Triads and Turbulence: Once Upon a Time in Northeastern China is an epic tale of conflict, royalties, and love set against the backdrop of an industrial wasteland populated by gangsters and outlaws in North Eastern China. This highly acclaimed novel is a tetralogy inspired by true events, from bloodshed gangster conflicts to industrial city outcasts amidst Communist China’s rapid development following Deng Xiao Ping’s economic reforms in the 1980s. It is also a story of marginalized individuals entangled in the changing fabrics of the society they live in. Creator of China’s gangland pulp fiction, author Kong Ergou grew up in such an environment . This critically acclaimed novel begins its life as a web based novel in 2007 and very quickly gathered millions of followers. It was adapted into two movies, an online TV series as well as a theatrical play. The author’s rose to fame as a master storyteller coincided with the advance of the internet and China’s increasing liberal policies for its literature publication.