Novels like The Underworld: From Low-Level Thug to Godfather
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Underworld: From Low-Level Thug to Godfather, best match first.
- 151 Day One of College: I Start Running with the Underworld! 大学第一天，从混黑道开始！ A powerful underworld boss is reborn as a college student. With the System’s help, he rises once more to the pinnacle of the underworld. [Feel-Good Revenge + Urban + Underworld + Boss + School] Starting out as a college student, the male lead Lin Ao works his way to the top of the underworld, dominating both the criminal and legitimate worlds. He has powerful backing and influence that reaches everywhere. Dear readers, please be patient as you read. The story starts off ordinary, but the excitin 902Reads6.9Score10214d adds
- 152 My Dad's on the Straight and Narrow, I'm in the Underworld 白道爹，黑道我 [Not invincible! Not invincible! Not invincible!] The martial world is a road of no return, and its people are pawns that have crossed the river! Where will the drifting ship in this forbidden zone finally end up? Watch as this wandering youth stirs up a storm! Black side: I've got countless brothers! White side: My backing is powerful beyond belief! Money is just something you can't bring with you when you die! [Entirely fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental!] 100.1kReads9.0Score7.3k14d adds
- 153 The Long Dark Road of Hong Kong Noir 港综黑色长路 My new work is out! You’re welcome to read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support inspires me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 5.6kReads6.5Score17014d adds
- 154 King of the Underworld 江湖枭雄 An ordinary-looking confrontation pushes a callow young man to a crossroads in life. Faced with fate’s mockery and the crushing weight of life, he chooses to stand tall and fight back. 31.2kReads9.1Score2.7k14d adds
- 155 The Gangster Tycoon Who Rose from the Hutongs 胡同里杀出来的流氓大亨 Previously published under the titles Dragon City Years and Thirty Years in a Bloodstained Underworld. This is a lawless age where every corner is ruled by a big shot. This is the story of a naive young man who turns into a bloodthirsty beast just to survive. This is an underworld tale full of thrills and passion! Welcome to the 1980s… 40.5kReads9.2Score3.8k14d adds
- 156 The Underworld Heiress Makes a Fierce Bodyguard 黑道千金猛保镖 [Underworld] + [Urban] + [Multiple Female Leads] + [Power Fantasy] [Not for readers under 18] Wang Meng rose from bodyguard to godfather of the underworld, unifying both the criminal and legitimate worlds. His was a life of power and grandeur. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 157 Number One Under Heaven 天下第一 No money to give you, but you can take my life. I’m the best in the world! Looking at his disheveled reflection in the mirror, Chen Dong slammed a fist into it, his eyes bloodshot. “From today on, no one will ever walk all over you again!” 15.1kReads8.9Score1.2k14d adds
- 158 Tales of the Underworld: My Extraordinary Life 江湖往事：我的妖孽人生 [Urban slice of life + multiple female leads + the underworld] My name is Tang Haichao, and my nickname is Giant Wave. In 1995, I started a bloodbath to protect my girlfriend. When I got out of prison in 1998, she was already married to someone else. Qiao Xuefei, the wealthy heiress from a family that had been close to mine for generations, introduced me to the real underworld. The underworld is far bigger than you can imagine. Different ranks, different circles, bloody turmoil and countless twi 788Reads8.6Score16114d adds
- 159 The Pinnacle of Black Power 黑权顶点 (Ignore the rating. This is a black-market thriller with guaranteed thrills.) Qin Hui only wants to sell watermelons in peace, earn a little money, and find himself a wife. But the street thugs at the market bully him until he can barely get by. At the end of his rope, he finally picks up a watermelon knife and strikes back. “A man needs either money or power. Better to stand up and fight than live like a spineless loser.” An ordinary man transforms into a big shot, eventually reaching unima 17.1kReads8.5Score1k14d adds
- 160 A Life of Dark Desires 黑欲人生 Keep your hands ruthless, your mind sharp, and your nerve strong. The martial world is a place where people devour one another. Talk about honor and reason? You'll end up without a bone left! [Blood-Soaked Martial World] [Love and Hate] [Powerful Background] [All the Right Ingredients] 16.3kReads8.9Score1.4k14d adds
- 161 The Drifter's Road Home 混子的归途 With my brothers by my side and guns in our hands, let’s see who gets to call the shots in this underworld! I may stay out of the underworld, but once I step in, I’ll make every thug submit and every boss get out of my way. I’ll become the... king of this underworld! New book: Underworld Boss: Starting as a Veteran. Now serializing to great acclaim! 30.1kReads9.2Score2.2k14d adds
- 162 The Charismatic Hero 枭雄 The goddess who looked down on me back then now wants to partner with a company under my name… A golden-scaled carp is no mere pond fish. When its destined moment comes, it transforms into a dragon. I’m going to become a ruthless tycoon and make everyone who looked down on me regret ever crossing me. 596Reads8.5Score10114d adds
- 163 The Blood Dragon of Carnage 狂煞血龙 To find her, he enters this battle for power with a band of beastlike brothers at his side... After she is murdered, he raises his blade and unleashes a massacre that shocks the world... His bloodthirsty nature earns him the fearsome title of the greatest killer emperor in history... With his arrival, the underworld is shrouded in a bloody haze for decades... 1.6kReads8.9Score11814d adds
- 164 Starting from Scratch: Building a Dark Empire 从零开始，打造一座黑暗帝国 [War god + multiple heroines + face-slapping + political intrigue + no System + characters who all use their brains] [The story may have many long-range plot threads and foreshadowing. As I say in my introduction, political intrigue will feature heavily. If you prefer mindless wish fulfillment, you might want to try another great author's work.] Five years ago, Qin Yuan was exiled from Xia after his comrade committed a heinous massacre. Five years later, the Lord of the Abyss returned, intent on 152Reads—Score—14d adds
- 165 Evil Emperor: Sinful Inferno 邪皇：罪恶无间 [Black X Evil Emperor]+ [Passionate]+ [Reborn Big Shot] Nine death-row prisons across the country. Thirty-six top death-row fighters are selected to dominate the underworld. Reborn in the world of the Evil Emperor, he faces Blood Eagle and fights Lone Dragon. What has he to fear from the life-taking Azure Darkness? The strongest gladiator in the country, Chen Zui is the one and only! 8.5kReads9.1Score50814d adds
- 166 The Bad Guys: The Storm Rises Again 2 坏蛋之风云再起2 [People have names, and trees have shadows. Who is Xie Wendong? Everyone knows.] As the scorching sun slowly sinks away and the half moon hangs high, as neon lights begin to flicker and night descends, what can we use to prove that we exist? 12kReads9.0Score78814d adds
- 167 The Underworld: The Jianghu Big Shots I Brought to Heel Over the Years 黑道：我那些年收服的江湖大佬 The underworld is a road of no return. It's a last chance for those with nowhere else to turn to make a comeback. Win, and you reach the height of power and become fabulously wealthy. Lose, and at best you die; at worst, you become a cripple. This road takes three parts vision, six parts luck, and one part relying on yourself. By some stroke of luck, I won. When I got out of prison, I didn't have a penny to my name. Now I'm surrounded by beautiful women and rule this whole territory. This road w 6.7kReads8.6Score55614d adds
- 168 The Storms of Beicheng 北城风云 Synopsis: (This story is entirely fictional. Its original title was Northern City’s Turmoil.) What is the jianghu? Wherever there are people, there is a jianghu, and wherever there is a jianghu, there is conflict! The jianghu is about fighting, killing, and the law of the jungle, but it’s also about human relationships and social conventions. This book will take you back to the jianghu of the 1980s and 1990s, where you’ll witness the extraordinary path of Chen Yanan, a generation’s ruthless hero 13.1kReads9.4Score1.1k14d adds
- 169 I Am the Legend 我就是传奇 I don’t know when it happened, but a bunch of people like this came into my life, even though I’ve always been cold-hearted and a little shameless. When I got dumped, they’d say, “What’s the big deal? Lost your girl? Find another one tomorrow. If you’re really desperate, I’ll lend you myself for the night!” When I felt lost, they were always there with me in our cramped little rooms, shouting, “We give it everything we’ve got, all so we can make something of ourselves!” ... Back then, I couldn’t 19.6kReads9.3Score2k14d adds
- 170 Crouching Tiger 卧虎 A hidden dragon rises from the depths and devours all things; a crouching tiger commands the mountains and guards a thousand frontiers! When I was little, the strange older girl next door always asked me to help wash her. When I got a little older, she taught me how to be a real man! Twenty years of flashing blades, eighteen years of changing seasons. The black throne may change hands, but true kingship belongs only to madmen who dare to dance with the devil! 14.5kReads7.7Score2.7k14d adds
- 171 The Gray-Eyed White Cat 白猫传灰瞳 The young heir of a crime family is forced to become a beggar. With nothing but a bowl from the start, he becomes the Zhu Yuanzhang of the underworld. Fresh twists and airtight logic. Italian mixed-race, ruthless, cruel, and realistic. He kills decisively, with every punch landing hard, every blade striking true, and every bullet finding its mark. A slow burn. Trust me, it only gets better as it goes. (No saintly heroine, no System, no harem, pure underworld fiction.) —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 172 Blood Wolf Berserker 血狼狂兵 [Retired God of War + Master Strategist + Ruthless and Decisive] His comrade was framed and killed, so a legendary Blood Wolf retires from service to uncover the mastermind. Conspiracies, assassinations, framing, and using others to do one’s dirty work. But the former king of soldiers couldn’t care less. He’ll just kill his way through. 430Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 173 The Young Tiger Leaves the Mountain, Sweeping the Capital's Rising Elite from the Start 幼虎出山，开局横扫京城新贵 [Urban + passionate + wealth fantasy + romance + one heroine] The moment the young tiger raised by the Lu family of the Northwest set foot in the capital, a storm was bound to erupt. Old feuds between the great families, clashes among the newly powerful: the young tiger was destined to become the lord of the mountain. “Stop picking me up all the time. It's embarrassing,” the little girl pouted in protest. Lu Wei scratched his head awkwardly. Even the lord of the mountain had to bow his head for 37.1kReads8.7Score3.6k14d adds
- 174 The World’s Most Terrifying Organization: Ruling the World 全球战力最恐怖组织：称霸全世界 [Assassin]+ [Mercenary]+ [Underworld] I founded the Underworld and hunted down the fiends. A hundred kings under my command wage war across the land, all to reach the pinnacle of the world. Assassins, mercenaries, the underworld, the whole wide world. My name is Zhou Du. I kill… I do not ferry souls! 84.4kReads8.8Score6.5k14d adds
- 175 Hong Kong Crossover: I Have Too Many Good Brothers! 港综：我的好兄弟太多了！ “Standing before you now is the boss of the Hong Kong police force! The uncrowned king of Southeast Asia's underworld! The old financial clans' lifelong nemesis! The creator of the Continental Hotel! The King of Technology! Renowned philanthropist and national entrepreneur, Mr. Zhang Jiayao!” “I, Zhang Jiayao, have made it this far through my brothers. Brothers, and nothing but brothers!” 55.6kReads8.3Score3.2k14d adds
- 176 Hunting a Movie Star: I Took Down the Underworld 围猎女星：我干翻地下江湖 [A passionate underworld saga set in the jianghu, with female celebrities, a harem, cunning scheming, power struggles, capital, and intricate, brain-burning plotting] [This is not a brainless story. If you like low-quality, mindless fiction, stop after the first three chapters. The underworld is more than gangsters, and the jianghu is more than fighting. The first thirty chapters reveal just a fraction of the picture. I’ll use my own experiences to show you what the underworld really is, and wha 205Reads—Score—14d adds
- 177 Storms Over the Northern Frontier 塞北风云 [Underworld Kingpin]+ [Rise to Power]+ [Take Down the Boss and Claim His Wife]+ [Multiple Female Leads]+ [Ensemble Cast]+ [Passionate Underworld Adventures]+ [Scheming and Hilarious] Be an ordinary man: greedy for money and fond of beautiful women. That was one thing I realized after getting out of prison. I used to be an underworld boss who could turn the tide with a flick of my hand. But my brothers were either locked up or gone. I used to be a pushover too, until I met that woman. She changed 41.9kReads9.1Score3.1k14d adds
- 178 Multiverse Missions Starting from Hong Kong Cinema 从港综开始的诸天任务 Qin Feng was an unlucky guy... ahem... lucky fellow, chosen by the System because he was so absorbed while watching a certain country's art film. He was sent to a world made up of countless Hong Kong movies. Fortunately, the Wolverine physique he got from the System, even in a weakened form, kept him alive. To complete his System missions, he volunteered to become Ma Jun's informant. Ma Jun is the protagonist of SPL: Kill Zone. Relying on the fragments of plot he could still remember, Qin Feng o 7.1kReads6.9Score30114d adds
- 179 I'm No Little Punk: The Shorties' Hero Squad 我不是小混混之矮子英雄队 I'm determined not to become a hoodlum. Even a short person can stand tall. Not every hero is tall, but every passionate heart deserves to be seen. I won't go along with the ways of the world. I'll walk my own path through the jianghu. The road is long, so may we meet again at the summit... 77Reads—Score—14d adds
- 180 Temptations of the Jianghu 江湖诱惑 [Underworld + Mature Beauties + Conquest + Feel-Good Action + Multiple Heroines] [The first five chapters take their time, but the story gets thrilling later. Read ten chapters, and if you’re not hooked, come chop me up!] Wang Xiaohu leaves the countryside for Jiangcheng, hoping to live a quiet life, but a clash draws him into the whirlpool of the underworld. He meets Qian Jiajia, gets close to Cui Meng, and is even forcibly h 31.8kReads8.0Score2.9k14d adds
- 181 The Tiger Roars Across the Central Plains 虎啸中州 Three cups of wine for the mortal world, one pot of tea for a legacy that lasts a thousand years. What does it mean to truly live? Let me tell you what it means to unleash a ferocious tiger. Some ride horses, some sit in sedan chairs, while others push carts and shoulder their loads. I’ve never admitted defeat. You can beat me a thousand times, but I still won’t cry!!! 187Reads—Score—14d adds
- 182 The Butcher Who Walked Out of Prison 从监狱中走出的人屠 Being part of the underworld isn’t about fighting and killing. It’s about dealing with people. Su Bai had no connections, no powerful backers, and had just spent ten years in prison. After his release, he was penniless, so his older brother found him a job as a computer lab attendant. Watch him turn his life around and make his way in both the underworld and the legitimate world. In the underworld, he’s a big shot with people ready to answer his call. In the legitimate world, he has powerful fri 28.4kReads8.5Score2.3k14d adds
- 183 Within Canglan 苍兰之中 After the planet Qingmu Huanhai was unified by Huangfu Shou, the Canglan Kingdom was founded. The former kingdoms of Bailong, Hei, Lushu, and Xingji rose in rebellion, hoping to restore their old regimes. The protagonist, Liu Yicheng, was orphaned at a young age and taken in by the abbot of Shaolin Temple. He trained at the Bodhidharma Hall from childhood, mastered all of Shaolin’s martial arts, and breezed through the Eighteen Bronze Men formation. After completing his training, he descended th 27Reads—Score—14d adds
- 184 The Legend Reborn 传奇重现 The four-part series by Wei Jie: We Were All Bad Kids, I Am Legend, Legend Reborn, and Hidden Dragon on the Right Path. A young man, still green, left his hometown in a fit of anger. Four years later, he returned, weathered and bearing the glory of success! In a city built from reinforced concrete, old friends were gone and legends had faded into retirement... Faced with his family’s reproach and his friends’ disdain, he had once wandered at a crossroads, pointing into the dark sky with his 32.6kReads9.4Score3.2k14d adds
- 185 The Allure of the Underworld 黑道诱人 [The short drama adapted from this book, From Here on, Rivers Flow into the World, is now available. Come watch!] [Urban + underworld + big shots + all-powerful + feel-good story + period setting + invincible protagonist + multiple heroines + ruthless and decisive] When I was little, my dad often told me that the path of the underworld was a road of no return. It was hard to walk, and few people ever came to a good end. I never understood what he meant. Instead, I thought the underworld was all 67.5kReads8.7Score3k14d adds
- 186 Hong Kong Dramas! I Have No Choice 港综！我没得选 Is Liang Kun my second uncle? Am I an illegitimate child of the Ni family? I want to make my own way. Someone gives me a chance? Do I even have the right to choose? When I try to turn back, I find no one behind me... 3kReads6.4Score10414d adds
- 187 The Urban Underworld: Power and Influence 都市江湖：权势滔天 The short drama of the same name premieres on January 4, 2026, at 10 a.m. on Hongguo Short Drama: Urban Underworld: Power Overwhelming Chen Yi had never met his biological father. Then one day, his parents were summoned to school, and he watched helplessly as his teacher was beaten badly enough to end up in the hospital... 14kReads9.0Score44314d adds
- 188 When an Honest Man Picks Up a Knife 当老实人拿起刀 This is a straight-up crime-world novel! It does start with the protagonist being reborn, but after that, the story has nothing to do with being reborn! In short, the plot is ruthless, satisfying, and wild... The underworld here is all about fighting and killing, but also about human relationships and social rules! 22.4kReads9.1Score1.8k14d adds
- 189 A Record of Struggles in the Stock Market 股市挣扎录 The stock market is vast and unpredictable. Liu Bei is picking up his trading career where he left off in his previous book, after weathering the ups and downs of the market. Can he finally turn his fortunes around this time, or will he keep struggling in the stock market? New readers can start with the latest chapter to keep up with the times. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 190 Godfather of Lancheng: Starting Out Hauling Cargo at the Docks 岚城教父：从码头杠包开始 [Underworld power plays + passion + no System + battles of wits + multiple heroines + unconventional twists] P.S. This is neither a mindless power fantasy nor a story about an invincible protagonist!!! Jiang Liechen arrives in Lanzhou and becomes the new leader of a gang. On day one, he punishes the wicked and beats a traitor to death. On day two, he wins over the gang leader’s wife and takes control of the gang. On day three, he purges both the underworld and the authorities, leaving his enemie —Reads9.2Score114d adds
- 191 Black Desires of Youth 黑欲青春 (Not a wish-fulfillment story, and the hero isn't invincible. Enter at your own risk.) A youth stained with blood, vows made without regret, inexperienced love, sincere friendship, the cruelty of society, and the complexity of human nature. An unforgettable, turbulent era! A piece of underworld lore passed down to this day! A band of brothers who shared honor and disgrace, life and death! An unmatched era, with a flag-bearer standing at its peak! Laughing as we watch the tides of fortune, marchi 47.7kReads9.4Score4.3k14d adds
- 192 The Underworld's Turbulent Road 黑道风云江湖路 What is the Dao? It does not arise because of one person's goodness, nor perish because of one person's evil. Good and evil are determined by people; rise and fall are determined by fate. The people of the world think they are fighting for money, power, or pride. Only in the end do they understand that they were fighting for nothing but illusion. The Dao knows no black or white. All living beings are within the game. (Note: This book is extremely realistic and even somewhat oppressive. Re 136kReads9.2Score9.4k14d adds
- 193 A Hot-Blooded Fight to Become the Boss of the City 热血奋斗成为城中大佬 Gu Yulong, a deliveryman from the bottom rung of society, is stuck in an eight-square-meter rental room in an urban village, trudging through wind and rain every day as he struggles to make ends meet. Then, in an accident, he crosses paths with Su Wan, the mysterious daughter of one of the city's richest tycoons. Su Wan is breathtakingly beautiful. Her luxurious attire can hardly conceal her innate allure, and behind her words, spoken with parted red lips, lies an inscrutable calculation. Like 82Reads—Score—14d adds
- 194 Hong Kong Films: The Positive Energy System of a Hung Hing Big Shot 港片：洪兴大佬的正能量系统 After transmigrating into the role of Kun's top lieutenant, Feng Yun had planned to keep his head down and live this way until he had saved enough money to move overseas and enjoy a life of luxury. "Ding-dong! Congratulations, Host. You have activated the Positive Energy System." Feng Yun was dumbfounded. I’m a big-time villain, so why have you activated a Positive Energy System for me? What kind of joke is this? But then Feng Yun discovered that the items in the Positive Energy System’s shop we 604Reads8.9Score11714d adds
- 195 The Knockout 2: Gao Qilan Returns Home, Jinghai Is About to Change 狂飙2：高启兰回国，京海要变天 [Feel-Good] [No System] Spring, 2022. After Gao Qiqiang was brought to justice, the skies over Jinghai cleared. But while Gao Qilan was sorting through her big brother’s belongings, she unexpectedly found a diary. After reading it, she finally understood. Her brother, Gao Qiqiang, had known all along that defeat was inevitable. He had deliberately exposed himself so he could keep Gao Qilan safe. Once she learned the truth, she felt that everyone had betrayed the Gao family. And so she went compl 1.9kReads9.1Score32314d adds
- 196 Overseas Turmoil: The Path of a Crime Lord 海外风云之枭雄路途 My name is Lin Feng. I’ve encountered, witnessed, and experienced many industries and incidents that people would rather keep hidden. So many people have been lured overseas by high-paying jobs, only to die. So many have died because their desires could never be satisfied. This synopsis can’t do the story justice. Read the novel to find out more. 8kReads9.1Score65714d adds
- 197 Wolves and Brothers 狼与兄弟 The wolf may look cold and ruthless, but beneath that exterior lies boundless tenderness. He is willing to sacrifice himself for his family and brothers! Just like Wang Ying, the protagonist, his heart isn't cold. It's the way he looks down on worldly conventions that makes him seem that way! Like a wolf king, he can become the heart of any team, leading his brothers through life-or-death trials, never abandoning them! From the awkwardness of college days to the hardships of entering the working 7.2kReads9.3Score49214d adds
- 198 Reborn, I Run a Taoist Temple 重生后我经营一座道观 From the start, Wang Dashan killed a bandit, saved his grandfather, and then set out on a path from hunting to becoming a tycoon who would help restore his country. In 2023, 58-year-old Wang Dashan, alone in the world, was reborn in the Taoist temple where he had lived at age fifteen. To save his grandfather, who had been killed by bandits while protecting the villagers, and make up for the regret of having wanted to care for his parents only after it was too late, he picked up a knife and kille 18.4kReads9.0Score2k14d adds
- 199 There's No End to Gambling, Turn Back Before It's Too Late 赌海无涯，回头是岸 People often say that nine out of ten gambling games are rigged. There's another old saying, too: gamble long enough, and even the gods will lose. Even in our harmonious society, where material and cultural life are highly developed, the age-old scourge of gambling is still all around us. Countless people have lost everything to it, some even losing their families and their lives. Told from the perspective of someone who works in a casino, this book exposes the little-known shady dealings behind 14.8kReads9.2Score1.4k14d adds
- 200 I Was Reborn, So Why Am I Still a Loser?! 都重生了，我怎么还是混子？！ [Undercover in the underworld + ruthless and decisive + no sanctimonious do-gooding + sharp as a tack] Brothers, this book once had over 500,000 readers following it, and kept that readership for several months. Quite a few people have adapted it into absurd animated videos and AI short dramas. I’m not a touchy person. You can post videos without my permission, but shouldn’t you at least show me a little respect? Couldn’t you include the original book title and the author’s name? Using Foqin’s n 25.7kReads9.1Score2.7k14d adds
