Novels like The Jianghu: I Am the Kingpin
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Jianghu: I Am the Kingpin, best match first.
- 51 An Underworld Odyssey: Is This Really the Right Path? 黑道征途，这条路真的对吗！ My name is Jiang Cheng. The Cheng in my name means “to become a god,” and I became the god of the underworld. The road here was grueling. My brothers and I all got the lives we wanted, but when I finally reached the top and watched my old brothers get arrested or cut down one by one, I fell into deep thought. Was this road really the right one? —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 52 The Hong Kong Underworld Boss: Two Fists Shatter a Life of Poverty 香江枭雄，双拳打破家徒四壁 From the muddy, shadowy alleys of Shek Kip Mei Estate to the skyscrapers of Central. This is a story of violence, social ascent, and building a new order. Qin Junnan transmigrates to a Hong Kong crossover world with a martial arts System, vowing to carve out his own future with his fists! [Current martial art: Arhat Fist → Upgrade: Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms (each palm strike roars like a dragon and crushes all in its path)] [Current force: Lone commander → Recruit: a death squad with 100% l —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 53 Where Do the Falling Leaves Drift? 落叶飘向哪儿 (Underworld, school life, mind games, high martial arts) In middle school, a misunderstanding made Jiang Wanlin the target of a gang of petty thugs. Just when things looked desperate, Brother Hao appeared and showed him that in a dog-eat-dog society, only the strong avoid being bullied. So when he started high school, Jiang Wanlin refused to be pushed around any longer. He clenched his fists and plunged into the world of street gangs, dragging his good brother Liao Linfeng in with him. From stre 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 54 My Uncle Is Huang Bingyao, and I’m Invincible from the Start 阿叔是黄炳耀，我开局无敌 In Hong Kong's underworld and law enforcement circles, there's one ironclad rule you must never break: You'd be better off provoking the King of Hell than the uncle-and-nephew duo of the Wong family! After transmigrating into a Hong Kong crime drama, I became Wong Bing-yao's nephew. From the start, I acquired a System. In this chaotic era, where gangsters roam the streets and armed criminals spray bullets with AKs, the rules for undercover cops are the rules! My uncle, Wong Bing-yao, is a shrewd 43.7kReads5.7Score4.4k14d adds
- 55 Bloodstained Memories 血染的往事 (This story is entirely fictional. The places, people, events, and everything else in it are not real.) In the early 1990s, on a silent winter night, two muffled gunshots rang out beneath the darkness over an old neighborhood. A five-shot hunting rifle with a sawed-off barrel brought more than a scene of underworld vendetta. It also laid bare a hidden storm of bloodshed. Some say he was a loyal and righteous brother. Some say he was an ambitious kingpin. Others say he was a vicious monster, crue 37Reads7.5Score—14d adds
- 56 The Underworld Boss Through My Eyes 我眼中的江湖大哥 When Zheng Hao stood up for his ex-girlfriend, Gu Xin, he took down Chengbei Laosi, a small-time thug with a bit of a reputation, twice. His own name soon began to rise. Later, he became enemies with Jin Changxu, a Korean-Chinese gangster, and beat up Chen Jianjun, an old-time thug who had just gotten out of prison. One brutal fight after another turned Zheng Hao into the big brother everyone talked about. But the arrival of Zhou Yunkang, son of veteran boss Zhou Wandai, presents Zheng Hao and h 13Reads8.7Score—14d adds
- 57 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
- 58 The Peerless Crime Lord 绝世大枭雄 The System arrives, and the ambitious rise of Jiang Bai, a lowly security guard, gathers unstoppable momentum. 352Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 59 The Thug Gets Out of Prison 暴徒出狱 Before I went to prison, I was a big shot everyone feared. After getting out, I wanted to live a different kind of life. I just wanted to be an ordinary person, live a quiet life, and work hard to make money. I was ready to let bygones be bygones. But I wanted to let them go, and they kept pushing me. So I had no choice but to fight back with everything I had. 28Reads—Score—14d adds
- 60 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
- 61 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
- 62 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
- 63 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
- 64 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
- 65 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
- 66 Bandit City 匪城 [Not a wish-fulfillment power fantasy, and the protagonist isn't invincible: a comeback story + underworld conflict + a rock-bottom start + personality reversal + ruthless decisiveness + brains and brawn + ruthless bandits and war criminals abound] I'm Shen Liu. Ever since my father was imprisoned for seriously injuring someone when I was seven, I've endured humiliation at every turn. Then a girl appeared, and my life began to change... Once again, they knocked me down. As they unzipped their —Reads—Score2.2k14d adds
- 67 The Northeastern Transfer Student Conquers Tokyo! 东北插班生制霸东京！ [Tokyo + hot-blooded action + System + hard-hitting fights] Li Yuan, a crime boss, died unexpectedly, and his soul transmigrated into the body of a transfer student from Northeast China at Suzuran High School. On his very first day, a delinquent gang cornered him at the entrance. When Li Yuan faced the gang, he awakened the Villain System. As long as he defeated delinquent gangs, he could keep getting stronger. [Defeat the punks who came looking for trouble. Gain +1 physique.] From then on, he t 1.4kReads6.8Score10214d adds
- 68 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
- 69 I’m the Boss in Prison 我在监狱当大哥 Wang Baolong goes to prison for revenge. Prison is a school, and prison is a society in miniature. With such a long sentence ahead of him, how will he handle his relationships inside and outside? Let's wait and see! 1.7kReads—Score—14d adds
- 70 Zhang San, the Top Dog of Jiamusi 佳木斯张三一霸 This story does not glorify criminals. It is meant to warn readers not to break the law, or they will surely face severe punishment. Justice may be delayed, but it will come. When the time comes, no one can escape the law! 1.1kReads8.4Score13114d adds
- 71 A Hero in Turbulent Times 乱世枭雄 "Dark clouds loom over the city, threatening to crush it; golden scales gleam on armor beneath the sun." I was just an ordinary student, but one upheaval after another gradually dragged me into an abyss of crime and punishment, and drew me into a world where I had no say in my own fate... 150Reads—Score—14d adds
- 72 A Top Law-and-Politics Graduate Joins the Underworld: That's Normal, Right? 政法高材生，混个黑道正常吧？ A gambling-addict older brother drags Gu Tian into an accident. A top student at a university of political science and law, Gu Tian accidentally kills someone. In the process, he escapes detection by assuming the identity of his victim, Li Yu. From then on, he finds himself on a path that takes him further and further from his dreams! 17Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 73 Reborn: The Principal of My Vocational School Calls Me Big Brother 重生，我在职高校长叫我大哥 Reborn on the first day of vocational high school, Fang Wu looked at the familiar school gates, his body trembling slightly. In his previous life, he drifted aimlessly, bullied and good for nothing, until he dropped dead at the factory from working himself to death over a twelve-year-old iPhone. This time, back at school, he would turn it into his own empire! While everyone else coasted through school, chased a diploma, or tried to make a name for themselves, Fang Wu brought the toughest stude 4.1kReads6.5Score28014d adds
- 74 I Thrive on Others in Wancheng and Become a Big Shot 我在菀城软饭硬吃当大佬 In the turbulent city of Dongguan, all I wanted was to run a small business, help my brothers make money, and enjoy a peaceful life with the occasional bit of financial support from a woman. But fate refused to let me keep a low profile. Factory girls, bosses’ wives, rich older women, and underworld big sisters all barged into my life, dragging me into deeper and deeper schemes. I started out at a small factory and worked my way through the nightlife. I went from being a young nobody to a ruthle 38kReads7.6Score1.9k14d adds
- 75 On the Run 亡命天涯 A story from the jianghu, born of mental illness, so subversive it beggars the imagination. Mental illness. Dissociative identity disorder. Two completely different personalities. In the winter of 1982, a man left someone else’s house carrying a child. On his way home, he was shot dead, and the child was grazed across the cheek. In a single night, the child became an orphan. Just as a teacher was about to take him in, a man who claimed to be a friend of his father adopted him. In the end, he too 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 76 The Martial World: The Wild Heavenly Fragrance 江湖：混世天香 The martial world is about both fighting and human relationships. If you know how to get by, you can live in luxury, surrounded by beauty. I always thought I was an honest kid. People bullied me from elementary school all the way through vocational school. A guy who was five feet two inches tall had me, at six feet one inch, pinned to the ground and rubbing my face in it. It wasn’t until my biological father came to take me home that I found out how much power and how many connections I had behi 13.8kReads8.4Score1.8k14d adds
- 77 Forty and Still No Worries About Getting Married 女人四十不愁嫁 [Urban slice of life + multiple heroines + love and marriage] Yu Hua loves her freedom and has spent nearly twenty years wandering far from home, yet she remains single. She feels her life is happy, but her family can't accept it. With her fortieth birthday fast approaching, her mother can no longer sit still and comes to stay by Yu Hua's side, treating every possible threat to her marriage like a crisis. Yu Hua's once-comfortable single life becomes fraught with anxiety. Lawyer Ning Jia plans t 50Reads—Score—14d adds
- 78 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
- 79 Urban Mad Dragon: A True Dragon Fears No River Crossing 都市狂龙：不是猛龙不过江 [Business Warfare + Powerhouse + Underworld + Livestreaming + No System + No Rebirth] Zhao Yichen, the undisputed king of Feicheng's underworld, is hunted by two mysterious forces… He is on the brink of death, lying in a pool of blood, when Xiao Mo, general manager of Brilliant Media, rescues him. From then on, Zhao Yichen conceals his identity and takes a job as a lowly security guard at Brilliant Media. After the Three Little Animals set them up, Brilliant Media is caught in a scandal over 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 80 My Years as a Delinquent 我当不良的那些年 The year I began to remember things, my parents left for reasons unknown. The moment I stepped into Seventh High, the story began, and a legend unfolded. There is no tree that reaches the heavens. Everything has something that can bring it down… 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 81 The Underworld: A Fight for the Blood Road 黑社会：血路争锋 In the late 1990s, the waters of the Hai River in Jinmen City carried a stench that wouldn't wash away. They lapped over the dock's bluestone slabs and soaked the mud-caked trousers of Lin Shen. The sixteen-year-old boy huddled in the shadow of a shipping container, clutching a brown paper bag. Inside were three packs of cigarettes he'd managed to “borrow” from a cargo ship that day. They were tribute for Brother Hu, the third-in-command of the Shunfa Gang, and his only bargaining chip for survi 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 82 Tales from the Lower Streets (Complete in Three Volumes) 下街往事（全三册） An unforgettable memory of raw courage, a brutally honest chronicle of human nature: sharp, wild, and burning hot. The shock forged from love, hate, and passion swells through every line, leaving you breathless. The novel’s protagonist spends his entire childhood surrounded by frenzied violence and bloodshed. The decade of disaster leaves an indelible mark on him, leading him to believe that violence is the best way to protect himself and that he can make something of his life through force. Ins 153Reads9.0Score—14d adds
- 83 The Bad Boy of the City 都市坏少年 “When a righteous bloodline flows through the veins of darkness, how should a person choose their path?” This dark realist novel blends coming-of-age, family ethics, power struggles, and an epic tale of the underworld. Its central conflict is that of a delinquent student who rises to become an underworld king, yet comes from the most righteous of families. The story explores fractured identity, the paradoxes of fate, and the possibility of redemption. At its heart is the coexistence of light and 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 84 The Pearl River Delta Rises: The Man in Charge 风起珠三角：话事人 [Decisive and Ruthless] + [Sharp-Witted] + [Brotherhood] + [Industrial Tycoon] Pearl River Delta, 2004. It was the best of times: assembly-line machines roared day and night, and gold seemed to lie everywhere. It was also the worst of times: the urban villages were a tangled mix of people, and might made right. Chen Jun had been driven to the edge of a cliff, with a group of poor brothers who had nowhere else to go behind him. "The rules around here need to change. From now on, I'll be the one m 41Reads—Score—14d adds
- 85 Storm over Binhai 滨海风云 The jianghu isn't about fighting and killing. It's about human relationships and worldly wisdom. The underworld isn't about fighting and killing either. It's just a way for people to make a living by going down a dark path. Chen Mu, an orphan, was just an ordinary food delivery driver. One late-night delivery brought him together with Chu Wanyin, who had been hurt by love. At the same time, his biological father came looking for him. Liu Xie, also an orphan, chose a path entirely different from 32Reads—Score—14d adds
- 86 Southeast Asian Widows Help Me Become a Tycoon 东南亚寡妇助我成大佬 Multiple heroines, exotic settings, mature women, young women, and foreign beauties. Decisive and ruthless, with no frustrating setbacks. When it's time to indulge, he does so without hesitation. Wang Da Qiang, a crime boss, is caught in the act from the start. Then a System that appears out of nowhere and vanishes just as quickly dumps him in An Nam in the 1980s. With the help of all kinds of beautiful women, he rises to become a Southeast Asian crime lord. 242Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 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
- 88 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
- 89 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
- 90 King of the Underworld: I Rule with Unmatched Power 黑道之王：权势滔天我为王 [Urban + underworld + feel-good power fantasy + big shot + no System + two heroines + mildly risqué] This novel is also known as "After Storming the Prison, I Became the Underworld Emperor" and "The Underworld King Who Rose from the Dark Zone", the first part. This is the second part and can be read on its own. Two chapters are all it takes to get your fix. Qin Shiyi came from the Dark Zone. He brought his brothers to Pearl City in District Two, hoping to make something of themselves. By fightin 833Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 91 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
- 92 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
- 93 Cleaning Up the City 都市里的激浊扬清 Wherever there are people, there are rivalries and intrigue. Power struggles, bribery, and temptation: the past flashed before Wang Pei’s eyes. Swirling the wine in his stemmed glass, he sighed, “It’s all behind me now. Building a beautiful countryside is what matters.” Yi Huan crooked a finger at him and smiled. “So, you’ve finally come around?” “I came around ages ago. Green mountains and clear waters are as valuable as mountains of gold and silver. Since I’ve been given this opportunity, I’m 398Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 94 Tales of the Northeast: Wang Pinghe 东北风云往事之王平和 The underworld of Northeast China in the 1990s had no beauty filters, just tough men with hard fists. Wang Pinghe, nicknamed Little Hoodlum, was the second child in his family. He should have lived a quiet life under his parents’ care, but instead plunged headfirst into the underworld. He fought viciously and was fiercely loyal. The iron gates of the detention center could hold him, but they couldn’t contain his wild streak. He would take a knife for his brothers, yet treat beautiful women with 28.8kReads8.6Score1.6k14d adds
- 95 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
- 96 A Generation’s Mad Tyrant 一代狂枭 “Hey, punk! You got the guts to tell me your name?!” “I’ll give it to you straight! Your grandpa’s Li Xiao! Li as in the wood-and-child Li, Xiao as in a great hero!” He’ll take a knife for his brothers! He’ll risk his life for the woman he loves! He knows when to yield and when to stand firm! He bears humiliation and carries heavy burdens! He never shows his enemies any mercy! Young and reckless, he pursues his dreams; full of ambition, he strives to achieve greatness! 156Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 97 Beneath the Kunlun Ruins: Weakwater Illuminates the Dark City 昆仑墟下：弱水照玄都 This is a sweeping graphic novel rooted in Gansu's eight thousand years of civilization. Blending two-world transmigration, Chinese-style science fiction, cultural preservation, and human awakening, it takes "staying true" as its soul and "passing things on" as its backbone. As cyber-futurism collides with ancient heritage, it exposes capital's mutilation of culture and algorithms' distortion of humanity, telling a passionate story of ordinary people resisting a standardized world. Late one nigh —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 98 The Seven Ancient Demon Swords 古煞七剑 A great opportunity was unearthed in the hills behind a tribe, giving rise to the Seven Sects. The sect leaders each split off their own dark side and sealed them together, creating the Demon King Nie Kui. This sparked a war between gods and demons that raged for hundreds of years, and only the sacrifice of all seven sect leaders could seal Nie Kui away. Thousands of years later, a tomb robbery with hidden motives threatens to bring the Demon King back into the world... —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 Urban Pleasures 都市怡情 At twenty-seven, Long Yingquan sat hunched over a narrow desk in his rented room in Shanghai. His fingertips traced the words “junior college” on his résumé, while the neon lights outside his window had nothing to do with him. It was his fifth year struggling to make it in Shanghai. He had gone from sorting packages in a warehouse to working as a real estate agent, and his meager salary barely covered the rent and his mother’s medical bills. With his father absent from his family life, he had lo 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 100 Come On, Guys, Let’s Go 哥几个，走着 Young and carefree, we pursue our dreams. With hearts full of ambition, we strive to make glory. Side by side, we swear to create miracles. We never leave each other, standing together through hardship and even death. At the ends of the earth, we embrace for eternity. A true man fears no poison, and the determined can roam even the skies. 12.6kReads9.4Score1.3k14d adds
