Novels like My Years as a Gangster
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as My Years as a Gangster, best match first.
- 101 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
- 102 The Wolf Warrior Returns: My Blade Spares No Nobodies 战狼归来我的刀不斩无名之辈 Retired soldier Chen Wensheng returns to his hometown for his parents’ funeral, only to find their remains shrouded in injustice! The fire that burned their bodies is full of unanswered questions, and the village chief’s shifty eyes conceal a shocking conspiracy. Five lone wolves storm the local tyrant’s den, only to uncover the deadly hand of Wu Tianhao, the underground emperor! They’re ambushed by a hundred men at a bloody birthday banquet. As his brothers fall in battle, the mastermind and mo 49Reads—Score—14d adds
- 103 Restless Youth 躁动少年 My name is Lin Yi. In middle school, I used to throw my weight around alongside the big brother I looked up to. But when I entered high school, I got beaten to a pulp. After meeting a group of dependable brothers, we started out at school and swore to conquer this ruthless city. As our influence grew and we grew stronger, we were drawn into a series of events we'd never had any contact with before. 168Reads—Score—14d adds
- 104 Young and Reckless: The Yu Chengfei Side Story 【年少轻狂】宇城飞外传 Yu Chengfei went from a boy anyone could bully to a ruthless figure no one at the vocational college dared provoke. He fought his way up through bloodshed and sheer grit. From a local overlord in Beiyuan City to an underground kingpin who dominated the south, he eventually made his way to the UAE and carved out a legend of his own overseas. Bloodshed and brotherhood marked every step of the way. Rising from the dust, beyond the rules, he became the brightest legend of all. All characters appeari 32Reads—Score—14d adds
- 105 Back Then, We Were All Bad Kids 那些年，我们曾是不良少年 That year, we were young and reckless. Back then, we feared nothing. Looking back, we can't help but sigh and shed tears. Time flies by in the blink of an eye. Do you still remember the brothers who fought by your side? Do you still remember being a delinquent? —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 106 Ruling the Campus 制霸高校 Xie Xingshan was so powerful that he seriously injured several people, so he gave up martial arts and turned to the arts, getting into the Fine Arts Department at Jiangcheng University. He had intended to quietly finish college, but after stepping in to help someone on the first day of school, he embarked on a path where he could rule the world with one hand! 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 107 The Power of the World 天下势 The martial world stirs, and heroes gather at the Chan Monastery! Blades and spears in hand, they show their mettle, every stance and seat exuding grace. Before the Tianlong Chan Monastery, let us chase the dream of a life of adventure in the martial world. Witness this clash of heroic figures as we continue our own legend of passion and courage! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 Racing Through the 1990s: A Brothers' Legend 狂飙90年代：兄弟热血传奇 Crazy 90: A Legendary Brotherhood of Passion Set in Tiexi District, a major heavy-industry hub in Northeast China during the 1990s, this story follows Chen Mo, a boy from the bottom rung of society, as he and his brothers Li Jianjun and Wang Lei carve out a life together amid the tides of the times. At seventeen, Chen Mo is a “troublemaker” at Tiexi Technical School. His family is struggling: his father has been laid off, and his mother runs a street stall. Discrimination and bullying expose him 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 109 Tales of Longcheng’s Underworld: My Years in Black Gold 龙城黑道往事之我的黑金岁月 In the 1990s, Longcheng had seven major criminal gangs. The locals came up with this couplet: First came Ding, then Wei, Cao the Third was Fat; Mao the Fourth, Guai the Fifth, and Monk the Sixth; The banner line: Manlin rules them all. But not one of these utterly wicked people met a good end. This book will unveil that dark and chaotic era, and the bloody turmoil that once unfolded across Longcheng. (All names and places in this story are fictional. Any resemblance to real people or places is p 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 110 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
- 111 What? My Home Is Gone Again! 什么？我家又没了！ Yu Qing has transmigrated many times and grown tired of a life spent wandering from place to place. All he wants now is to find a home where he can stay forever. But will things really go the way he hopes? 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Fired Up: I Really Don’t Want to Be a Delinquent 热血：我真不想当不良啊 Action + comedy + camaraderie When Akiyama Hayato opened his eyes again, he was on the streets of Handa City. The city seemed soaked in violence, with delinquent boys smoking as they roamed everywhere, and an agitated, vicious air hanging over it all. The place was full of delinquents and their so-called "tough guy culture." A mission prompt from the System popped up right after: graduate successfully from Tsukako High, one of the toughest delinquent schools in the city. Akiyama had his plan a —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 113 Aixiaoyan: Passionate Days in the Student Jianghu 爱笑岩：学生时代热血江湖 This is a fanfiction novel, published with authorization. Join us in revisiting the series of stories sparked by a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes. Each arc has its own protagonist. 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 Dark Night Turmoil 暗夜風云 Crime, love, friendship, and all-consuming passion. After Lin Yu's father lost his business and could no longer bear the burden of his debts, he jumped to his death. His family was plunged into despair overnight. His mother was bedridden with a serious illness and urgently needed an enormous sum for medical bills. With nowhere else to turn, Lin Yu was swept into a gang fight on the street. When he stepped in to save a girl who was being bullied, he displayed extraordinary courage and fighting sk —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 115 I Became a Delinquent for Her 因为她才当混混 Before starting middle school, I wouldn't have called myself a good student, but my grades were still near the top of the class. I got into fights too, but they were just minor scuffles. When I started middle school, I met a girl I'll never forget. But my buddy liked her too, so I gave up for a while. The two of them started dating, but I couldn't let it go, so I pursued her. In the end, we got together, even though she was dating both of us at the same time. After a while, she stopped liking my 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 116 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
- 117 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
- 118 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
- 119 Skybreaker: Born Stubborn 擎天之生来倔强 [Urban + action-packed + youth] From the city’s nightlife to the front lines of the war on drugs, he uses underworld tactics to serve his country and people! In the end, he burns the drug dens to the ground and etches his bloodstained underworld legend into the backbone of his people! 27Reads—Score—14d adds
- 120 Sons and Daughters of the Jianghu: That Midnight Sun 江湖儿女：那一轮午夜的太阳 The rules of midnight are a way of life much like the law of the jungle. At midnight, what you see may be the moon, but in their eyes, it is their sun. Set against the real-life underworld of the 1990s, this story follows Zhou Shenghua's life in the jianghu. 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 121 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
- 122 Northeast China Underworld: The Autobiography of a Crime Boss 东北黑道：一位黑道大哥的自传 [Urban] [Underworld] [Outlaws] [A Cast of Villains] [Justice Served] [An Unvarnished Northeastern Chinese Gangster Story] The underworld rises and falls, settling old scores in blood. To others, the jianghu is about loyalty, passion, and settling scores with a thrilling flourish. The jianghu I’ve seen is nothing but deceit and betrayal. There are no bonds of brotherhood, only greed. There is no mercy, only merciless extermination. On this road, a knife is leverage, blood is the price, and a cons 31.3kReads8.8Score1.7k14d adds
- 123 Urban: From Nobody to Kingpin 都市：从小人物到大枭雄 There are many ways to live in this world. My way is simple: let your fists do the talking! 8Reads7.2Score214d adds
- 124 Bad Boys: A Bloody Battle 不良，浴血争锋 In his previous life, Huang Jie led his brothers to dominate East China, but after taking the wrong path, he ended up separated from them and died far from home. While in exile, he gave away his entire fortune to serve his country, his heart filled with nothing but endless regret. Reborn in a single moment, he returns to his youth, when he used to raise a glass with his brothers. In this life, he’ll make up for every regret from the past and repay a hundredfold every debt he once owed. From voca —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 125 I Started High School as a Good Girl and Became a Crime Boss 上了高中，我从乖乖女变成黑老大 When I started high school, I went from a good girl to a crime boss. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 126 Tales of the Hong Kong and Macau Underworld 港澳黑道往事 Told from a third-person perspective and set in the otherworldly port city of Aocheng, this novel explores the social issues of a particular era in Hong Kong and Macao. It also depicts the tragic fate of the underworld and the darkness of human nature in another world. At the same time, it reflects on gang culture, showing readers the cruelty and unsustainability of life in the underworld, and the harm it causes to individuals and society. The story is entirely fictional. Please don’t imitate it 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 127 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
- 128 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
- 129 A Ballad of Jianghu 江湖的悲歌 An accident took Man Cheng’s grandfather’s life, but it also introduced him to someone who would become very important to him. The incident changed the way he saw the world and set him on a path of no return. As more brothers joined him, ready to weather every hardship by his side, he found himself traveling farther and farther down that road. Looking back on his youth, some people are still by his side, some have ended up behind bars for good, and some he will never see again. 440Reads—Score—14d adds
- 130 I Dabbled in the Underworld and Accidentally Reached the Top 黑道玩票，不小心混到了巅峰 (Underworld + passion + brotherhood) You want to force me to the top of the underworld? Then I’ll give you exactly what you want! I’ve weathered bloody storms! Walked through a hail of bullets! Been betrayed by brothers! Faced life and death with indifference! Endured every vicious scheme! I, Wang Dongsheng, will tear through the darkness and shatter every plot! I’ll lead my brothers to rise on this blood-soaked road! I only ever wanted to be a nobody, but you forced me to become a hyena bristli 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 131 I'm a Hoodlum: Two Strokes, One Vertical, That's How We Do Things! 老子是流氓，两横一竖就是干！ “Hello, my name is Fang Xiu. The ‘Xiu’ in ‘to the bitter end’!” In this bloody underworld where people prey on one another, Fang Xiu is swept against his will into one whirlpool after another! Only after stepping into it does he realize that the underworld is a bottomless vat of dye, filled with schemes, treachery, and betrayal! By the time he wants to turn back, he’s already sunk deep into the mire, with no way out! All he has left are the few brothers at his side, standing shoulder to shoulder 31Reads—Score—14d adds
- 132 1998: My Underworld Career 1998：我的黑道生涯 After returning home from Southeast Asia, he wanted to live as an ordinary man. But a local thug humiliated him, and in a fit of rage, he rose to power in the underworld. If he couldn't keep a low profile, then he'd go all out! 12.2kReads8.5Score83414d adds
- 133 That Kid from Back Then Became the Boss 当年那小子成了爷 I dedicate this book to the memory of my youth. “When you're young, your spirit still burns. You want to challenge Heaven itself!” “I came here to stand up for her, not to reason with you.” “Jade may shatter, but its purity cannot be changed.” “When you roam the jianghu, how can you avoid getting cut?” “If a few words can crush me, then I've wasted all these years.” “If I could live it all over again, would you still choose to stand in front of me?” “Heaven puts its chosen through hardship, test 24Reads—Score—14d adds
- 134 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
- 135 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
- 136 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
- 137 Underworld Turmoil in Yunnan and Guizhou 滇黔黑道风云 Even with nothing to your name, you can still shape the world! A poor boy can become a lord! People love reading face-slapping stories about rich families. I, however, want to write an inspiring tale of a poor boy facing one twist in the road after another, surviving countless brushes with death before rising to power! Life never goes exactly as you wish. In all things, be content if things go even halfway your way. Follow the eventful rise of a young man from Nanguang, from hauling bricks to ru 5.2kReads6.6Score24114d adds
- 138 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 92Reads—Score—14d adds
- 139 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
- 140 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
- 141 Days Spent Getting By 平凡混过的日子 My name is Lu Pingfan! I'm a gangster... I founded the "Student Council" back in middle school! Years later, my brothers live ordinary lives by day, but after dark, they take their place in the underworld! I used to think that justice and honor were the guiding principles of the world! It wasn't until I heard all the things left unsaid that I realized those supposedly "high-minded" principles were nothing but the emperor's new clothes! So I decided to uphold the principles of my world in my own 29Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 142 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
- 143 Those Were the Days: My Life in the Underworld 那些年，混过的日子 Sleeping rough and braving the elements are just part of life. Clashing blades and exchanging blows can put old grudges to rest. Brothers are heaven, brothers are earth. With brothers, you can stand tall between heaven and earth. Brothers are the wind, brothers are the rain. With brothers, you can summon the wind and call down the rain. Based on real events, this novel commemorates the years we spent getting into trouble together and pays tribute to the youth of those born in the 1980s. End 1.3kReads6.4Score10914d adds
- 144 I Have Thousands of Underlings, Yet They Insist I'm a Model Citizen 手下几千小弟，非说是三好青年 [Underworld] + [Reborn] + [System] + [Going Straight] + [Campus Life] + [Multiple Heroines] + [Business Savvy] In prison, Han Zu, the gang's second-in-command who held all the group's major criminal records, was ambushed. “Brother Zu, you're old. The only way I can get ahead is by taking you out!” “As long as you're alive, plenty of people won't be able to sleep!” At the moment he closed his eyes, his past flashed before him: brothers dying tragic deaths, leaving his home behind, and dying in pr 415Reads—Score1714d adds
- 145 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
- 146 Countering the Black Tide (Complete in Four Volumes) 反黑风云（全四册） This collection covers a variety of genres. It tells the hidden twenty-year history of the modern Shandong underworld, charts the fierce lives of a group of unconventional young men, and explores a city of desire where politics, business, the underworld, and romance intertwine. In a hunting ground where predators abound and prey is scarce, survival means the strong devour the weak. Every established rule is shattered and reshaped here: only the fittest survive! 415Reads9.0Score3914d adds
- 147 The Unknown King: Sequel to The Boy King 不明称王少年王续集 The author played the previous installment last year and has written this novel as a continuation. The author states that it is all based on their own imagination and adaptations. This content is for entertainment only and has no harmful effects. Please read with discretion. 243Reads—Score—14d adds
- 148 Bro, You’re Such a Jerk! 哥，你真的好渣！ Lin Hai was forced to leave his village, and his good buddy Erwa followed him. He had worked many jobs, but because he was handsome and naturally carefree, his bosses would dismiss him for no reason. Then local thugs started giving him trouble. To protect himself, Lin Hai had no choice but to embark on a path of no return, making the major players in the underworld submit to him and winning the hearts of countless beauties... 302Reads7.6Score—14d adds
- 149 Dream City’s Underworld: I’m the Most Innocent of Them All 梦城风云：整个黑道我最白 [Underworld mole] [Multiple female leads] [No System] [Not mindless] [The struggle between good and evil] His girlfriend is kidnapped by a ruthless crime boss from the Cangming Society and made a hostage and plaything, at their mercy. To save her from this living hell, Yi Fanfeng swallows his pride and pretends to join the dark side. In secret, he teams up with both the police and the rival Tianshu Hall, becoming a double agent playing both sides. Starting out as a low-level food delivery worker 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 150 The Big Brother's Story 大哥往事 The rules of the jianghu are simple: don’t ask about jianghu affairs. Ask, and you’ll have to disappear from the jianghu. That’s a rule, too… And I misunderstood the jianghu, entered it, took part in it, and made my mark… Only to lose my way and end up behind bars… After getting out, all I wanted was a fresh start: earn honest money and do honest work… 6.2kReads5.3Score10414d adds
