Novels like The Underworld: My Dongguan Girlfriend
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Underworld: My Dongguan Girlfriend, best match first.
- 1 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
- 2 My Life in the Underworld 我的江湖人生 I, Li Qiang, have made my way in the underworld on three things: being ruthless, being loyal, and having plenty of brothers… The jianghu is a world full of legends and strife, where blades flash and chivalry meets tenderness. 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 I Joined the Underworld to Pay Off My Debts, and Became a Big Shot 我，混黑道，从还债开始当大佬 After his father dies suddenly, leaving behind 300,000 yuan in debt, Lin Mo is forced to enter the rough-and-tumble underworld to pay it off. He becomes the least important underling in the Loyalty Hall. When he first arrives, he's mocked for his soft, delicate appearance and bullied by old hands. The Red Hair Gang, a rival outfit, also marks him as a thorn in its side. But no one knows that this seemingly meek young man hides a fierce streak and a calculating mind. When others make trouble fo —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 Dragon City Storm: A Deadly Showdown in the Underworld on New Year's Eve 龙城风云：除夕前夜的江湖绝杀 Dragon City in Turmoil: A Deadly Showdown in the Underworld on New Year's Eve 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 The Gray Wolf at Dusk 暮夜苍狼 , a fiery youth and glorious days. He was once a bona fide second-generation gangster, but overnight he lost everything. Driven by hatred, he entered the jianghu and set foot on a path of no return. He is the proud Wolf King, a true leader! In his enemies' eyes, he is cunning and ruthless. In his brothers' eyes, he is loyal and devoted! From school to society, from having nothing to standing at the summit, he wrote a legend of his own. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 Hong Kong Films: Invincible Sign-In, the Boss's Wife Is Panicking 港片：我无敌签到，大嫂心慌慌 Su Wen transmigrates into a Hong Kong movie world and becomes an undercover cop working for an inspector. He’s bound to the Invincible Sign-In System. Every day, he waits for the officer to give the order to move in. He waits and waits, but it never comes. I’ve become the boss! 1kReads—Score—14d adds
- 7 From Prisoner to Undercover: Playing Both Sides 从囚徒到卧底之黑白通吃 Wang Hao is a fourth-year student at the Law Enforcement Academy. His father was killed on a mission two years ago. His mother, the only family he had left, was buried when gangsters forcibly demolished their home. With justice nowhere to be found, Wang Hao accidentally left someone crippled and was sent to prison. By a twist of fate, law enforcement officials selected him and promoted him to undercover agent. Walking the line between black and white, he gradually became a major figure in both w —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 Tainan Underworld: Tales of the Past 台南黑道往事 Lin Qing is a promising business management graduate, always impeccably dressed in Taipei, until a letter from home pulls him back to the heart of the storm: Anping, Tainan. His father, Lin Shuisu, rules the docks with an iron fist as the gang boss of the Shuishu Gang. This world reeks of the sea, rust, cheap betel nut, and unrestrained violence, a stark contrast to the orderly life of Taipei. His first lesson after returning home is watching his father hack off the fingers of a debtor named A S 33Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 Reborn into the Underworld? Making Money Is the Way to Go! 重生混社会？搞钱才是正道！ [Urban + reborn + business rivalries + gathering underlings + powerful connections + full-throttle rise] Jiang Chen, who became a major underworld boss in his previous life, met a bad end. When he opened his eyes, he found himself reborn in 2007. China was in the midst of rapid economic growth, and Jiang Chen decided to live differently this time. He joins forces with his old comrades to establish Shengqiang Group, using his information advantage to build the company into a powerhouse! Get invol 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 Memoirs of a Bad Kid 坏孩子回忆录 A true story I made up, told in an ordinary tone. A boy's coming-of-age story, a record of a group of teenagers' youth. I dedicate this book to my wild and reckless youth. (A new author with a new book. 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 My Years in the Gray Market 我干灰产那几年 After spending two years in prison for illegal business dealings, I picked up my pen in 2025 and wrote about my own experiences. After only two chapters, I went back in for another six months. Now, speaking as someone who’s been through it, I want to lay out the truth about how I went astray and make clear the hard lessons I learned from falling twice. I hope my personal experience can serve as a warning to others: know your limits and stay on the right path. Don’t let greed or wishful thinking —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 The Knockout: Gao Qiqiang's Younger Brother, Starting by Stealing Chen Shuting Away 狂飙：高家老二，截胡陈书婷开始 Reborn unexpectedly into the world of television dramas, Gao Qihan becomes the second son of the Gao family. He has a younger brother, Gao Qisheng, and a younger sister, Gao Qilan. Knowing that if events follow the plot, no one in his family will meet a good end, Gao Qihan tries to persuade his older brother to move away from Jinghai. But Gao Qiqiang rebukes him, and in a fit of anger, Gao Qihan leaves home, awakening the God-Tier Choice System. After making his way in Magic City for five years, 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 I Started Factory Work at Eighteen and Met the Boss's Mistress. After He Broke My Ribs, I Made a Comeback and Became His Father! 十八岁进厂邂逅老板情人，被打断肋骨后我逆袭当他爹！ I Started Working in a Factory at Eighteen and Met the Boss’s Mistress. After He Broke My Ribs, I Made a Comeback and Became His Dad! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 Film and TV: Chen Shuting Asks Me to Tone It Down 影视：陈书婷求我收敛点 The New Year's firecrackers began to crackle, and Gao Qisheng woke up once again. He adjusted the glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, though they had no prescription. He went over to Chen Shuting, wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind, and rested his head on her fragrant shoulder. “Sister Chen, the New Year is almost here. What do you wish for this year?” Chen Shuting gently stroked Gao Qisheng's cheek. “Brother Sheng, I don't want anything. I just hope you'll stay by my s —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 From the Start: Sentenced to Prison, I Begin a Jianghu Legend 开局：我被判入狱，开启江湖传奇 [Dongguan] [Multiple Women] [Underworld] [Feel-Good] Prisons are full of hidden talents. The jianghu is a world of bloodshed and turmoil. Lin Yang went to prison because of a woman, then fought his way through the jianghu for another. Please give it a read. Thank you. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 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
- 17 I Got Beaten Up Several Times Right After Starting School 刚开学就挨几顿打 When faced with school bullying, would you keep your head down and endure it, or fight back with all you've got? Sen Hao is beaten up several times soon after starting middle school. But he grows stronger through adversity, eventually crushing underfoot each person who once bullied him. 114Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 A Pot of Liquor in Dongguan, Jimei, Come with Me 东莞一壶酒，集美跟我走 [Passionate Wuxia] [Love and Romance] [Humorous and Funny] Chen Hao’s wife died young, and he was so consumed by grief that he couldn’t pull himself out of it. Seeing how much he was suffering, his parents-in-law urged him to head south to Dongguan and seek help from his sister-in-law. But when he arrived in Dongguan, he discovered the shocking reason she had always been single... To save her from this living hell, Chen Hao had no choice but to raise his fists. After spending a while here, h 8.3kReads8.8Score1.4k14d adds
- 19 Tales of the Underworld in Dongguan 莞城江湖往事 The jianghu isn’t a world of free-spirited heroes, revenge, and fine clothes atop spirited steeds. It’s a filthy, chaotic reality twisted by darkness! I, Zhang Xingheng, entered the jianghu to play the game of schemes and use my brains. Everything in the world was part of my calculations, including myself! So, you ask why I succeeded? Because every big shot in the jianghu fell victim to my schemes! They fell amid blades, guns, and blood! From the moment I stepped into the jianghu, every big shot 11.4kReads6.8Score65114d adds
- 20 Bloodshed and the Rise of a Young Man 血染，少年崛起 (This work is set in a fictional world and contains science fiction elements.) This is a story about brotherhood and the code of the underworld... Do good people really get what they deserve? Do so-called bad people have their own reasons...? In these chaotic times, perhaps the only way forward is to join the underworld. The saying that good and evil are always repaid in the end is nothing but words meant to comfort people. Before true power, perhaps we are no more than ants. Perhaps only after 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 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
- 22 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
- 23 My First Steps into the Real World! 初闯社会！ A mischievous little punk back in his school days, he somehow ends up getting into police academy through a twist of fate. During his time there, he transforms from a rebellious teenager into a mature, steady, hardworking cadet. Then, by chance, he is sent undercover to infiltrate a criminal organization, gradually building up his own influence... 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 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
- 25 Wolf Hunt 狼狩 Lin Qiwen watches his honest, hardworking parents get beaten right before his eyes. As a boy, he’s falsely accused and sent to juvenile detention. Five years later, he walks out and stirs up the underworld. Revenge is only the beginning. He wants far more than that. Watch Lin Qiwen climb step by step to the very peak of power! 610Reads6.6Score10214d adds
- 26 Honor Among Gangsters 黑道有义 My new work is out! Come read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 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
- 28 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. 448Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 My Wild Youth: From Being Bullied to Becoming a Gang Boss 混过的青春：从被欺负到黑帮大佬 How does a timid boy who's bullied every day gradually rediscover the courage he lost in his youth? How does he finally redeem himself? And how does he rise step by step to the pinnacle of the underworld? What secrets lie behind it all? Find out in The Days We Lived Through. 5.3kReads—Score34914d adds
- 30 The Jianghu of Those Years 那些年的江湖 Quiet! Class is about to begin!!! At Uncle Two's shout, the hall and the streets packed with people fell completely silent. Just then, the young crowd parted, making way without being told. Wen Hua walked through, hearing his brothers call out to him as he passed. “Brother Hua!” “Greetings, Brother Hua.” 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 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 35Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 32 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
- 33 I’m Just a College Student. So What If I Become a Red Pole? 我一大学生，当个红棍怎么了 Qin Yu thought passing the police academy entrance exam would let him escape the harm caused by his family. Instead, his parents framed him and made him take the blame for his younger brother. He met a benefactor in prison, but after his release, how will he rise step by step to become the underworld's overlord? Stay tuned. The coming-of-age story of a college student in the criminal underworld: a classic, blood-pumping power fantasy with no System, astronomical combat power, and a young man who 95Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 I Kidnapped a Mafia Heiress, Only to Discover She Was Reborn 绑票黑道千金，没想到她是重生者 My name is Zhang Xun. On the first day after transmigrating, I kidnapped the daughter of a crime boss. If her father finds out, I’ll be chopped into pieces, thirty chunks east of the river and thirty chunks west. Just as I was about to release her and pretend nothing had happened, I awakened a Identity System. Complete identity missions to earn rewards. [Current Identity: Kidnapper] [Mission: See the kidnapping through to the end] Great. I’m dead for sure. My name is Nan Shuyi. I’m the daugh 751Reads5.4Score—14d adds
- 35 Dongjiang County: The Invisible Hand 东江县：无形之手 Li Jing, deputy head of the provincial investigative team, has barely arrived in Dongjiang County when she encounters a bizarre case: Zhang Meng, a construction contractor, beat a man to death in the street, yet at trial the victim’s family all changed their testimony. In a rundown teahouse in town, she runs into the boy she secretly loved back in school. Now he stoops, his fingernails caked with tea stains. When Li Jing takes out the graduation photo she has treasured for years, a flicker of em 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 The Winds of Ye City 邺都风云 My father was dead, but his debts remained. 140,000 yuan, two people, one county town. Zhou Ye only wanted to study hard, but some people wouldn't let him. Why should a son have to pay off the mess his father left behind? He refused to accept it. Then He'd beat them into submission. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 The Kingpin of Jincheng 晋城枭雄 Qin Mu is bullied by his classmates at school. By chance, he hears about the most powerful gang boss in the district. He completes the gang’s initiation task, becomes a wanted man, and gradually builds up his strength until he finally retires from the underworld. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 The Underworld's Dark Domain Kingpin 地下秩序之暗域枭雄 The underground order shifts, and ruthless power players rise and fall in turn. Some rule through sheer brutality, others grow fabulously wealthy through schemes. Some bask in glory, while others lose everything and fall into disgrace. When an anti-crime storm sweeps across the land, every “underground emperor’s” golden dream crumbles! This is the most realistic history of the rise and fall of the criminal underworld. 21Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 The Bright Moon Shines Over Guandong 明月照关东 (A realistic period setting, urban underworld, everyday life, calculating and ruthless protagonist, slow pace, not a mindless wish-fulfillment novel) Half a lifetime at the bottom, every step mired in hardship. Fate was never in his hands; nothing ever went the way he wanted. Caught up in turbulent times, he endured the treachery of human nature. There were roads he didn’t want to take, but with no choice, he could only fight his way upstream. Without a golden finger, an ordinary man struggles t 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Underworld Saga: Starting My Rise to Emperor at School 黑道风云：称帝从校园开始 This book tells the story of a generation of underworld kingpins rising to power and making their mark. Brotherhood, grudges and vendettas, multiple heroines, and an action-packed, satisfying read. If you don't enjoy it, you can hit me... —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 A Shadow in the Women's Bathhouse: A Terrifying Redemption 女澡堂倩影：惊魂救赎 A Glimpse in the Women’s Bathhouse: A Terrifying Redemption 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 Judgment on a Rainy Night in the City 都市之雨夜裁决 Judgment on a Rainy Night in the City 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 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
- 44 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 61Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 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
- 46 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
- 47 A Blood-Red Underworld 血红色的江湖 The martial world is a blood-red place... This is not a power fantasy. Through real-life experiences, it shows everyone just how cruel the martial world is, and warns them to stay out of it. Yang Hai, a young man from somewhere in Northeast China, was determined to enter the martial world. Ten years later, his heart has turned cold. The glories of the past have vanished like smoke, and all that awaits him is judgment! 1.7kReads—Score12414d adds
- 48 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
- 49 An Age of Turmoil: The Gangster Who Rose from a Village 混乱年代：从村走出来的枭雄 After leaving the military, Wu Wenjun drifted around the village, looking for a trade to take up. Just then, the village was holding an election for village chief. His Third Uncle, the former chief, was provoked at a banquet. Enough was enough: if you can dish it out, you can take it. How could he stand by while someone bullied a man in his own village? He stepped forward at once, and so began his life in the underworld. When he looked back, he had become a famous young boss in the criminal worl 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 The 11th Book by Qu Shen 去甚第11本书 That year, the train bound for Guancheng became the turning point that changed his life. No one could have guessed that from then on, he would set out on a road of no return, one all his own. Years later, there was only one thing he wanted to say to that city... 34Reads—Score—14d adds
