Novels like The Day I Went to Prison: She Blazed a Trail Alone and Smashed My Shackles
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Day I Went to Prison: She Blazed a Trail Alone and Smashed My Shackles, best match first.
- 1 The Jianghu in Its True Colors 江湖本色 [New book: River Dragon on the Loose] Many years ago, a group of cocky young boys smoked cigarettes that cost just a few yuan a pack and talked big about their dreams. Longing for the day they would grow up, they shouted, “Our future is bright!” Looking back in an instant, the old street is still there, and the stars shine as they always did. But are the brothers from those days still the same? A man remains a boy until the day he dies! Just like youthful passion, it may cool, but it never dies! 982Reads7.2Score10214d adds
- 2 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! 624Reads6.6Score10214d adds
- 3 Legends of Jiangbei 江北风云传 Jiangbei is a tangled city, its underground forces deeply entrenched in a balance of power that no one has been able to shake for decades. No one could have guessed that the person to stir up this muddy pond would be a transfer student at a vocational high school. Su Yan transfers in and plunges straight into a school rife with conflict and chaos. Faced with the law of the jungle, he neither hides nor backs down. He makes his fists his blade and his courage his edge, carving out a place for hims 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 He and His Thousand Brothers 他和他的一千个兄弟 A sweeping crackdown on organized crime by the municipal Party committee and government brought Kangcheng ten years of peace. But after a decade, criminal forces sprang up like mushrooms after rain and returned in force. A breakup, having his identity stolen in the college entrance exam, and a construction boss’s schemes led Chen Li’an to give up on making an honest living. In the end, he went down a path of no return, turning against society. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 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
- 6 Black Panther: The Bloodstained Throne 黑豹：血色王座 [Black Gangster Revenge Thriller | Two Powerful Leads Raised Together | Strong Female Lead’s Growth | Ensemble Cast | Love Triangle Chaos] At twenty, she became the youngest female gang leader in Dong Province. But her story began in a corner of Dawnlight Orphanage, where Xiao Mo gave her a name. “A smile that can beguile Yangcheng and captivate Xia Cai. I want you to bloom into the most dazzling flower in the world.” She thought they would be together forever, until he fell into the hands of B 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 The Jianghu: A True Account of Half a Life in the Underworld 江湖：混社会的半生真实经历 A chaotic age, filled with flashing blades and clashing steel! The martial world is like a cup of tea. Everyone tastes it differently. My name is Zhao Long. Back then, most people called me Long Si, Brother Si, or Fourth Master! I'm not exaggerating when I say my reputation back then was almost as great as that of the famous Fourth Master Qiao up north! I was a poor kid who couldn't afford a meal. Through sheer grit and ruthl 4.7kReads7.1Score20114d adds
- 8 Be the Cruelest One 做最狠的那个 Who says an ordinary person can't climb to the heavens one day? It was a chaotic era, an era full of opportunities, and, above all, an era when the one with the strongest fists could fill his belly. Don't look down on a poor young man, and don't go around bullying honest people. Otherwise, you might not even get the chance to regret it. 1.3kReads6.5Score—14d adds
- 9 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
- 10 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
- 11 A Song for the Underworld 混子的挽歌 [Raise our cups and toast the rugged road through the underworld.] [Through blood and fury, a brotherhood that lasts a lifetime.] A naive, timid young man, to keep from losing the brothers at his side again, chooses to take up a three-foot steel blade and step into a world stained red with blood. Behind the brotherly bravado and drunken revelry of the underworld, the only things that never change are ruthless exploitation and cold reality. The people he meets make him sick. And little by little, 2.4kReads7.3Score23914d adds
- 12 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
- 13 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
- 14 I Can Turn My Hand to Anything: Two Horizontal Strokes and One Vertical, That's How We Get Things Done 翻手为云：两横一竖就是干 My name is Wang Xiao, and my nickname is Xiao San’er. Those who respect me call me Third Brother. This book is dedicated to the youth I’ve lost and the days I once spent running with a rough crowd. A butterfly spends its life in love with flowers, wandering with their fragrance to the ends of the earth. Through countless hardships, I have no regrets about my golden years. 240Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 No One in the Underworld Hasn't Heard of Yu Chengfei 不良之无人不识宇城飞 [Bad Boys: The Reckless Years] [Passionate] [Underworld] [Youth] [First Person] [Yu Chengfei] [Wang Hao] Everyone wants to get the better of me? They say outsiders have a hard time at the vocational college? I’ll show you what a legend looks like! What secrets did my father and Uncle Wang once share? Why am I so drawn to the underworld? It turns out the blood running through my veins has always destined me for greatness. The king of the underworld in Beiyuan City? That’s only the beginning of my 9.2kReads—Score45414d adds
- 16 My Years in the Underworld: Three Fingers 混黑道的那些年：三根手指 (Period Setting + Underworld + Urban + Satisfying Read + Passion + Mockumentary Style + Brotherhood + No Harem) This novel may touch on real underworld events. Any similarities are purely coincidental! The audiobook is officially out now! It's a real thrill! Brothers, dive right in! Northeast China, 1994. A young man cuts off three fingers with a knife and flees to the northwest. His parents are divorced and his family is well-off, but he insists on making his way through sheer ruthlessness. Fol 94.8kReads9.2Score10.2k14d adds
- 17 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
- 18 My First Half of Life: A Bloody Underworld 我的前半生：血色江湖 [The rating just came in and it’ll keep rising, so don’t let it scare you off! This book is entirely handcrafted, and writing it isn’t easy. Hope you enjoy it!] Eight years in the army, decorated for valor, only to have his future stolen by a substitute! He moves to the city for work and tries to keep his head down, but is forced into a dead end! His brother goes to prison, and his sworn brother dies a tragic death. Good people have no way out, while the wicked run rampant! He abandons the strai 1.4kReads8.4Score13714d adds
- 19 We’ve Been Around the Block Too 哥几个也混过 We navigate society with feeling, And live our lives by loyalty. When feeling and loyalty conflict, We choose loyalty first. We walked side by side, reveling in the wild abandon of youth through those passionate years. You’re my brother, so we’ll face life and death together. 160Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 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
- 21 The Underworld: I Make the Rules 黑道：我才是规矩 Two years in prison, and nothing is as it was. Wherever there are people, there are rivalries and power struggles. Schemes and betrayals are everywhere, and one careless move can destroy an entire family. No matter what, the strong can turn the tables against the odds. Starting today, I make the rules in Philadelphia! 2.4kReads—Score10414d adds
- 22 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
- 23 Tales of Black and White: Leaping Through the Dragon Gate 黑白往事之跃龙门 (Hardcore underworld, a rise from humble beginnings, ensemble cast, smart characters, a realistic coming-of-age style, not a mindless power fantasy, not first-person! Readers under 18 should exercise caution!) How much impact can one misunderstanding have? Enough to change someone's entire life! Can someone with a damaged brain still be a gang boss? Not only can he, he can be a great one! In the early 1990s, the tide of the market economy swept across all of China, stirring up everyone just like 2.4kReads7.0Score14714d adds
- 24 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
- 25 I'm King of No. 1 High School 一中我称王 [No System + Underworld + Brotherhood + Urban + School + Gangs] The protagonist rises from an ordinary nobody, a wage slave who can only be pushed around, all the way to the top. The author is a newcomer, and the story's style takes a sharp turn starting in Chapter Five. The further you read, the more hooked you get, like being a kid again and reading thrilling underworld novels. I'm the number-one fanboy of How a Bad Guy Is Made! 37Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 Those Confused Days of Youth 那些年迷茫的日子 One thought can lead to heaven, another to hell. Half a life wasted, with the past too painful to look back on. I once ruled my corner of the world, and I once ended up in prison. From being adored by everyone to the desolation of today, I dedicate this book to the friends I once had. 726Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 27 After I Got Out of Prison, My Sister Forced Me to Inherit a Billion-Dollar Fortune 出狱后，姐姐逼我继承亿万家产 Food delivery rider + Sanhe drifter + brotherhood in the underworld + rise to the pinnacle of power. Revenge and face-slapping + unexpected fortune + underdog's rise + tight, logical plotting. A Southeast Asian power struggle + fierce mercenary battles + leading your brothers to the top. My ex-girlfriend clings to a rich man and mocks me: “All you'll ever be in this life is a garbage picker!” Late one night, three sexy older women corner me beneath a bridge. “Your parents left you hundreds of mi 8Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 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
- 29 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
- 30 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
- 31 Black, White, and Gray? How Can You Get Ahead Without Getting Your Hands Dirty? 黑白灰？不涉灰怎么出人头地 Brotherhood + slow-burn ensemble cast + one female lead + not overpowered + first-person perspective Some people say black is black and white is white, and anyone who falls into the underworld is a bad person. I wanted to be a good person. I never wanted to fall into the underworld. But does being a good person mean being looked down on? Does it mean being powerless when trouble strikes? Only later did I realize that society isn’t simply black or white. The world’s true colors are black, white, 22Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 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
- 33 Underworld: Sending a School Bully to Internet Addiction Rehab? 黑道：把一个校霸送去戒网瘾？ [Underworld]+ [Satisfying Read]+ [Always Get Revenge]+ [Illustrations] Not for readers under eighteen. Lu Fei was an internet-addicted shut-in, but he was sent away for behavioral correction. There, he witnessed the cruelty and wickedness of human nature. To change his circumstances, Lu Fei had no choice but to try everything he could to transform himself. What he didn’t know was that the villains waiting for him outside were thousands of times more brutal than the ones inside... 42Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 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
- 35 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
- 36 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
- 37 Tales of the Southern Underworld 南方黑道往事 A highly realistic and utterly authentic autobiographical story about the underworld. Many readers who have started reading have already been drawn deep into it. Open this book, and you'll see a real underworld: helplessness and betrayal, a deeply immersive world of bloodshed and brotherhood. 5.7kReads8.9Score44114d adds
- 38 My Years as a Gangster 我当混子的那些年 The underworld is an endless wilderness, and every gang member is a man prepared to die! The underworld is a narrow path, and every gang member risks his life just to make it through! The underworld is a pure arena of beasts: the winners become kings, and the losers are crushed! Forced onto this path, the young Jiang Liang must now show how he can rule the world with one hand! 112Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 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
- 40 The Road Through the Martial World Is Long: I Rule the Northeast 江湖路远：我掌东北势 The short drama is now streaming on Hongguo: The Road of the Underworld Is Long, and I Rule the Northeast. Urban, Underworld, Smart Protagonist, Slow-Burn Power Fantasy Snowflakes danced in the air. Outside the prison gates. Twenty-three-year-old Wang Yun stood outside the prison gates, gazing up at the gloomy sky. Five years ago, he killed Zhang San for assaulting his mother. Today was the day he completed his sentence and was released. But when Wang Yun returned home, he discovered that his mo 5.7kReads8.8Score39114d adds
- 41 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
- 42 Winter Reigns Supreme 凛冬为王 In 1998, Frost City was battered by wind and snow. The young Chen Lin had lost his family and been left crippled, suffering one humiliation after another. The moment he entered the underworld, he made ruthlessness his way of life and ruled the streets with his fists. From discarded pawn to overlord, he climbed to the top and became king in the depths of winter. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 The Underworld Is a Road of No Return 江湖是一条不归路 [Underworld + Passion + Jianghu + Comedy + Comeback + No Ensemble Cast + First Person] What is the jianghu? Some say it’s all about human relationships and social conventions. But I, Deng Chengpeng, know only this: the jianghu is a road of no return. Once you enter, there’s no turning back. I went from an ordinary boy to a bloodied fugitive, step by step entering this so-called jianghu. There was no good fortune falling out of the sky, and no strength gained without effort. Every bit of streng 39Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 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
- 45 Rise to the Top of the Underworld! 引领黑道巅峰！ [Power fantasy] + [Undercover agent] + [Clash of black and white] + [Decisive and ruthless] + [No System] + [Patriotic] Three years, then another three years, and another three years! Jiang Wuqing, you’re a cop! No! I’m the gang’s top enforcer! If you weren’t a cop, why wouldn’t they arrest you when they took down the gang? I play both sides! Years later… Please, when you take them down, take me with them. I can’t take it anymore! There’s really no crime left anywhere in the world. I’ 853Reads6.9Score10614d adds
- 46 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
- 47 The Underworld as Seen Through a Madman's Eyes 疯子眼中所谓的江湖 His father goes bankrupt overnight. His mother receives a notice that she is critically ill. A carefree young wastrel stumbles into the world of the martial underworld! Confronted with all the different lives in the martial world, and one situation after another where he has no choice, the young man, already mired in the quagmire, gazes around in confusion. The martial world is a road of no return. You have to go mad to become a demon. An unseen hand pushes him ever onward... Can this dashing yo 768Reads7.0Score10314d adds
- 48 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
- 49 Bloodshed in the Black Abyss 黑渊血戮 (Realistic + Period Setting + Underworld + Political Battles) What is the underworld? It is an endless abyss. Once you take a single step into it, you’ll be trapped forever, with no way out. To make a name for yourself in the underworld, you have to be ready to end up dead in the street or locked away for life at any moment. Now, let me take you back to the late 1980s and show you how the son of a worker gets dragged into this dark abyss and rises step by step to become a crime boss of his era. 898Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 Southwest Storm: Turmoil on the Black Sea 西南风云：黑海沉浮 When I was eighteen, I met someone who led me down a certain path. Some describe this path with the idealistic word “jianghu.” But the jianghu you actually find yourself in is better summed up by a rather funny saying: “After all this time, I’ve made no friends, only learned lessons.” My name is Lin Dongxia, and I’ve learned my fair share of lessons. 33kReads9.3Score3.2k14d adds
