Novels like The Person in the Mirror: Rising to Power at College
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Person in the Mirror: Rising to Power at College, best match first.
- 51 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
- 52 Bad Boy: King of the Streets 坏小子：街道之上，我为王 Li Yizhen was an ordinary student at Jiangchuan No. 1 High School. But the school bully, He Min, singled him out, teasing and tormenting him as she pleased. Too timid to fight back, he endured group beatings and was even forced to eat ice pops mixed with dirt. She also led him astray, getting him to smoke and drink. Day after day, year after year… Then, when Li Yizhen finally confessed his feelings to the school belle, she mocked him in front of the whole class. He Min joined in, too. Overcome w 285Reads—Score—14d adds
- 53 I Asked My Master How Powerful He Was, and He Turned Off My System 我问师父有多强？转手关掉我系统 [The rating just came out and will rise] [The protagonist is a master + no System + no romance + invincible + multiple disciples] The author transmigrates into the novel he wrote. He has no cultivation, no golden finger, and no System, only a writing assistant. Whatever plot he wants, he can write it himself. Disciple: “Master, what realm are you really at?” Master: “I can turn off your System.” The disciple presses him: “Be more specific.” The master opens the writing assistant: “Whatever real 95Reads6.9Score1514d adds
- 54 Twenty Years of Gangland Turmoil 黑道风云二十年 I had just gone to prison when my girlfriend got together with my big brother. My name is Wang Chao, a street punk who takes loyalty seriously. The passion of the 1990s is my dream. And the youth an entire generation can never get back. With my story, I’ll look back on the glorious years we shared! 507Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 55 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
- 56 The Hidden Dragon in the Mortal World 龙隐浮世 This world has always been a Game of Thrones, played with wealth and power. When the world's “golden finger” appears, the old rules of the game are shattered. As long as your “fists” are strong enough, even an ordinary person can become king. The story may not unfold as expected, but unexpected things are always bound to happen! 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 57 King of the Underworld: I Rule with Unmatched Power 黑道之王：权势滔天我为王 [Urban + underworld + feel-good power fantasy + big shot + no System + two heroines + mildly risqué] This novel is also known as "After Storming the Prison, I Became the Underworld Emperor" and "The Underworld King Who Rose from the Dark Zone", the first part. This is the second part and can be read on its own. Two chapters are all it takes to get your fix. Qin Shiyi came from the Dark Zone. He brought his brothers to Pearl City in District Two, hoping to make something of themselves. By fightin 833Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 58 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
- 59 The Arrogant Bad Boy 不良之嚣张 His name is Xiao Zhangyu, but beneath his brash name lies nothing but silence. Xiao Zhangyu is a rural transfer student whose flashy name belies his quiet nature. At his new school in an unfamiliar city, he fades into the background like a transparent shadow. Introverted, sensitive, and poor with words, he is an outsider on the fringes of the class. Even his humble crush on his deskmate, the school beauty Tan Feifei, is something he can only bury deep in his heart. A clash at an internet cafe ma 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 60 I Killed My Former Self 我杀死了曾经的自己 My new work is out! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 169Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 61 The Fire Usurper: Ship Without a Shore 篡火者：无岸之舟 The flames of war left Chen Hao an orphan. San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1985: a land of chaos and gold. His second uncle took him in and looked after him. But in a foreign land, he endured scorn and humiliation! Should Chinese people really let others walk all over them? No! No! No! Stir up the storm, and turn into a dragon when the waters rise! Witness a Chinese man’s rise to godfather! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 62 After Prison, I Just Want to Live a Quiet Life 出狱后，我只想平平安安过日子 [The world is too deep for me. I just want to make something of myself.] My name is Ma Tengfei. I had just finished the college entrance exams when I got into a fight and was sent to prison for three years, missing my chance to go to college. A death-row inmate named Uncle Ming told me there were three kinds of people in this world: those above everyone else, courted by the masses and living lives others envy; those in the middle, scurrying around like ants and fighting one another just to survi 6.2kReads7.5Score42814d adds
- 63 Crossing Between Two Worlds, the Pitiful Girl Gets a Whole New Life 穿梭两届，小可怜爆改人生 [Bottom x harem magnet, but a monogamous pairing with both leads each other’s only ones; top: Chu Yi] Poor little Yuzu Zhen has just started university and has only three hundred yuan left in his pocket. He’s shabby, destitute, and so hungry every day that his stomach nearly touches his back. He’s nothing but skin and bones. Heaven takes pity on him and sends him tumbling into the cultivation world. He lands on Chu Yi, a young Dragon-Born Prodigy whose entire family has just been wiped out and 3.1kReads8.5Score54014d adds
- 64 The Underworld: A Life in the Jianghu 黑道：人在江湖 What is the underworld? No one can really say. To me, the underworld is the jianghu. The jianghu has its own rules and its own stories. It’s not all fighting and killing. More than anything, it’s about human relationships and navigating the ways of the world. In 1996, a film about young gangsters influenced countless young people, leading them down a path of no return... That same year, after four years in prison, I walked out through those heavy doors and regained my freedom. My name is Fang We 206Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 65 Don't Call Me Boss, I'm a Law-Abiding Entrepreneur 别叫我大哥，我是守法人民企业家 [Reborn + Reformed Gangsters + Business Empire + A Cast of Drama Queens] Jiang Che is reborn on the eve of the Green Dragon Gang's bloody killing spree. He tears up their machete permits and declares, "From today on, anyone who talks about fighting and killing again gets their performance bonus docked!" While his rivals wait for him to make a fool of himself: • Three hundred underlings sweep the streets before dawn and land a contract to supply disposable tableware to restaurants across the city 104Reads—Score—14d adds
- 66 The Rise and Fall of a Nobody 混子风云 [Adult-themed story] [Ensemble cast] [Not mindless] No saintly protagonist, no System Are his parents' divorce the final straw that breaks Li Qian? Absolutely not. His ambition will drive him ever higher. If nobody believes in me, then I'll climb over their heads and become the king of Laicheng. This story does not promote violence in any way. We hope everyone will obey the law. Anyone who breaks the law will be severely punished. Society won't go easy on you. You alone are responsible for every 75Reads—Score—14d adds
- 67 Schoolyard Storms, Northeast Underworld 校园风云，东北江湖路 [Wherever there are people, there will be a world of the underworld] [A Northeast underworld story] [Decisive and ruthless] [A road of no return] [First person] [Recollections] [This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.] My name is Han Tian. I was kidnapped by human traffickers as a child and forced to beg on the streets. It wasn't until Uncle Han rescued me from them that I was given a name. He showed me that a person could live like a re 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 68 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
- 69 After Joining a Variety Show, My Identity as a Military Bigwig Was Exposed 参加综艺后我的军方大佬身份爆了 (A word of warning: The author's writing is amateurish, the plot doesn't make logical sense, and this is purely for my own amusement. If you don't like it, you can turn back at this introduction. There's no need to come in and shatter the author's fragile heart.) The entire galaxy thinks Lu Shihan is useless. His family thinks he died out there. His younger brother leads the charge in ostracizing him on a variety show, and netizens tell him to get off the show. Only Gu Yanzhi, a top-tier star, k 5.1kReads8.5Score77014d adds
- 70 Underworld Storm: The Uncrowned King 黑道风云：无冕王侯 (First person, period setting, underworld) A big brother? A big brother isn't some glamorous, all-powerful emperor who does whatever he pleases. A big brother is just the guy who picks up the tab. The underworld? It's brotherly loyalty, deceit and betrayal. It's a place that strips the tenderness from gentle-hearted men and hardens them, and turns green young boys into grizzled old gangsters. My name is Zhao Qingfeng. I've been around the underworld, and I was once a big brother! 37.3kReads9.2Score3.9k14d adds
- 71 Wang Hao, the Inverse Scale King 逆鳞王皓 A comeback, a defiance of fate. Bullied for years because of his weight, he finally reaches his breaking point and vows never to be weak again. He fights back, step by step descending into hell, and soon dominates the campus... 116Reads—Score—14d adds
- 72 Lone Wolf of the Underworld: I Came from Hell 黑道孤枭：我从地狱来 Orphaned at eight, I spent eight years keeping my head down. I came from hell, and I came for revenge. When the lone wolf strikes, the underworld runs red with blood. Those who owe me will repay me tenfold. Those who wrong me will be ground to dust! 201Reads—Score—14d adds
- 73 Underworld Jianghu: From Death Row Inmate to King of the Underworld 黑道江湖：从死囚到黑道之王 [Urban + underworld + wish fulfillment + big shots + realism + no System + multiple heroines] Is the underworld all about human relationships and social etiquette? No. It’s about the relationships and social etiquette that come after the fighting. The only people qualified to sit down and talk about such things are those who have earned their place through violence. Plant your flag, make your name, set up shop, stake out your turf. In the underworld, there’s a mountain ahead of you and another b 257Reads8.5Score—14d adds
- 74 The Most Evil Jianghu 极恶江湖 (Realistic fiction, historical setting, underworld feuds, business and political battles. No harem, and not a wish-fulfillment novel! This book is divided into domestic and overseas sections. The domestic section moves at a slower pace and has a stronger period feel, while the overseas section is fast-paced and intensely exciting. You can read either section on its own with no problem.) The evil of the underworld lies in the human heart! Books are full of talk about benevolence and righteousness 23.6kReads8.3Score3.6k14d adds
- 75 A Reckless Youth 不良年少轻狂 A fan-written sequel to The Youthful and Reckless 2. It tells the story of Wang Hao and Yu Chengfei after they reach the top of Beiyuan. In the second year of Wang Hao's seclusion in Arabia, Yu Chengfei, who should have been on the brink of conquering the underworld, mysteriously disappears... 41.2kReads7.3Score2.7k14d adds
- 76 I Took Beating After Beating Until I Had Every Block Under My Thumb 一直挨打的我，打服了所有的街区 (Hot-blooded gangland action, lots of fights, no harem, no female lead, no System, no invincibility, the protagonist isn’t a saint and shows no mercy.) After three years of being bullied in middle school, Lu Jinnian spent the summer training until he had incredible stamina and could take a beating. After getting into Qingfeng High, all he wanted was to live a quiet life. But the school was practically a collection of warring territories, with each grade staking out its own turf and fists decid —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 77 The Thirteen Hawks of the Underworld 黑道十三鹰 He was once a shining star in the military, rising to prominence through his fearlessness. But fate took a sudden turn during a brutal battle with drug traffickers. In the midst of a fight to the death, he had no choice but to kill a captured drug lord, a decision that forced him to leave the military. From then on, he entered the underworld, burying his former glory and sense of duty deep within. Like a lone wolf, he roamed the world of darkness and began a life in the criminal underworld that 878Reads—Score—14d adds
- 78 Dark Glory: Twenty Years in the Underworld of Northeast China 黑暗荣耀：东北江湖二十年 1.3kReads8.8Score10614d adds
- 79 Freshman Year: I Have a Magic Library 大一开学：拥有一个魔法图书馆 Also known as: College mornings are miserable enough. Now I have to find time to fight the Corrupted, too. Keywords: [urban supernatural powers + no heroine + comedy + ensemble cast + modern low magic + wish fulfillment + light everyday life (more or less)] Every character feels vivid and real. The perfect choice for passing the time! Spiritual energy has waned, and supernatural abilities have become a rare legacy. Yet Lin Chen, an ordinary college student, was bound to an amnesiac library and 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 80 Forced to Fall! The Gangland Boss Won’t Stop Fighting to Claim Me 强制沦陷！黑道大佬他又争又抢 [Arrogant, obsessive foreign power broker VS beautiful, strong, and tragic stubborn agent] [Combative couple + star-crossed love + mortal enemies + devoted power couple + unrequited love + twisted obsessive forced romance] Born the only son of one of the world's most powerful families, Bai Jinghe was destined to get whatever he wanted from the moment he came into the world. He excelled at school from a young age and made a name for himself early. Later, he crushed every local gang and claimed th 656Reads8.1Score10314d adds
- 81 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
- 82 The Bad Guys 坏家伙们 When the jianghu is no longer traditional, it’s bound to become driven by self-interest! After the turn of the millennium, a new generation of “bad guys,” born in the eighties and nineties, began to take the stage in their own jianghu! These newcomers no longer revered the spirit of chivalry. They let money clear the way and put profit above all else! To carve out a place for themselves in this treacherous jianghu, they had to stop at nothing and plan every move! The great waves sift the sand! M 5.4kReads8.9Score31914d adds
- 83 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
- 84 Child of the Prison 狱之子 Trapped in a cage, with no control over his own fate. Break free, and soar to the skies. As the saying goes, a golden-scaled carp is no ordinary pond-dweller. A boy born in prison leads three children who share his fate out of confinement and into the city. There, they make waves, clash repeatedly with small-time gangs, and navigate their ties to major organizations like Hongmen, Hongxing, Dongxing, and the Dragon Gang, until they are drawn into a war for supremacy in the underworld... 124Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 85 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
- 86 Neither Black nor White? A Quack Doctor Twice Over 亦黑亦白？双料庸医 I'm a clinic owner. One act of justice made me enemies with the underworld, and from then on I began walking a path where I could operate in both the criminal and legitimate worlds. The world isn't simply black or white. It's both black and white. This isn't exactly a power fantasy. There are gangs, passion, and humor, as well as brotherhood between men who support one another and rise to the top together. 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 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
- 88 The Fire of Our Youthful Years 那些年我们青春的锋芒 To everyone else, he was an honest man and a spineless loser. His middle school years were a living hell, until one day, a friend his age from the neighboring family transferred back from a school out of town and came to his defense with a commanding presence. The boy, Wu Feng, took the baton handed to him and strode ahead, rising from a meek, honest kid into a powerful figure who radiated authority and revealed his sharp edge. 28Reads—Score214d adds
- 89 Underworld Lust and Sin: The Twisted Life After My Fall 黑道孽欲：黑化后的妖孽人生 (Urban slice of life + lives consumed by desire + grounded and down-to-earth + multiple heroines + no brainless decisions + no melodrama + no cultivation + no System) What did an ordinary person at the bottom of society go through to end up on a one-way road into the underworld? If someone picks a fight, hit back. Life and death are no big deal! The plot is full of twists and turns, and relentlessly probes the human condition! So good it’ll make you pound your bed in a frenzy! If you love this k 33Reads—Score—14d adds
- 90 A Bull on the Rise 牛冲天 My dad was a king of the battlefield in the Vietnam War and a national second-class merit award recipient. In 1989, something happened to him while he was home on leave. He escaped after being surrounded and pursued by eighty plainclothes detectives. The authorities never said what he was guilty of, and rumors said he was either a master thief or a defector. I was the only one who believed he was a good man, because he told me he was someone I could be proud of, and I believed him. I was eight t 57Reads—Score—14d adds
- 91 Who Cares About Being Young and Reckless? Only the Victor Reigns Supreme 什么年少轻狂？我只知道胜者为王 [Campus Drama]+ [Street Toughs]+ [School Beauty]+ [Underworld]+ [No System]+ [One Heroine]+ [Not a wish-fulfillment story] Original title: Those Wild Years of Youth at School My name is Chen Qing. I never thought I’d end up going down this road after all… Disclaimer: This story is entirely fictional and is not intended to encourage anything improper. Please do not relate it to real life! Reproduction without permission is prohibited and will be prosecuted. New book: "After Getting Out of Prison, 5.7kReads8.4Score36914d adds
- 92 Are You Crazy? You Dare Mess with Brother Long? 你疯了，敢惹龙哥？ The underworld is rife with temptations of money, profit, power, and women. It’s not just about fighting and killing, but also about the ways of the world. But human hearts are treacherous, and the ways of the world are ever-changing! After getting out of prison, Li Hailong uses his bloodstained hands to carve out a world of his own and become a fearsome dragon of the underworld! 285Reads7.4Score—14d adds
- 93 The King of the Underworld, Forged in the Dark District 从暗黑区走出的黑道之王 (Tough gangsters + big shots from every walk of life + rich young heirs in the capital + starts at school + ruthless + a thrill ride from start to finish) The first book, The King of the Underworld: From the Dark Zone, is complete. Read with confidence, there isn't a dull moment. The sequel, King of the Underworld: I Rule with Unrivaled Power, is currently updating. The author can post ten thousand words a day, so remember to threaten him in the comments. One day, twelve young men came from the 414Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 94 Reborn as a Jianghu Boss, Starting with Obeying the Law 重生江湖大佬，从遵纪守法开始 [Tycoon Godfather] [Humorous and easygoing] [Satisfying and funny] In my previous life, I was a ruthless underworld big shot who killed countless people! But in the end, I was betrayed! I could have accepted my own death, but my parents were angered to death, too. In my final moments, I thought, if I could do it all over again, I'd become a good person. Heaven heard me, and I really was reborn. Looking at my young bros, I had an idea! I'd teach them the law and get them to start being go 28Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 95 The Road to Leveling Up After I Transmigrated to Another World 穿越异世升级之路 Completed. (Mainly focused on one protagonist, level-up progression, feel-good power fantasy) Lu Yuan was a promising, ambitious, and goofy young man in modern society. For no reason at all, he transmigrates to a cultivation continent and is forced to “marry” an incomparable beauty. See how he wins this peerless beauty over as his wife, marries into wealth, and embarks on a cultivation journey that turns his life upside down! 2kReads6.6Score23714d adds
- 96 After Getting Out of Prison, I Married the Underworld Princess 出狱后，我娶了黑道公主 [Multiple heroines + first-person slice of life + retro jianghu customs and human relationships + not for everyone] After the 1999 college entrance exams, I accidentally killed someone while trying to save Xiang Xiaoya and was sentenced to five years in prison. After my release, I followed Brother Wai and became a manager at the most upscale nightclub in Tianlin City. I lived with Xia Shu, the club's star hostess, and enjoyed a life of wine and excess, until I offended Shangguan Yu, the underwor 3.8kReads8.8Score30814d adds
- 97 Ghost Curse 鬼咒 Stars are people too. Let me tell you about the times I followed my master and helped some Chinese celebrities change their fate. Changing someone's fate, of course, starts with raising a little ghost. 3.1kReads—Score63614d adds
- 98 Kidnapped and Sold by a Jerk, I Became the Gang Leader’s Wife 被渣男拐卖后，我成了帮派大嫂 [Love grows over time, two powerful leads working together] Bai Xiangpu has been searching for her mother, who died many years ago, but after her best friend jumps from a building for no apparent reason, a scumbag lures her into the terrifying M District. While fleeing, she unexpectedly crashes into the arms of Wu Wei, a gang boss! To win his protection, she tries every way she can to get close to him and win him over, even attempting to seduce him. It never works, but every time, people get the 39Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 The Jianghu: I Am the Kingpin 江湖：我即为枭 [Underworld] [Brothers United] [Mind-Bending] [Passionate and Thrilling] Three years in prison couldn't dull my edge. My name is Wang Xiao. I spent three years behind bars for offending a powerful figure. After my release, I returned to my old stomping grounds with my brothers and the skills my master taught me. Some want to trample me underfoot. Some want to stab me in the back. And my enemies, lurking in the shadows, are watching me like hawks. But my life is no longer something just anyone ca 114Reads—Score—14d adds
- 100 My Days of Being Bullied at School 校园被欺负的日子 The main characters are Wu Ming, Zhang Qiang, and Zhou Yao. This isn’t a brainless power fantasy, but a bumpy story of growing up. When my brothers fight, I run; I’d never touch a friend’s wife, but if my friend’s away, anything goes. A life of gaming on credit and gambling for tokens in the arcade. 11kReads8.2Score67114d adds
