The Moon Worshiper had always been a solitary figure. His thoughts and actions remained completely unshaken by the opinions of others.
Even though he knew the earth was actually a giant sphere and that the sun and moon were also spherical bodies, no one believed him. No one could break free from the ancient worldview that had been passed down through countless generations about the round heavens and square earth.
The Moon Worshiper had once believed himself to be utterly alone. He thought he was the only person in the entire world who knew this fundamental truth. Yet unexpectedly he had now discovered someone else who understood this concept.
Although Alex's suggestion had been made somewhat casually, it immediately caught the Moon Worshiper's full attention.
So he posed a question to test Alex's actual depth of knowledge.
If the earth where all living things reside is truly a sphere then only those at the very top can survive with no one living on the sides or bottom correct?
The Moon Worshiper already knew the correct answer having personally circumnavigated the entire Earth during his travels. This question was simply a test to see how much Alex truly understood.
"No that is not accurate at all. Although our world is indeed a sphere there are people living in every corner of it."
This was Alex's immediate response and he answered without even pausing to think. It was abundantly clear that he already knew the answer and that his understanding was completely correct.
"Since we all live on a giant sphere then why do people on the sides and bottom not simply fall off into the void?"
Before the Moon Worshiper could pose his next question, Li Xiaoyao who had been listening intently could not help but speak up first. He voiced the question that everyone present was curious about.
"What truly defines up and what defines down? For us standing here, up is up and down is down, but for those living on the opposite side of our sphere, what we call up is actually their down. The force called gravity is actually given to us by the very earth we live upon..."
Alex simply drew a circle on the ground with his finger and used this simple diagram to illustrate his answer to the question.
"Gravity? So this giant sphere itself is the source of gravity." Upon hearing Alex's clear explanation the Moon Worshiper felt a sudden flash of enlightenment wash over him.
In truth he had only known through observation that the Earth was spherical but he had never understood why people living everywhere on this sphere did not fall off into space.
Now Alex's answer made the Moon Worshiper feel as though a great mystery had finally been solved.
That explanation perfectly addressed the problem he had puzzled over for years. Indeed the force of gravity acting on every person's body is directed towards the center of the Earth itself and not just in one fixed direction.
"That is impossible! I still find it extremely hard to believe. While this theory is certainly novel and interesting it remains somewhat absurd" Liu Jinyuan said while shaking his head and offering his own skeptical thoughts.
Indeed breaking free from the worldview that had been ingrained in humanity for thousands of years and accepting the revolutionary truth that the Earth is a sphere was no easy task for anyone.
Liu Jinyuan's words prompted both Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru to nod in agreement. The concept of a flat earth beneath round heavens had been taught to them since early childhood. Of course they would not simply believe Alex just because he spoke these strange ideas.
Alex smiled knowingly at their predictable reactions but remained silent on the matter. It had just been a casual remark from him anyway and whether they chose to believe it or not was entirely their own business.
"Master Alex, since the Earth is truly a giant sphere floating in space then what about the Sun and Moon? Are they spheres as well?" Just then Shi Jieren who stood nearby spoke up again with burning curiosity in his voice as he questioned Alex further.
Alex looked at him with a hint of genuine surprise. Did this man truly believe what he was saying? Or was he simply finding the topic intellectually fascinating?
After a brief moment of hesitation Alex decided he had no reason to hide his knowledge. Since someone was genuinely willing to listen with an open mind there was nothing wrong with explaining more about the cosmos.
Nodding in agreement Alex began to explain the intricate relationship between the Sun, Moon and Earth. He even went further and explained with absolute conviction the scientific principles behind solar and lunar eclipses.
"So this is how the eclipses of the Sun and Moon actually work. I finally understand it now..."
Alex's words caused Shi Jieren's eyes to light up with excitement and he felt another wave of sudden enlightenment wash over his consciousness.
To Shi Jieren, Alex was no longer just a fellow traveler sharing a simple meal. Instead as he raised each profound question Alex provided perfect and logical answers every single time. In Shi Jieren's mind Alex had transformed into a true pioneer of knowledge and understanding.
Liu Jinyuan and the other two nearby had originally been listening to Alex's words simply as a source of entertainment and amusement. However as Shi Jieren continued asking questions and Alex offered detailed explanations that at least theoretically made perfect sense, they found themselves completely dumbfounded. Their entire worldview was being systematically shattered piece by piece.
"Could it possibly be that everything Alex is saying is actually true?" As Alex's answers emerged one after another with each one being theoretically valid and logically consistent, this frightening thought suddenly popped into their minds.
The thought was genuinely terrifying and they almost felt afraid to continue listening to Alex speak any further.
However these revelations seemed to have opened an entirely new door of understanding for them. They were simultaneously afraid to listen yet they absolutely refused to leave. Instead they quietly kept their ears perked up and continued listening with rapt attention and growing fascination.
"By the way Master Alex, you mentioned that the moon actually orbits around our Earth completing one full rotation in roughly a month. So within each month the moon waxes and wanes through its phases. And the Earth itself orbits the sun? Is that why we experience the four distinct seasons throughout the year?"
When Alex brought up the complex subject of the movements of the moon, sun and earth, Shi Jieren stared at him with wide eyes filled with amazement. He had now begun addressing Alex with the deeply respectful title of "Master Alex" to show his reverence.
"Yes that is absolutely correct..." Alex nodded calmly and confirmed the answer.
"Then what color is sunlight truly? The sun usually appears red during the early morning hours but transforms into golden light by midday. Why does sunlight change so dramatically throughout the day?" Shi Jieren continued with yet another question.
In his mind it seemed that as long as he asked about any of the profound mysteries of the universe, Alex would somehow be able to provide a perfect and satisfying answer. This realization made Shi Jieren eagerly throw out all the doubts and questions he had accumulated over his lifetime.
"Sunlight is actually pure white in its natural state. As for the different colors of light we observe at different times of day, that phenomenon occurs because of the refraction of light through the atmosphere."
"Do you understand the concept of refraction? It works like this. When you place a bowl filled with water on a table and stick a chopstick into it at an angle, it appears as though the chopstick is bent or broken at the point where it enters the water. That visual distortion is refraction at work. Our entire earth is surrounded by a layer of atmosphere..."
Alex seemed to have naturally transformed into a patient teacher of natural science while the Moon Worshiper had become an eager and curious student listening attentively to every word of the lecture.
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