read, the more hooked you get, like being a kid again and reading thrilling underworld novels. I'm the number-one fanboy of How a Bad Guy Is Made! 37Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 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
- 25 Underworld Tales: One Hand Shrouds the Heavens 黑道往事之只手遮天 [Realistic, not overpowered, no harem, no System, not reborn] A novel about the southern underworld, telling the story of several young men who avenge their brother and gradually rise to become crime bosses. Whether it is the underworld or organized crime, it is all just a game of chess, a set of rules, fraught with danger and human cunning, and driven by power and desire. Behind the bustling city lies a shadowy underworld filled with darkness and desire, where power and money intertwine, and te 413Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 26 Reckless Youth 年少轻狂 Once, we had nothing at all. Like lost lambs, we searched for a place where we could build the dreams of a lifetime. Boys, let your blood run hot! Brothers in name, brothers for life. The worst that can happen is begging for food. As long as we live, we'll make something of ourselves. We will never abandon each other, sharing every hardship and facing life and death together. Across the ends of the earth, we'll embrace for eternity. Our youth was wild and unrestrained. Our lives were reckless an 2.1kReads—Score—14d adds
- 27 Legends of Jiangbei 江北风云传 Jiangbei is a tangled city, its underground forces deeply entrenched in a balance of power that no one has been able to shake for decades. No one could have guessed that the person to stir up this muddy pond would be a transfer student at a vocational high school. Su Yan transfers in and plunges straight into a school rife with conflict and chaos. Faced with the law of the jungle, he neither hides nor backs down. He makes his fists his blade and his courage his edge, carving out a place for hims 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 Hong Kong Crossover: Starting in Tsuen Wan, Rebuilding a Money Empire 港综：从荃湾开始，重铸金钱帝国 “Big D, you're a big shot now. Stop going around hacking people up, and try to be a little more level-headed.” White smoke rose from the cigarette between Zhang Zhen's fingers as he spoke with a hint of teasing. “Out here, if you don't hack people up or fight for territory, how are you supposed to make money? Ah Zhen, didn't you say there were three things you needed to make it big: people, money, and the guts to take risks?” Big D said from the sofa, holding a glass of liquor. “Remember this, B 43.3kReads5.6Score2.5k14d adds
- 29 The Path of an Ordinary Person 小人物的路 A person has to make many choices in life. Everyone has choices of their own. Everyone has their own path. As for whether a path is right or wrong, no one has a definitive answer. (The story spans quite a lot.) 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 Underworld: Blue Skies 黑道：青天 At a class reunion, I kept a low profile and was mocked and sneered at by my former classmates and teachers. Just as I was about to leave, the class beauty from back then suddenly stood up to defend me. 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 The Peerless Mad Dragon Who Defies Heaven 胜天半子之绝世狂龙 [Decisive and ruthless] [No do-gooder protagonist] [Realistic urban setting] [Fast-paced] [No dragging things out] [Satisfying underworld story] [No System] [Not invincible] Not invincible!!! Not invincible!!! Not invincible!!! Everything comes down to hard work grounded in reality. A must-read for fans of underworld stories~ An urban youth leads a band of brothers who would live and die for him, rising from having nothing to the pinnacle of the underworld and forging a legendary empire~ The mal 56Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 A Song for the Underworld 混子的挽歌 [Raise our cups and toast the rugged road through the underworld.] [Through blood and fury, a brotherhood that lasts a lifetime.] A naive, timid young man, to keep from losing the brothers at his side again, chooses to take up a three-foot steel blade and step into a world stained red with blood. Behind the brotherly bravado and drunken revelry of the underworld, the only things that never change are ruthless exploitation and cold reality. The people he meets make him sick. And little by little, 2.4kReads7.3Score23914d adds
- 33 Tales from the Lower Streets (Complete in Three Volumes) 下街往事（全三册） An unforgettable memory of raw courage, a brutally honest chronicle of human nature: sharp, wild, and burning hot. The shock forged from love, hate, and passion swells through every line, leaving you breathless. The novel’s protagonist spends his entire childhood surrounded by frenzied violence and bloodshed. The decade of disaster leaves an indelible mark on him, leading him to believe that violence is the best way to protect himself and that he can make something of his life through force. Ins 153Reads9.0Score—14d adds
- 34 My First Half of Life: A Bloody Underworld 我的前半生：血色江湖 [The rating just came in and it’ll keep rising, so don’t let it scare you off! This book is entirely handcrafted, and writing it isn’t easy. Hope you enjoy it!] Eight years in the army, decorated for valor, only to have his future stolen by a substitute! He moves to the city for work and tries to keep his head down, but is forced into a dead end! His brother goes to prison, and his sworn brother dies a tragic death. Good people have no way out, while the wicked run rampant! He abandons the strai 1.4kReads8.4Score13714d adds
- 35 The Thirteen Guardians of Tang City 唐市十三太保 The Tang City Underworld Duology, Part One: The Thirteen Guardians The bigwigs of Tang City’s martial world fell one by one during the 1983 crackdown. But wherever there are people, there will always be a martial world, and new forces are already stirring! Who will become Tang City’s next underworld boss? The story of the Thirteen Guardians of Tang City begins after Qin San, Wang Wu, and Ma Liu witness their father’s execution by firing squad! 965Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 The Dragon Rises in the Martial World: A Father's Promise 龙起江湖·父诺 The Dragon Rises in the Martial World: A Father's Promise 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 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
- 38 The Wolf: A Northeast Gangster 狼性：东北老炮儿 The men of Northeast China are wolves, with wildness in their very bones. The old-school tough guys of the Northeast are a pack of wolves, with an untamed stubbornness running through their veins. I want to tell the story of this pack of wolves, and share it with everyone, because they embody the mark of an era. 260Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 39 My Sister-in-Law Is Too Beautiful. Sorry, I Can't Hold Back! 嫂子太漂亮,抱歉,我顶不住了! Yang Long was reborn in the year 2000. His brother, who had been mixed up in the underworld, died a brutal death, leaving him all alone. After graduation, Yang Long went to Shen City, where Erhu, his brother's good friend, formally led him into the underworld of Northeast China. “Xiaolong, you need to understand that the underworld isn't just about fighting and killing. It's about human relationships and social rules.” “The moment you take your first step into the underworld, there's no turning 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Oh No, This Mob Boss Can Tank a Nuclear Bomb 坏了，这黑老大能硬抗核弹 [Gangsters + No Goody-Two-Shoes + No Mindless Protagonist + Invincible in the Later Stages] Qin Dong transmigrates to the year 2004 in a parallel world, taking over the body of a small-time gangster who has done every evil imaginable and is hated by everyone. He also awakens a System that makes him stronger every time he kills someone. He can increase his strength just by devouring evil people! Infinite toughness! Infinite heat resistance! Infinite bone strength! ... Gangsters hunting him down: 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 1980: A New Order in the Underworld 一九八零：江湖新秩序 What is the martial world? Wherever there are people, there will be conflict! The strong survive, and the weak perish. That is the martial world! Relive the 1980s and pay tribute to a youth long gone! This is the story of Han Yue, and how he rose from the bottom to the top of the provincial capital, only to fall again! The road through the martial world is treacherous. Everyone survives by their own wits! Hold on, and you can make something of yourself. Give up, and you're out... (This book is p 4.4kReads8.7Score28314d adds
- 42 Rising Through the Underworld with My Mommy 黑道从带妈咪开始 Underworld action with supernatural powers, no saintly protagonist, no System, no invincibility, multiple heroines, and an urban setting! The characters grow and develop over time; they aren't perfect. He starts out as a street punk, and a series of events leads him to fully enter the underworld. He rises to the top step by step! If you like it, please recommend it to your friends! I'd be incredibly grateful! 1Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 43 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
- 44 Southwest Storm: Turmoil on the Black Sea 西南风云：黑海沉浮 When I was eighteen, I met someone who led me down a certain path. Some describe this path with the idealistic word “jianghu.” But the jianghu you actually find yourself in is better summed up by a rather funny saying: “After all this time, I’ve made no friends, only learned lessons.” My name is Lin Dongxia, and I’ve learned my fair share of lessons. 33kReads9.3Score3.2k14d adds
- 45 After Getting Fired, I Became the Strongest Bodyguard to a Mafia Heiress 我被开除后成黑道千金的最强打手 The rating just came in, so it’ll go up later. [For adults only. No one under 18 may read this.] [Urban + underworld + multiple heroines + all-powerful protagonist + brotherhood] Lu Fei was expelled from middle school for fighting and spent four years guarding his village... At last, he came of age! Newly 18, Lu Fei hadn’t even had time to establish his own gang in the village before the aunt he lived with kicked him out and sent him to the big city to stay with her daughter. After arriving in 55Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 46 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
- 47 Hong Kong Films: Handsome, I Run Tsim Sha Tsui! 港片：靓仔，尖沙咀我话事！ [Invincible from the start, decisive and ruthless, hard as nails, no System, no saintly protagonist.] Su Dingwen transmigrates into a Hong Kong action movie as a police cadet. After bravely stopping a gang of violent criminals, he's repaid with betrayal: tycoon Li frames him! Expelled from the police academy, he goes undercover in a gang, then buys a Han sword and carves his way through the underworld! Others worship Lord Guan. I charge into battle alone as Lord Guan! By day, he's the gangland b 3.2kReads6.1Score—14d adds
- 48 Rise to the Top of the Underworld! 引领黑道巅峰！ [Power fantasy] + [Undercover agent] + [Clash of black and white] + [Decisive and ruthless] + [No System] + [Patriotic] Three years, then another three years, and another three years! Jiang Wuqing, you’re a cop! No! I’m the gang’s top enforcer! If you weren’t a cop, why wouldn’t they arrest you when they took down the gang? I play both sides! Years later… Please, when you take them down, take me with them. I can’t take it anymore! There’s really no crime left anywhere in the world. I’ 853Reads6.9Score10614d adds
- 49 The Pinnacle of Dark Martial Arts 黑武之巅 Sorry, everyone, for posting the prologue so late. You can skip ahead to the beginning of Chapter 102 first, then come back and start reading from Chapter 1. Apologies. A novel featuring the underworld, supernatural abilities, the city, and campus life. He and his friends will rise together to the pinnacle of the Black Martial Path. This is the story of his growth... People are often at their most brash and carefree when they are young. That’s what it means to be young and reckless. This is an e 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 The Underworld: My Dongguan Girlfriend 黑道：我的东莞女友 At the turn of the millennium, I headed south to Dongguan with just 800 yuan in my pocket. Someone stole my wallet on the train, and I staggered into town after going hungry for three meals. I planned to keep my head down and work on an assembly line, but on my very first day, the team leader told me to take off my pants. I beat him up. Then I beat up the fourteen guys who came after me with machetes. Then I took on the whole street. The female owner of a nightclub handed me a gun and a stack of 590Reads6.3Score10914d adds
