Well, it doesnt have to be "humans", it could be robots made with Jonas parts hehehe, as a way for the player to kind of make some kind of safe heaven so wanderers can stop and rest for a while before they go out to wander again. After all, when humans survive, our main goal is always reproduce, expand and survive. What is the point of a single village, that once they die, humanity will be completely extinct? If humans dont expand and procreate to increase their numbers, what was the point of surviving on the first place.
Surviving and making small villages or even wandering as traders have to serve a bigger purpose on the lore. If there is only 1 village, then, what is even the point for traders to "wander" So, lore base, it should make sense for humans to want to expand and start new settlements, after all, that is how we ensure the survival of a race.